Toronto has a deep and long-standing love affair with pizza. The versatile, drool-worthy food has taken over our fair city, and even become a bit of a bougie thing in some cases. Pizza has grown far beyond the humble slice and entered the realm of gourmet munching; places like Libretto have morphed pizza into a treat as opposed to a convenience. There are, however, lots of cheap pizza nights going on in the city, returning slices to their universally accessible roots.

Here are 5 places offering special deals on pizza in Toronto.

Pizzeria Defina
Pizzeria Defina is Roncy's offering in the wood-fired pizza department. It doesn't quite stack up to the Terronis and the Librettos, but the pizza is solid. Thin, crispy crusts and perfect mozzarella make for a heavenly Margherita. They also like to mix it up with toppings like duck, pear and prosciutto. Every Monday, you can nab one of Defina's yummy pizzas for $15, pint included.

Picea 997
Picea 997 is the local pizzeria at Dovercourt and Dupont in Dovercourt Village, and they're kind enough to offer a sweet special on Saturdays. For $16, you can get a pint and a Margherita pizza. If you're really planning to enjoy your Saturday, you can upgrade the pint to a pitcher for an extra $4.

Pizzeria Libretto
Libretto does a family night at Evergreen Brick Works every Wednesday from 5:50 p.m. until 8 p.m. For a mere $3, you can get a slice of incredible pizza and a side salad made from local ingredients. Hands down, this is some of the best pizza in the city, and the deal isn't available at either of its two locations on the Danforth and Ossington, respectively.

Magic Oven
Magic Oven's Corktown location has an all you can eat pizza night every Wednesday for $14.95. Salad is included, too. Magic Oven's pizza is made from local, organic ingredients, and they serve beer and wine along the same lines. The one condition is that you have to finish everything on your plate before you go back for seconds. Dine til you drop on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Squirly's
Every Sunday night, you can get a pitcher and a pizza at Squirly's on Queen West for $19. The deal is as simple as it sounds, too—it includes any kind of pizza you want, and anything on tap. Pizza here is simple, with your classic veggies, pepperoni and cheese. They've got nine beers on tap to choose from, though, including picks from Amsterdam, Beau's, Mill St. and Stratford.

MAP

Photo from our review of Picea 997.

Downtown Toronto got in on Asian night market fun this past weekend with the 4th annual T&T Waterfront Night Market drawing a crowd on Cherry Street in the Port Lands. The three-day event got off to a stormy start on Friday when bad weather had a visible impact on attendance and the event was prematurely shut down by 10:30pm. It was back to business - and busy crowds - by the second day.

Check out this slideshow for all our photos from the 2013 downtown Toronto night market.

Photos by Jimmy Lu

Photo by Jrperida in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto events on July 23rd, 2013

BOOKS & LIT | Chuck Klosterman in Toronto
Bestselling author, essayist and journalist, Chuck Klosterman, will hold a Toronto launch for his latest non-fiction work, I Wear the Black Hat: Grappling with Villains (Real and Imagined), tonight at the Gladstone Hotel. In this new book, Klosterman examines the modern 'murkiness' of the concept of "villain." Things are no longer cut and dry with the good guys and the bad guys like they used to be in earlier times, and the author has come to characterize these figures as "the person who knows the most but cares the least". Klosterman has authored several books on American culture, and has written for Esquire, and is currently a columnist for The New York Times Magazine. Film critic, Richard Crouse, will interview the author at what should be an interesting TO literary and cultural event this evening.
Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West) 6:30PM $10

MUSIC | Philippe Sky & Julius Drake
As part of the ongoing Toronto Summer Music Festival, a concert tonight at Walter Hall featuring the baritone of Philippe Sly, accompanied on piano by Julius Drake. Sly, hailing from Québec, won first prize in the Concours Musical International de Montréal in 2012, and is was also a grand prize winner in the 2011 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Drake, a London-based musician, has come to specialize in chamber music, and has played internationally with some of the world's top artists. Tonight's program will feature works by Schubert, Wolf, Ravel, and Duparc.
Walter Hall (80 Queens Park Avenue) 7:30PM $20-69

FILM | Free Classic Anime Screening: 7 Short Films by Koji Yamamura
Toronto's Japan Foundation, and the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International present a screening tonight of seven short films by director Koji Yamamura that are part of an anime screening series complimented by lectures and talks on Japanese pop culture. Yamamura has had a lengthy career in the world of animation and has worked with many different formats and media, and his short film Mt. Head was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The films to be screened tonight are Perspektivenbox (1990), A House (1993), Imagination (1993), The Sandwiches (1993), Kid's Castle (1995), Your Choice! (1999), and the award-winning A Country Doctor (2007).
Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Avenue) 6:30PM

ART | La Carnita Dos
Tonight, the aftermath of the La Carnita Dos bash comes to Hashtag Gallery for your viewing pleasure. The term "aftermath" is appropriate because this exhibition is taking place following a massive party at the Evergreen Brickworks that involved the art on display as well as music and Mexican streetfood. There's no doubt that was a blast, and there will indeed be more fun to have out there this Summer, but seeing work on display in an environment like Hashtag Gallery will definitely allow you to tune in more closely to the work of Mike Giant, Tom Gilmour, Sam Flores, Jaqui Oakley, and many others. This show runs until August 6th.
Hashtag Gallery (801 Dundas Street West) 4pm to 10PM

Also Of Note

• Summer Music Series - All That Jazz
• Toronto Web Series Community Bimonthly Meetup, take 13

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

Photo of Chuck Klosterman

The TTC will not save Toronto's struggling Bixi program because it is not part of the transit agency's core business, according to a report to be released Wednesday that labels the bikeshare a possible "distraction." The document goes on to call the company "not financially sustainable." It was hoped integrating Bixi into the transit network would make it a viable mode of transportation. Bad news?

Cllr. Giorgio Mammoliti, normally an outspoken member of city council, is taking a summer break on the advice of his doctor after a recurrence of a brain problem. Mammoliti says he felt pressure in his head last week after missing the marathon transit city council meeting. He underwent brain surgery earlier this year to correct a problem that could have lead to a stroke.

The city is hoping bright red curbs will make it clear to drivers where parking is prohibited in Toronto. Rob Ford is due to unveil a pilot project today that will involve painting red stripes on the road where parking and standing is prohibited at all times such as around fire hydrants and at pedestrian crossings. Will this make the rules clearer for drivers?

Toronto Public Health is taking aim at the new presenter of ABC's The View over its new choice of presenter. The group responsible for the well-being of Toronto's residents Tweeted that Jenny McCarthy, a former Playboy model turned activist who believes vaccinations cause autism, should be replaced for her controversial and scientifically unsupported views.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had a baby boy yesterday and apart from the CN Tower glowing bright blue the birth really will make very little difference to Toronto right now. Not to be put off, the Startracked down some babies born here on July 22.

The widow of a cyclist killed on Toronto's streets wants the investigation in to her husband's death re-opened. Police originally told Kasia Briegmann-Samson that Tom Samson ran a red light before he was hit but subsequent reconstructions seem to cast doubt on that theory and the reliability of police investigations into cycling collisions, she says.

Finally, Cops are investigating after a gang of thieves allegedly swiped a baby grand piano from Toronto General Hospital. The three suspects hit the Peter Munk Wing earlier this month, placing the Boston Steinway on a dolly and rolling it out to an unmarked truck. Clear CCTV stills will likely mean the crooks face the music soon.

IN BRIEF:

• Toronto garbage pickup "99 per cent" complete after flood [Toronto Star]
• Social media marketing firm Syncapse restructures, lays off staff [CBC]
• Dodgers score 14 runs, hand Jays 5th straight defeat [CBC]

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

Image: mikey/blogTO Flickr pool.

Imagine a platform that would let you start a crowdfunding campaign to raise donations for your favourite charity. One that would let you spread the word and really take advantage of all the online social influence you've been so busy trying to build up and use it to make a difference. That's what Giveffect is all about, part crowdfunding platform, part social network, the company is out to change the way charities and the next generation of donors engage with each other.

The Toronto-based, three month old company has already brought on some major charities like War Child and the United Way to be part of their platform and have many more in the works.I recently had an opportunity to chat with CEO Anisa Mirza about how Giveffect plans to turn the traditional fundraising model upside down.

How does the platform work?

We're a crowdfunding platform built exclusively for charities, but when we designed Giveffect, our audience was the next-generation donor. We were thinking of up and coming young professionals in their thirties, twenties, and even teenagers and how they would want to be involved.

Essentially, we're a Kickstarter meets Facebook. The idea is a charity signs on for free and an individual comes and says I'm looking at this charity, I want to give back and I want to start a crowdfunding campaign. They can then launch a crowdfunding campaign in support of any of the charities.

The funds go directly to the charity not the individual, and tax receipts are issued to the donors on behalf of the charity by Giveffect. Both charities and donors have their social profiles where they can update their statuses and engage with others, while on the backend we provide powerful analytics to help them gauge what works and what doesn't.

How are you different from other crowdfunding platforms?

We correct for some of the existing problems with using crowdfunding in the philanthropy world. For example, when you go on to Indiegogo and launch a campaign in support of a charity, the funds go to you. What's happened with some nonprofits is they've let a volunteer host a crowdfunding campaign for them, funds were raised, but they never saw the money. It's unfortunate, but it does happen. With us, the money goes directly to the charity.

Secondly, for some of these other platforms tax receipts are a major issue. Say you're an honest person and you've raised funds on a crowdfunding platform for a given charity and now you're going to give those funds to them. That charity cannot issue tax receipts even if the individual has a list of all the people who contributed. Because the charity has no way of guaranteeing that those funds were given by those people, by CRA methods, they're not eligible to receive tax receipts.

Lastly, we all know that when it comes to fundraising, relationship building is the most important thing. The biggest misfortune with using existing crowdfunding platforms for philanthropy is that a charity does not receive any sort of relationship building tools or benefits from the campaign.

What are the relationship building tools that charities receive from Giveeffect?

All the data from a campaign, everybody who donated, their age, demographics, their integrations with Facebook, Twitter, where the traffic came from, how many shares they received, every single piece of information is made available for charities.

That's information that's really important. Not only do we give charities demographic data, but we also give social media traffic. We also answer questions like where is your traffic coming from? What's the conversion rate? We have social profiles for each charity where they can update donors with info about what the funds are being used for while individuals also have profiles that showcase the causes and charities they're most passionate about.

How do you make money?

6.2% of all donations raised at the end of a campaign go to Giveffect. That payment includes all the analytics we provide for charities, the entire donor demographics, the crowdfunding platform itself, tech support, on-boarding help, and everything else is included in that.

What's up next?

At this point we have 30 charities on the platform. We have 80 signed up, and we're on track for 100 by the end of the month. We have some of the largest charities engaged with us. There are about 80,000 registered charities in Canada. We hope to secure about 3,000-5,000 charities by the end of the year and expand to the U.S. in half a year or so.

Writing by Humayun Khan

The Montgomery's Inn Farmers' Market can be found in the parking lot of the historic Montgomery's Inn, just east of the Islington Ave./Dundas West intersection and a short walk from the Islington subway station. The dozen or so vendors here showcase a variety of sustainably grown produce, wood fired breads, artisanal cheeses, pastured meats and even prepared foods and preserves.

Here's a look at some of the standouts.

Greenhouse Eatery
Audrey Macdonald hails from Jamaica, where she grew up on a farm operated by her grandmother. She now grows a variety of herbs and greens on her farm in Brampton, utilizing sustainable growing practices such as crop rotation, and bio-diversity. Her small stand hosts a variety of greens - from baby kale to snow peas -and other take home items such as potted herbs and flowers.

Bees Universe
Operating out of Innisfil, Irina and Ion Alecu are expert apiarists. Every week, they bring their assortment of honeys, beeswax candles, skin care, bee pollen, and even honeycomb to the GTA. And if you don't know the difference in taste from wildflower, clover, or buckwheat honey - Irina will gladly give you some samples so that you can find your favorite. Also available at the stand is an assortment of free-range eggs (chicken, quail, duck and the occasional goose) that are sure to perk up your morning meals.

Green Gate Farms
Located on the west side of Kitchener, Green Gate Farms offers a selection of barn raised beef, pork, and lamb. You can get standard cuts, such as steaks chops and ribs, or cured items like chorizo, sausage and bacon. The more adventurous home chef will be pleased to find more exotic cuts, such as oxtail tongue and cheek. The non-chef will be equally happy to find prepared items like meat pies, meat loaf, patties, and cabbage rolls to stock the freezer with.

Bizjak Farms
Bizjak farms has been operating in the Niagara region as a family owned business since 1973. Using sustainable and environmentally conscious farming practices, this Beamsville farm boasts mainly tree ripened fruit, in addition to berries and some preserves. Strawberries are presently in abundance, with cherries coming up next in season and other stone fruits such as plums, peaches, apples, and apricots becoming available as the summer progresses.

Samsara Fields
This organic Waterford farm specializes in heirloom varieties, which allows the vendors to offer a unique variety of vegetables. Occupying the largest stand with the densest spread; standard vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and leeks were offered alongside some less usual items such as garlic scapes, oyster mushrooms and kale flowers. Potted herbs and plants are also available for purchase.

More Than Pies Baking Co. Ltd.
This retail bakeshop operates locally in South Etobicoke, and is in the process of opening a new retail and café space on Lake Shore Blvd. W. Ironically, there were no pies offered at More Than Pies - but there was quite a selection of tempting treats. The triple chocolate biscotti looked both beautiful and decadent, although the chocolate oatmeal cookies seemed equally compelling. Other breakfast style offerings, such as pumpkin and zucchini loaves, donut muffins, and scones are also available.

Ninth Valley Organics
Nathan Klassen recently started his Plattsville farm in 2011, shortly after graduating from the University of Guelph's organic agriculture program. He uses organic production methods to grow a variety of vegetables. Presently in available is a wide variety of greens, such as sorrel, arugula, and other salad mixes. Beets, carrots, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers are a few of the other items that will be come available later in the season.

Montgomery Inn Bread
Probably the most unique offering at this farmer's market is the selection of wood fired breads, which are made right on the premises. You can actually watch your loaves being baked in an outdoor oven - which is about as local as it gets The breads range from sweet cinnamon rolls, to savory tomato and olive loaves and are available year round. All proceeds go to fund Montgomery Inn programming.

Growing Spaces Preserves
Adam Smith and Blythe Weber can and preserve seasonal items from East Cliff farm so that they can be enjoyed year round. Both owners were on premises to sell their chutneys, jams, relishes, maple syrup and pickled items at the market. Products spanned from the more exotic side of the spectrum, like the Morning Glory jam and apple curry chutney, as well as classic items like strawberry jam and pickled dill beans.

The Montgomery's Inn Farmers' Market will be in operation until October 30th, running every Wednesday from 2pm-6pm.

Discover more of Toronto's farmers' markets via out Toronto Farmers' Markets Pinterest board.

Writing by Kelly Creighton. Photos by Jesse Milns.

You're not going to be able to spend your dough at the Chris Bread Bakery. They were the only restaurant to be shut down this week alongside a slew of conditional passes. Repeat offender, Tasty House, had a bad run last year with several conditional passes. This week they racked up 10 infractions alongside Indus Tavern and Zyng who both got dinged with 10 infractions as well. Here's the week that was on Dinesafe.

Ali Baba's (610 College Street)
Inspected on: July 18
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of Infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder

Chris Bread Bakery (2617 Eglinton Ave. East)
Inspected on: July 18
Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
Number of infractions: 9 (Minor: 3, Significant: 4, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated, operator fail to prevent an insect infestation

Indus Tavern (965 Eglinton Avenue W)
Inspected on: July 18
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 10 (Minor: 4, Significant: 5, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated

Kalendar (546 College Street)
Inspected on: July 18
Inspections finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder

Lemongrass To Go (2300 Yonge Street)
Inspected on: July 16
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder

Tasty House (240 Alton Towers Circle)
Inspected on: July 17
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 10 (Minor: 4, Significant: 3, Crucial: 3)
Crucial infractions include: Employee fail to wash hands before commencing work, fail to protect food from contamination/adulteration, operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder

What a Bagel! (808 York Mills Road)
Inspected on: July 18
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 6 (Significant: 4, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder, operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated

Zyng (730 Yonge Street)
Inspected on: July 16
Inspections finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 10 (Minor: 4, Significant: 5, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated

This property in the heart of Kensington Market is as unique as the community. The antithesis of the current condo market, the wood accents here might be overbearing for some, but it gives the space this kind of retro feel with a ton of warmth.

It's currently sectioned off into three units, but could easily be transformed to a single family home or one that could accommodate an extended family. This place also has some pretty cool features like the indoor skylight adding to the openness of the basement kitchen or the rooftop terrace with some serious panoramic views of the city. My only question is where the handrails are on some of those staircases.

SPECS:

• Address: 6 Littlehayes Lane
• Price: $ 1,295,000
• Sq Ft: N/A
• Bathrooms:3
• Bedrooms: 3+2
• Parking: N/A
• Taxes: N/A

NOTABLE FEATURES:

• Built-in cabinetry
• Working fireplace
• Multiple balconies

GOOD FOR:

This is another property zoned for both commercial and residential use which could be great for a small business or investor. It's hard to say how Kensington Market will evolve over the next few years, but this could be an opportunity to invest before gentrification takes over and prices climb.

MOVE ON IF:

You hate wood and you're not looking to invest time and money to renovate. With a little bit of work this place could be transformed into a palace of awesome.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Read other posts in this series via our House of the Week Pinterest board.

Rollerblading in Toronto is one of those semi-retro activities enjoying a distinct resurgence, like vinyl collecting, or pinball machines. At least, it seems that way — rare is it that I traverse the sidewalk without being almost run into the ground by a rogue human on blades. But, they seem to enjoy it so immensely that I can't get annoyed. If you're into rollerblading, or if you want to get into it, here's where to do it, and where to get yourself a sweet pair of rollerblades.

Where to go

Martin Goodman Trail
For rollerblading during the sweltering summer months (and when else would you do it, really?) the Martin Goodman Trail is a top bet. The trail runs from around Park Lawn Ave. nearly to the R.C. Harris Filtration plant near Queen St. E. and Victoria Park. Blading down by the water provides a welcome reprieve from the heat, as it's usually a few degrees cooler down by the lake.

Leslie Street Spit
Make your way down to Unwin and Leslie for some of the best views of the city. Tommy Thompson Park extends out into the lake, making the skyline clear to anyone who heads out there. Be warned that it's a windy spot, though, and (technically) only open on weekends.

Sunnybrook Park
Sunnybrook Park is comprised of both low-traffic park roads and bike pathways. It makes for an interesting mix of scenery and experience, but know the trails do tend to get pretty packed on the weekends. There are break-off trails here, too, for leisure riders (towards Edwards Gardens) and mountain bikers (on the west side of the river). Access is off Don Mills Rd. to the southwest of the Science Centre, or off Leslie just north of Eglinton.

West Toronto rail path
West-enders will want to make use of this trail system, which runs from the Junction toward downtown. The rail path provides smooth skating, with the best access points being Cariboo Avenue, just north of Dupont Street and Dundas and Sterling.

Where to buy rollerblades

Wheel Excitement
This kind of punny little shop down on the waterfront says it offers Toronto's biggest selection of rollerblades and bikes for rent. Rollerblades can be rented for $15.00 per hour, with another $4.00 tacked on for each additional hour. You can purchase blades here, too, of course. They're open every day of the week, and they can fix any issues you might run into with your rollerblades, too.

Shop Task
Shop Task carries a wider variety of rollerblades than I even knew existed. This shop in the beaches knows what's up when it comes to rollerblading, and its staff have a rep for finding whatever it is you're on the hunt for. A good first stop, for sure.

Sporting Life
Sporting Life sells a selection of rollerblading accessories and tools, like elbow pads and wheels, alongside their collection of blades. They don't necessarily specialize in rollerblades, but you'll probably find the basics here.

ProSkater's Place
Proskater's Place is technically located in Oakville, and they don't have a storefront. But, you can pick up your order at their warehouse, which stocks a huge selection of brands and sizes. Orders are made either online or by phone. These guys are true experts, offering advice and answers to any questions on Facebook, too.

See also:

My Roll Life
The best skateboard shops in Toronto

Photo courtesy of Tomitheos via Flickr.

I've been spending some time on the Leslie Street Spit this summer, riding along its wind-swept road out into the lake where it always feels a few degrees cooler than on what you might call the mainland. It's a remarkable place, and one that I had somehow almost forgotten about in summer's past, opting instead for the Islands or the eastern beaches. Those places are also wonderful assets that Toronto possesses, but the Spit is special — particularly because it's essentially a watery dump that's blossomed into one of the most beautiful places in the city.

Prior to the late 1950s, the foot of Leslie Street was one of Toronto's nicer beaches. That all changed with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959. It was expected that Toronto would witness an influx of shipping at the time, but it never happened thanks to the rise of coastal ports and the use of shipping containers, which ultimately led to the increased use of inter-continental railways in favour of boat-based deliveries. Nevertheless, the Spit was added to over the years thanks to development in Toronto's core, which provided a regular supply of infill for the burgeoning peninsula.

Back in the early 1980s, when the Spit reached out to its current length, it was a less serene place. The refuse on which what is now Tommy Thompson Park was built was far more obvious back then (case in point: the lead photo). Roughly five kilometres long, the narrow strip of land eventually grew into an urban park that's home to 300 different species of birds. It's been called an "accidental wilderness," a moniker which is pretty much perfect.

Believe it or not, the Leslie Street Spit is still actively being built upon, though the rate of infill has slowed dramatically. That's why it's only open on weekends and holidays — even if it's the easiest place to access during off-hours. Below is a gallery of photos from the early 1980s that shows, amongst other things, just how much the place has changed over the last 30 years. Although there's been occasional talk of developing the Spit, thanks to the efforts of the Friends of the Spit, it's remained a natural area with public access.

If you haven't been, you should go.

THE BEACH

THE SPIT IN THE 1980s

CURRENT DAY

Photos from the Toronto Archives, with the exception of the last, which is from the Friends of the Spit

The first of the TTC's $1.2 billion fleet of new low-floor streetcars made its first daylight appearance on Bathurst Street this morning, ferrying a herd of reporters from the yard at Hillcrest, down to Bathurst Station, and back again successfully, albeit slowly and with subtle a police escort.

After months of secretive testing under the cover of darkness, the new vehicles are preparing to enter service next summer on the Spadina, Dundas, and Bathurst routes. When they finally hit the streets, each of the $6 million vehicles will be the first in Toronto to feature full Presto integration, all-door boarding, and automatic wheelchair and stroller ramps.

There's drastically more space as well. The added length and additional 24 seats mean there is room for 119 more passengers per vehicle - more than the current number of seats on the existing CLRV model.

The streetcars feel very different to the current fleet. There is better lighting, air conditioning strong enough for condensation to form on some of the metal surfaces, and a bump-free ride minus many of the squeals, rumbles, and electrical whines that are a feature of the current cars.

It remains to be seen whether the face-to-face seating areas (awkward touching knees for tall strangers) and firm seat cushions will be a turn-off for the first riders, however.

"Even a higher rate of speed it's still a much smoother ride than our current fleet," says Alan Boyd, the driver of the test model. "Personally, I find it much easier to operate this vehicle," he adds, showing off the lever used to control acceleration and braking.

In terms of personality, the TTC has dispensed with the old stop announcements, recorded by employee Cheryl Bomé, and opted instead for a computerized female voice for the various automated warnings and stop announcements that's similar to the one used on the new Rocket subway trains. Even the familiar dinging bell is a digital recording.

Some changes were required to the road, too. Construction crews had to adjust the platform height on Spadina right-of-way to accommodate the swing of the automatic ramp. Before, the TTC simply dropped a slab of concrete beside the tracks, jokes Stephen Lam, the chief vehicle engineer.

The overheard wires had to be tweaked as well so that the trolley pole used to draw power is able co-exist with the new car's pantograph system when it goes live in the years to come.

"It's beautiful," says Robert Brown, a streetcar driver for the past 18 years waiting at Bathurst station when we pull up. He likes the low floor, the AC, and the separated cab area that features a comfortable leather seat. "They're nice, very nice," he adds.

QUICK STATS:

Seating: 70
Standing: 181 max (250 crush load)
Length: 30.20 metres
Width: 2.54 metres
Height: 3.84 metres
Weight: 48,200 kilograms
Max speed: 70 km/h
Cost per streetcar: $6 million
Fleet cost: $1.2 billion
Fleet size: 204 streetcars
Additional costs: $800 million (Leslie carhouse, curb cuts, wiring, and new track)

ROLLOUT SCHEDULE:

505 Dundas: Mid 2014
510 Spadina: Mid 2014
511 Bathurst: Mid 2014
509 Harbourfront: Late 2014
501 Queen: Early 2015
508 Lake Shore: Early 2015
504 King: Mid 2016
512 St. Clair: Mid 2017
502 Downtowner: Early 2018
503 Kingston Road: Early 2018
506 Carlton: Mid 2018

MORE IMAGES:

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

Photos by Tom Ryaboi

Each week, Toronto Public Health inspects restaurants across the city, making the results public via its DineSafe database. And, each week, there are some results that come off as a little bit horrifying, to say the least. Most consumers, when they see a conditional pass given to a restaurant with a significant infraction relating to employees' handwashing practices, for example, would at least look into the inspection system a little bit deeper.

What's interesting is that the city doesn't appear to keep organized records of restaurants that have been shut down permanently. I called Toronto Public Health and asked them for such a list, and they insisted they didn't have one. Public Health doesn't have the power to shut a business down for good, only to issue a temporary closure to give the restaurant a chance to clean up its act.

When they feel a restaurant's license should be revoked, they refer it to a Toronto Licensing Tribunal, which in turn looks at whether the business should stay open. According to spokespeople there, only one restaurant, the Green Room, has had its license permanently revoked since 2008. Public Health doesn't keep a record of this, and, at first, Municipal Licensing said it didn't, either.

I spoke with Wolf Saxler, a manager of food safety, about restaurants with repeated infractions in the same realm, like consistent failure on the part of an establishment to regulate pests or maintain safe food temperatures. I asked him what it took for a restaurant to be closed down permanently. Saxler said it's quite rare for the city to close down an establishment on a permanent basis. It's somewhat rare, too, in fact, for a business to even be issued a red card and be closed temporarily. A total of 29,188 inspections were conducted in 2012, and these resulted in just 38 red cards.

Saxler, who has been with Public Health for 33 years, says the conditions have to be beyond any regular level of shoddiness for the restaurants to be recommended to the tribunal, let alone closed. As an example, he says if Public Health found mouse droppings or cockroaches in a restaurant's storeroom, but nowhere else on the premises, they might be given a conditional pass, which means they're able to stay open provided they correct the problem. He says wherever they can, Public Health doesn't like to put the safety of a business in jeopardy.

He also says referring a restaurant to the tribunal is not an action Public Health takes lightly, because there's an appeal process and they could find themselves in court to defend their actions. Saxler also says there are problems with the system as it stands. The operator can just get their friend or a partner to reapply for the license under a different name, he says, and that kind of switch has gone through in the past.

"We do try to be fair if there are repeat infractions," he says. "We're not there to be nags."

"If we come and none of the fridges are working and there are cockroaches everywhere, that's an immediate hazard." In that case, a red card would be issued. And if it kept happening, a restaurant might be referred to the tribunal.

In the case of the Green Room, the restaurant failed its health inspection four times in two years. In 2010 David Topping wrote for Torontoist that "since December 23, 2008, the Green Room has amassed no fewer than eighty-six cited health infractions from Toronto Public Health's Food Safety Program." 15 of those infractions were in the "crucial" category, which is the most serious, and included egregious errors like two counts each of "fail[ing] to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated" and "fail[ing] to prevent a rodent infestation" and one count of "fail[ing] to wash hands when required." The city of Toronto took legal action against the Green Room, doling out $6,500 in fines within the span of a year.

Saxler was unable to provide details of how many businesses have been referred to the tribunal in recent years, or what their names were. Media relations people also said the branch didn't keep a list of businesses that have been closed as a result of threatening public health and safety.

What do you think? Is it too difficult for a business to have its license revoked? Or is the city just being fair by giving businesses second chances?

Photo by Bruce Wang in the blogTO Flickr pool

Toronto Events on Thursday, July 25th

FILM | The Gladstone Film Festival
Toronto can't seem to get enough of itself lately and rightfully so. The Gladstone Hotel celebrates local Toronto filmmakers and their Toronto-centric films at the first annual Gladstone Film Festival, taking place in the hotel ballroom tonight. This is a juried festival, which means each of the short films being screened were hand-selected by industry professionals. Following the screenings, there will be an awards ceremony in the Gladstone Melody Bar. Get your "Yay Toronto" attitude for this inaugural short film festival, taking place one day only.
The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom (1214 Queen Street West) 6:30PM $5

ART | Art Salad
Artists from Ottawa and Toronto mix together for Art Salad, a gallery show at Norman Felix that celebrates our two capitals and those that create their artist communities. Eight artists including Robyn Marie, Holly Steeves, Erin Shadoff and Maxwell Hyett toss together their pieces, each reminiscent of their hometowns, in the mezzanine of the gallery. Food and drinks will be served and musician Brian O'Brien will perform. Check out the freshest talents from Ottawa and Toronto at Art Salad tonight.
Norman Felix Inc. Art Gallery & Management (627 Queen Street West) 7PM $2

FILM | Open Roof Festival
Patirck Moote asked his girlfriend to marry him at a UCLA basktball game. She said no. The next day, a video of his rejected proposal went viral. To make matters worse, she privately divulged that it was because his penis was small. And that led Moote to making Unhung Hero, a documentary that seeks to answer the question "Does size really matter?" Screening at Open Roof Festival tonight, the film will be preceded by a Heavyweights Brass Band performance. Saucy Pierogi and Bricks & Mortar will be on site selling food throughout the evening. Tickets to this film are still available online and even if they sell out before tonight, there's always the rush line.
The Moonview Lot (175 Queens Quay East) 7:30PM $15

ART | Insert Here
Artists working in abstraction collectively showcase their works at Edward Day Gallery tonight. While west end art events seem to dominate this Thursday's events, this group of seven working with everything from object hybridism to fragmented picture planes take abstract art one step further in Insert Here. Swing by the show this evening in this garage-turned-gallery tucked behind a Queen West building. The show's opening reception runs until 8PM and all artists will be in attendance.
Edward Day Gallery (952 Queen Street West) 6PM Free

FILM | Movie in St. James Park
Best In Show is the selection for tonight's Movie in St. James Park. A Canadian comedy about a cast of competitors in a national dog show, this film stars Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy as dog owners with their eye on the prize. The first 200 people to arrive at St. James will get free popcorn courtesy of Rainbow Cinemas. This is the last film to screen this summer in St. James Park before the Music in St. James Park series returns so show up with a warm blanket and a cozy chair to enjoy the free outdoor film. Dogs are obviously welcome since Woofstock is a sponsor of the event.
St. James Park (105 King Street East) 9PM Free

ALSO OF NOTE:

• Paintlounge Toronto Launch Party
• Cheers for Ooch

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

Still from Best in Show

Toronto events on July 24th, 2013

MUSIC | Andre White's Signal Band with Ben Monder
Sometimes there's a heavy talent in town, and somehow it happens quietly, without much fanfare or "hoopla". Such is the case tonight, with the presence of New York guitarist Ben Monder in drummer (and McGill music faculty member) Andre White's Signal Band, performing at The Rex Hotel. White and Monder have had a long musical relationship, first documented on the 1999 album Signal. Monder, who has held the guitar chair with US giants Paul Motian and Maria Schneider (among others), is one of those talents that sits under the mainstream radar, revered by those in the know in the jazz community, but unknown to those outside of it. This is a "must attend" for all fans of improvised music or virtuosic, and highly inventive guitar playing. This ensemble, also featuring Kirk MacDonald on sax and Neil Swainson on bass, plays tomorrow evening as well.
The Rex Hotel (194 Queen Street West) 9:30PM $10

ART | Kieran Dick: Bleigießen [lead casting]
Tonight the Ryerson Image Centre, launches artist Kieran Dick's video work, Bleigießen (leadcasting) with an opening reception. Dick's work here is based on a German tradition (normally taking place on New Year's Eve) of immersing a small amount of molten lead into cool water, and the random shapes and figures that appear as the substance solidifies, are viewed as a prediction of the year to come. Appearing outside of this cultural context, this is a legitimate artform functioning within the tradition of both Surrealism (and even Abstract Expressionism), along the same lines as liquid projections and other visual arts where randomness and chemistry play a crucial role. Bleigießen runs until August 25th.
Ryerson Image Centre, Student Gallery (33 Gould Street) 6PM

FILM | How We Make Movies - Filmmaker Interview Series
Tonight, We Make Movies Canada presents an interesting event for aspiring filmmakers and film buffs alike. "How We Make Movies" is a series of interviews with talented individuals from the film industry which are then made into a podcast. This evening, Ron Leach will be interviewed. Leach is an award-winning veteran of the industry who began as a talent agent, and went on to become an internationally recognized casting director of both feature films and television series. A Q&A will follow the interview.
The Old Spaghetti Factory (54 The Esplanade) 7:30PM $5

CULTURE | Draw By Night Toronto: First Night!
It seems that there is a small but slowly growing trend to occasionally dip back into the "analog" world, where things like writing letters and drawing on paper have a place in our social lives and even in an environment like one's favourite watering hole. Draw By Night is an ongoing event in Vancouver, and tonight the TO version is being launched at Handlebar. This is a free event, conceived to be "an evening of collaborative creation" for people of all skill levels, and drawing materials are provided. As a special bonus, the organizers have promised a free beer to the first 50 attendees - that's definitely one way to inspire some art!
Handlebar (159 Augusta Avenue) 7PM

Also Of Note

• The Resignators & Chris Murray with Adams Mind at Horseshoe Tavern
• Free Family Movie Night in Earl Bales Park - Wreck-it Ralph
• Crazy Strings: High Lonesome Wednesdays (Traditional Bluegrass)
• Andre Laplante & Guests
• First Act Presents: All Shook Up

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

Photo of Handelbar by Jesse Milns

While the TTC was proudly showing off its new low-floor streetcars, Rob Ford was on Armoury Street painting a strip of curb bright red. It's hoped marking out areas where parking and waiting is always prohibited will make the rules easier for motorists to understand. Nine different locations around the city will get the paint. Good idea?

Also in Ford, the Argos need a purpose-built football stadium somewhere in Toronto, according to the mayor. Speaking to reporters in Winnipeg on a recent vacation, Ford said a 35,000-seater arena at Varsity Stadium, Woodbine, or up at Downsview would bring in more fans. The Jays are considering a new turf field that would make it harder to convert the Rogers Centre for football.

Rob Ford's also got some parenting advice for Will and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: "Give [the baby] as much love as possible," he said. "They grow up quite fast. As you know, I took my son and daughter out to Winnipeg and Saskatchewan and we had a great time. Spend as much time as you can with your little ones."

Streetcar service on the Dundas, King, and Carlton streetcars is back to normal this morning following a huge fire at Broadview and Gerrard last weekend. The TTC was forced to rebuild the overhead wiring after the gutted remains of Cai Yuan Supermarket were torn down, cutting off much of the service to the east end.

Two eastbound lanes of the Gardiner between Jarvis Street and the Don Valley are now closed to traffic until December while crucial repairs are carried out. Chunks of the elevated highway have been falling on to the road below for years and an environmental assessment is currently weighing the road's future.

What's 12-foot tall, weighs 360 kilos, and always smiles. Why, it's Ted Rogers of course. A bronze statue of the late media mogul was unveiled yesterday outside the Rogers Centre in a special corporate ceremony attended by his children and former business partners. Rogers grew the family's Rogers Communications Inc. into one Canada's largest companies.

Speaking of the Rogers Centre, check out this amazing sunset shot taken from inside the stadium during a Blue Jays game this week and posted on Reddit. Now if only the team could buy a win.

IN BRIEF:

• Police investigating another wave of break-ins in Etobicoke [CTV News]
• Woman accused of throwing juice at Toronto mayor to return to court Sept. 9 [Globe and Mail]
• Toronto police officer cleared in shooting death of knife-wielding man [Toronto Star]
• Motorcyclist dead after colliding with car on Kipling Ave. [Toronto Star]

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

Image: That Boy/blogTO Flickr pool.

While the web site and exterior signage might not offer the best sales pitch, this second floor gym near Mount Pleasant and Davisville knows how to keep busy professionals fit with its 30-minute circuit-style workout format.

Read my review of CircuitFIT in the fitness section.

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

The Art of Fashion is now accepting applicants for their 15th annual design competition. Ten ultra talented Canadian fashion designers will be picked from the bunch to create a 6-piece collection under one theme: "Past Behaviours;" applying elements of the past to the present. Two winners will then walk away on September 27 with awarded prizes worth of $30,000. Email designer.aof@gmail.com for application details.

EVENTS/PARTIES

Tonight's (July 24) your chance to get your DIY on - from 6 pm until 8 pm, design your own tote bag at the new west-side Arts Market (846 College St) for a workshop intended to help you walk away with a customized piece of practical art. Tickets are $15 and come with a blank canvas tote, 2 paint colours, a brush, and some tape, but you're welcome to bring more supplies if you're keen on extra embellishment.

Tomorrow (July 25) at 10 pm, Gotstyle and Kingwest Magazine are joining forces to bring you the ultimate special event at The Everleigh (580 King St W). Sip on Belvedere Vodka while shimmying to the tunes of DJ PG13 until the wee hours of the morning (read: until last call's 2 am). RSVP to rsvp@theeverleigh.ca.

Blackbird (and their friends!) have teamed up to bring the best three-day yard sale of the summer. This weekend (July 26 - 28), stop by OZ Studios (134 Ossington Ave) and "leave looking fresh to death" after combing through the closets of the coolest men and women ever. If you've got a bit of spring-cleaning to do, email info@iheartblackbird.com to sell at the event.

Shop for Jayu is launching a brand new collection this Saturday (July 27), and there's no better way to celebrate than with a gift/discount/contest-ridden party at the Gladstone (1214 Queen St W). From 11 am until 10 pm, pop by to peruse the new jewels and enter to win a $60 shopping spree. Be sure to RSVP online to receive a complimentary gift with purchase.

SALES

Over the Rainbow's (101 Yorkville Ave) spring/summer sale begins tomorrow (July 25), and most definitely will not last forever. Further reductions of up to 70% off means a fresh new wardrobe if you're keen on snatching up a pair of J Brands ($84 - $149) before anybody else.

Gotstyle photo by Kat Rizza

The East York Farmers' Market is a wonderful illusion. Upon first glance, what seems like a smattering of random vendors and pedestrians is complete fiction. In reality East Yorkers have been committed patrons since it first opened in 2000. With an eye especially on fresh, local produce, and an unrivaled non-pretentious atmosphere, this little market has a lot on offer every Tuesday from 8am to 2pm.

Here are some of the vendors that make up the East York Farmers' Market.

Round Plains Plantation
Organic sweet potatoes from Waterford Ontario in every form and variety, from pints of orange and purple fleshed sweet potatoes, to vegan and gluten-free baked goods as well. Owners Bob and Juli Proracki have even set up two separate kitchens to ensure no cross contamination for their gluten free customers.

Hillsview farm
If there were a patriarch of the East York farmers market it would likely be Mike Hill. The Hill family has been a fixture of the market since day one with their impressive array of fresh produce. On the table was everything from zucchinis, green beans, beats, tomatoes, assorted peppers, and more. I had a hard time focusing on what he was saying as the vibrant beats seemed to be speaking to me. All chemical free.

Hattie's Homemade Preserves
You cannot get more local than Hattie, who lives mere blocks away. Hattie would be the markets matriarch, as she and Mike Hill are the organizers of the market since its inception, and her amazing preserves will keep her a market staple for the long term. Not defined just by her preserves, sauces, and jams (all about $6), Hattie also grows Ontario garlic, which tends to be hard to find. Her preserved dill garlic looked amazing!

Waymac Farms
Absolutely lovely and intelligent folks, providing a wonderful assortment of mushrooms from shiitake, oyster, cremini, and Portobello just to name a few. A local, chemical free mushroom is extremely hard to find, and so is the type of passion Al and Anne bring to the table. I can't recommend this vendor enough. $5 gets you a generous pint of most varieties.

Willowtree Farm
This family run farm from Port Perry is known for their lush strawberries ($4-$6), and when in season their corn, especially the harder to find yellow corn (most corn is bi colour or peaches and cream corn). After being in this market for over ten years, its apparent they are well liked, and have a loyal following. While firm practitioners of sustainable growing, they are not organic. They also do 'to order' beef and lamb, which is locally raised, hormone and anti-biotic free meat.

McGuire Naturals
Locally made soaps, scents, essential oils and more from second year vendor Shelagh Mcguire. Despite the amazing soaps and aromas, the one item that stuck out to me was the $4 all natural stain remover stick, which seemed to be a big seller.

It's a small market with a lot of great character and heart, but most of all I sensed a real affinity for its locals and what the vendors were able to showcase.

The East York Farmers' Market can be found at 850 Coxwell Avenue

Discover more of Toronto's farmers' markets via out Toronto Farmers' Markets Pinterest board.

Writing by Nick Smith. Photos by Kat Rizza.