The TTC's planned overhaul of its maroon uniforms hasn't got off to the best start. This week, leaked pictures of red and blue striped polo shirts drew the ire of union boss Bob Kinnear, who said the casualwear looked like a Montreal Canadiens uniform, never mind the TTC's historic use of the colour red.
The awkward fallout forced TTC CEO Andy Byford to assure nervous drivers, fare collectors, and other customer-facing staff that the shirts were "nothing more than a proposal," promising more consultation before the final decision revealed to the public in 2014. The current kit - a hodgepodge of drab colours and styles - arrived in the 1990s.
One place Byford and his team could seek inspiration is Toban Allison's blog, "Better Way Forward." Allison has had beef with the TTC's design sense for some time and recently produced alternative proposals for clutter-free information screens, subway station signage, and map icons.
When the images of the maligned polo shirts were published by the National Post, Allison quickly put together a look he felt would work better - a simple grey suit, red tie, and cap. Something "high on pride and professionalism" that draws on classic looks from the past.
"I wanted to take a stab at revising a lot of what's currently in use to focus on how it would better benefit the end-user, not just make something look different for the sake of making it look different," he says. "Making things easier and more functional for the customer is how I've approached everything I've done so far."
"I think the current jackets look, for lack of a better term, frumpy. While I don't care for the colour, I don't think I've ever seen a TTC staff member wearing one that fit properly; for whatever reason they all seem to fit like tents."
What do you think of this look? Should the TTC look for a classic, smart look for its staff? Will a new uniform help improve the quality of customer service?
FURTHER READING
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Images: Toban Allison/Better Way Forward
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.
The photos of the week collect each of the editor-selected photos of the day into one post for a contest to be decided by our readers. Sponsored by 
Toronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious events, festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.
Midnight Madness is TIFF's programme for horror, genre and cult cinema, curated by 
Now that almost everyone carries a camera around at all times in the form of their phone, the flood of photos we're collectively exposed to is staggering. Given this saturation of images, the challenge to capture scenes that are somehow novel is all that more challenging. How do you differentiate your TTC streetcar shot from the thousands of others that have been taken and shared? Well, one method is to get low. This isn't actually a new technique, of course, but placing one's camera/phone on the ground — adopting a so-called mouse eye view — is one surefire way to change the perspective enough to create visual intrigue. Yes, it can get boring if it's overdone or done poorly, but sometimes the results are fantastic. We asked 
In the wake of a 
This Kensington staple has been around for 18 years, in part because of its commitment to roasting its own coffee and in part because of the strong community vibe it's fostered over the years. Boasting both front and back patios, the cafe has never been busier even as competitors have arrived nearby. I caught up with owner Alan Erdstein to as him about his keys to success in the Market. 
It must not be easy to be Rob Ford right now, what with 
Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this August 23-25, 2013.
The best brunch in Toronto depends on who you ask and what you're looking for. There's no shortage of brunch spots in Toronto, which makes navigating the endless egg options and fervid crowds a pretty daunting pre-caffeine feat. Luckily we've rounded up 50 essential Toronto brunch destinations to get your fix, no matter if you're craving fresh baked goods, greasy spoon standards or bottle poppin' accompaniments like oysters or foie gras French toast.
Once again, Toronto comedy producers prove that they don't need any outside help to give the city some of the best shows in North America. Where? When? Follow me as I walk you through This Week In Comedy...
Although it shut down for a spell in early 2009, this Village staple is back and popular as ever. You'll have to survive the line-ups and fork out for overpriced drinks, but this place is buckets of fun and the Village just wasn't the same without it.
Cozied in between a dental clinic and 
The garden's back fence is dotted with informative little handmade signs proclaiming, "The GTA sits on the best farmland in Canada yet Ontario imports $4.8 billion more in food than it exports," and "The average food item sold in Toronto has traveled nearly 4,500 km." The farm lot will be open until it gets too cold for the plants to grow, and it'll remain in place until a building begins to take shape on the lot.
Every year, dozens upon dozens of established auteurs bring their latest and greatest films to Toronto, offering audiences an opportunity to see their most anticipated new films before they open in theatres. But there's another reason why TIFF is so invaluable, which is that they provide a platform, known as Short Cuts Canada (SCC), that is reserved for short-form work by emerging and, sometimes, recognizable Canadian talent. For the unknown filmmaker, this kind of exposure to an international audience of critics and distribution and funding reps is unparalleled, and can often lead to feature film deals.
Dillon's Small Batch Distillery became something of a conversation starter in Toronto bars over the course of this year. If 2012 was the year that Tequila Tromba took the bragging rights as the locavore barfly's spirit of choice, then Geoff Dillon, operating out of little more than a tin shed near Beamsville at the tender age of 28, has managed to trump that in spectacular fashion. Using locally grown ingredients, he's produced three stunning liquors in 2013 that are cropping up on backbars across the province.
Occupying a former bike repair shop tucked off the highway, the guys here have pulled together a functional building with a little charm. Copper piping and reclaimed wood complement the medicine bottle aesthetic of the products on offer. We're met by Whitney Rorison, who manages the site and, along with Geoff's father-in-law (Chairman Garry Huggins), allows Geoff and Peter to focus on the product.
"The sky's the limit on what we can make," says Geoff, in reference to the unique 5000-litre 
With both stills in operation, he's capable of producing any variety of spirit under the sun. The focus so far, however, has been on utilizing the local bounty. With the initial batches of vodka and gin making use of the otherwise discarded thinnings from neighbouring 
Dillon's also produces a range of cocktail bitters, utilizing the same grape-spirit base as found in both the gin and vodka. There are more along the way, and plans are afoot to see it in downtown retailers before long. 
Also in the works are a number of passion projects, some may be bottled, while a number appear to be just for fun. The absinthe, made with Ontario wormwood, and the Rose gin (a liqueur, like Sloe gin, but made with rosehip and rose petals) are especially exciting, but the pear eaux-de-vie, is also worth inquiring about on a visit.
Although it's taken different forms over the 50 some odd years that it's been open, the corner business at Augusta and Baldwin is best known as one of Kensington's staple coffee shops. While you'll still find bulk food and candy on offer (which gestures to the cafe's past as a grocery store), it's the coffee on which this Market fixture has built its reputation.
