Gawker is reporting the alleged video of Rob Ford smoking crack may be "gone." Writing yesterday, editor John Cook, who reported viewing the recording, says the person holding the recording wants to be left alone and told an intermediary the recording was "gone." The site raised over $200,000 to buy the tape and has said it will give the money to charity if it isn't claimed by the end of the month.

Rob Ford's newest hire is the former producer of his Newstalk 1010 radio show. Dan Jacobs told the Toronto Star he starts work on Friday, making him the sixth person the mayor has hired in the wake several high profile office departures last week. Most of the new staff have little political experience.

From one mayor to another, David Miller has announced he has been hired as the CEO of the World Wildlife Fund Canada. The former Toronto mayor, praised during his term for his green initiatives, will take over in September. Since leaving office Miller has worked with law firm Aird and Berlis and the World Bank. He said he hasn't regretted leaving politics "for a second."

The City of Toronto ended 2012 with a $248 million surplus thanks in part to an increase in the land transfer tax Rob Ford wants to cut. The extra cash will be used to fund future capital projects and beef up emergency reserves of cash. In the past the case was used to fill holes in the operating budget,

Tunneling for the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT will officially begin later today when Transportation Minister Glen Murray throws what I assume is a big switch and engages the first of three giant tunnel boring machines. Two more subway diggers will begin work next year and with a little bit of luck the project will wrap up in 2020.

The turf war over the University of Toronto's back campus is heading to city council. A plan by the university to tear up the real Kentucky blue grass and replace it with an artificial surface in time for a Pan Am Games hockey event has caused anger. Local councillor Adam Vaughan wants to designate the area a protected heritage site.

Finally, Walmart Canada says it's listening carefully to the concerns of Kensington Market residents opposed to a new superstore on Bathurst Street. The company is considering becoming the main tenant in a proposed three-storey development on the site of the old Kromer Radio building. A local petition against the store has attracted more than 35,000 signatures.

IN BRIEF:

• Chris Levoir: 1981-2013 [NOW]
• Build Toronto CEO selection ruffles feathers [Toronto Star]
• Body of missing Toronto infant found in Cambridge [Toronto Star]
• Andres Torres hits 2-run homer as Giants beat Jays [CBC]

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: Jrperida/blogTO Flickr pool.

When I arrive at Tania Boterman's studio in Kensington Market, she's in the middle of a piece for her upcoming show: "One Bird, So Many Feathers." It's a series of pen and ink drawings centred around these twisted, feathered hearts. They're starkly beautiful, with just the right amount of creepy to keep them interesting and just enough colour to make them standout.

She's being kicked out of her studio at the end of the month, when she'll be moving herself and her pet cat into a new apartment/studio out towards the Junction. On top of all that she's also had to put up with pestering emails and text messages from me for the past couple of weeks about something completely unrelated to any of this. Tania Boterman also does portrait commissions — of people's pets. Dogs mostly, but she says any cute face will do. It's a cottage industry she fell into by accident, but since she started she's done well over 100 on word of mouth alone and with Woofstock coming up this weekend, no doubt there are plenty of proud pooch parents in the market to immortalize their precious pups.

I met with Tania on a dreary afternoon to talk about art and listen to sad animal stories.

What makes a good pet portrait?

The expression. If I can nail the eyes — that's what I worry the most about — the rest of it will kind of fall into place. So I look for a cute little expression, because you know I'd still like it to be a piece of artwork I don't want it to be like Robert Bateman.

Which is your favourite?

This one for sure [Hank, below]. Because of it's size — it's big. But also, I generally work with tons of black and there's not quite as much black as usual. Also, this is one of the first ones I did in pen and ink...I used to do strictly oils and acrylics and now I don't use any of it at all, and this is one of the ones that made me stop, so it kind of changed everything.

Do you do exclusively dogs?

No, I do a few cats too.

How about people?

I've done a few kids, but there's surprisingly not as much of a market for it (laughs).

Why do you like drawing animals?

I don't know, I just sort of went nuts drawing animals, I've been doing it for 10 years now. It started with drawing these polar bears fighting and people really liked them, so then I did a whole bunch more and that just kind of led to flamingos and continued from there.

How is doing a commission different from your own work?

They're two different things. I find commissions far more stressful, but I usually have more of an idea when I do a commission. Like I go into it with absolute knowledge of what I need to produce, whereas in my own work, it involves a lot more experimentation and all sorts of ideas come through.

And there are expectations with commissions, which I worry about a little bit, but when someone is hiring me I assume they're hiring me because they like what I do and they're expecting something similar to things I've already done. Like, now I'm over feeling uncomfortable about it. It used to be more of an issue.

How many commissions have you done?

Maybe like, 100 or so? There's a lot of them out there, and it's kind of surprising. I'll run into people and after a minute or so, it will occur to me that I've painted their dog — or cat.

Are they generally for living animals?

This is a dead one [above]. Yeah, it was a wedding gift originally, but you know what? I think this is the anniversary of him dying, which is so weird. When I borrowed it for this I mentioned that it would be featured in an article and they were so happy because they said we were coming up on the anniversary of his death.

But yeah, often people will hire me for animals that are about to pass away — it's really weird — and then people will get super emotional...they cry...it can be very intense.

So I Imagine you get a lot of pet stories

Oh yeah, tons. One of my favourites is one of the more heartbreaking ones. This guy had a shop out of the Danforth and his dog is this beautiful yellow lab who was about to pass away and you could really tell. So I had to come in and take pictures and he was so sweet with it, lifting him up onto the couch and we had to kind of make the dog look not as sick as he was. You could tell he was heartbroken about what was going to happen next, that he really wanted to memorialize. You know, you can't help but get super-duper sad about that.

Are you an animal lover yourself?

I am! I have a cat and when I have some time I want to do her portrait, but I'm not like, an activist or anything

How long does a piece take you?

It depends, a couple of days. Most people are cool to wait, but this one guy explained to me...you know I asked him when he wanted me to have it done, and he said: "well, you know what it's like when you really want something?" So yeah, as soon as possible.

What is the price range?

It depends of the size, but generally anywhere from $200 - $1000.

The opening for Tania Boterman's One Bird, So Many Feathers is June 6, 7-10pm at AWOL Gallery and runs until June 16th.

All photos by Michael Chrisman except #3 and #4, provided by the artist

This Week in Fashion rounds up the week's style news, store openings and closings, pop-up shops, sales and upcoming fashion and design events in Toronto. Find it here every Wednesday morning.

NEWS

Last week, word got around that RioCan intends to open a 2-storey shopping mall just west of Kensington Market - one that will include the king of all discount retailers: Walmart. As a long-time local hub of small businesses, residents and market-lovers are raging left and right over the looming, controversial proposal. Social networks have already been set ablaze with protest and petitions have been signed by thousands. Tomorrow (June 6), a public meeting addressing the proposed development will be held at the College Street United Church (452 College St) at 7 pm.

EVENTS/PARTIES

Kastor & Pollux, an online womenswear boutique and blog, is celebrating their two-year anniversary with a pop-up shop at ultra-hip retailer Sauvage (644 Queen St W)! Drop by on Friday (June 7) or Saturday (June 8) to shop their new collection of iridescent clothing and jewellery - or enjoy treats and refreshments at the opening party happening on Friday (June 7) from 7 pm until 10 pm.

Relive your high school prom with WORN Fashion Journal at the Church of the Holy Trinity (10 Trinity Sq) this Saturday (June 8) from 9:30 pm until 2 am. To celebrate the release of their 16th issue, knock back a couple of $4 beers in your best tacky floor-length gown while shimmying to the sounds of The Broken Mixtape. Advance tickets are $10 or pay $15 entrance at the door.

If your closet is lacking rare finds like vintage garments and handmade doodads, but you're not into sifting the smelly racks at a thrift store -- don't fret! Local bloggers Anita Clarke and Jen McNeely have teamed up to bring you the June edition of the Gladstone Flea: a handpicked (and well organized) extravaganza for all your unique fashion needs, happening this Saturday (June 8). Spend the hours between 10 am and 4 pm perusing the racks at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W) or miss out and be bland forever.

A couple of months ago, Out of The Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture opened up at the Bata Shoe Museum. As beautiful and interesting as it was to take a gander at the world's most celebrated sneakers, I still had a lot of unanswered questions. Luckily, curator Elizabeth Semmelhack is offering tours and talks exploring the rise of the everyday shoe this Sunday (June 9), picking apart its history and meaning in today's culture. Advance tickets are $10 or pay $14 entrance at the door.

Next week marks the inaugural launch of Canada Philippine Fashion Week, a 6-day celebration of Filipino fashion, culture, entertainment, and philanthropy. From Monday (June 10) until Friday (June 15), a slew of venues downtown will host events bursting with energy - including performances, film screenings, live music, exhibitions, and of course, fashion shows by designers based both in Canada and the Philippines. Find the full schedule and a list of participating designers on their official website.

SALES

For two days only starting today (June 5) and stretching until tomorrow (June 6), PHT is hosting their big annual Spring Sample Sale on the 4th floor of 176 John Street - a ton of womenswear will be marked at up to 95% off! Known for having the best selection of styles from Anthropologie, GILT, Saks Fifth Avenue, and more in a full range of sizes, this is definitely not an event to miss.

Photo by Javin Lau

Don't look now, but the 2013 edition of the Luminato Festival, which runs from June 14 - 23, is just over a week away. This annual celebration of the arts, now in its seventh year, always has a strong focus on music, and this year's is no different.

In fact, it features one of the stronger lineups of artists in recent memory, many of whom will be performing free concerts throughout the week. Yes, free - Luminato is truly a festival that gives back to fans of music and art in general.

With so much to do and see during the festival, it can be difficult to narrow down what concerts and shows you should check out above all the rest. I've got you covered, though - here's what you don't want to miss at Luminato 2013.

Note: unless otherwise stated, these shows are free and will all be taking place at the festival's Hub, located at David Pecaut Square

Joni: A Portrait in Song / Massey Hall / Tuesday, June 18 and Wednesday, June 19, at 7:30pm
This was already shaping up to be the can't-miss event of Luminato 2013 - a two-day celebration of the music of Joni Mitchell, with an all-star lineup of musicians re-interpreting her timeless catalogue of music. Last week, it was announced that the lady of the hour herself will be in attendance at both shows, where she will perform with her band. Other musicians who will be on hand include Rufus Wainwright, Liam Titcomb, Cold Specks, Kathleen Edwards, Lizz Wright, Chaka Khan, Esperanza Spalding, Herbie Hancock, and Glen Hansard. That's a pretty awesome collection of artists, and this promises to be a great celebration of one Canada's most beloved musicians. Tickets available at the official Luminato website and Massey Hall's website.

Patrick Watson / Thursday, June 20, 9:00 - 10:00pm
If you don't know who Patrick Watson is by now, you really should - the Montreal native is, I'd argue, one of the most talented musicians in Canada at the moment. He and his eponymous band were awarded the 2007 Polaris Music Prize for their album Close to Paradise, and shortlisted for the award again in 2009 for Wooden Arms. On a personal level (and I know a lot of people who would agree with me), this is my most-anticipated show of Luminato 2013 - it's not often that you can see a performer of Watson's ilk for the price of on the house. Don't miss this one.

Serena Ryder / Friday, June 14, 9:00 - 10:00pm
Since the release of her sixth album, Harmony, last November, Serena Ryder has finally achieved the mainstream success that she rightly deserves. The Millbrook native, who's been on the scene since 1999, earned her first certified platinum single with "Stompa," a song which has gotten an absurd amount of radio play. While I haven't seen her live as of yet, I've heard nothing but good things from those who have. This will probably be one of the more popular shows of Luminato 2013, as Ryder's never been hotter.

Rosanne Cash / Saturday, June 22, 9:00 - 10:00pm
As the daughter of the legendary Johnny Cash, you might expect Rosanne Cash to have had difficulty in forging a successful career for herself without being stuck in the shadow of her father. Rosanne, however, has arguably become one of the most beloved country singer-songwriters of her generation. In a career that has spanned more than 30 years, she's released 14 albums, the most recent of which was a career retrospective titled The Essential Rosanne Cash. Her next album, set for release in September, will be her first album of all-original material in over seven years. You'll definitely want to take the opportunity to see a true legend take the stage at Luminato 2013.

k-os / Friday, June 14, 8:00 - 9:00pm
The last time k-os performed in Toronto, back in April, there were some sound issues that greatly detracted from the show (blame the Danforth Music Hall for that one). Anyone who's seen k-os live knows that his enthusiasm and energy onstage makes for an unforgettable show, which is why those technical difficulties must have been disappointing for those in attendance. At Luminato 2013, however, the Toronto hip-hop legend will be performing on an outdoor stage, which should eliminate any major sound or acoustic issues. Trust me - this is a show you'll want to see.

For a complete list of artists performing at Luminato 2013, swing by the festival's official website.

Photo of Serena Ryder courtesy of Tabercil on Flickr.

This boutique-style condo at 500 Wellington has some serious potential. The units were only completed in 2011, and right now, the decor in this suite is set up such that it's pretty malleable. That said, it's got a really girly vibe to it at the moment, with crystal chandeliers, glossy white wardrobe doors and a luxe washroom made for soaking and pampering. Those details could all be easily changed, though, if they're not your thang. But at this stage, the place screams "super-sized bachelorette pad / all the single ladies / too many cosmopolitans." Or "one too many lines snorted off a glass table while wearing leopard print stilettos and hoping for a threesome" because you heard that glamourous living sounded something like that in a song by the Weeknd. That kind of girly.

All of that aside, (and none of it being especially bad, if I do say so myself) this living space is glorious, like the snow white heavens all people of financial aptitude one day gain access to. The kitchen is incredibly sleek, with plenty of counter space and compact, up to the minute appliances. It features the aforementioned glossy cabinetry, and it's brought down to earth with warm hardwood flooring. Throughout the apartment, the walls are the clean, stark white that's so sought after right now in home decor, and there appears to be a sitting area in one of the washrooms.

This is upscale Girls — while Hannah eats cupcakes in the tub, Marni can now recline in the chair while she whines about Charlie and the merits of being a hostess. That said, this apartment would be the perfect place to get ready to go out. There's even private elevator access, which means no mingling with the great unwashed, such as bloggers. (And no one seeing who comes in and out, either).

SPECS

Address: 500 Wellington St. W., Suite 801
Price: $2,300,000
Square Footage: 2,475
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 3
Storeys: 1
Parking Spaces: 1
Fireplaces:
Monthly Maintenance: $0.42
Building Amenities:

NOTABLE FEATURES

• Private elevator access
• Floor-to-ceiling windows
• Terrace
• Giant soaker tub

GOOD FOR

Someone who wears white business suits. People who want to be downtown, single ladies or not. This condo is in the middle of everything, and it's pretty enough that it would probably feel like a home and be worth the money.

MOVE ON IF

Though there could very well be room, the suite doesn't strike me as the best spot to raise a family. Its coldness, and the narrowness of key family gathering areas, like the kitchen, make it seem like a better option for those among us who roam free.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES

Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.

If you hate cute people who apply the DIY philosophy to their entire businesses, stay far, far away from this new Junction coffee shop. It's bright, has friendly owners, and it's nice to look at without trying too hard. And, perhaps most importantly, there's great coffee on offer — just not of the drip variety.

Read my review of Amani Earls in the cafes section.

If you are one of those people who love to cook but hate grocery shopping, a new online food service launching in Toronto called Fresh Canteen needs to be on your radar.

Currently accepting invites for their mid-June launch, Fresh Canteen is more than just another online grocery delivery service. Founded by Toronto entrepreneur, Matt O'Leary, Fresh Canteen was created to solve the everyday struggle of figuring out what to cook and the even more difficult task of making sure you have all the necessary ingredients to follow a recipe.

Fresh Canteen combines meal discovery, food preparation and grocery delivery in a simple, easy to use service which takes the work out of cooking. Think of it like Epicurious meets SupperWorks meets Grocery Gateway.

The inspiration behind the company came from the founders own frustrations with meal preparation. "Even if you were to pull out a recipe from a book today, take a snapshot of the recipe ingredients and go and source them at a grocery store, a lot of the time they don't have the ingredients or, if they do, and they call for a pinch of cumin, you have to buy a whole jar of it which just sits in your spice rack for a couple of years," O'Leary told me. "It seemed to me that this was a broken system and there had to be a better way. That is why we created Fresh Canteen".

What makes Fresh Canteen different from the rest is that grocery selection is done by choosing meals rather than individual ingredients. Members have the option to choose up to three menu items for the week from an assortment of six recipes created by Fresh Canteen chefs. One of their first recipe selections, for example, will be Roasted Salmon with Puckery Good Lemony Asparagus and Chili Rice. If selected it will come with the obvious main ingredients right down to the sprig of thyme and tbsp. of olive oil needed to make up the meal.

All meals have been crafted to use fresh, local and seasonal items and the recipes have been designed to guarantee you will be eating in thirty-five minutes from kitchen to table. Although food sources could not be disclosed at this time, O'Leary confirmed that they are working on firming up partnerships with well-known local butchers and vendors around the city and intend to work directly with surrounding area farms to stock their inventory.

O'Leary also confirmed that vegetarian meals will be provided at launch but other dietary restrictions like organic, gluten-free and specific food allergies are on the roadmap.

Once members have selected their meals, all of the ingredients as well as step-by-step photo instructions for each recipe will be delivered in a refrigerated box right to your door.

The average cost of a Fresh Canteen meal is expected to be anywhere from $12-$13 per person which ends up being about $78 a week for two people. Not bad, considering that Fresh Canteen takes care of both planning your meal and delivering everything you need to get it made.

O'Leary says that the service is aimed at anyone who is too busy to prepare for home cooking but Fresh Canteen obviously lends well to the urban professional who loves to cook but still likes to go out and order in - thus the three meal maximum. Along these lines, the start-up expects to rollout weekend party menus and BBQ meals shortly after launch.

This new restaurant has recently laid roots near St. Lawrence Market in the former home of the celebrated Colborne Lane. Offering an alternative take on Canadiana, the atmosphere is elegant but casual, and the food is a lavish celebration of local ingredients.

Read my profile of Woods in the restaurant section.

Frank Gehry's triptych towers planned for the Princess of Wales Theatre block have received their first major tweaks since being unveiled last October. The "sculptures that people can live in," to use the words of Gehry himself, now feature a wafting, "cloud-like" podium and far more exterior detail than the previous iteration.

The first concept, which Gehry said would change during his speech at the unveiling, has given way to some impressive visual refinements but the modifications do not address the main concerns the city expressed in its preliminary report released back in February, namely the height and loss of historic buildings.

The latest concept appears to follow the lines of a secondary model unveiled with the original designs in October 2012. The east tower, planned for the other side of Ed Mirvish Way, is the most striking. An apparent relative of Gehry's warped and rippled 8 Spruce Street in New York City, though I'm told it's not intentional, the exterior cladding appears cut in pieces and draped off the tower.

Speaking with the Toronto Star's Christopher Hume, Gehry partner Craig Webb said the "cloud-like" podium that drifts halfway up all three of the towers is meant to convey "something silky and soft" and provide a sense of "lightness." The first version had something resembling torn strips of paper at the base.

The city has expressed concerns over the height of the towers and wants to see each one trimmed by around 30 floors. All three are currently over 80 stories. The loss of several heritage warehouses, a throwback to the days when this part of King West was a manufacturing district, is also a worry.

"We haven't modified the heights and we are hoping not to," says Peter Kofman, President of Projectcore Inc., the development management company behind the Mirvish+Gehry project.

"We really don't want these towers to be down at the level of adjacent buildings - we really want to create these iconic towers and have them stand out and have an expression against the skyline that's dramatic. We don't want to disappear behind other buildings here."

"I think the dialogue with the city has allowed us to take a particular direction and do things that are slightly different than they were previously."

The white veil around the podium is made of glass and supported by wooden beams that are meant to evoke the historic interiors of the Eclipse White Wear and Anderson warehouse buildings that would be demolished were the project to proceed as-is. Despite the exterior developments, things are "very close" to the original inside.

"It's an evolving story and it's an interesting opportunity to create some great architecture and design" says Kofman. "It's a process, and we're hoping at the end of the day we've created the best thing we can create given the opportunities and constraints."

MORE IMAGES:

The wooden model from the unveiling that the designs appear to closely match.

An alternative close-up view of the wood and glass podium.

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: Tom Ryaboi, Mirvish+Gehry, Projectcore Inc.

While fish tacos, lobster rolls and pulled pork sandwiches might get most of the attention at Toronto food trucks, many local trucks also offers up plenty of options for those of us with a sweet tooth. Among the many dessert options available on the streets right now are the churros topped with dulche de leche from the Choco Churros food truck. Can you say yum five times fast?

We've undertaken the crave-inducing task of browsing through our Toronto Food Trucks stream to pick out five dessert items that stand out from the pack. Here are four more worth seeking out on the streets of Toronto this summer.

The maple beef bacon donuts from Caplansky's food truck.Photo by Janet Kwan

The red velvet cupcakes from Pretty Sweet.Photo by Judes5

The pulled pork parfait from Hank Daddy's BBQ*. Photo by hanks_sister

The hazelnut spread and banana beaver tail from the Beaver Tails food truck.Photo by Caspar Yue

For more photos of food available at Toronto food trucks, check out our Toronto Food Trucks stream. Add your own photos to the stream via our web site, the Toronto Food Trucks iPhone app or simply by tagging your photos in Instagram with #foodtrucksTO

Top photos of the churros by th3hungrycat. *The pulled pork parfait is, technically, not a dessert, but with parfait in the name we couldn't resist including it here.

The best late night poutine in Toronto showcases the iconic comfort food in its best light. After dark (and after a few drinks), the satisfying mess of salty carbs, gooey cheese curds and soupy gravy starts looking more attractive than ever.

While daytime poutine tends to get dressed up with duck confit or even lobster, post-midnight poutine is a little more true to its down and dirty self. The traditional versions on this list all do it right (curds, never shredded cheese), but if you want to stick it to tradition altogether, there are some pretty monstrous variations to choose from... Epic Meal Time worthy stuff. To each his own!

Want more late night eats? Download our Toronto bars, pubs & late night eats iPhone app.

View a full round-up of Toronto's best late night eat options via our Late Night Eats in Toronto Pinterest board.

See also:

The Best Poutine in Toronto
The Best Fries in Toronto
The Best 24 hour restaurants in Toronto

Photo by Zens Lens in the blogTO Flickr pool

Toronto events on June 6, 2013

MUSIC | The xx and Grizzly Bear
English dream pop band The xx and Brooklyn indie rock band Grizzly Bear team up for a dual concert at Downsview Park. Grizzly Bear will open, hitting the stage at 7:45PM and performing songs from their four studio albums and two EPs before The xx takes over at 9:30PM. Tickets are still available through Collective Concerts and at Rotate This and Soundscapes, but be aware that the show is at Echo Beach not Downsview Park.
Echo Beach 6PM $59.50-$99.50

PARTY | AGO 1st Thursday
AGO 1st Thursdays return for the summer with new performers, art installations and now, more food. Feminist art rock band VAG HALEN perform along with Light Fires and Mighty Real DJs but if you'd rather perform yourself, the Galleria Italia will be transformed into a karaoke bar. NXNE Art will present special art performances by Brendan de Montigny, Nataliya Petkova and Bridget Moser. Nail art, artist talks, exhibitions and a prix-fixe at FRANK mean there's something for everyone at tonight's event and in honour of fleeting Canadian summers, 1st Thursdays will now have special late night hours, beginning at 8PM and running until midnight.
Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas Street West) 8PM $12 advance, $15 door

FILM | Toronto Korean Film Festival
Want to know what authentic Korean filmmaking looks like? Experience it at the Toronto Korean Film Festival, one of Toronto's many culturally-specific festivals that highlights the best in films coming out of South Korea. With a theme of the Ups and Downs of Korean Peninsula, this year's festival includes a screening series of 8 short films tonight at Innis Town Hall and a viewing of Kim Ki-duk's Address Unknown tomorrow. Parties and screenings will take place until June 8th, when this short festival closes.
Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Avenue) 7PM $8

PHOTOGRAPHY | All Ages (19+): Toronto Music Photography by Jess Baumung
Toronto photographer Jess Baumung has always been the kid with a camera in hand at music shows. Tonight, you'll see why the music community welcomed him into the press pit with open arms at the launch of his show All Ages (19+) at 2186Dundas, a new-ish gallery at the crossroads of Roncesvalles and the Junction. 8 years of music photography combined into one pre-NXNE show, the exhibit will include images from Baumung's 2010 stint documenting the final tour of Alexisonfire. The opening reception begins at 7:30PM.
2186Dundas (2186 Dundas Street West) 7:30PM Free

MUSIC | The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones return to the ACC tonight for the second time in as many weeks and tickets are still available. The legendary '60s rock band may be well into their 70s but they've kicked off their 51st year as a band by embarking on this current tour, 50 and Counting. Ticket price points are at a level only die-hard fans can appreciate but judging by our review of the Stones' May 25th show, even the nosebleeds will be worth it.
Air Canada Centre (40 Bay Street) 8PM $166.50-$624.50

ALSO OF NOTE:

• Community Consultation Meeting: Wal-Mart at Bathurst and Nassau?
• Summer in the City Pop-Up Shop
• Parkdale, People, Places & Things
• Give Me Liberty

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

Photo by Matthew McAndrew

Gawker is continuing to scoop the Toronto Star. The site published a current photograph of the house where Rob Ford was infamously shown with his arms around subsequent murder victim Anthony Smith and Muhammad Khattak, who was injured in the same attack, late last night. The Star is promising more details today.

The house is pretty nondescript. There's a black and white cat, a fan, a school chair, and what looks like a rusty blade in the bushes next to the famous garage door. The Globe and Mail says the bungalow is 300 metres from the Dixon Road high-rise where a Ford staffer alleged the crack video was being held. "A steady stream of traffic" flows from the house, the paper says. Does this add much to the story?

Proving the Rob Ford crack video story isn't dead just yet, several media organizations are asking the RCMP to make public an evidence file related to the shooting of Smith and Khattak in the hopes a seized cellphone may contain the alleged video. Ford was pictured with Smith in the original Gawker story. Do you think the tape will come out if it exists?

Toronto's east waterfront could become home to an $11 billion condo-shopping district if plans from one of the country's biggest developers get approval. Tridel wants to build the giant new community south of Queens Quay between Sherbourne Common and the inlet west of the Victory Soya Mills silos. It would feature 7 mixed-use residential buildings, including the proposed Aqualina development, and two office buildings. The Star has an interactive map.

The TTC will remain a free ride on New Year's Eve thanks to a deal with Corby Distilleries, the makers of Wiser's whisky and Lamb's Rum. The Commission absorbed the cost of making bus, streetcar, and subway rides free the last few years. Brad Ross confirmed the three-year arrangement, which will see the company cover the operating cost, in a Tweet yesterday afternoon.

Vice is comparing the Rob Ford saga to cult TV show The Wire. In their alternate reality, Rob and Doug Ford play fictional drug barons Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell respectively while fired chief of staff Mark Towhey is cast as D'Angelo Barksdale. Oh, and the press is the cops, apparently. No word on who's good cop Jimmy McNulty.

Baby Tenzin? According to a new Grid infographic on childbirth in Toronto Tenzin is the only name to top the popularity charts for both boys and girls. It's most popular in Parkdale/Liberty Village, apparently.

Finally, Rob Ford, well, someone doing a terrible impression of Rob Ford, was back on Jimmy Kimmel last night. The late-night talk show jumped on our mayor for suggesting all press, positive or negative, is good for tourism. Oh dear...

IN BRIEF:

• Doug Ford asks police to investigate threats [Toronto Sun]
• Ireland Park still out of reach after three years [Toronto Star]
• Eglinton Crosstown crews launch giant tunneling machine [Toronto Star]
• Honda Indy starts constructing its Toronto race track [Toronto Sun]
• R.A. Dickey throws gem as Blue Jays blank Giants [CBC]

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: Guo Gareth/blogTO Flickr pool.

This Week in Film rounds up noteworthy new releases in theatres, rep cinema and avant-garde screenings, festivals, and other special cinema-related events happening in Toronto.

NEW RELEASES

Before Midnight (Varsity)

The last time we met up with Celine and Jesse in Before Sunset, the loquacious couple did indeed go boating, as well as strolling, through Paris. They'd not met up since their chance encounter in Vienna nine years earlier (in real and fictional time), as seen in Richard Linklater's breakout indie, Before Sunrise. Now, nine years later again, we're on a Greek island, dropping in on the two lovebirds in their most secure status yet (as a married couple). Hopefully everyone has already seen the first two films, since the mere existence of this third one kind of spoils the blissful uncertainty that closes the second. But it's hard to complain about 109 more minutes of quality time with these two, who probably could recite the dictionary and make it ceaselessly compelling.

also opening in theatres this week:

• Ain't in It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm (Bloor Hot Docs Cinema)
• The East (TIFF Bell Lightbox)
• Free the Mind (Bloor Hot Docs Cinema)
• The Internship (Carlton, Cineplex Yonge & Dundas Sq.)
• The Kings of Summer (Varsity)
• 1 Mile Above (Cineplex Yonge & Dundas Sq.)
• Peaches Does Herself (Bloor Hot Docs Cinema)
• The Purge (Scotiabank)
• The Shape of Rex (The Royal)
• Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 (Cineplex Yonge & Dundas Sq.)

REP CINEMA

A Century of Chinese Cinema (June 5 - August 11; TIFF Bell Lightbox)

Whoa, mama. Talk about an exhaustingly comprehensive overview. Just two months after TIFF's thoroughly Japanese winter season wrapped up, they've upped the ante here two-fold, covering another national cinema from Asia. It's easy to spot several familiar names in here (Wong Kar-wai, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Johnnie To, Edward Yang, Jia Zhang-ke), but it's rare to see a blockbuster retrospective such as this one comprise so many criminally under-appreciated major talents. King Hu, Lu Chuan, Li Han-hsiang, and Xie Fei all ought to be up there among the top tier household names of world cinema.

Take Chen Kaige's Yellow Earth (1985) for instance. It's a film that likely only more devoted cinephiles have heard of (much less even seen), despite being a monumental achievement in the last thirty years of cinema history. Part musical, part landscape study, and part corrosive social critique, Kaige's game-changing feature debut, set in 1939, is by turns brutally realist and achingly poetic, staging the plight of Chinese women against nature as the most cosmic of backdrops. I haven't seen all 80+ films in the retrospective yet, but if they're all this emotionally overwhelming, I may not make it to September in one piece.

This week's A Century of Chinese Cinema screenings and events:

• Farewell My Concubine [intro by Chen Kaige] (Thursday, June 6 at 7:30PM)
• Higher Learning: 4th and 5th Generation Filmmakers Panel [FREE] (Friday, June 7 at 1PM)
• Yellow Earth [intro by Chen Kaige] (Friday, June 7 at 5:30PM)
• In Conversation With... Chen Kaige (Friday, June 7 at 8PM)
• A Chinese Ghost Story [intro by Nansun Shi] (Friday, June 7 at 10PM)
• Buried Treasures of Chinese Silent Cinema [FREE] (Saturday, June 8 at 12PM)
• Chungking Express [intro by Christopher Doyle] (Saturday, June 8 at 5PM)
• A Better Tomorrow [intro by Nansun Shi] (Saturday, June 8 at 8PM)
• Dust in the Wind [preceded by Hou Hsiao-Hsien Panel / FREE] (Sunday, June 9 at 10AM)
• King of the Children (Sunday, June 9 at 12PM)
• The Women from the Lake of Scented Souls [intro by Xie Fei] (Sunday, June 9 at 2:30PM)
• Black Snow [intro by Xie Fei] (Sunday, June 9 at 5PM)
• Red Detachment of Women (Sunday, June 9 at 8PM)
• David Bordwell on Motion Emotion: The Art of the Martial Arts Film (Monday, June 10 at 6:30PM)
• Wong Fei-Hung's Whip That Smacks the Candle [intro by Winnie Fu] (Monday, June 10 at 9PM)
• Bart Testa on Boat People (Tuesday, June 11 at 6PM)
• Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (Tuesday, June 11 at 9PM)
• Drunken Master [intro by Jackie Chan] (Wednesday, June 12 at 6PM)
• The Legend of Drunken Master [intro by Jackie Chan] (Wednesday, June 12 at 9PM)
• Police Story [intro by Jackie Chan] (Thursday, June 13 at 6PM)

Also in rep cinema this week:

• Hamid Naficy on This is Not a Film (Wednesday, June 12 at 6:30PM; TIFF Bell Lightbox)
• The Last Waltz (Sunday, June 9 at 8:30PM; Bloor Hot Docs Cinema)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

The Free Screen - The Imagined Film: Narcisa Hirsch and Michael Snow in Dialogue (Thursday, June 13 at 6:30PM; TIFF Bell Lightbox)

Co-presented with the Goethe Institut, TIFF's The Free Screen brings us two step-sister works from the 1970's, Michael Snow's live audio and slide work, A Casing Shelved, and Narcisa Hirsch's 16mm film Taller (Workshop). Hirsch heard about Snow's project in the mid-Seventies and produced a response to it, despite the fact that she'd never seen the film. "Though Hirsch's film, like its unseen model, is shot in the artist's studio and dominated by her voice, it departs in thought-provoking ways from Snow's work."

"At this screening, Hirsch and Snow will see each other's films for the first time and have a conversation about this singular case of a belated, cross-hemispheric dialogue between two experimental filmmakers." The very premise of this evening is enough to make any experimental cinema aficionado giddy. For those unfamiliar with Snow or Hirsch, a better introduction to both in inconceivable. Free and open to the public.

Lead still from Before Midnight.

Tackling the reinvention of women's underwear with your first startup venture is no small feat. But that's exactly what Joanna Griffiths set out to do when she launched Knix Wear last month on crowdfunding website Indiegogo. The campaign aims to raise $40,000 in 30 days to fund the first production run, which will be available in July, and currently sits at just over $35,000 with a few days left to go.

Built on tons of research Joanna gathered from doctors, physiotherapists, medical journals, and from speaking with and surveying women, she found that as many as 1 in 3 women have an occasional "light leak" due to stress incontinence. This can be a common problem for women who are pregnant, for example.

With this is mind, Knix Wear knickers were designed to bring women comfort and confidence with the help of a patented technology: an ultra-thin super absorbent gusset that wicks away moisture and eliminates odor to keep women feeling fresh and dry all day long. And the line doesn't sacrifice fashion for function. Knix Wear has an everyday, lace and athlectic line all designed by seasoned lingerie designer Kris Goojha, who has worked with major brands like Victoria Secret.

Here's what founder Joanna Griffiths had to say about the journey of her Toronto-based startup:

What exactly inspired you to start Knix Wear?

I was inspired to start Knix Wear following a conversation I had with my mom, who's a doctor, about the physical realities of becoming a mother. There had yet to be an everyday underwear brand on the market that truly combined fashion, function and fit - that was designed with women's many needs in mind - and so with that the idea for Knix Wear was born.

How does the business make money?

Knix Wear is a bit of a hybrid. We have an e-commerce site where women can buy all of our styles online and learn more about the technology behind Knix Wear. In addition we are also pursuing physical retail distribution through boutiques and department stores. We've designed our packaging so that it can be sold both where women traditionally shop for underwear (lingerie boutiques, the intimates section of your local department store) and in non-traditional underwear retail outlets like yoga studios, gyms, spas, maternity boutiques and more.

Why use crowdfunding to help launch Knix?

I'm a big fan of testing ideas and gathering as much information as possible to make educated decisions. Launching with crowdfunding allows you to do both. We've been able to speak directly with our customers and hear what they like about our product and things they'd like to see added or modified. Our goal was always to use this information to shape our first production run (and we have!).

We've already added a new style and plus sizes based on customer feedback. It's an incredible opportunity to work with your customers to make a product that they really want. It also was a good way to minimize the risk associated with the order by pre-selling product to help finance the production run.

What have been the biggest challenges to getting your startup off the ground?

The production piece in general has been a challenge. The apparel industry is a difficult one to navigate and this was only amplified because we are a startup and creating something that hasn't been done before. It was really challenging to find the right partner who had the expertise AND the patience to work with us while we developed the product. We've gone through hundreds of samples and prototypes and finding a patient partner to work through those steps was challenging.

Any tips or lessons that you can share with any aspiring startup founders reading this?

A good friend of mine taught me the expression "No hands, no cookies" which basically means that if you want something, you have to put yourself out there and ask for it. For me this was difficult at first and felt unnatural but it's something that we have come to live and breathe by at Knix Wear.

We are constantly asking people for help and advice and pushing ourselves to do more and it's been incredible to see how receptive people are - especially in the startup stage. Starting a business takes a lot of work, there are huge learning curves and likely limited resources asking for help, and getting the right kind of help is key.

Where do you see the business a year from now?

A year from now hopefully we will have a great online business, be in hundreds of stores across North America and have some exciting new styles and products to add to our collection.

Toronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest restaurant openings and closings in Toronto and also gives a preview at some of the places coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

OPEN NOW

• New pub, The Wren opened last week at 1382 Danforth Avenue at Monarch Park. Along with craft beers the new spot does snacks, salads, sandwiches and chimichangas.
• New in the Junction, Sagra, an Italian food studio from the same owners as The Slow Room is now in a soft opening phase at 240 Annette Street.
• Cafe Bar Pasta at 1588 Dundas Street West, will open for the Dundas Street Fest this Saturday, June 8th, though there may or may not be booze (permits are pending). The plan is to specialize in espresso and wines on tap when they officially opening sometime in mid-June.
• Valdez, the new Latin, street food inspired restaurant from Steve Gonzalez (Top Chef Canada alum) could be open as early as this weekend at 606 King Street West.

OPENING SOON

• Cibo Wine Bar is poised to open a third location at 522 King Street West this June.
• New restaurant, Bero is poised to open at 889 Queen Street East. Currently home to The Commissary, the same owners are teaming up with Matt Kantor (Secret Pickle Supper Club) to transform the space and menu by early July. (via Post City)
• Early Bird Espresso and Brew Bar is under construction at 613 Queen Street West.
• Miracle Cafe & Bar coming to 685 West Queen Street, according to the liquor license application posted in the window.

CLOSED

• Hogtown Charcuterie confirmed via twitter that they've closed up shop and are on the hunt for bigger digs, for now they'll be regulars at the Junction farmers market on Saturdays. El Gordo food court's Rasta Pasta is taking over address at 61 Kensington Avenue.

OTHER NEWS

• Casa Bacardi at DEQ Lounge is now open and will be offering branded mojitos and exotic cocktails all summer long from the outdoor lounge at the Ritz Carlton (181 Wellington Street West).

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

Casa 3 Condos is one of a slew of developments going up in the soon to be tower-dominated Bloor and Yonge area. Located just east at Church St., the building follows in the footsteps of Casa and Casa II, and is obviously being put together by the same developer, Cresford.

Now, I know this is Toronto, and I know the signs thus far point to a lack of imagination (there has to be a better name than "House one, two and three"), but honestly, the developers are pushing it a bit here. The exterior is a simple, soaring, 56-storey tower, and it looks like a caricature of a glass condo. It's basically what condo haters rail against and judge all condos to be. But, hey, the lobby will feature furniture by Hermès, making this property utterly fabulous and Euro-chic, right?

SPECS

Address: 50 Charles St. E.
Floors: 56
Total number of units: N/A
Unit sizes (in square feet): 312-690
Prices from (available units): $239,900
Maintenance fees: $0.58
Developer: Cresford Development Corporation
Amenities/building features: Gym, games room, guest suite, rooftop deck, pool, party room, movie room and 24-hour concierge.

THE GOOD

You can't have a more central location than Casa 3. It's right next to Bloor-Yonge station, it's near Ryerson, and close to pretty much all the retail you'll ever need. If you work downtown, it's a pretty ideal spot. And, though small, the units are (mostly) affordable.

While many would bemoan the lack of floor space, it's totally possible to transform a small condo into a fully functional living environment. The key is just to own the space, not be afraid to employ the use of statement furniture and lighting, and floor to ceiling wall shelving to create (the illusion of) space.

This building also looks like it'll be a good spot to entertain. The pool looks lovely, especially for night swims. Ah, the joy of renderings. And it comes with all of the standard condo amenities.

THE BAD

According to the information available thus far, these condos are pretty teensy. The studio layout looks smaller than a dorm room, with the bed basically on top of the kitchen area. (Check out some of the floor plans here). From looking at the plans, these suites look like they'll provide about the same quality of life as a run of the mill hotel room. The brightness factor is also a concern. Many of the suites appear to have one wall with large windows, but that's it. The units will likely tend to be quite dark toward the back.

All of this said, I can't imagine the developers will go without designing larger suites once plans are finalized. It's still early days— the property isn't due to be finished until 2017.

OUR TAKE

If location trumps charm and originality when it comes to your hunt for a living space, Casa 3 is a good bet. The building is in a super-central spot, and as I've said, a little imagination can turn a boring, tiny condo into something spectacular.

Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.

Given the popularity of Snakes and Lattes, one expects that this new board game cafe at College and Spadina — notably close to U of T — will also draw a crowd. Already busy when I pay a visit on its second day of operation, there's plenty of interest in its wall full of games (everything from the classics to less common offerings), and the coffee's no slouch either.

Read my review of Castle Board Game Cafe in the cafes section.

Condo hunting in Toronto just got a bit easier for those who don't like the idea of traipsing from one presentation centre to another. Opened recently at Avenue and Eglinton, the Condo Mall acts as a hub for pre-construction developments. With multiple developers showing off their projects in the same space, it functions as a centralized sales centre for the would-be condo buyer.

The brainchild of Adam Sax at Royal Lepage, the mall officially launches today (June 6th). Given that an empty lot or a hole in the ground isn't particularly demonstrative of a future development, the idea makes sense. Why trot around to different projects when all the info can be found in one convenient place?

Key to the whole operation is that a good selection of big-time developers are on board. Like any mall, a "condo mall" only works if there's lots of selection. Toward that end, Sax already has on board Tridel, RioCan, Monarch, Bazis, and Metropia, to name only the most recognizable developers participating in the mall-concept. That's a pretty good start.

The Condo Mall is located at 306 Eglinton Avenue West. What do you think? Does the mall concept make condo hunting easier?