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Is it time to make King and Queen streets car free?

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toronto ttc kingIt's been floated before - several times in fact - but TTC CEO Andy Byford says it's time to make King and maybe Queen Street transit-only during rush-hour if new streetcars are ever going to realize their potential.

Here's the idea: by cutting cars, trucks, and other vehicles out of important stretches of the downtown core during busy transit hours, streetcars could get through without bunching up behind turning motorists and other obstructions. Taxis could be exempted, perhaps, and Byford thinks the plan could work in one direction only.

As it stands, private automobiles are technically banned from driving in the streetcar lane during rush-hour but enforcement is sporadic at best. The TTC is also discussing traffic cameras to nab rule-breakers.

Speaking to the Toronto Star, Byford said the routes are plagued by chronic bunching caused by other vehicles blocking the tracks and poorly-timed signals. "Is it not time to revisit - just as a study - the political and public appetite for a 7 a.m. until 9 a.m. transit-only-in-one-direction road, and displace the traffic elsewhere," he asked.

To that end, TTC Karen Stintz will motion the TTC board to investigate the feasibility of such a plan at the next meeting on Monday evening.

melbourne tramsThere's some precedence for this. Melbourne, the city with the largest tram network in the world, runs its vehicles in parts of the downtown in dedicated lanes. Outside, there are marked tram lanes that become transit-only during rush-hour periods. There, the problem of turning traffic blocking intersections has given rise to the unusual hook turn.

In Toronto, a hook turn would require left-turning cars to be in the far right lane. When the light goes green, those cars would pull forward level with the lane they're turning in to and wait. The cars complete the turn when the light goes green for cars in the other direction.

It's all talk right now, of course, but what do you think of the idea. Could it work in Toronto?

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

Images: BruceK/blogTO Flickr pool, Charles Van den Broek/Creative Commons


New in Toronto Real Estate: B.streets condos

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b streets condos torontoB.streets condos will soon appear in a somewhat unlikely spot — at the intersection of Bloor and Bathurst in the Annex. A few people living in the area surely have ruffled feathers about it, but it just might be a nice way to introduce a new style of home ownership to the area, especially given the design of the building.

Though there are condo options further east that are technically in the same neighbourhood, the only options for housing at Boor and Bathurst at the moment are apartments above storefronts and old family homes, some of which have, of course, been converted for university students and other (slightly) lower income renters. A condo, as long as it remains somewhat short in stature, will make purchasing in the Annex a more realistic option for some.

b streets condos torontoSPECS

Address: 783 Bathurst St.
Floors: 9
Total number of units: 195
Types of units: Varied, including some two-storey units
Unit sizes (in square feet): 380 to 1,250
Ceiling heights: N/A
Starting prices for available units: from the mid $200,000s
Developer: Lindvest Properties
Amenities/building features: Media room, gym, party room, bar, internet lounge, dining room, outdoor patio, pet spa(?)

b streets condos torontoTHE GOOD

Excuse me, but this building is fully equipped with a bar. I'm going to start saving today so I can sit there and morosely sip bourbon whilst already trashed, like a modern, female, (albiet, less-hot) Don Draper. The city should just stop dithering about "transit funding" and implement mandatory bars in each new condo development. Lil liquid courage would go a long way in this town, IMHO.

Seriously, though, this building has a design that actually pays homage to the shape of the neighbourhood. It's only nine storeys, and it rises and falls in levels to become much shorter in some areas, as opposed to plunking itself down in giant block format and obstructing people's views and sunlight. So, while the Annex is home to, well, historical homes and small businesses, and while it's not exactly condo-city, I don't think this development will be an eyesore, and I don't think it will infringe on the neighbourhood's character.

Also, it's right next to Honest Ed's, so you can, you know, get your fill of Elvis busts to accent your new condo in stellar fashion.

b streets condos torontoTHE BAD

While the building's interior has a contemporary, tiled, fresh New York style aesthetic, the suites themselves look sort of like hundreds of other condos that already exist in the city. If they're going to build something new, they should make it stand out. The renderings available so far seem to suggest that the suites will be nice, for sure, but not much more than that. Sort of like that work colleague you avoid having lunch dates with because they just don't have that much to say for themselves, and sit there and smile and nod politely (ugh, politeness) instead.

Also, this development is going up on a plot of land that used to be a school, so it will be haunted by sulky schoolchildren. One hundred per cent haunted.

b streets condos torontoOUR TAKE

Despite the fact that this development has a pretty design and an amazingly decorated lobby — and a bar— the reality is, the suites themselves are just okay, from what I've seen. That said, the Annex is a great, central place to live, but with a small neighbourhood vibe. Overall, not a bad purchase at all.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES

b streets condos torontob streets condos torontoRead other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.

Toronto Restaurant Openings: Il Forno del Sud, Roux, The Brickford, Wallace & Co., Dundas Park Kitchen

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Toronto restaurant openingsToronto 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

  • Il Forno del Sud is now open at 716 Queen West. The bakery cafe offers Terroni's traditional cakes and breads from the address adjacent to their original location.
  • Roux is now open in place of the Junction Eatery (2790 Dundas St West). The owners and chef are the same, but the interior and menu have been updated drawing influence from Southern American and French Cajun cuisine. The new restaurant and bar starts public service this weekend.
  • Rock Lobster Food Co. opened its second outpost this week at 538 Queen Street West in the site formerly home to Shanghai Cowgirl.
  • The Brickford Bickford Flexitarian is now open at 326 Harbord Street where the Linuxcaffe used to be.
  • Wallace & Co. is now open at 299 Wallace, formerly home to Yasi's Place. Look for solid breakfast fare and a great burger.
  • Belly Buster Submarines has expanded to a new downtown location at 389 King Street West.
  • Dundas Park Kitchen quietly opened a few weeks ago at 2066 Dundas Street West right near Belljar Cafe. The weekday, take-away counter specializes in sandwiches and baked goods during the day, but at 5 o'clock they offer family style take home meals (think: a whole roasted chicken with two sides, or tray of lasagna weighing in at a kilo).

OPENING SOON

  • Playa Cabana Hacienda (14 Dupont Street) is poised to open towards the end of June.
  • Nawab Fusion Grill celebrates its grand opening towards the end of the month. The new gastro pub at 5009 Yonge Street offers an eclectic range of Indian-Asian fare like Butter Chicken Pizza and Masala Curly Fries.

CLOSING

OTHER NEWS

  • El Perro Heffe has popped up permanently (or at least for the foreseeable future) at Souz Dal (612 College Street) and is serving up Mexico City style street food like organic tacos on handmade tortillas.

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

Lead image of the burger at Wallace & Co.

25 snapshots from The Stop Night Market

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The Stop Night MarketThe Stop Night Market returned for a two-night stint this week in support of The Stop Community Food Centre's efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition in the GTA. Held in the alleyway behind Honest Ed's, gastro-nerds were free to navigate the 44 food and drink stalls, awkwardly bounce to the sounds of the live Afro-Brazilian percussion band and mingle energetically with the friendly crowd. Seeing as the $50 tickets didn't stop the event from selling out almost immediately, it seems safe to say that we'll see the Night Market again next summer.

Check out our slideshow for highlights from The Stop Night Market.

Photos by Natta Summerky

The top 5 wine delivery services for Toronto

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Wine Delivery TorontoThe top five wine delivery services in Toronto (and beyond) are a different breed than your generalist alcohol delivery options. Even if they deal mostly in beer and liquor, places like Dial-A-Bottle will source wine from the LCBO for delivery, but the service is obviously geared for those in a pinch rather than those looking to try out new or interesting wine. We've rounded up some of your better booze delivery options in the past, so it's time to shed light on some of the better places you can buy wine online and have it delivered to your door.

Most of these places sell in minimum three bottle lots, but that's a pretty good way to buy wine anyway. You can try one bottle right away, and then let the other's sit around for a bit if you think you've got something age-worthy on your hands.

Winery to Home
Winery to Home is one of the best ways of explore Ontario wines without heading to Niagara or Prince Edward County. It's amazing how many of the fantastic wines being produced in our backyard never make it onto LCBO shelves, so if you're interested in what our winemakers are up to, this site is a good bet. Also of note is the wine of month club, which ships out an expertly selected white and red each month for $45. That's not cheap, but it's a good way to get into Ontario wine.

Wine Online
Offering delivery throughout Ontario (and Alberta), Wine Online is basically an web-based wine agent that carries interesting and often high end wines not available at the LCBO. You'll typically have to order by the case (or half case), which will turn a few people off, but this can prove to be useful when you find something that you like for a good price. I've bought a few cases of sub $15 bottles from Wine Online over the years, and I've been happy with their lower priced wines, which are often of higher quality than what you'll find on LCBO shelves.

Wine this Week
This is another site designed to highlight Ontario wines. Although it might sound like a weekly wine club, the idea is merely that they add a new wine each week to their inventory of bottles on offer. The selection is as extensive as Winery to Home, but there are added features like a taste buds profiler and expert endorsements for select wines, so one doesn't feel like he or she is choosing in the dark. Oh, there's also no minimum bottle order. You might get dinged on shipping, but it's worth mentioning for those who aren't interesting in order a whole lot at a time.

WineWire
This is another online shop / delivery service that focuses on offering bottles not carried by the LCBO. If you've ever enjoyed a bottle of wine at a restaurant only to find that it's not available at your local liquor store, this could be prove a good place to search. WineWire works with Ontario wine agents to make available wines that you'd typically find on restaurant wine lists, but you'll need to buy by the case or half case (there's quite a few of the latter available). The selection is pretty fantastic if you're into wine, so have a look.

Sommelier Service
OK, this is for the real fanatics, but if you're a wine geek than the thought of having John Szabo select a case of wine on your behalf every month might be very appealing. Cases contain 5 different wines (not found at the LCBO) as well as tasting notes and food pairing suggestions, so you can impress the shit out of all your friends. Prices start at $295 and you can choose to receive cases every one, two or three months.

Thanks to the New Listerine UltraClean for sponsoring our wine-soaked adventures.

Belly Busters officially opens on King West

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Belly BusterEveryone's favourite sub joint has expanded to King West, which will make nostalgic sandwich seekers happy if they happen to live downtown, far from the original location on Yonge Street south of York Mills. There's snapshots on the wall and the subs are the same as they are uptow, so naturally the lineups have already begun.

Read my profile of Belly Buster Submarines (King West) in the restaurants section.

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Morning Brew: No Supreme Court date for Rob Ford, new Operation Traveller arrest, taxi changes, inter-city jest, silent balconies, and a controversial sidewalk is go

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toronto gehry stairsRob Ford won't be making Supreme Court appearance - a panel of three judges decided yesterday not to hear an appeal by Paul Magder, the Toronto resident who brought the original conflict of interest case against the mayor. Ford told a press conference the decision means he's "been vindicated" but the verdict doesn't mean he will be off the hook for court costs from the Toronto case.

Cops have made a new arrest in Operation Traveller, an investigation in to gun and drug activity that peaked with a series of raids last week. Despite continuing interest in the case over a possible connection to Rob Ford, police chief Bill Blair is still refusing to go into detail about what evidence has been collected and whether or not it includes the alleged Ford tape.

Toronto's taxi fleet could be set for an overhaul. A series of changes, including encouraging more drivers to use their own vehicle and a boost in the number of accessible cabs, will be floated at a meeting with industry groups next month. How could the city best improve its fleet of 4,849 cabs?

Calgary's mayor Naheed Nenshi is in town and he's making wise cracks about Rob Ford. The popular Albertan civic leader told a Canadian Club luncheon he had a "Diet Coke" problem (ha). He made the same crack in Ottawa the day before. Too soon?

Condo and apartment dwellers - do you use your balcony? Most don't, according to Brad Lamb, Toronto's condo king. He says adding the exterior areas is difficult for builders and often play into people fantasies about condo living. How often do you use your balcony?

Toronto is going to become $150 million poorer over the next three years thanks to funding cuts from the province. The money was promised for another 10 years in 2008 to cover the cost of social programs the city downloaded from the provincial government. The loss of funding likely means the city must make cuts or increase taxes.

Finally, Scarborough's Chine Drive is getting a sidewalk whether the locals like it or not. The area's community council has voted to install a paved area for children and parents walking to Chine Drive Public School despite a petition from the residents of the street south of Kingston Road.

IN BRIEF:

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

Image: Davoud D./blogTO Flickr pool.


The photos of the week: June 14-21

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fog TorontoThe photos of the week collect each of the editor-selected photos of the day into one post for a contest to be decided by our readers. Sponsored by Posterjack, the photographer whose image receives the most votes will be awarded with a voucher code for a 24"x36" poster print of their work.

All the rules and fine-print can be found in the original announcement post on the blogTO Flickr page. One thing to add, however, is that the voting period ends at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, after which the winner will be contacted with the good news.

For those photographers whose images are featured below, please feel free to give us a little information about your shot — i.e. where and when it was taken — in the comments section. Who knows? Maybe your description will sway voters in your favour!

Lead photo by ~EvidencE~

2.
Phone Booths TorontoPhoto by cookedphotos

3.
Ai WeiweiPhoto by John Tavares

4.
Vintage Porsche 911Photo by jonathantphotos

5.
Silos TorontoPhoto by Vik Pahwa

6.
world naked bike ridePhoto by rollingspoke

7.
Bathurst BridgePhoto by Ben Roffelsen


Toronto Food Events: 4Suppers, Restaurantacular, Back Door Burgers, TO Food Fest

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PorziaToronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious events, festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.

THIS WEEK

  • Jamie Kennedy is serving up $5 Back Door Burgers today, Friday, June 21st at the Gilead Cafe (4 Gilead Place) from 11:30am.
  • TO Food Fest hosts restaurants and food vendors at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto (5183 Sheppard Avenue East) on Sunday, June 23rd from 1pm to 6pm. Admission is free.
  • The first of the 4Suppers dinner series at Porzia (1314 Queen Street West) takes place Sunday, June 23rd with chef Rob Rossi joining Basilo Pesce in serving up a four course meal, snacks, wine and cocktails. Reserve a table for $70 a head.
  • Steam Whistle (255 Bremner Boulevard) hosts the Drinks Show on Thursday, June 27th. Admission to the cocktail-centric event is $30 at the door.
  • Restaurantacular takes over Mount Pleasant between Eglinton and Davisville on Wednesday, June 26th starting at 2pm until 8pm. Over 30 resident food shops and restaurants will participate with $2, $4 and $6 street foods.
  • Sausage League playoffs continue on Wednesday, June 26th at Marben (488 Wellington Street West). The Drake Hotel and Jacob's & Co. Steakhouse will serve up two sausage dishes at a time with beers and ballots for $25.
  • Animal Liberation Kitchen and Mango Pinton will be dishing out grub at the Secret Disco Revolution screening at the Open Roof Festival on Thursday, June 27th at Moonview Lot (175 Queens Quay Boulevard East).

UPCOMING

  • Participating Summerlicious restaurants are now taking reservations for prix fixe menus running July 5th to 21st.
  • Participate in Food-ography: Lights, Camera....Shoot & Eat! at the From the Farm Cooking School in Ameliasburg on Thursday, July 11th. The full day workshop will cover how to plate, shoot and style food for photos led by food stylist Ruth Gangbar, photographer Christopher Gentile, and designer Tim Snyder of Ton-up Creative. Reserve a space for $275.
  • Tickets are on sale now for the GE Café Chefs Series: Masters of Food on Tuesday, July 9th. Tickets for the workshop and dinner dubbed, The Past, Present & Future of Canadian Cuisine are $75 and will be led by chef John Higgins at the Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Avenue).

Photo from Porzia

That time when Toronto got the Munchies and nothing else would do

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Hostess TorontoThere was a time locally when only one brand of potato chips mattered - Hostess Potato Chips.

Owned by powerhouse General Foods, Hostess Potato Chips monopolized the snack food industry between 1959 and the early 1990s with strong flavours, and stronger favor. If you were a kid during that era, you may remember Hostess being revered as the almighty God of chips.

According to the current owner Frito Lay's website: "Hostess Chips had its beginning in 1935, when a young Beaverdale farmer began cooking potato chips on his mother's kitchen stove. Little did he realize that the finest potato chip manufacturing operation in Canada was to grow from this humble beginning. The youth's name was Edward Snyder; the company he founded became known as "Hostess."

Through a deft blend of simple colour coded branding, quality control, and an aggressive distribution strategy, Hostess were kings of all things chip related: Blue was Regular, green was Sour Cream & Onion, yellow was Salt & Vinegar, and deep red was BBQ. Eventually Ketchup, BBQ Chicken, and Sour Cream & Bacon joined the hallowed ranks. A bag cost roughly 25 cents, and came in a no frills tin-foil packet. Salt was bountiful, and the burning vinegar taste packed an unforgettably savoury wallop. It was truly finger lickin' good.

Their greatest boon however came as a response to their greatest blunder. In the late 1970s, in a marketing manoeuvre on par with Coke's inexplicable decision to change their billion dollar taste, Hostess released three new, fruity flavours of potato chip - Cherry, Orange and Grape. The retching, heaving sound of disapproval can still be heard (and felt) to this day - with many people taking to the internet claiming that even after almost 40 years they still cannot get the awful taste out of their mouth.

Hostess TorontoBorn out of this howling dud in 1981 were the Munchies, 3 goblin type creatures created to cheerlead the brand and its booming new tagline - "When you got the munchies, nothing else will do".

Throughout the 1980s the loveable trio of Munchies were woven into that uniquely warped tapestry of immortal Canadiana advertising mascots, rivalled only in ubiquity by Captain Highliner. They appeared not only on TV, but in local parades, at the CNE, at shopping malls, and even in commercials for convenience stores like Beckers. Plush replicas of them slept in many childhood beds as they traversed the landscape of 1980s pop culture - video games, heavy metal, Michael Jackson and breakdancing.

Also memorable were the collectable stickers you could find inside bags of Hostess chips. Baseball, wrestling, and rock band themes were the most popular, but the endless cycle included TV show and movie tie-ins as well. Occasionally in thrift stores you can come across ancient household appliances adorned with half scratched off Hostess wrestling stickers.

As the 1990s dawned, Hostess Chips fell victim to what Wikipedia terms "brand erosion with the introduction of various "upscale" brands such as Kettle Chips and Miss Vickie's". By 1996, they were gone, replaced by the dull packaging and even duller taste of Lays.

Hostess TorontoYou can still find Hostess at Food Basics and Price Chopper, or online at Canadian Favourites, however they are HINO (Hostess in name only): Lays chips bagged in Hostess branded packages so that Frito Lay can maintain its trademark protection on the Hostess brand, which has long been dropped by the corporation.

The real deal is gone, and sadly when you got the Munchies, nothing else will do.

Retrontario plumbs the seedy depths of Toronto flea markets, flooded basements, thrift shops and garage sales, mining old VHS and Betamax tapes that less than often contain incredible moments of history that were accidentally recorded but somehow survived the ravages of time. You can find more amazing discoveries at www.retrontario.com

New retro-style diner does a seriously dirty burger

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Diner Burger TorontoThis new diner has taken over the space formerly occupied by Yasi's Place at the corner of Wallace and Campbell. Featuring what has got to be one of the best burgers in the city as well as retro offerings like corn dogs and milkshakes, it's sure to please those who've put their calorie counters away and want to indulge in some comfort food.

Read my profile of Wallace & Co. in the restaurants section.

5 must-see concerts at the 2013 Toronto Jazz Festival

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Toronto Jazz FestivalThe Toronto Jazz Festival is back for its 2013 edition. Besides skyscrapers and traffic jams, one of the things that turns a town into a big city is a jazz festival, and even if you're as likely to hear blues or soul or salsa or zydeco at such an event these days, it's the sort of thing that's guaranteed to be almost wholly free of greasy kid stuff. Our own TD Toronto Jazz Festival has been bringing name acts to the city since 1987, locked in a bitter rivalry with its older Montreal rival that's probably sharpened both of their games.

This year's festival boasts over 350 concerts, from the big showcase free events at Nathan Phillips Square to venues like The Rex, Lula and Harlem Underground that do this all year, to unique venues like Musideum, the Old Mill and Christ Church Deer Park. The festival has booked jazz legends like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Sun Ra, but with living legends thin on the ground nowadays, jazz fests like Toronto have broadened their horizons, as a pick through the highlights of this year's schedule proves.

Mary Margaret O'HaraMusideum, June 21st, 7pm & 9:30pm
Famous for a single album released at the end of the '80s, O'Hara's reputation as a recluse and eccentric is undercut by the fact that Torontonians can spy her downtown walking the streets almost any day. Picking her projects carefully, O'Hara is more often found on soundtrack albums or guesting on records by her legions of admirers, but she promises to showcase tracks from Miss America alongside the rest of her eclectic work at this intimate pair of concerts at Musideum.

Mavis Staples/Dr. JohnNathan Phillips Square, Sat. June 22, 8pm
Mavis was the voice of gospel legends The Staple Singers, while Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack is probably the voice of New Orleans these days, and the pair of them sharing a stage will probably invite some kind of musical singularity event. With her father and sisters, Staples was a gospel star in the '60s, a soul superstar in the '70s, and spent the '80s covering the Talking Heads and working with Prince. Dr. John's reputation would still be guaranteed if he had only released one album - 1968's eerie Gris-Gris - but he made himself almost ubiquitous in the next four decades, touring, performing and arranging on everything from Rolling Stones albums to Popeye's Chicken commercials. There's no one like him, and the possibility of what he and Staples could come up with live is heady stuff.

John McLaughlin and the Fourth DimensionNathan Phillips Square, Sun. June 23rd, 8pm
When you think of jazz fusion, whether as pioneering and groundbreaking or as maddeningly complex noodling, chances are you're thinking of McLaughlin, the British guitarist who's defined its sound from his days with Miles Davis to the Mahivishnu Orchestra to his latest quartet. He has a reputation for an earnest, eastern-inflected spirituality, but make no mistake - he's as likely to break into a face-ripping, metallic roar as any serene raga.

Fred HerschEnwave Theatre, Harbourfront, Mon. June 24, 7pm
A jazz festival is still about jazz, and you probably won't find a better example than a solo piano gig by Fred Hersch. Without his usual trio backing, you'll get to hear the sort of ravishing and lyrical work that's made Hersch's impeccable reputation, which builds upon what seminal pianists like Bill Evans and Paul Bley began in the early '60s. An immensely learned and inventive pianist, he's the sort of player you'll want to hear if the rest of the festival has you primed for something deeper.

Bettye LaVetteNathan Phillips Square, Thurs. June 27, 8pm
The last decade has been rich with rediscoveries, one of whom was LaVette, a full-throated soul diva who had fallen into obscurity despite having hits in the '60s and '70s. Child of the Seventies, the unreleased and once-lost 1972 album that was supposed to be her debut, was rediscovered and released in 2006, and by 2009 she was playing Barack Obama's inauguration. She's still as good as her fiery early singles, but just because her richly-deserved stardom has been four decades in the making doesn't give you an excuse to wait till next time she comes around.

Lead photo of Mavis Staples

New shipping container market comes to Harbourfront

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Common Goods Harbourfront TorontoCommon Goods are the latest food option at Harbourfront. The three new micro-restaurants are actually made from repurposed shipping crates, and they each feature solar-powered kitchens. The menus include an assortment of snacks, like burgers, lobster rolls, and organic wraps, as well as hotdogs inspired by Toronto's many different hoods.

This is an ideal spot to grab some food before heading over to the island, and it beats the hell out of the Pizza Pizza and Quiznos across the street. Here's what to expect from the area's latest tenants:

Blue Goose
Common Goods Harbourfront TorontoBlue Goose sells cheeseburgers ($6.95) made with fresh, hand-ground organic beef and topped with aged cheddar and carmelized onions. That's the standout, I would say, but they also offer a variety of wraps including organic beef, roasted chicken and rainbow trout options. Wraps can be had for $3, or three for $8, and they're served on a flour, corn or lettuce base. Toppings for these include apple fennel slaw, fire foasted poblano, and a mix of other options. This shit is gourmet, people.

Lobster Roll
Common Goods Harbourfront TorontoLobster Roll makes a chick feel like she's vacationing in the Maritimes. They serve their namesake dish for $9.95, and, having been born in Nova Scotia, I can say it looks authentic. This stye of food tastes especially good next to any body of water, though, and Lake Ontario will definitely do. Clam chowda is on the menu, too, and it costs a mere $4.50. Sides include a heirloom tomato and toasted brioche salad, or the much more sensible and cohesive Covered Bridge kettle chips, made in New Brunswick.

Sully's Honest Dogs
Common Goods Harbourfront TorontoSully's Honest Dogs works to put a unique spin on the humble hotdog, and as a result, it's no run-of-the-mill hotdog cart. The dogs are inspired by and named after Toronto's many little villages and intersections. An example of this expressly novel form of hotdog is the Banh Mi Dog. It's a nod to Gerrard and Broadview, and is garnished with mango salad, hot mustard, sweet chili glaze, and fresh cilantro. Want. To. Eat. All the days.

Additional Photos

Common Goods HarbourfrontCommon Goods HarbourfrontCommon Goods HarbourfrontCommon Goods Harbourfront TorontoCommon Goods HarbourfrontCommon Goods HarbourfrontPhotos by Jesse Milns

Gourmet hot dogs arrive on King Street

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Gourmet Hot Dogs TorontoThis new spot has taken the curb-side and backyard barbecue classic and stepped it up a notch. With premium ingredients and unexpected toppings, this new gourmet hot dog joint is targeting the grown-up wiener eating, beer-drinking crowd.

Read my review of Craft Dogs in the restaurants section.


25 looks from Christian Louboutin at the DX in Toronto

10 must-attend events at Pride Toronto 2013

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Pride Toronto 2013Toronto Pride is probably the annual event that brings out the absolute best in Torontonians. The spirit of love is contagious. Everyone busts out their rainbow spandex/leather/capes/smiles/what-have-you. There's lots of drag shows and naked parties, and then there are more low-key, family appropriate events, too. The point is, people flood the streets, happy for the fact that in this city, you can be exactly who you are and not only be loved for it, but celebrated.

Toronto Pride gives me just that — pride in my city. Pride 2013 starts today, and runs until June 30. This year's theme (which really could not be better) is SUPERQUEER! I called up Kevin Beaulieu, the executive director of Pride Toronto, and he's pretty stoked about it, too.

Here are some of his top picks for can't-miss pride events in 2013.

Pride Flag TorontoFlag raising at City Hall
An official proclamation of Pride week (and an annual media frenzy over whether or not heroic mayor Rob Ford will attend) occurs at the beginning of the festival each year, along with the raising of the flag. This year's flag raising will take place at Nathan Phillips Square on Monday, June 24 at noon.

A discussion with Marcela Romero
Marcela Romero is the International Grand Marshal for this year's Pride festival. Romero is from Buenos Aires, and she has worked as a human rights defender advocating for trans rights. She is largely responsible for trans people in Argentina being about to change the sex on their identity cards without having to go through gender reassignment surgery—pretty indisputably awesome. Romero will speak on Tuesday, June 25 at a panel discussion called Beyond Borders: The Struggle for LGBT Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Pride Toronto 2013
The Dyke March

The annual Dyke March is very explicitly not a parade; rather, it's meant as a display of strength and solidarity amongst women and trans people—a serious political demonstration. This year's march will take place on Saturday, June 29. Check out the route here.

The Trans March
The Trans March is open to not only trans people, but their friends and allies, as well. However, trans women of colour and trans people of different abilities are encouraged to step up and lead the march as examples of particular awesomeness. The march has been an annual event since 2009, and this year's march will take place on Yonge St. on June 28, with an initial gathering at Norman Jewison Park.

Pride Toronto 2013Diamond Rings and Drag
Diamond Rings will be back at Pride this year on June 28, accompanied by other lovely performers such as Light Fires and Carole Pope (who will fit in just great, as she has released an EP called Music for Lesbians). There will be plenty of drag shows for prime eye-feasting as well—Pride is not Pride without a healthy dose of drag queens (how they get in dem jeans?)

Blockorama 15th anniversary
Blockorama is the longest-running stage taking part in Pride this year. Put on by Blackness Yes!, this event celebrates queer people from black communities specifically. This year's Blockorama will feature musicians, DJs, and drag shows. It's a licensed event at the TD stage on June 30, but it's open to all ages.

Church Street FairChurch Street Fair
Church St. will be transformed into what promises to be a lively street fair. Hit up the stretch between Bloor and Carlton for a sure-fire chance to see a few naked man-butts and a lot of friendly faces. The fair is basically a party in the streets, and it spans the final weekend of pride, from June 28 to 30. It includes everything from sweet local snacks to street performances and marketplaces. If you do nothing else this Pride weekend, drop by Church on the day of the parade to soak up the best of Toronto's gay culture.

Family Pride
If I had children, I would not allow them to miss Family Pride under any circumstances. It teaches kids about sexual and gender identity, exposes them to different types of families, and shows them it's okay to be yourself, whoever that might grow up to look like. Too adorable for words, really, and a highly important part of a child's education. This year's Family Pride takes place at Church Street Junior Public School at the corner of Church and Alexander on June 29 and 30, from noon to 5 p.m.

Pride Toronto 2013The annual Pride Parade
The parade is the crowning glory of Pride, no bones about it. Each year, the parade draws about a million people who come to celebrate and pay homage to both the gay community and our city's spirit of inclusivity in the Church-Wellesley area. This year marks the 33rd year in a row that Toronto has got its gay on in the village. The parade is scheduled for Sunday, June 30, and it'll start at 2 p.m., with the party lasting well into the night. This year, there are over 160 organizations participating, including everyone from the OPP to Polyamory Toronto.

Queer Family Brunch
Queer Family Brunch is another can't-miss event for queer fam jams looking to participate in this year's Pride. Held at the Gladstone, this version of Toronto's favourite meal will not only feature Eggs Benny, but also a reading by S. Bear Bergman, a live band, and a dressup station. This one will actually be worth waiting in lines for.

What are you looking forward to at Pride? Add you event suggestions to the comment thread below.

The Best Restaurants for Private Dining in Toronto

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Private Dining TorontoThe best restaurants for private dining in Toronto are able to accomodate all types of special occasions with attentive service, customizable menus and, best of all, the ability to leave the party planning prep work and ensuing mess to professionals.

The list below offers fun backdrops for birthday parties, stags and showers or intimate settings for formal dinners and even weddings. Many of these restaurants can even turn business into play with AV equipped rooms ready for corporate meetings.

See also:

The Best Event Venues in Toronto

Lead image is Terroni's Cantina. Interior dining room photos provided by the restaurants.

Weekend events in Toronto: June 21-23, 2013

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Toronto events June 2013Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this June 21-23, 2013.

FESTIVAL

Steam on Queen
Ever asked yourself, "Self, what is steampunk?" Last year, 4500 people did and because of the grand curiosity of these folks, the Steam of Queen 2nd Annual Steampunk Street Fair returns this Saturday. Taking place at The Campbell House at Queen and University, this science fiction genre that is typically set in the Victorian era (hence, steam machinery references) will come to life in real time with performances, costumes, food vendors and handicrafts littered throughout and around the historic Toronto home. This is a free event that will include tours of the home but there will be plenty of opportunity to spend money at this sci fi-centric affair. For the full schedule of events, visit steamonqueen.ca.
The Campbell House (160 Queen Street West), June 22, 2013, 11AM Free

Pride Toronto
2013 Pride Festivities get underway today with a host of parties and other lead-up events. The theme this year is SUPERQUEER, so here's hoping that the festivities are outrageous and exuberant. The festival starts off fairly slow this weekend, but make sure to check out our top 10 events at Pride Toronto post to get ready for the days ahead. There's lots in store.

The Junction Summer Solstice Festival 2013
The Junction is inviting the neighbourhood to spend the longest day of the year together in one place. The Junction Summer Solstice Festival takes place this Saturday, on the summer solstice, with activities and events happening through the day around the Dundas West and Keele area. The DIY culture that the neighbourhood has become known for will be alive and well with vendors set up selling their art, designs and music and a night flea market taking place once the sun goes down. A night movie screening has also been added to a full day of entertainment. Head west for the solstice magic on Saturday!
The Junction (Dundas Street West & Keele Street), June 22, 2013, 12PM Free

PARTY

Love is Lust x Lust is Love presents The Lab Magazine
The Lab Magazine celebrates the launch of its 7th issue with an outrageous, lusty, sweaty party at House of Moments this Friday night. With DJ sets by Diamond Rings, Natural Animal and Kings of the North, this party is all about the artist-to-artist culture that fashion, film, music, photography, art, and culture magazine perpetuates. Copies of the issue will be handed out free with tickets, which are available on the eventbrite page.
House of Moments (386 Carlaw Avenue), June 21, 2013, 10PM $15 advance $20 door

MUSIC

Strange Brew Festival
Mind readers and gypsy punks, beer experts and foodies will gather for an evening of the strange within one of the coolest venues in the city. Strange Brew Festival, presented by Mill Street Brewery and Young Lions Music Club, happens this Friday night at Metropolis Factory in conjunction with Ontario Craft Beer Week. But this is no ordinary love of beer--Strange Brew will feature 11 top Ontario brewers while sideshow acts like bearded ladies, contortionists, sword eaters and mind readers roam. The evening will be topple the odd scale with performances by Dwayne Gretzky, The Golden Dogs and Jumple. Gourmet Gringos, Hogtown Smoke and The Feisty Jack will provide the munchies. Keep Toronto weird: come by for a strange brew.
Metropolis Factory (50 Edwin Avenue), June 21, 2013, 8PM $20

Toronto Jazz Festival
It's Friday and it's a free for all: One of Toronto's longest running music festivals is now underway with all Friday night shows completely free. The TD Toronto Jazz Festival has been one of the premier music scenes in the city since 1987 and this year, the festival has expanded beyond its jazz roots (Willie Nelson played Massey Hall last night as part of the fest). Tonight at Nathan Phillips Square, R&B legend Smokey Robinson will perform a free public show with ticketed shows like James Cotton ($37.85, The Horseshow Tavern) continuing throughout the weekend. Check out our post on5 must-see concerts for more information.
Various locations, June 21-29, 2013, various times, Free

For more music listings, check out our This Week in Music and June Concerts posts.

FILM

Gob Squad: Super Night Shot
Super Night Shot is a movie that has been recreated 200 times in cities across the world for ten years. The German artists, Gob Squad, have vowed to wage war on anonymity by ambushing the city of Toronto tonight, turning its people into the actors and its sidewalks into a film set. Embarking on a one hour filming spree at 10PM, Gob Squad will rush the city, demanding and taking content before premiering their film exactly one hour later in David Pecaut Square. Sound mixed live as it plays for the waiting audience, Super Night Shot will be reborn, an entirely different film than it was in Berlin or Bangalore. Head to King West and hope to be a part of it or sit in the audience and wait for the squad to show up with their footage ready.
David Pecaut Square (221 King Street West), June 22, 2013, 11PM Free

The Sheepdogs Have At It
If Greta Gerwig and Sofia Coppola films aren't enough for you this weekend, The Sheepdogs' documentary The Sheepdogs Have At It opens in theatres this Friday evening. Following their rise to fame from obscurity, the film follows the Saskatoon band all the way to their Rolling Stone cover and through to the recording of their next album. This is a doc that has defied the odds by getting theatre time so don't count on it sticking around for too long--see it by Thursday before it's gone.
Cineplex Yonge + Dundas (10 Dundas Street East), June 21-27, 2013, various times, $13.50

For more film listings, check out our This Week in Film post.

FASHION

The Design Exchange presents the Christian Louboutin Exhibition
Christian Louboutin, personally kicked off the opening of his exhibit Christian Louboutin: An Exhibition Celebrating 20 Years of Design, Artistry and Magic last night at the Design Exchange and this weekend, the show opens to the public. Showcasing the French shoe designer's best stiletto, boot, sneaker and pump creations over the last two decades while celebrating his inspirations, designs and theatrical style, the exhibit displays hundreds of Louboutin's red soled shoes--both rare and popular--for public consumption. Not to worry if you're too busy patio-ing this weekend though; the exhibit runs until the middle of September.
Design Exchange (234 Bay Street), June 21-September 15, 2013, 10AM $22

For more fashion listings, check out our This Week in Fashion post.

FOOD

EatUpTO
EatUpTO is the tech conference of farmers' markets with food innovation at the core of the event. 99Sudbury will become headquarters to this food marketing and networking event on Sunday, with professional chefs, pop-up and food truck entrepreneurs and restaurant experts experimenting with new ideas to better market themselves. The public will act as taste testers, giving immediate feedback and playing a role in the future of foods in their local eateries and markets. Fidel Gastro, Sangwich, Cool City Oyster Yard, Hops and Robbers and The Mexi-Can are just a few of the participants at this foodie festival, which runs just one-day only. Eat your heart out!
99Sudbury (99 Sudbury Street), June 23, 2013, 12PM $20

TO Food Fest 2013
And also competing for top food fest of the weekend is TO Food Fest, a food festival taking happening northeast of the city. Quality international foods will be served with brands like Meat Pie Mates, Babi & Co., NomNomNom Crepes and Marathon Donuts & Coffee joining in on the feast along with dozens of other experienced and amature chefs. This event is completely free and you'll have 5 hours to stuff your face. Sounds like a good lazy Sunday to us.
Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto (5183 Sheppard Avenue East), June 23, 2013, 1PM Free

For more food listings, check out our Toronto Food Events post.

OTHER

Toronto's Second Annual Ninja Parade
So this should be weird. Event organizers promise over 75 ninjas in attendance, who will parade around Trinity Bellwoods Park. Hopefully there will be a fight.
Sunday 2-4pm. More info here.

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

Photo by Oink & Coo Photography

Toronto Jazz Fest

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