There's a new reason to queue up for a table in the Distillery Sistrict, only now more than ever, the wait seems well worth it. This visually spectacular new restaurant brings Mexican specialties along with stellar cocktails and impressive selection of tequilas.
Read my profile of El Catrin in the restaurant section.
Toronto events on July 31st, 2013
MUSIC | Alex Bleeker (of Real Estate) & The Freaks w/ Moves, Bonnie Trash
Alex Bleeker and the Freaks hits TO tonight for a show at The Comfort Zone. This is a much-anticipated show, and fans of Bleeker's more well-known band, Real Estate, will certainly be turning up to check out the bass player's "other project". The band has a new release out, entitled How Far Away, and this sophomore effort finds new territory of an "Americana" variety being mined, complete with pedal steel on the track Leave On The Light. Word has it the album is about a relationship dissolving, and growing older. Sounds pretty heavy, much like the openers on this bill: local garage rockers Moves, and Bonnie Trash will get the ball rolling.
The Comfort Zone (480 Spadina Avenue) 9PM $11.50
FUNDRAISER | Cordially Yours Craft Sale & Rock Show
Lula Lounge will host the Cordially Yours Craft Sale & Rock Show tonight, featuring over twenty vendors of vintage and Canadian handmade goods, live painting by Irina Lipkin, and some great musical acts. Not only is this a great evening out, where you can enjoy drinks, perusing and purchasing crafts, and music, but you will also be supporting a great cause, as fifty percent of funds raised at this event go to the Red Door Shelter. This is Cordially Yours' first TO show, which first got off the ground in Winnipeg in 2008. Tonight's performers include Run with the Kittens, The Beverleys, Tres Bien Ensemble, Ronnie Hayward, and others.
Lula Lounge (1585 Dundas West) 5PM to 2AM (vendors until 10PM)
MUSIC | Edgefest 2013
Yes, we're knee deep into festival season, and a TO staple has arrived - Edgefest. This annual fest - the longest running regular Canadian concert - has been going since the late '80s, and has gone down at several different venues including Molson Park (way up in Barrie!), Molson Amphitheatre, and Downsview Park is the current location. This year's acts include The Lumineers, Band Of Horses, Mother Mother, Monster Truck, Imaginary Cities, Dinosaur Bones, and others. The gates open at 11am, making this an all-day affair, so don't forget to stay hydrated, wear a hat, and bring sunscreen!
Downsview Park (1-35 Carl Hall Road) 11AM $39.50 - $99.50
COMEDY | I Seen You On TV
I Seen You On TV is a new comedy series slated to appear at The Drake Hotel on the last Wednesday of every month. Improvised comedy is the name of the game here, and we all know that is only going to be as good as the participants. Fortunately, the talented lineup up is top notch: The National Theatre of the World is a multi-award winning Canadian theatre company and they will be joined by Second City alumni and stars of some of your favourite Canadian TV series. Performers include Christy Bruce (Little Mosque on the Prairie), Pat McKenna (Red Green Show), Albert Howell (This Hour Has 22 Minutes), Frank Van Keekan (Seinfeld), and others.
The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street West) 8PM $18
Also Of Note
Something Is Wrong
TWM: Bam Thwok, Young Doctors in Love, Alexandra Fotopoulos at Rancho
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
Photo by Chromewaves in the blogTO Flickr pool
The police officer that fired on Sammy Yatim is "devastated" by the events of last Friday night, according to his lawyer. Constable James Forcillo, identified as the officer at the centre of the case yesterday, is serving a suspension on full pay. He's being represented by Peter Brauti, a lawyer with experience defending police officers accused of wrongdoing. Forcillo's $106,800.89 salary earned him a place on the 2012 Sunshine List.
Meanwhile, a witness to the shooting says a knife-wielding Yatim urged passengers to stay on the streetcar moments before police officers arrived on the scene. Aaron Li-Hill was on the westbound 505 vehicle with his girlfriend as the incident unfolded. When the streetcar stopped, everyone got off, he said.
Rob Ford says voting Liberal is "just giving a bank robber another gun." The mayor made the claim on the campaign trail in Scarborough-Guildwood where he's supporting Progressive Conservative candidate Ken Kirupa. Ford took issue with Liberal candidate Mitzie Hunter calling herself a "subway champion" on her promotional material. "I'll tell you one thing, Rob Ford and Doug Ford, my brother, obviously we're the subway champions. Tim Hudak, Ken Kirupa are the subway champions," he added.
Elsewhere, Liberal candidate for the Etobicoke-Lakeshore byelection Peter Milczyn is crying foul again over campaign photos used by Conservative rival Doug Holyday. Milczyn says a picture of Holyday on a TTC subway platform clutching two election signs is a breach of the rules because it was taken city property. Last week, Holyday posed in front of a city-contracted garbage truck, prompting a complaint to the city integrity commissioner.
Is the Leslie Street Spit a good place for a wind farm? A proposal by Sunwincor International, a mysteriously low-profile renewable energy company, says it's planning to submit a proposal for the east side of the Outer Harbour. Similar proposals for off-shore turbines by Toronto Hydro have met with resistance in the past.
This Toronto stroke patient can feel and taste colour. The anonymous man, featured in the medical journal Neurology, is one of only two people known to have developed synesthesia after a brain injury. Most people who display symptoms do so from birth. In this case, certain shades of blue cause disgust and the sound of high-pitched brass instruments induce euphoria. The James Bond theme works best.
Finally, here's a picture of a skunk with its head caught in a Tim Hortons Iced Capp cup. That is all.
IN BRIEF:
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Trevor Hughes/blogTO Flickr pool.
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
Earlier this week, Hudson's Bay Company finalized a $2.9 billion deal to purchase Saks Fifth Avenue after an action-packed race against a slew of interested buyers. The American luxury retailer as well as its outlet concept Off 5th are expected to open in Canada, likely within or replacing existing Hudson's Bay spaces. Both stores will compete with Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew, and their discount chains Nordstrom Rack and hr2.
Toronto Premium Outlets opens tomorrow (August 1) in Halton Hills, launching a four-day grand opening celebration involving special in-store promotions, entertainment, prizes, and more. The first Hudson's Bay Outlet, Burberry, Ted Baker London, and Nike are amongst the retailers opening a store in the shopping centre boasting up to 65% off the regular price every day.
EVENTS/PARTIES
ROWEN, a luxury accessories label by local designer Daphne Pittana, will be posted up at The Peach Gallery (722 College St) tomorrow (August 1) to showcase her latest collection of printed accessories straight out of Europe. From 6 pm until 9 pm, preview and pre-shop the limited edition unisex silk scarves and leather handbags, dazzled with bold graphics.
If your closet is lacking rare finds like vintage garments and handmade doodads, but you're not into sifting the smelly racks at a thrift store -- don't fret! Local folks Andrew Sardone of NOW Magazine and Haley Cunningham of She Does The City have teamed up to bring you the August edition of the Gladstone Flea: a handpicked (and well organized) extravaganza for all your unique fashion needs, happening this Saturday (August 3). Spend the hours between 10 am and 4 pm perusing the racks at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St W) or miss out and be bland forever.
SALES
Summer sales have been extended across the board in a horde of local boutiques. Over the Rainbow is slashing up to 70% off, Uncle Otis is offering up to 50% off, and Gravity Pope is slapping on an additional 20% off of spring/summer merchandise. Visit these locations (and their neighbours) for unbeatable deals before it's too late.
Photo of the Gladstone Flea by Jesse Milns
2013 is the inaugural year of the Humber Bay Shores Farmers' Market, organized by the Humber Bay Shores Condominium Association to serve the booming condo community around Lake Shore Boulevard and Park Lawn. With the number of condo units in this area expected to double from 15,000 to 30,000 in the next few years, a market "was something we've needed for a long time," says Association board member Horst Richtor.
The market runs every Saturday morning 8am to 1pm until October 12th, and is located in a Green P Parking lot at Humber Bay Park Road West and Lake Shore Boulevard. There are currently about 15 vendors selling a solid variety of produce, meats, cheeses and preserves, with room to expand the market in the future. In its first season, the market seems to have quickly built a strong base of devoted regulars, who can walk over from nearby condos or stop in after a bike ride or jog along the surrounding trails.
Whether you're a nearby condo dweller or not, a trip to the Humber Bay Shores Farmers' Market makes for a relaxing and worthwhile Saturday outing. Nestled among lush parkland, the market has a notably peaceful atmosphere, with birds singing in the background, a cool breeze off the lake, and scenic views of Toronto's waterfront in the distance.
Here are some favourite vendors from my weekend bike ride out to the Humber Bay Shores Farmers' Market.
Eudora Fine Foods
Brampton resident Trevor Phillips told me his cousin started making curries and chutneys three years ago after growing tired of store-bought sauces that were high in sodium and not ready to use. Eudora's handmade, heat-and-serve curries come in mild, medium, and hot flavours, and are gluten-free ($6/250mL). A fellow market-goer (with high blood pressure, I learned) couldn't get over the low sodium content, while I could barely get over the heat of the mouth-watering Vindaloo curry.
Big John's Country Market
Farmer Donny Rayd of Rayd Livestock in Mount Forest, Ontario sells all-natural beef products at the market, like ground beef, sausages, patties, and steak, as well as some poultry, veggies, and maple syrup. Rayd's four-year-old son John has muscular dystrophy, and so he started the market stand to help cover the associated medical costs. The meat is free of hormones and byproducts, and Rayd grows the animal feed himself--"everything they eat, I'd eat." After chatting with Rayd's adorable son and sampling his lean and flavourful hamburgers, I had to pick up some patties for weekend grilling ($4/2 or $15/8).
Thames River Melons
This family farm from Innerkip, Ontario offers a colourful and varied bounty of fruits and veggies at its market stand. This year's harvest includes zucchini, new potatoes, onions, sweet corn, melons, squash, raspberries, blueberries, and tomatoes. As a great added touch, Thames River offers recipe cards each week if you aren't quite sure how to prepare the seasonal produce you just picked up, or if you are looking for some new ideas.
Crosswind Farm
Kevin and Cinthia Hope have been raising goats on their family farm in Keene, Ontario since 2007, free of growth hormones or antibiotics. Cinthia explained to market-goers that her husband tends to the goats, while she makes the cheese, which includes 14 varieties of soft chèvre in sweet and savoury flavours like maple cream, orange cranberry, toasted garlic, and Herbes de Provence ($10/250g). One regular declared that Cinthia "does the best Herbes de Provence," and indeed, the cheese tasted creamy, fragrant and fresh. Crosswind also sells goat butter, yogurt, milk, sausage, and soap at their popular market stand.
Murray's Farm
Market organizers proudly told me that celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy only buys eggs from this Cambridge farm, which I later confirmed with Mr. Kennedy himself (via Twitter, of course). You can pick up Jamie-approved, heritage free-range eggs at the market, which come in a beautiful mix of brown, white and speckled varieties in every carton ($8/dozen large, $9/dozen extra-large). Murray's Farm also sells duck, turkey and goose eggs, as well as Berkshire pork, grass-fed lamb, and homemade preserves.
Sun-Ray Orchards
This Beamsville family farm has been around since 1942, and sells a wide range of fruits and vegetables at the market. Farmer Larry Short told me that fruit is really their focus, and this season will bring sweet delights like cherries, berries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apples. The stand also sells homemade tarts and fruit pies ($5 for a 6-inch pie and $12 for a 10-inch pie). I couldn't resist picking up one of their strawberry pies during my visit, with its vibrant red filling bursting through the pastry topping.
Potager duKanada
This is the third season for Iqbal and Sanndhea Mauthoor's Brampton family farm. They got going with the help of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and FarmStart, an organization that supports a new generation of ecological farmers. This small-scale farm produces vegetables, herbs and honey using organic methods, free of herbicides, pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
Daniel's Farm
Humber Bay Shores is the only Toronto market to sell vegetables grown on Daniel's 5-acre Holland Marsh farm. Daniel started his hobby vegetable farm about 10 years ago, and he and his family grow their produce without pesticides or herbicides. This season he'll have a wide range of vegetables at the market like carrots, beets, bok choy, kale, spinach and tomatoes.
Discover more of Toronto's farmers' markets via out Toronto Farmers' Markets Pinterest board.
Photos by Jesse Milns
Freed Developments is well known for its part in transforming the King West neighbourhood into the mid-rise mecca it is today and along with that transformation came The Thompson Hotel. Completed in 2010, the hotel (and attached condos) has become a local hotspot with a rooftop patio boasting a spectacular view of the city, the Thompson Diner with its art deco exterior and Scarpetta's mouth-watering menu.
This unit on the seventh floor of 55 Stewart Street is a great bachelor/bachelorette pad that would suit someone either just starting out or looking to downsize, but has compact pieces of furniture so as to not overpower the space. The layout has been designed by the current owner to function well as a live/work space with the built-in desk occupying a nook that could have otherwise created an awkward corner to outfit.
The seventh is also the only north-facing floor to have balconies that run the entire length of the unit, are slightly recessed to add some privacy and are outfitted with tiling versus a bland concrete slab. The floor-to-ceiling windows also add a ton of light and allow you to open and extend your home to the terrace in the summer months.
A perk of living at 55 Stewart is that you're also provided the same services and amenities as hotel guests meaning you can set up an account (credit card kept on file) with the hotel and have room service delivered to your door or dine at one of the restaurants and simply charge it.
SPECS:
NOTABLE FEATURES:
GREAT FOR:
The young and trendy area and just the right amount of space at a fair price make this a great place for the first-time buyer. If you've got an active social life King West is a great neighbourhood to call home with places like Wvrst, Rodney's Oyster Bar, Jimmy's Coffee and the Foggy Dew skipping distance away. If your idea of fun is more on the side of clubs there are places like Cobra (with a dance floor ceiling reminiscent of 70s disco decor), Uniun (formerly Devils Martini) and the recently revamped 2Cats are also in close proximity.
MOVE ON IF:
You're close to the point of not wanting to be near downtown. Though King West does have its moments of serenity the weekends can get a little loud these days, so if you're looking for mostly peace and quiet this may not be the right fit.
Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.
Photos courtesy of Bofei Cao
The folks behind Kensington's Cold Tea sure have some twisted logic. After building a name for their second bar, Mr. Pong's, on Dundas West over the past year they've completely re-branded and re-modeled (read: new paint job) and are now the proud owners of a bar that may or may not remind you of summer camp.
Read my review of Scout's Honour in the bars section.
Toronto concerts worth knowing about in August, 2013.
Kendrick Lamar is sold out, as is OVO Fest, and if you were just going to OVO to see Frank Ocean instead of Drake, not only are we in a very different place in our lives, you might want to look into a refund — Ocean cancelled due to vocal chord injury, meaning day 1 is completely bust, and James Blake is now playing OVO day 2. Live Nation states: "Fans who purchased single day tickets for August 4th will be refunded in full at the point of purchase. Fans who purchased two-day passes will automatically be refunded for the August 4th show at the point of purchase."
There's not much else to say, except that I hope this TURF Festival missed connection led to lots of twee love. Lots like, 500 days, even? Sorry, nevermind.
HOT TICKETS
JIMMY EAT WORLD | AUG 2 | THE PHOENIX | $30
It's important to cry, even in summertime. Especially in summertime. So let's go cry at Jimmy Eat World. Let's cry about how they have 1.3 million Facebook fans when they will always be a Myspace band. Let's cry because I still know the words to every song on Clarity. Let's cry because the new Jimmy Eat World album is confusing but I listened to the whole thing and basically didn't mind it even though it's ridiculous. Let's cry because we are never ever getting back together. Let's cry because summer will end again.
GROVE MUSIC FESTIVAL | AUG 3 | FORT YORK: GARRISON COMMON | $60 - 100
Grove Fest is that thing that was supposed to happen with Macklemore, Bob Mould, and Pretty Lights at Niagara on the Lake, but then people who live there were like, "ew, popular music" so now Grove is taking place right here in Toronto, without (WITHOUT, people) the three acts named above. Phoenix are headlining, plus Girl Talk, Hot Chip, Earl Sweatshirt, Gaslight Anthem, Waaves, Young Empires, Palma Violets and Nightbox.
VELD | AUG 3 - 4 | DOWNSVIEW PARK | $220 - 395
VELD is an EDM festival. If you haven't experienced the burgeoning multi million dollar industry that is a massive corporately sponsored EDM "rave" (notice quotes please) now is the time. It looked pretty fun last year. If you hate fun, do not pass go, no not proceed to VELD — just wait for the slideshow. This is where Pretty Lights are playing, plus Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, and other stuff some (...most?) of the attendees won't ever know by name like Araab Muzik.
ROMAN KOV | AUG 6 | BASSLINE MUSIC BAR | PWYC
One of Toronto's most talented up and coming producers, Roman Kov caught the pre-Google glasses eye of the internet a few years ago with the moody, forlorn Drake remixes his project High Park was putting up. The Ukraine-born resident of (where else) High Park Ave has been living in Kiev, and this will mark Kov's first Toronto appearance of the summer. Also playing are Castledrum Records label mates Burglar and Lexander James.
FEAST IN THE EAST | AUG 9 | GERRARD ART SPACE | $7
Feast in the East is like a house party organized by your local genius. It's usually insanely crowded and everyone's so (rightfully) happy about the ticket-inclusive food and art installations it can be hard to focus on the bands. I get a bit overwhelmed but we could all stand to cuddle up a little more on the reg, right? Plus: delicious food. Toronto's L-Con (who we recently featured), Marine Dreams, Isla Craig&Ivy Mairi, and Les Heures are on the line up.
ALL CAPS! | AUG 10 - 11 | TORONTO ISLAND | $16 - 67
This will be an emotional weekend for some Toronto music lovers: the ever evolving Wavelength are throwing their final ALL CAPS! camp-a-thon festival. Sending them off into the great beyond are a solid line up of Canadian indie acts including Halifax's Rich Aucoin, Montreal's Elfin Saddle, and one of my Toronto favorites, environmental psych duo Pachamama (one half Petra Glynt, one half Mas Aya.)
SOFT METALS | AUG 16 | DRAKE HOTEL | $10
American electronic duo Soft Metals are playing The Drake Underground, meaning it will be in-ti-mate. Their sexy cold wave / synth pop sound will appeal to fans of Glass Candy and the Drive soundtrack, and while they've been banished to the Drake basement, I'll be there drooling in a corner over their gloom-pop song writing talents, so... there's that.
FOUNDRY BBQ | AUG 17 | MOCCA & 99 SUDBURY | $15 - 20
The sequel to spring's month-long Foundry Music and A/V series, LA's Nosaj Thing and NYC's Tim Sweeney and John Robert headline this summer showcase of international electronic talent. Producers and DJs are taking over the MOCCA courtyard for Foundry's barbecue, where hungry fans will be fed by food venders A-OK Foods and Heo Yeah. Then, 99 Sudbury will host two rooms of forward thinking music and art. Passes are available for both day and night at $20, or separately for $15.
WHIRR | AUG 17 | THE SILVER DOLLAR ROOM | $8.50
It's okay to be a sucker for shoegaze. What's the best kind of terrible show? A terrible shoegaze show. Sloppy, incompetent, terrible shoegaze is comparatively wonderful, and a bad shoegaze crowd is probably full of nice people who would help you move if you asked. Then there's groups like Oakland's Whirr, who are making splendid, delightful shoegaze with no nod to the fact it's 2013, because who really cares? Vocalist Kristina Esfandiari could be recording sad songs in echoing rooms with His Name is Alive, but she's here, delicately guiding slow shoegaze jams and uptempo shoegaze jams that kind of knock on pop punk's window. This is the date pick of the month. R U lonely? Meet someone cute. Bring them to Whirr.
JOAN OF ARC | AUG 22 | THE GARRISON | $13
It's a cool and beautiful thing that Joan of Arc still tour. Tim Kinsella's Chicago art rock project actually has a new-ish song that goes "stamina has proven to be the final virtue," and while this isn't true for many bands, it is for Joan of Arc, although they've definitely mellowed out over the decades since the Cap'n Jazz days. The lyrical enchanters are touring their new (I mean it came out yesterday) album Every House Has a Door.
RIOT FEST | AUG 24 - 25 | FORT YORK | $50 - 190
The Toronto installation of Riot Fest features The Replacements, Iggy and the Stooges, The Weakerthans, Dinosaur JR, and Grade, meaning that I would have really, really enjoyed chilling proudly on a picnic blanket with my cool older pals at this in highschool. Expect flannel, bangs, and a pretty laid back weekend.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY CONCERTS THIS MONTH
BEN HOWARD | AUG 1 | ECHO BEACH | $30 - 40
KENDRICK LAMAR | AUG 2 | SOUND ACADEMY | $79 - 99
MACKLEMORE | AUG 2 | ECHO BEACH | $45 - 75
PRINCE INNOCENCE | AUG 2 | DOUBLE DOUBLE LAND | $7
FATHER JOHN MISTY | AUG 3 | THE DANFORTH MUSIC HALL | $16 - 20
OVO FEST ft DRAKE | AUG 5 | MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE | $50 - 300
BACKSTREET BOYS (again) | AUG 7 | MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE | $23 - 100
VISIONS 8.10 | AUG 10 | BLK BOX | $10 - 15
WIZ KHALIFA | AUG 10 | MOLSON AMPITHEATRE | $20 - 60
BLACK SABBATH | AUG 14 | AIR CANADA CENTRE | $30 - 130
JOHN MAYER | AUG 14 | MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE | $32 - 90
THE PINK NOISE | AUG 16 | SOYBOMB HQ | $8
GOGOL BORDELLO | AUG 19 - 20 | DANFORTH MUSIC HALL | $34
ALICE IN CHAINS | AUG 20 | MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE | $20 - 80
ADAM ANT | AUG 20 | THE PHOENIX | $40
GRAND ANALOG | AUG 20 | DRAKE HOTEL | $15
HUNX & HIS PUNX | AUG 22 | HARD LUCK | $12
SELENA GOMEZ | AUG 24 | AIR CANADA CENTRE | $31 - 91
MUMFORD & SONS | AUG 26 | MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE
MAROON 5 | AUG 29 | MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE | $23 - 99
Photo of Soft Metals by Deneb Catalan.
Aubrey Jax is drooling in a corner on Twitter.
Last night Chicago's Smith Westerns, with Portland, OR-based openers Wampire, played a packed Lee's Palace. The crowd was young and just a bit wild, liking the bands as much as they liked their washed-out jean jackets and tiny leather 90s backpacks: a lot.
Wampire, made up of Eric Phipps, Rocky Tinder, Cole Browning, Kevin Rafn, and Andrew Meininger, hail from the West coast and played a little psychedelic, old-school rock'n'roll music. Dressed up as 1960s time-travelers, they surf-rocked and reverbed their way through their set, setting off a smoke machine every couple songs and giving a no-fuck attitude while they played.
Despite their missing keyboardist (who got stuck in the US after not receiving his passport in time), they played a particularly notable cover of Kraftwerk's "Das Modell", with lyrics wholly in (actually really well-pronounced) German.
Unbeknownst to most of the crowd, the Smith Westerns were heckling Wampire from backstage during their set and doing a "sexy dance," said Cole Browning of Wampire, so when the time came for Smith Westerns to be on stage, the tables turned. To the chagrin of some far right-stage audience members, they became exposed to Browning's shining white moon:
It didn't end there either. At one point during the Smith Westerns' energetic and fan-loving show, Browning pinched lead guitarist Max's ass. Guess they just weren't quite done yet.
Smith Westerns' catchy, power-pop rock, drizzled with vocal harmonies and the odd keyboard solo, gave the crowd exactly what they were looking for. The young, energetic audience sang along to almost every song and danced like it was their last. Opening (ironically) with "End of the Night," they moved through a number of songs off their older albums and even busted out an acoustic guitar for some of their "coffee shop" style tunes, like "Smile."
Although they wouldn't play an encore ("...so just imagine we walked off stage... and came back on"), their ending trio of "Weekend," "3am Spiritual," and "Varsity" from their newest album, Soft Will, was a fitting conclusion to the show. Despite the lack of encore, the band showed a ton of love for their fans, posing in photos both inside and outside the bar for at least half an hour after the show was over.
Most notable during the show was how well the Smith Westerns kept their cool. Heckled from backstage by Wampire's antics and heckled from the front by a certain dickish guy who kept yelling for louder sound (as he said to me two songs in "I want them to play louder. The fact that I can hear you is disconcerting."), started a one-man mosh (no one was into it), and wouldn't stop yelling "Weekend!" (for which he was mocked by other people in the audience who yelled "Freebird!"), the Smith Westerns were the picture of a fun-loving band, taking it all in stride.
All in all, it was a fun ride; Smith Westerns draw a crowd worth dancing with, and Wampire get your feet moving without much effort. Lose the annoying hecklers (mischief-makers are fine), and you've got yourself a sweet show.
Photos by Hannah Jor.
This sake bar is a newcomer to the Eglinton Way, taking over the space formerly occupied by Kiiro Miya Sushi House. Their extensive Japanese menu and sake options listed in the dozens might make it a veritable destination for izakaya and sushi fiends.
Read my profile of Sake Bar Kushi in the restaurants section.
What's open and closed August long weekend in Toronto 2013:
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
CLOSED
Government offices and banks as per normal schedule
OPEN
TRANSIT
Normal service
HOLIDAY MONDAY
CLOSED
OPEN
TRANSIT
The TTC will be running on holiday service (Sunday service with a start of 6 am)
Flower shops on Dundas West are a dime a dozen. Most of them are flower/grocery hybrids, and few have much in the way of specialties going on. Stem, Griffin, and Sweet Woodruff, though, are three newish spots that are starting to change that trend. All three are completely adorable and offer niche services, including produce, interior decor and incredibly affordable bouquets.
Meet three of the newest, sweetest flower shops on Dundas West.
Griffin
Griffin opened up two weeks ago, and it looks like someone came and half-filled an empty Dundas West shop with the contents of a farm. That's exactly what's going on here. They've got a gorgeous assortment of fresh and affordable stems (a bunch of sunflowers can be had for $2!), focusing on whatever's in season. Recently, it's been the sunflowers, peonies and dalias. Griffin sells produce, as well. Containers of pesto, pickles or olives are $2 each, and local leafy greens are $3. They even sell preserves, done up by owner Nathan Isberg, proprietor of the Atlantic across the street. Whatever doesn't sell by the end of the day he just takes to his restaurant.
The Stem Flower Market
The Stem's focus is on the floral. Lisa, the owner, can put together virtually any custom order. As I drop in to visit, she's got huge buckets of red and orange roses for a huge Indian wedding, and she's doing up corsages for another couple's nuptials, too. Her flowers are, for the most part, local as well. If you're looking for a bouquet for someone you love (including yourself), she sells stunning single flowers for $3, and they're huge, fluffy breeds like hydrangeas, meaning they'll be sure to impress. She also sells mini-orchids ($12), which would make great hostess gifts. Lisa is up at 5 a.m. every day working on custom creations, and she does delivery throughout the GTA, too.
Sweet Woodruff
Sweet Woodruff is the place to go if you need interior decor taken care of as well as various flora. Its proprietor, Lisa Collins, is formally trained as an interior designer, and she opened up shop last year just east of Dundas and Gore Vale. They do a lot of weddings, but they also prepare smaller gifts and arrangements, such as little gold 'Julep cups' filled with delicate blooms ($30 to $50, depending on their contents). In terms of specialty flowers, that changes with the seasons. But most of what you'll find here is local. When I drop in, thick birch branches are for sale ($14) for use in home decor projects, which Collins can help you to plan. And, if you happen to need any terrariums, those can be had for as little as $35.
Photo from the Stem's Facebook page
Tourist trap restaurants in Toronto are, for Torontonians and visitors alike, generally like hell on earth. Unless you have one of those cheesy yet masochistic senses of humour, and/or really enjoy mediocre food and overpriced booze or whatever. Long and short of it is that the fourth largest city in North America attracts its fair share of tourism, and in these ten places, you will find people who fall for the worst gaffes or just go to places they saw an ad for in the inflight magazine on the way in.
Here, 10 places you probably avoid if you live in Toronto.
SEE ALSO:
The 10 most famous restaurants in Toronto
The 10 most famous bars in Toronto
CN Tower 360
Looking at Toronto without the CN Tower in the picture is a pretty strange experience. The food is a tad overpriced for what it is, but it's nowhere near as bad as you might expect. Meals are basic, with your classic meat or fish and rice or potatoes options, but everything is dressed up enough to make it count. Generally, you have to pay to take in the views from the tower, but with the purchase of a main, it's complimentary. Some people come here because they think it's romantic: don't fall for that. Ain't no romance in waiting an hour for an elevator ride that will make your ears pop and then hollering at one another while the children of tourists crawl on your feet 351 metres in the air. Though the food isn't awful, this is one to avoid. Dill that salmon at home, y'all.
Old Spaghetti Factory
The Old Spaghetti Factory is actually an Old Blacksmith Shop. Despite being filled with tourists and thus, yangy children, there is some undeniable historical value that comes along with paying a visit. The warehouse was built in 1898, and converted into a restaurant in the '70s. On the menu, you'll find quintessential, vanilla, touristy foods like a handful of different spaghetti dishes (forgive the obvious, but really), seafood linguine and penne with chicken.
Tappo
Tappo is an Italian and Mediterranean-themed restaurant in the Distillery District. There's a strong wine focus (PDF) here, and in fact, the restaurant's name means corked in Italian. (This will have bad connotations if you're an actual wine connoisseur. Go with your gut, I say). The Distillery is one of the city's most touristy areas, so places like Tappo are usually cram-jammed, and can get away with charging prices that rival what you'd pay for fine dining, but for less remarkable food.
Big Daddy's
Big Daddy's Bourbon Street Bistro & Oyster Bar, in case you're unfamiliar with the joint, is exactly what it sounds like, only a little less awesome. It's perched on the corner of King and University, perfect receiving position for unsuspecting, fannypack-clad folks roaming around the downtown core. Seafood, clearly, is the specialty here, with the seafood fondue earning rave reviews. Oysters are a major draw as well, and tourists get their fill with the prix fixe menus, which can be had for either $26 or $31. Big Daddy's does its best to take on that Louisiana feel with the decor, too, which harkens back (sort of) to an old school jazz bar vibe.
Sultan's Tent
If you've never had the...experience of visiting the Sultan's Tent, you may have at least noticed the ads around town for this tourist trap at Front and Church. You will, as the ads promise, be able to catch live belly dancing performances here every night, accompanied by four-course dinners, Moroccan style. Check out their menu here and you'll get an idea of the cheese factor in this place. While the whole idea is just dripping with fromage, there are somewhat authentic options available, like fekkous and, of course, hummus and olives.
Mr. Greenjeans
Mr. Green Jeans can't help but be steeped in a little tourist trap cred: It's been catering to those who frequent the Eaton Centre for no fewer than 34 years. You'll find the standard steaks, burgs, pizza and "noodles", but they've also hopped on the gluten train. They cater to vegetarians, too, and their menu lists over 200 items (PDF). While it may be an undeniable tourist trap, at least Mr. Green Jeans offers a good variety of stuff, and it's all made in-house.
Le Papillon on Front
Le Papillon at Front and Church serves up French and Quebecois fare, and they aim to offer a relaxed approach to fine dining. They opened the city's first creperie in 1974, and you'll also find escargots, French onion soup and a selection of steaks and duck. The class factor is amplified by $5.50 pint specials. The decor is pretty lovely, though and the menu, though slightly overpriced, is decent. Le Papillon is not the most villainous culprit on this list but if you must eat at a Toronto restaurant with this name you'd be better off heading to the other one on Eastern Avenue.
Fred's Not Here
Fred's Not Here has been serving up steaks and seafood to ravenous tourists for a quarter of a century. Located right in the midst of Restaurant Row, Fred's Not Here is ideally situated to soak up the masses that spill from the Lightbox, Rogers Centre and Royal Alexandra. Their lobster and crab soup is a standout dish, as are their jumbo shrimps, which are roughly the size of a small kitten. They're also known for speedy service, even when it comes to groups, in case you need to make it to a show in time.
Wayne Gretzky's
Wayne Gretzky's is a giant web of a sports bar, perfectly positioned on Blue Jays Way so as to swallow up the hoards of jersey-clad folk streaming out of the Rogers Centre. Though this is one of the more obvious tourist traps on the list, diehard hockey fans who live in the city have been known to check it out because it's home to Gretzky's own collection of memorabilia. There's a rooftop patio, too, so that doesn't hurt. The dinner menu includes just about everything a sports fan could want, from pub food to steaks. That said, beware the cocktail list, which includes gems such as the Gretzky on Ice, made of Polar Ice and Gretzky ice wine. (Also beware patrons whose teams lost the game).
Panorama Lounge
I'd question whether people of any other city love their own skyline quite as much and in as masturbatory a fashion as Toronto. It's no surprise, then, that tourists love it, too, and they come to Panorama, on the 51st floor of the Manulife Centre at Yonge and Bloor, to take it all in. Views are served with tapas-style apps and cocktails, and during the warmer months, people flock to the patios, which the restaurant says are the highest in Canada.
Did we miss an especially touristy outlet? What would you add or remove from this list? Add your 2 cents to the comment thread below.
Photo by Fion N in the blogTO Flickr pool
Relief is in sight for the more than 100,000 passengers who use the TTC's Union subway station every day. A new second platform has been roughed in just south of the existing station and should be up and running by mid 2014, according to project manager Malcolm MacKay.
Construction crews have been digging down on the south side of Front Street for over two years, since May 2011, creating much-needed new space for one of the system's most crowded platforms. As a former terminus of the Yonge line, Union was given a narrow 6.9-metre centre platform in 1954 that now feels claustrophobic, precarious and sometimes dangerous at rush-hour.
"We have measures in place to deal with crowding," says the TTC's Brad Ross "We close stairs, escalators, do slow orders, and those kinds of things when the platform becomes crowded, but once this opens up there won't be an issue."
When the new south platform sees its first users, University and Yonge line trains will both have a dedicated platform like most other TTC subway stops. The new, 10-metre wide, south platform will be used by University trains heading north to King. The renovated centre platform will become exclusively for Yonge trains heading to Osgoode.
It's a vital piece in an exhaustive overhaul of Canada's busiest transportation hub that includes a new retail concourse, train shed roof, GO terminal, and PATH connections. For the sake of comparison, Union as a whole handles almost double the number of passengers as Pearson airport on a daily basis.
The changes aren't all underground. The pedestrian bottleneck in the moat area between the Union Station proper and the subway entrance is also being addressed with the addition of wider stairs and wheelchair and stroller ramps. A glass roof will weatherproof the transition area at a later date.
"There be twice as much capacity as there was previously, so the crowding that's experienced at the centre platform will be cut in half," says Malcolm MacKay, project manager. "It's the busiest transit hub in Canada and it's an investment that's necessary for us to move forward."
Construction work, which is being carried out by EllisDon, will cost $161.5 million, including tax, and is currently (touch wood) on budget and schedule. The TTC expects to open the platform in an "semi-finished" state and then commence work re-tiling the centre platform next July.
"This is a huge job," MacKay says. "It's a technically challenging job in that we're excavating straight down beside an existing facility, it's logistically difficult because we're trying to operate our business. We have to keep our eye on that because that's what we do for a living."
MORE IMAGES:
A diagram comparing the current station with the new configuration
Workers have demolished part of the old subway entrance
Another view of the partially demolished entrance and excavation site
Demolition work continues in the moat area
Two stories down, a welder works on one of several giant supports propping up the subway walls
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Images: Chris Bateman, TTC
Toronto events for Thursday, August 1, 2013
PARTY | AGO 1st Thursdays
It's the first of August, which means the AGO stays open late for their monthly after-hours party. Tonight's 1st Thursday event is best described as a kaleidoscope with genre-mixing artists in music and art coming together for an evening of dancing, drinking and gallery-wandering. Kim Adams' sculpture will be on display while rapper and electronic musician Cadence Weapon performs. DJ Casey Mecija of Ohbijou will play music throughout the night and the 1st Thursday exclusive exhibit Out of the Vaults will display tiny paper works. Tickets are available through the AGO website and at the door.
Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas Street West) 7PM $12 advance, $15 door
MARKET | Support Local
Levack Block may regain some of its Ossington street cred with this one--Support Local is a community event, designed to bring artists and supporters together to share their works. A market with vendors selling jewelry, vintage collections, crafts, custom clothing, accessories and food, there will also be acoustic acts playing throughout the evening and dance performances. Proceeds at the door will go toward supporting the indiegogo campaign for Waack Revolt, a dance film by Sonia Hong. For the full list of vendors and performers, visit the Support Local Facebook page.
Levack Block (88 Ossington Avenue) 8PM
ART | Downtown Paint
Curated by artist Jimmy Chiale, Downtown Paint is the Brockton Collective's answer to the Garrison Creek Bat Company. Racquel Da Silva's show features her strongest works, which will include her new series Hoop Dreams. Basketball backboards that have been custom designed and hand-painted with designs ranging from eccentric to moody are the crux of this show, which opens today at Brockton's headquarters. This is the easiest way to see the pieces as they will only be accessible by appointment only from August 2-5. Stop by for food by Vegetarian Way, a NOZO pop-up shop, a performance by The 6th Letter from ΒΛΚΞΓ$CLUB and music by PISTOLAA. Donations welcomed.
Brockton Collective (442a Dufferin Street) 7PM Free
THEATRE | Legally Blonde: The Musical
When her boyfriend unexpectedly breaks up with her after being accepted to Harvard Law School, Elle Woods follows him there. While the blonde airhead has one goal--getting her boyfriend back--she discovers that she is more skilled with the law than she once thought. Legally Blonde: The Musical opens at Randolph Theatre tonight, performed by students of the Randolph Academy. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
Randolph Theatre (736 Bathurst Street) 8PM $26.75
MUSIC | Music in St. James Park: hobson's choice
The month of August means that St. James Park is retiring movies and sending in the musicians. Music in St. James Park brings acoustic sets to King East with musicians and songwriters paying homage to Canadian greats. Tonight, contemporary chamber jazz group hobson's choice performs a full set in the park as the sun sets. As with all St. James Park activities, this event is free and open to the public. Just bring a chair, sit back and enjoy the music.
St. James Park (105 King Street East) 7PM Free
ALSO OF NOTE:
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
The family of Sammy Yatim will lay him to rest this afternoon as questions continue to surround the circumstances of his death at the hands of Toronto police last Friday. The Globe and Mail reports the officer who fired the fatal shots had called for a tazer moments before shooting. As a constable, James Forcillo was not permitted to carry the electric stun device.
It's byelection day in Etobicoke-Lakeshore, Scarborough-Guildwood, and three other provincial ridings, and several current or former city councillors are hoping to claim a seat at Queen's Park. Coun. Peter Milczyn (Liberal) and Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday (PC) are battling it out in the west end of the city while Adam Giambrone (NDP) is hoping to make a comeback in the east. Predictions?
Watch out, graffiti, there's a new sheriff in town, and he wants you to call 911 if you see anyone wielding a can of spray paint. That's right, in another salvo in his perpetual war on graffiti, Rob Ford has hired a removal company to tackle Toronto's painted menace to the tune of $400,000. As Metro's Matt Elliott points out, the Goodbye Graffiti webpage is truly something to behold. It's got a weird peanut thing, fireworks, and a live "Remove-O-Meter."
Roughly 16% of Toronto's homeless population has served in the Canadian military, according to a survey conducted by the City of Toronto. The figure was included in the city's 2013 Street Needs Assessment that was released on Wednesday. Officially there are 447 homeless people in Toronto, up 24% from 2009, and the average time spent on the streets is 7.5 years. Do these figures surprise you?
Lobbyists for practically every conceivable cause have registered at City Hall in the hopes of swaying a councillor to vote in their favour. The most lobbied topics, according to a detailed new resource on the Toronto Star website, are economic development, planning and signs. Also adult entertainment, apparently.
The days of the scramble crossing at Bay and Bloor could be numbered due to "weak performance," according to the city. At a community meeting last night, the chair of the Pedestrian Projects Unit said the all-way crossing wasn't working as well as Yonge and Dundas and Yonge and Bloor. Right now 5,000 pedestrians and 3,000 vehicles use the crossing per hour, peaking on weekday afternoons. Other crossings are used more consistently by a higher number of walkers. Time to cut the cord?
Finally, the Stanley Cup will be paraded through the streets of Toronto by a Maple Leaf this weekend. Dave Bolland, who scored the winning goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in this summer's Stanley Cup Final, will carry the cup in his last act as a member of his old team. He was traded to Toronto in the weeks after the team's second win in four years.
IN BRIEF:
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Sally Hunter/blogTO Flickr pool.
This Week in Film rounds up noteworthy new releases in theatres, rep cinema and avant-garde screenings, festivals, and other special cinema-related events happening in Toronto.
NEW RELEASES
Blue Jasmine (Varsity)
Woody Allen is one of the most erratic filmmakers working today; this is in large part, no doubt, due to the fact that he directs at a rate of one film per year. And each year, when his latest is unveiled, it's always met with critical hyperbole, designating it as either his best or his worst film in decades. This tradition has held up for Blue Jasmine, loosely adapted from Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire and Allen's first's film to be set in San Fransciso. The good news is that the critics' cries this time are on the positive side, and the really good news is that they're mostly correct. Not exactly his best in decades, it is at least Allen's best film since Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Blue Jasmine finds Cate Blanchett as the titular Jasmine (a character whose name, in the original play, was Blanche; Blanchett actually performed the part on stage in Sydney in 2009 as Blanche, but I guess Allen was unamused by the approximate synchronicity in nomenclature). She's left New York to live with her sister (by adoption) in the Bay Area, to get back on her feet after a financial scandal wiped her now-ex-husband (Alec Baldwin), and therefore her, clean. Bitingly funny in parts with a wonderfully neurotic tone, the film is ultimately a fundamentally feminist portrait of a woman who makes herself so subservient men that she renders herself useless to society beyond her role as a consumer. Jasmine's awakening to this reality is depicted with unflinching brutality.
Berberian Sound Studio (TIFF Bell Lightbox)
The plot is fairly thin: a British man (Toby Jones) arrives at an Italian Giallo production studio to generate a post-dubbed soundtrack for a sleazy horror film. While watching Peter Strickland's sophomore feature, you may find yourself losing interest, zoning out here and there, and perhaps deciding that you're bored. What's really going on, though, is that by building a distinctly entrancing rhythm and developing a numbing monotony, Berberian Sound Studio develops a distance between you and the narrative so that certain crucial changes in characters' behaviours and the plot aren't immediately apparent. Instead, things advance imperceptibly, so that when you realize where they've arrived, the foundation has hauntingly vanished from sight and memory. First and foremost a mood piece, it's a film with an unnerving (and occasionally enervating) effect unlike any other I've ever seen.
Also opening in theatres this week:
REP CINEMA
A Brighter Summer Day (Monday, August 5 at 2:30PM; TIFF Bell Lightbox)
Last year we got The Mother and the Whore, and this year it's A Brighter Summer Day that serves as the summer's token screening of a super-long, impossible-to-see world cinema masterpiece. Edward Yang's 4-hour opus, set in Taipei in the 1960's, finished at #84 on last year's Sight & Sound poll of the greatest films ever made and features over a hundred different amateurs actors in non-disposable roles. It is, in all likelihood, the best Chinese film ever made (that more or less depends on how you feel about Wong Kar Wai), and it screens on Civic/Provincial Day, so there's no excuse for missing the screening, even if it is, hopefully, a bright summer day.
More in rep cinema this week:
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
MDFF presents Dan Sallitt's The Unspeakable Act (Monday, August 5 at 8:30PM; Double Double Land)
Dan Sallitt was primarily known for his astute and invaluable insights as a critic and blogger, having written for the L.A. Reader and MUBI.com, until he released his third feature film, The Unspeakable Act, in 2012 and everyone went gaga over how fantastic it is. Because Canadian distribution has a kink in its think when it comes to cutting edge American independent cinema, films by Aaron Katz, Joe Swanberg, Alex Ross Perry, and the rest of that very talented movement have had their Toronto exposure limited to one-off Refocus screenings. Falling in line with this sad state of affairs, MDFF (i.e. the folks behind last year's great Tower) have decided enough is enough and are personally bringing Sallitt and his film to Double Double Land for this one-night-only screening and Q&A. The Facebook event already has more confirmed attendees than the venue's capacity, so arrive early if you want to guarantee yourself a seat.
The Free Screen - Phil Hoffman: Lessons in Process (Thursday, August 8 at 6:30PM; TIFF Bell Lightbox)
Two medium-length films by Toronto filmmaker and York Film professor Phil Hoffman. The first is a 16mm print of his 1988 film passing through / torn formations and the second his latest project, a 2012 video piece titled Lesson in Process. Both meditations on travel, the latter is a collaboration with a group of students from Cuba's famed Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión de San Antonio de los Baños, where Hoffman was engaged to teach filmmaking workshops from 2010 to 2012. The screening is free in accordance with the tradition of the The Free Screen always being free.
Lead still from Blue Jasmine.
The Nathan Phillips Square Farmers' Market is located predominantly on the North and East side of the square. This market begins annually in June and lasts until mid October, running every Wednesday, between 8am-3pm. A popular market for office workers, condo dwellers, and tourists coming to see bands play at the stage, especially during Fresh Wednesdays where food vendors are slated to share the market's venue on the square.
Some of the farms affiliated with the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA), have been selling at the Nathan Phillips Square Farmers' Market since its inception in 1990.
Here are some of the vendors to look out for.
The Pop Stand
Kari Marshall is a local city vendor who sources fresh ingredients, from other local farmers' markets in the GTA, to make Popsicles. Delivering creative flavours such as, Kentucky Bourbon -Apple Cider and Ginger-Thyme-Basil, these are icy treats for hot summer days at the market!
Elfsong Apiaries
A glass observation home, encased hundreds of bees on a honeycomb, attracted a dozen school kids to the honey habitat. Mark Wilson has been selling his 4-5 variety of honey (it varies year-to-year), clover honey being one of the more popular staples throughout the year. Alongside the honey table, seasonal flowers; peonies, sweet peas, and zinnias, can be found when they bloom.
Thames River Melons
Located in Innerkip, Ontario, Thames specializes in cantaloupe and watermelon, which usually comes out towards the end of July. Right now, however, strawberries, rhubarb, and asparagus, are abundant on their table. The organics they have are garlic and garlic scapes. Added value, to your purchases, is the free printed recipes incorporating their seasonal produce.
Daniel's Farm
This tiny family farm from Holland Marsh states, "No Pesticides and No Herbicides" on any of their, kale, Swiss chard, lettuces, green onions, and beets. They take pride in their small crops, which they grow for themselves. What they don't use is shared at various farmers' markets across Ontario.
Domenic's Meats & Bakery
Smoked dry-cured meats, sausages, including smoked bone treats for dogs, and baked goods are sold out of their impressive silver trailer they use to get from one market to another across Ontario. From Lakefield, Ontario this family business boasts their popular rye breads to be a draw in the baked goods section.
Fresh and Tasty Mushrooms
Farmers Sean and Shannon Declerc serve up several varieties of robust mushrooms. Cultivated from their Shelburne farm, varieties include; Cinnamon Caps, Lion's Mane (also called Monkey's Head, in Asian markets), Shitaki, Beech (Shemiji), Oyster and Pink Oysters mushrooms. Button, Cremini, and Portabello mushrooms are brought in from Hamilton farms.
Warner Farms
From Beamsville, Ontario's near St. Catherines region, this farm offers up a wide array of fruit, such as, apples, peaches, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, nectarines, berries, and grapes. Dried apple, apple cider and apple cider vinegar are also made with their own apples.
St. John's Bakery
A non-profit social enterprise, operated by St. John's The Compassionate Mission on Broadview Avenue, offers handcrafted breads at the market. They use organic ingredients for all their baked goods, such as, olive, cilantro, and Celtic-multigrain breads.
Hillsview Greenhouses
Fresh peppers, tomatoes, and peas are amongst their wide selection of produce from their farm in Lucknow, Ontario. "Homegrown Chemical Free" is proudly advertised with their organic vegetables and herbs.
Monforte Dairy
Owner Ruth Klahsen, a veteran chef based from Stratford, Ontario, produces an array of artisanal cheeses made with sheep, water buffalo, goat and cow dairy. Their processes are fresh-pressed using the most natural dairy ingredients. Most of their delicious cheeses can be sampled before purchasing.
Jack's Produce Farm
Over 30 varieties of fresh fruit and vegetables can be found from this farmer from Niagara-on-the-Lake. Strawberries are usually the big draw in June but they are known to have some of the best Ontario peaches later in the summer.
Willowtree Farm
This Port Perry, Ontario farm practices environmental, sustainable, low-spray techniques for all their produce. Abundant strawberries and asparagus can be found amongst the fresh fruits and vegetables at their tables.
Bentford Orchards
Clay Eborall, offers up tasty strawberries, raspberries, and peppers among other produce from the orchard located around the Niagara region. Customers are gravitating towards strawberries as they are in season for June.
Andrew's Scenic Acres
Based in Halton Hills, on a100-acre farm, nestled on the Niagara Escarpment, this farm promotes group tours and "pick-your-own" berries. Amongst berries, asparagus, rhubarb, and strawberries, fresh baked pies and tarts, from Baxter Kitchens, are also available at $5.50 - $11.00.
Discover more of Toronto's farmers' markets via out Toronto Farmers' Markets Pinterest board.
Writing by Norine Mark. Photos by Emily Baille.
Recently moved into a Lake-view condo? Counting on years of direct unobstructed sunlight? Think again. In the next few years Harbour Plaza Residences, which is no less than a small town in the sky, will rise a whopping 69 and 65 storeys above the shores of Lake Ontario. The design of these twin megaliths diverts a bit from the standard green glass box ethos of the surrounding south core area, and gets a tad playful with its balcony design.
Under development alongside a predictably boxy 37 storey office tower at 1 York, these two towers will feature direct access to the ever growing PATH system. This feature might work quite well for employees at the nearby office buildings who aren't interested in sharing their sidewalk space with hoards of sweaty summer tourists.
Harbour Plaza promises to be especially suited well for regular Island goers and people interested in having an unobstructed lake view (at least for now!). In the colder months of the year when this neighbourhood turns into a very windy winter wonderland there is a whole host of indoor amenities to keep residents occupied. These include a Juice Bar, Sauna, Spinning Room, a Theatre lounge and a Party Room (where fun is officially sanctioned).
Moreover, for those who are still a bit skeptical about the health consequences of swimming in the lake (I.e. extra limbs or gills), there is also a nice indoor pool area. Although after taking a look at the renderings, it may not be advisable to do any major jumps into the pool, lest one become entangled in the very unusual light fixture above.
SPECS
GOOD FOR
People who want to have a huge amount of green space available to them without needing to maintain it, people working in the nearby area, and Investors looking for a condo that will keep its value a great deal longer than the surrounding buildings. As far as locations go it doesn't get much more central than this. When it comes to connectivity in this area there is still much to be desired, but along with the nearby Union Station expansion, the various streetcars that take the Harbourfront route and the PATH connections, things certainly could be worse.
MOVE ON IF
You are looking for an area with a decent amount of locally owned shops or restaurants, you are not interested in living in a complex with thousands of others, you don't really dig the idea of living so close to the Gardiner, or you just hate lakes! This area is truly an experiment in neighbourhood creation, formerly a series of surface parking lots and scattered industrial sites the past ten years has seen it grow exponentially into density that may soon rival the Financial District, but given it's relatively young age there is some risk as to how it might turn out.
OUR TAKE
Along with a few others like Ice Condos, this is probably one of the better buildings in the area, but you are still going to have to wait a few years for this condo wasteland to come into its own as a culturally vibrant neighbourhood.
Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.
Writing by Dylan Giuliano
