This new Dundas West bar has a team that includes owners and former bar managers from Cold Tea, The Lakeview, and Ronnie's--but don't call it an offshoot. Rather, it's very much its own thing, with $4 cans of beer, shots of Jameson, easygoing DJs, and wall art that'll knock your damn socks off.
Read my profile of Mr. Pong's Bar in the bars section.
Beach Hill Residences is not lakeside. Sorry. But it is on a hill, that overlooks a community, that's right beside the beach. That's something, eh? Located in the Upper Beaches by Woodbine and Gerrard, this Carlyle Communities project brings modest height, a speckle of lime green, and.. uh.. "eccentric" floor plans to the neighbourhood above the beach. Here's what you need to know about Beach Hill Residences.
SPECS
Address:763 Woodbine Avenue
Number of floors: 7
Total number of units: 64
Type of units: Studio, one-bedroom, one-plus-den, two-bedroom, two-plus-den
Unit sizes (in square feet): 483 - 1009
Price range (approx.): $239,000 - $495,000
Parking: $29,900 (for select suites)
Maintenance: $0.56/sf
Maintenance fees exclude: Hydro, gas
Architect:RAW Design
Interior design:Union31
Sales company:Brad J. Lamb Realty Inc.
Amenities: Common room, terrace
Expected occupancy: December 2014
THE GOOD
Rather than a box on the 37th floor of the eighth condo tower on King West, you might be treated to a little community with a Beach Hill home. And believe it or not, some potential buyers still care about such supposedly trivial things! The structure is a very palatable seven stories tall, with few enough units that you might actually get to know your neighbours. The area around Woodbine and Gerrard boasts a heavy residential presence, along with enough action on the retail end that you can count on a good morning coffee and a solid place to ring in the weekend. In that way, the Upper Beaches seems to offer a good balance of commercial and community. And while I wouldn't call the area undiscovered, per se, it's certainly not facing the type of development bombardment now characteristic of some areas south of Bloor. Wait for it?
Accessibility is another big win for Beach Hill. For one, the TTC streetcar passes right by the building, and Woodbine Station is no more than a five-minute walk away. Plus, the area doesn't come with the same sort of congestion (traffic and pedestrian) that you'll find further south and/or west, which should make for a (somewhat) easy commute.
And whatever route you end up taking, you can keep your head high knowing you paid little more than $500 per square foot for a condo on the subway line. Nicely done, savvy shopper — you weren't swayed by promises of frivolous day spas or three-storey lobbies or the assumption that thousands of residents on the same block will make for an enjoyable living experience. Let them pay $700 or more for each square foot of airborne laminate floor — you've got accessibility, community, and room to breathe, with an extra $200 per square foot in your pocket.
THE BAD
Hey, haven't I seen you before? No wait, you've got black and lime green accents. My mistake. But nevermind its uncomfortable resemblance to the supposedly one-of-a-kind Brant Park Condominiums, Beach Hill has a much bigger issue when it comes to the layouts of its suites. What are these things?! I understand wanting to diverge from the typical boxy shape, but I'm not sure a drunk trapezoid was quite the right figure to employ in its stead. Some of these unit floorplans look as though they were traced totally freehand, with glass-walled tapered living rooms narrowing à la Willy Wonka's funhouse. Even the spacious 1,000-square-foot unit is soiled by a bedroom in the shape of a hand giving the middle finger. How is one supposed to furnish such suites, or more importantly, actually make livable use out of an erect-middle-finger corridor? Seems a waste to me, though I might just be dizzy from too much floorplan exposure.
You would think with more than 1,000 square feet to play with for a one-plus-den unit, someone would be able to find a way to give that bedroom a window. Alas, not so. Unless you work with developers to totally reconfigure your suite, you'll have to look inward for that little taste of sunshine (sucks for me, I know). Beach Hill, like too many new developments, is guilty of trying to get away with bedrooms without windows (and awkwardly shaped ones, to boot), with the saddest little assembly line of kitchen appliances I've seen in a long time. Would it kill someone to sketch in a breakfast bar or kitchen island once in a while? Yes? OK — I'll just chop vegetables on my lap, thanks.
THE VERDICT
Great concept from the outside. Poor interior execution.
What do you think? Would you live here? Add your comments to the thread below.
Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board
Late Fall weather is decidedly upon us which means coats, scarves, toques and other cold weather gear are now de rigueur on Toronto's streets. From Art Directors to Musicians to Sales reps, these fashionable souls were brave enough to pose for the camera in our Style section.
It may be called the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, but this year's event seems more "of the city" than the land. Now in its 90th year, The Royal 2012 boasts hanging chandeliers, gourmet coffee roasters, and a showcase of brand new hybrid vehicles, along with the usual rooster coop and milking-a-cow educational display. Consider it a juxtaposition of the most basic divide.
This was not my first visit to the annual November fair, but it was the first time I noticed just how much it caters to the Toronto urbanite. There's a petting zoo mere metres from Exhibition Hall F (which is filled with rows of sheep, cattle, and more), a Subway Sandwiches stand right next to a vendor selling pure maple syrup, and a setup for Toyota's latest line of hybrids set beside a row of Bockmann utility trailers. What?
You can sense the division right from the parking lot. Some spots are occupied by the usual Toronto-prevalent mid-sized sedans, while others host SUVs (alright, we still see a lot of those in the city anyway) and pickup trucks with bumper stickers reading, "A woman's place is on a horse." Heh — my mind finished that bumper sticker before I got to the end. In any case, the urban/rural divide is clear right from the get-go.
This year's fair includes a couple of new exhibitions, including an extended chef competition hosted by Padma Lakshmi and Curtis Stone. The stage, strangely enough, is surrounded by sophisticated lounge seating and modern bistro tables, though I can still hear the clucking from the poultry competition nearby. Next to the competition area is the Royal Court Restaurant, which is bordered by a perimeter of faux hedge green. One of a couple restaurants on the fair's grounds, Royal Court features black hanging chandeliers, covered tables, and sparkling wine glasses, along with just the faintest hint of that unavoidable barnyard smell. You get used to it.
Trying to shed by city-girl skin, I decide to abandon the stalls of poutine and fine jewellery, and venture to the "barn" area where sheep are being prepped for their show. Bypassing the six lounging cows and a group tiny piglets piled under a heat lamp (I think a pang of bacon-guilt made me sweep by more quickly), I went to check out the sheep to see if I could try to deduce which were the stars of the flock.
These sheep, however, were covered with tarp-like smocks, some with holes cut out for the eyes and ears. I absurdly first concluded it was some sort of ghost Halloween getup, but was immediately shamed when a farmer told me it was to keep the sheep clean before the show. Point taken — I'll stay off the farm.
Next, I went to check out the rural-geared shopping, including fly sheets for horses (some, interestingly, available in Zebra print), saddle equipment, and custom leather boots. And while it seemed to me that the Der Dau stand was mostly being perused by the equestrian-minded, something tells me it would have done just fine offering its "niche" product to any number of sophisticated Toronto communities.
Before leaving I, of course, had to check out the food stalls, which included chains such as Pizza Pizza and Subway (I think I counted two of each), and many independent stalls by rural operators. Some offered barbecue classics such as pulled pork, burgers, and hot dogs, while neighbouring stalls went the roti route, others with teriyaki, and bowls of lo mein. I suppose in food courts, as in life, such parallels can serve side by side.
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is on now until Sunday at Exhibition Place
Photos by John Elmslie and PLTam in the blogTO Flickr pool.
Now this just makes sense. Remember when Ryan Emond released that stunning timelapse sequence of Toronto that we referred to as a love letter to the city? Turns out the folks at Tourism Toronto were paying attention. Following the attention that video got, the photographer was approached to shoot something more official to promote Toronto to the rest of the world. And given what's passed for promotional materials in the past, it's not hard to see why this latest effort is a vast improvement.
"They wanted to do something entirely different, they wanted to come away from the standard tourism video, so I figured I would step as far away from those videos as possible," Emond explains in the description that accompanies his latest effort, Planet Toronto. "I felt like it was the perfect opportunity to push my shooting style by employing a purely observational perspective. I intended to capture the city in distinctive form-- I wanted to make this piece different."
Given an increased budget and easier access to prime shooting locations, the results are nothing short of gorgeous. I loved Toronto Tempo, but the production quality of this sequence is in a league of its own. "Much like other cities, Toronto is a place you have to experience to feel the energy and emotion that pulses through the streets and neighbourhoods. I hope that I can give you a brief glimpse of the beauty, and motivate you to come explore for yourself."
Mission accomplished.
Planet Toronto from Ryan Emond on Vimeo.
Charles Khabouth has partnered up again with Hanif Harji (of Icon Legacy) to address what they think is a drought of Spanish food in Toronto. Inside, luxe interiors pair nicely with the hearty, rustic flavours of Spain.
Read my profile of Patria in the restaurants section.
Fall may have a few weeks left in it yet, but the best part has already come and gone. Throughout Toronto most trees have surrendered their vibrant leaves for another season, leaving in their place crusty brown facsimiles or, as is the case as I look out my office window, nothing at all. Rather than getting sad about it and dwelling upon the inevitability of winter, let's just pause and look at some pretty pictures.
I feel better already. Lead photo by magda_lenna.
PHOTOS
Photo by Sebastian Zdyb
Photo by francisLM
Photo by bukharov
Photo by BruceK
Photo by grandpaparazzi
Photo by Greg David
Photo by SoTeeOh
Photo by Kiril Strax
Photo by DMVphotography
Photo by Marcandadian
Photo by ras_esh
Photo by magda_lenna
Photo by 416Pictures
Photo by @ThetaState
As far as Toronto welcomes go, the exit to Front Street from Union Station could be a lot worse. It certainly beats the anonymous landscape around Pearson and the claustrophobic driving experience one is treated to coming down the Don Valley Parkway but, as far as the City is concerned, we could still do much better.
Capitalizing on the major TTC and Metrolinx renovations taking place under Union Station, the city is planning to completely re-work the stretch of Front Street between York and Bay streets, adding improved taxi and pedestrian facilities as well as better connections to the surrounding streets.
The project itself isn't new (it's actually been in the works for several years) but specific details are only now starting to be fixed in place. Though there's plenty still to be finalized, it's worth taking a look at what we're likely to get in the coming months.
As one exits Union Station's ticket hall, a wider sidewalk area, possibly with cafe seating, will be the most noticeable change. On the road itself, the city envisions a raised "table top" area constructed using interlocking stones for easier vehicle connections. Presently, the crush of taxis in rush hour is brutal.
Under the street, a new PATH extension will connect Union with a portal on the northwest corner of York and Front. A second tunnel, to be constructed later, will stretch under York to Wellington Street.
For cyclists, the city is against installing a separated lane through the table-top area, fearing bikers could be encouraged to ride too fast in the pedestrian-friendly space. A dedicated lane would also take up valuable sidewalk space.
According to the minutes of the city's Design Review Panel, a group of experts that critique new developments in the city, the plaza outside Union needs to be "a vibrant, memorable public space of the highest quality." In their September meeting, the most recently available, the panel called for more trees and public art installations on the block.
They also asked for rolling curbs like those on the Sherbourne bike lane to be used on the new median to improve access for wheelchair and vision impaired users. The relatively small size of the taxi area was also revealed as a concern.
What do you think of these changes — do we have the potential for a winning public space on our hands? What, if anything, would you like to see added to the street? More details on the project are available in this public document [PDF].
Images: City of Toronto
The best kid and family friendly restaurants in Toronto are easy Sunday evening choices. Now, these are not your colour-on-the-wall, chicken-fingers-for-everyone, Raffi-over-the-speaker-system type places, but rather, restaurants that the entire clan can agree on, that have both grilled cheese for kids and grilled calamari and linguini for mom and dad. Or grilled cheese for mom and dad, too. These restaurants generally aren't afraid of the little bit of noise that comes with a family's night out, and can typically offer distractions à la crayons and toys so that you don't have to take that linguine to go. It should also be noted that all the below spots offer high chairs and booster chairs.
Here is the list of the best kid and family friendly restaurants in Toronto.
See also:
The best baby stores in Toronto
The best candy stores in Toronto
The best mac and cheese in Toronto
The best grilled cheese sandwich in Toronto
This new Bloorcourt restaurant bills itself a slider house, but it offers much more than that: craft beers on tap and tasty cocktails, a Southern-inspired menu that focuses on local, organic and GMO-free products, ribs to die for, and a chef who really knows how to work a smoker.
Read my review of Two Bite Saloon in the restaurants section.
Dan Deacon may be best known for his live shows— the level of interactivity and energy at which is almost incomparable — but he's also a compositional whiz, having completed a graduate degree in electro-acoustic and computer music at State University in New York. Since then he's released eight studio albums, has scored major films, and written and composed orchestral works. We talked about his latest score for the Coppola-directed horror film Twixt, his work with The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and his latest LP America. He plays Lee's Palace tonight (tickets available at the door for $15) and if you have an iPhone, you'll be able to participate in the show yourself.
You recently scored Twixt, can you tell me a little about that process? Could you speak to some of the challenges of scoring a horror film.
It was a pretty surreal experience, very different for the way that I normally work. But it's fun to work on something that exists in a different context and separate universe (the film universe). It allows me to make choices and think differently, to make choices that I wouldn't otherwise make.
You recently released a free iPhone app to be used at your shows. Can you tell me how it works and how it's meant to enhance your concerts?
It is used to turn all of the phones in the room into a light and sound source. It synchronizes all the phones using a calibration tone. I think it enhances the performance since it creates a spatial environment of light and sound that could never otherwise be created. I've been really happy with the results of this first tour using it, and I'm excited to develop it further.
Do any venues in particular lend themselves to the interactivity of your shows?
The audience is more important than the venue...it really depends on the mindset of the audience. I ultimately always prefer a sober, cognizant audience.
How did you hook up with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony earlier this year and did it influence America?
Their conductor Edwin contacted me and asked if I wanted to be involved in the series. It's something that I've been wanting to do for some time, since I was an undergrad in college. It was a lot of work and a really great learning experience. I'm very glad I did it — it was certainly a huge influence on the acoustic elements of America.
Why the shift from an electronic to more instrumental sound on America?
I just wanted to branch out into more timbres and sound textures. I've worked almost exclusively with the family of electronics and percussion. With America I wanted to dive into the other main families of sound (strings, brass and winds). I'd love to focus on the voice more in future work.
Would you describe the album as a political record?
It has political elements, but I think ultimately it's a personal record. The lyrics are mostly me raising questions about my role in American society and what it means to be an American in this day and age. Musically the themes are based on the vast landscapes and the geography of the country.
You're known for your live shows. Who (else) do you think puts on the best live shows and why?
Future Islands and Ed Schrader's Music Beat put on great live shows. They each put their own personalities into the performance and don't hold anything back.
RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS
What distracts you on stage? People talking in the front.
Last album you bought? I bought all the skoal kodiak tracks I could find on iTunes right before tour.
Last thing you cooked? I make a lot of sandwiches for lunch. Jeremy, one of the drummers, does most of the cooking for us on the road.
Favourite Toronto band? I loved DD/MM/YYYY. Haven't heard their new projects but I'm looking forward to it.
Favourite piece of gear? Currently my OP-1
Photo by Caesar Sebastian on Flickr
Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this November 9-11, 2012.
PARTY
Mansion: Holy Trinity 001
Mansion's parties are always can't-miss, and they're turning to holy ground for a second time to showcase Para One, direct from Paris, and locals John Roman and Rynecologist. If the last time they held court in a church is any indication, there'll be fog, lasers, and people packed to the rafters.
Church of the Holy Trinity (10 Trinity Square), November 10, 2012, Doors at 10PM, $15 advance
Fucked Up presents Long Winter: Part 1
In preparation for the long winter ahead, Fucked Up is launching an immersive four-part series of music, art, food, and literary readings. Musical guests include Fucked Up (of course), as well as DIANA, Unfinished Business and Pudu Feck. Art comes courtesy of Exclaim!'s illustrators and Melissa Fisher, there'll be films from Oliver Husain, and readings from two of T.O.'s literary wunderkinds, Helen Guri and Spencer Gordon.
The Great Hall (1087 Queen St. W.), November 9, 2012, 8 PM PWYC
Shake, Rattle & Roll Turns 2
Wish one of Toronto's favourite throwback, playback DJ dance nights--Shake, Rattle & Roll--a very happy second birthday by heading to Clinton's for some drinks, tunes, and of course, the twist.
Clinton's (693 Bloor St W), November 10, 2012, 10PM $5
FILM
BULLY
BULLY, the controversial documentary that steps inside American schools to take a closer look at peer-to-peer bullying, will be screened at the Bloor Cinema as part of the Concerned Kids Charity of Toronto awareness campaign. Directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker Lee Hirsch, this 2011 film is free to all, with donations being accepted. Join the movement and support Concerned Kids Charity in raising awareness by spending a Saturday afternoon at the movies.
Bloor Hot Docs Cinema (506 Bloor Street West), November 10, 2012, 1PM Free
For more film listings, check out our This Week in Film post.
ART
Open Rhodes Art Show & Sale
Experience the art of a neighbourhood by heading down to Rhodes Avenue on the Danforth for the 4th Open Rhodes Art Show & Sale. The avenue will open up to pedestrians and close off to cars for the annual art sale, which features the photography, painting, jewelry, pottery and mixed media of local artists. Running Saturday and Sunday, a raffle will take place to benefit the Red Door Family Shelter. Donations are also welcomed!
Rhodes Avenue (Coxwell Avenue and Danforth Avenue), November 10-11, 2012, 1PM Free
World of Threads Festival
The World of Threads Festival showcases international contemporary fibre art by dozens of artists (including locals), in the form of quilting, knitting, lace, soft sculpture, installations and more. Festival exhibits happen across the city beginning Friday evening; check out Where Were You When Amy Winehouse Died?, which uses weaving to explore the ties between pop culture in modern society. 83 artists will participate this year with works available for sale. The festival runs until December 2nd.
Across Toronto, November 9-December 2, 2012 Free
Festival of Smalls Art Show
Good things come in small packages! The 19th Annual Festival of Smalls, a pre-holiday art show that showcases small, original art works by Canadians, opens this Saturday morning. All pieces featured are under $250 to help locals start art collections of original works at affordable prices. Pieces range from paintings and photography to silkscreen, mixed media and collage. The festival closes on Christmas Eve.
Art Interiors (446 Spadina Road, Suite 203), November 10, 2012 10AM Free
FASHION
Mutts & Co. Fall Shop
Local brands like Garrison Creek Bat Co., Vitaly Design and Raised by Wolves set up shop at the Mutts & Co. pop-up at LVB this weekend for an autumn clothing sale. Clothing, jewelry, accessories, and even home and food items that have been locally sourced and made will be available at the sale. Cheap drinks will be served and there will be great deals on last season's items. Bring your own bags!
LVB (88 Ossington Avenue), November 9-11, 2012, 11AM Free
For more fashion listings, check out our This Week in Fashion post.
HOLIDAY
Spectra Holiday Craft Fair
Instead of shopping on Etsy all weekend, attend the Spectra Holiday Craft Fair for locally made arts & crafts. Taking place Saturday at the 519 Community Centre on Church, this craft fair will feature holiday items from twenty vendors and musical performances every half hour. Be one of the first 350 people to donate $5 at the door and you'll receive a prize, like Goodlife Fitness memberships, dinner at Il Fornello or movie passes. Happy holiday shopping!
519 Community Centre (519 Church Street), November 10, 2012, 10AM Free
Illuminite
It's no Rockefeller Square tree but who can live in the shadow of 52,000 LED lights anyway? This Saturday, Dundas Square unveils the 40-foot holiday tree at Illuminite, an evening of music, pyrotechnics and performers to celebrate the coming holiday season. The event begins at 6PM with several light installations being revealed.
Yonge-Dundas Square (21 Dundas Square), November 10, 2012, 6PM Free
FOOD
Junction Food Tour
The up-and-coming neighbourhood that all your friends are flocking to for real estate has been a haven for independent retailers over the last few years, and Foodies on Foot is finally taking note. This Saturday morning, FOF takes Junction lovers on a tour of 5 spots that sell the best food and drink in the neighbourhood, giving a history lesson along the way. The starting location will be revealed with ticket purchase on the Foodies on Foot website.
The Junction (2859 Dundas Street West), November 10, 2012, 10:30AM $60
For more food listings, check out our This Week in Food post.
COMEDY
BeerProv All Stars
What gets funnier the more you drink? Improv! Comedian Jim Robinson hosts an evening of improv and beer with special guest Colin Mochrie of Whose Line Is It Anyway? at Comedy Bar this Friday night. 12 performers will participate in improv games to be crowned BeerProv champion at BeerProv All Stars, a monthly short-form improv competition. Tickets are only available at the door.
Comedy Bar (945 Bloor Street West), November 9, 2012, 10:30PM $15
For more comedy listings, check out our This Week in Comedy post.
MUSIC
The Darcys Present: A Live Interpretation of Aja
Toronto indie art rockers The Darcys pay homage to Steely Dan with a live performance of their Grammy Award-winning 1977 album Aja. Taking some serious liberty with the work of the jazz rock band, the local boys will play the album in full on Saturday night at Lee's Palace, following several successful American shows. Tickets are available in advance through record retailers SoundScapes and Rotate This.
Lee's Palace (529 Bloor Street West), November 10, 2012, 9PM $10 advance, $12 door
For more music listings, check out our Hot Ticket post and our November concerts roundup.
BOOKS & LIT
Toronto Roald Dahl Day
Small Print Toronto brings out the child in everyone with their 3rd annual celebration of Roald Dahl Day in Toronto libraries. Fans are invited to create dream jars, build a miniature City of Dreams, and read Dahl's stories. A video address by author Kenneth Oppel will be played, and stories written by young writers will be read. Advance tickets are available on Small Print's website at smallprinttoronto.org.
Northern District Branch, Toronto Public Library (40 Orchard View Boulevard), November 10, 2012, 11AM Free
HEALTH
Whole Life Expo
As soon as the centigrade dips, salads are out, and heavy burgers and fries are typically in, which makes the timing of this weekend's Whole Life Expo that much more auspicious. There'll be superfoods, dieticians and health experts, facials, vitamins and green living resources--in short, everything you need to renovate your life for optimal well-being.
Metro Convention Centre (255 Front St. West), November 9-11, 2012, Friday beginning at 4PM, $10-$15 and available at the door
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.
For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.
Once again, we're lucky ducks! The next seven days features everyone from Russell Peters to the man Comedy Central named "Funniest Person on Twitter." Come with me as we waddle through This Week In Comedy...
SUN NOV 11 / QUINNSPECTOR GADGET / HARD ROCK CAFE / 279 YONGE / 830PM / $20
Things are really starting to heat up for Quinn C. Martin. This will be his sixth show at the Hard Rock Cafe, a performance that will feature all-new material, which is nothing short of amazing. It really is; I don't know anyone even coming close to doing that in comedy right now. And while he's not affiliated with the major comedic brands like Yuk's and Absolute, les Canadiens are starting to notice him, too. 2013 is going to be a breakout year for Quinn, so catch him at $20/seat while you still can. Disclaimer: Quinn's a close friend of mine.
SUN NOV 11 / ROB DELANEY / DANFORTH MUSIC HALL THEATRE / 147 DANFORTH / 7PM / $20-35
Earlier this year, Rob was named 'Funniest Person on Twitter' by Comedy Central. Wowzers. The reason I like Rob...ah, let's just get to the tweets!
TUES NOV 13 / AN EVENING WITH ROBIN WILLIAMS / SONY CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS / 1 FRONT E / 8PM / $116 - $146
Two Emmys, four Globes, five Grammys, and a couple of Screen Actors Guild Awards. Alas, when I was a kid, I didn't understand Robin Williams. His act was too random for my wee little mind. Now that I've gotten into stand-up, I have a completely different take on the guy. My friend once told me that "you never run out of material on stage, you only run out of thought." Robin Williams happens when you combine a top student from Juilliard with a brilliant comedic mind. I should mention, however, that this show is not Robin Williams performing stand-up. Rather, he talks about his life and is accompanied by an interviewer, David Steinberg.
FRI NOV 16 / PAT THORNTON'S 24-HOUR STAND-UP SET / COMEDY BAR / 945 BLOOR W / 8PM / $10
He's serious. Twenty-four (24) hours of non-stop stand-up by Pat Thornton, a comedian with a background that also includes sketch and improv. Proceeds from the event will go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which works with 300 community-based organizations in Africa to do everything from providing preventative education surrounding HIV/AIDS, to caring for children that have been orphaned due to the deadly disease.
SAT NOV 17 / GILDA'S CLUB IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING / SONY CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS / 1 FRONT E / 730PM / $57-309
Gilda's Club was named after Gilda Radner, a comedian who passed away due to cancer. The club provides support for those suffering from the deadly disease, including workshops, lectures, and social events -- free of charge. This year's fundraiser is absolutely stacked, featuring Russell Peters as your host and performances by Nelly Furtado, Eric McCormack, Ron James, Louise Pitre, Lindi Ortega, and Cirque Sublime.
About the Author: This is Michael Jagdeo, and I refuse to write about myself in the third-person. My blog, Diary of a Stand-up Comedian, teaches you how to be - and how not to be - a comedian in Toronto.
Keyhole Sessions, Toronto's own erotic life drawing class, is closing its doors in December, following its final two sessions: White Wedding (November 13), and Fight Club (December 11). White Wedding will see the organizer herself--known as the Madame--don her wedding dress, accompanied by two maidens, while Fight Club aims to be an epic blowout, cramming as many models and artists as can fit for an evening that's bound to turn into a proper farewell afterparty.
The Sessions began in 2009, and initially ran out of the Lower Ossington Theatre, before moving to their current home at the Revival. Held on the second Tuesday of every month, the classes provide artists not with the demure poses of a Botticelli painting, but rather represent women of a wide variety of body shapes, who are often tattooed, and offer up truly dynamic poses.
You'll find them in various stages of undress, frequently accented by themed get-ups, and most sessions feature some variety of shibari-inspired rope bondage courtesy of JP Robichaud (whose website is very much NSFW).
The events are, predictably, 18+, the room holds about 60 people, and you must bring your own drawing equipment. There's no instruction, and no photography permitted. Otherwise, the music is good, the bar opens a half hour before the class starts, and the audience is usually quite keen on actually producing quality artwork. The exception was Nuit Blanche, where frat-boy-looking-types nursed a beer and looked on glassy-eyed, while going through the motions of sketching the same lopsided oval, over and over.
Feeling blue? Don't. Girls on Film, which is tailored to photography amateurs and enthusiasts alike, and is currently held just 4 times a year, will be continuing and perhaps expanding. It's something of a halellujah moment for those of us who lack the prerequisite sketching skills, but who still appreciate a less inhibited take on the female figure. Particularly titillating is the Madame's hint in her farewell missive that they will be "working on adding a pornography component." Naughty, naughty.
White Wedding takes place at Revival Bar on November 13, 2012. Doors at 7 p.m., tickets are $20 and cash only. Photo from Nuit Blanche 2012 by the author.
The poems of Dennis Lee are inventive, silly, and sometimes incredibly poignant. His words serve as great material for the stage, where the imaginative spaces and characters come to life in a new adaptation of the poet's popular Alligator Pie at Soulpepper.
It's an energetic and family-focused performance from collective creators Ins Choi, Raquel Duffy, Ken MacKenzie, Gregory Prest and Mike Ross. Of the twenty odd poems lively dramatized with music and props, some soar with creative energy, while others need a bit more time in the oven. But it's the cleverness of the presentation--an earnest approach to the material--that makes this an adaptation with a lot of potential.
The collective slowly emerge from a trap door in the stage, much to the delight of the assembled youngsters. Their playing space is truly that — a venue in which to tell stories, sing songs, and act goofy. The stories are the stuff of childhood dreams, including a look at our place in the world, relationships with friends, and playful tales of food.
Lee's poems are full of wonderful imagery and the words are given their full due from the five performers. Some of the poems are elevated once translated into song, but others seem a little out of step. The sketches that work best are those that rely on simplicity. Duffy delivers a funny monologue about her bratty brother, and Choi lets loose in an afro and gold sunglasses as a bonafide trickster. These sequences harness the confident spirit of Lee's poems.
Less successful are the sketches that go deeper into Lee's constructions. "The Cat and the Wizard" falls a bit flat, as does the "Monster and the Elf." These longer pieces don't sustain the same energy and momentum that propels the other sequences.
The set is a fairly simple green platform. It serves the purpose of a playing space, but is much less whimsical than the text demands. However, a wildly inventive collection of props and objects help to animate ideas from the text. The office tool orchestra lead by Prest, featuring music from a stapler, a three-hole punch, bubble wrap, and packing tape, is a true highlight.
In addition to some groovy musical accompaniment from Ross, the most promising aspect of the show is the complete earnestness with which the performers tackle the material. Like a Wes Anderson happy hour, they dive head on into the text with as much seriousness as if they were speaking Shakespeare. It's a clever performance technique that elevates the play — it never panders.
As a celebration of play and as an ode to childhood, Alligator Pie is a quirky, fun-filled performance with a number of clever scenes. It'll be back next season, hopefully with a more refined recipe.
—
Alligator Pie, with poems by Dennis Lee and creation from the ensemble, runs at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts until November 25 (but will also be back next season).
Photo by Jason Hudson
In the 1920s, Frank Chapman's 150-acre farm stood in a sprawl of astonishingly flat rural land south of Malton, a small community on the Grand Trunk Railway northwest of Toronto. His modest, three-storey farmhouse with its wrap-around porch stood between low hedges on Lot 6 of Concession 6. Chapman also owned Lot 8, close to his neighbour Horace C. Death's 99-acre plot.
Back in 1935, the federal government was actively seeking a location for an international airport in Toronto. Airfields near Dufferin at Lawrence and Wilson were shortlisted as possible sites but the most appealing prospect was, apparently, a 1410.8-acre site miles outside the city limits.
Two years later, Frank Chapman, Horace Death, and 11 other local farmers agreed to sell their land for construction of Malton Airport, a "million dollar, world class" facility.
Aerial photographs taken shortly after the first runways were roughed out through the former fields show just how remote Malton Airport used to be. Endless, arrow-straight roads disappear to the hazy horizon with just the odd scattering of buildings and occasional copse of trees to enliven the view. A perfect, obstruction-free environment for an airport.
Frank Chapman's old farm house was converted into Malton Airport's first passenger terminal, a building that doubled as a basic observation point for the strip's windsock. A small area just off the main runway was graveled for car parking. The passengers on board the American Airlines DC-3 from Buffalo, New York that bumped down on 1:10 PM on August 29, 1938, the first official landing, would have only had a short walk to their waiting connections.
Chapman's farm house was replaced by a purpose built wooden terminal building later in 1938. The structure, practically identical to the historic terminal building at Billy Bishop airport, included weather forecast equipment and radio facilities. By then, the airport consisted of two tarmac runways and one grassy landing strip.
Pictures of the airport taken around this time show gleaming silver planes parked on the tarmac amid peaceful surroundings. The aircraft below is a Trans-Canada Air Lines Lockheed Electra 14H2s (14Hs). TCA was among the first operators to have a base at Malton, along with American Airlines.
The Canadian carrier ran scheduled flights to Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America in addition to its domestic services. TCA became Air Canada, universally adopting its French name, in 1965 when it became a separate entity from its parent Canadian National Railway under Jean Chrétien.
Other airlines operating services to Pearson included Great Lakes Airlines - nicknamed "Great Shakes" for its aircraft's tendency to shudder violently on take-off - and Austin Airways, a precursor to Air Ontario.
In 1960, the Malton Airport was sold to the Department of Transport, now Transport Canada, and renamed Toronto International Airport. By this time, a third, more substantial terminal had replaced the basic wooden building at TIA. The utilitarian brick building included a rooftop viewing area that gave visitors and departing passengers a chance to see take-offs and landings close up. It was a different world back then.
With the new name came a fourth terminal building. Designed by John B. Parkin, the architect behind The Sheraton Centre, Aeroquay One (also Terminal 1, shown in the lead image) was built in typical 60s brutalist style and prominently featured a multi-storey car park. Its sister building, Aeroquay Two, was originally a cargo facility but overcrowding at the first terminal and the cancellation of a second GTA airport forced its conversion to a passenger hub.
Unfortunately, it lacked windows and parking and had to undergo major alterations.
1970 brought Toronto International Airport's worst disaster. A miscommunication between Captain Peter Hamilton and First Officer Donald Rowland onboard Air Canada Flight 621, a McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, on final approach led to the plane's wing spoilers being deployed too early, causing a sudden downward drop. The aircraft, carrying 109 people, hit the runway with enough force to tear off an engine and part of the right wing.
The pilot managed to get the plane back into the air for a go-around but the damaged section was already trailing burning fuel. With the original runway closed on account of debris, the pilots attempted to position themselves for landing from a different direction.
Two and a half minutes after the initial impact, the plane's damaged wing exploded and disintegrated, sending the DC-8-63 into a high-speed nose dive. The aircraft slammed into a field near Castlemore Road and McVean Drive in Brampton killing everyone on board and scattering debris over a wide area.
Toronto International Airport was officially renamed Lester B. Pearson International Airport in 1982 for the former Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Aeroquay One was demolished to make way for the current Terminal 1 building in 2004 as part of a giant $4.4 billion expansion program by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. Two new runways were also added along with the new Terminal 3 and LINK Train, a monorail connecting the two hubs.
Today, Pearson handles 400,000 flights and 32 million passengers a year and is the only airport in Canada with scheduled services to all the inhabited continents on the planet. That's a long way to come from Frank Chapman's farm house.
MORE IMAGES:
Frank Chapman's farm house, Malton Airport's first terminal
Malton Airport postcard showing the third terminal building
An Air Canada boarding pass for a flight from San Francisco to Toronto
Photos: City of Toronto Archives, Wikimedia Commons, and the author.
Remembrance Day ceremonies and events in Toronto take place every year on November 11th. This year, Remembrance Day falls on a Sunday. For those looking to honour our veterans, the City of Toronto puts on a number of official ceremonies that are open to anyone to attend. These take place at Old City Hall, Fort York and the following Civic Centres: East York, Etobicoke, North York and York.
Additional Remembrance Day ceremonies are also taking place throughout Toronto. A number of these are listed on the City of Toronto Lest We Forget site. The Ontario Government also puts on their own ceremony at Queens Park. It too starts at 10:45am and all details are listed on this web site.
Finally, there's also the Corktown Neighbourhood Remembrance Day Service, A tribute at the Argos game and the Westlake Brothers Memorial service.
Photo by Swilton in the blogTO Flickr pool
Even though he may have bungled the gas plant cancellations, soon-to-be-former Premier McGuinty did some good for Ontario's energy sector during his 16 year tenure by introducing the Feed-In-Tariff program. The FIT program allows renewable energy projects to come to life through cooperative efforts between the Ontario Power Authority and property owners. The site owners lease their building or land on a 20-year term to the OPA, and the solar, wind, or biogas electricity boosts the Province's green energy portfolio.
"The province's Feed-in Tariff program has attracted significant renewable energy development in the province," wrote Tim Butters, media communications Ontario Power Authority, in an email. "The program is helping us create a cleaner and more sustainable supply mix and is attracting new investment and economic opportunities to Ontario."
To date, the OPA has cleared 2000 FIT contracts generating over 4600MW in the province. Here's what's going on in our backyard.
BrightRoof Solar LLP
Imagine having a tenant on your rooftop, always paying rent on time, and not blasting death metal at 2 a.m. when you're trying to sleep. The BrightRoof Solar project is a city wide initiative building solar photovoltaic arrays on top of apartments, warehouses, homes, and condos. In July, the city endorsed the construction of six of the rooftop projects. With a total projected portfolio size of $100 million, BrightRoof has over 40 solar facilities set to be built.
ZooShare
A childhood in Toronto wouldn't be complete without fond memories of the Metro Zoo, it's just too bad the zoo is facing a hard budget crunch. But with the ZooShare biogas generating station slated to be built on its grounds, the institution may not be doomed after all once the plant is built. The 500kW facility will be fuelled by zoo manure and food waste from local grocery stores and restaurants.
WaterView Project
Situated on the roof of an old Diamler Bus manufacturing facility in Mississauga, the WaterView project is rated at 438kW. With a total area of 2.2 acres it represents the largest single rooftop solar project in North America generating enough juice for over 50 homes. It also uses thin-film solar panels which are smaller and lighter than traditional panels.
SolarCity Partnership
In November 2009, Toronto wanted to demonstrate its environmental stewardship by taking advantage of the FIT program. In partnership with the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, the City funded the 52kW solar project atop the Toronto Police Services parking garage at 9 Hanna Avenue. The installation covers a total area of 322m2 and should pay for itself in about 15 years. Afterward, it will continue to turn sunlight into green electricity for the power grid.
Writing by Chris Ridell
Photo by Green Energy Futures on Flickr
