Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this Jan 3-5, 2014.

Canada's Top Ten Film Festival
TIFF has released its annual Top Ten lists of Canadian movies for 2013, highlighting the best this country has to offer in both the feature and short categories. The Top Ten list is also a festival unto itself - starting tonight and running for 10 days until January 12th, Canada's Top Ten will feature screenings of the listed films as well as Q&A sessions with the filmmakers. Jake Gyllenhaal will be on hand to discuss his recent work with Villeneuve, and Jon Greyson will close out the festival in conversation with TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey. Tonight, you can catch The F Word by Michael Dowse at 8pm. January 3 - 12, TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King Street West).

FOOD

Feast in the East
This month Toronto's Mimico, Bella Akira, and New Fries will play Burn Down the Capital's first party of 2014. The free dinner is a Japanese noodle bowl prepared by Daniel Goodbaum. As always with Feast in the East, it's about the music, but it's more so about the people. Support the east end music scene, recoup from the holidays, and celebrate the first week of a new year in warm surroundings with good food. January 4, Gerrard Art Space (1390 Gerrard Street East), 8pm, $8 advance.

Winter Farmers' Market at Steam Whistle Brewery
In case you missed this during the bustle of the holidays, Steam Whistle Brewery are hosting a winter farmers' market every Sunday for the next couple of months. It's running until February 23rd. Check it out for Ontario farmers selling apples, baked goods, root vegetables, organic meat and cheese, beauty products, maple and honey products. Steam Whistle Brewery (255 Bremner Boulevard), Sunday, December 29, 10am - 2pm. You can also check out our round up of other winter farmers' markets in Toronto.

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

MUSIC

Class of 2014 - Indie-Rock Honour Roll
From January 3 - January 25, the Class of 2014 concert series will rock out at the Silver Dollar Room every weekend. Will these bands be Toronto's break out acts of 2014? Did any of these musicians ever make honour roll in school? Decide for yourself. Tonight's lineup includes Alex Calder (Montreal / Edmonton, Captured Tracks), Blonde Elvis, Wish, and Pet Sun (Hamilton). Check out our full preview of the month-spanning fest here. Friday, January 3, Silver Dollar (486 Spadina Ave), 9pm.

Toronto Does Toronto III
On Sunday you can take in the third installment of Toronto Does Toronto which, as you might have guessed, entails Toronto musicians covering songs by the Toronto musicians they love. Thom Gill (OG Melody), Ryan Marshall Driver, Chris Cummings (Marker Starling aka the artist formerly known as Mantler), Lisa Bozikovic, and Alex Lukashevsky will be performing. Want to know what they'll play? You know where to be. Sunday, January 5, Holy Oak Café (1241 Bloor Street West), 9pm, PWYC.

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

COMEDY

John Hastings
It makes my heart happy to see that John Hastings is back in town from the UK. The last time I saw him was at his Edinburgh Fringe Fest preview show, where he killed from bell to bell. I'm always impressed by guys that are committed to writing new material on a regular basis. It shows a respect and commitment to the craft that rarely gets acknowledged. Check out the way he handles the heckler at the start of his set; it doesn't get any better than that. Friday January 3 - Sunday, January 5, Yuk Yuk's, 224 Richmond W, 8pm, $11-20

Sketchersons
Sometimes you go to a comedy show and pick up a sense of community from the people in the audience. That's what I felt when I went to The Sketchersons' Sunday Night Live. To commemorate their tenth anniversary, they're putting on a slew of performances where they'll be reviving audience favourites from the past decade. Oh yeah, and your ticket is good for both the 8pm and the 9pm show! Friday, January 3 - Sunday, January 5, Comedy Bar (945 Bloor W), 8pm/9pm, $2/$10.

For more comedy events, check out our The top comedy shows in Toronto January 2013 post.

FILM

Classroom Films
Trash Palace invites you to "thrill to the stupid ideas people had about education" this evening - too good to pass up, right? The night promises "cockamamie and super-rare artifacts of sponsored cinema's various eras, from the 30s to the 80s" including "an animation about how great money is," "a stoner film about trains," and "an extended traffic-judge tirade." The movies roll at 9:30pm and there will be door prizes. Friday, January 3, Trash Palace (89-B Niagara Street), 8:30pm.

ART

Sunday Scene with Allison Rowe
Micah Lexier's show is winding down at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, and if you haven't seen it yet this Sunday will be a good chance - and also your last chance (the exhibit ends this weekend). Toronto artist Allison Rowe participated in Lexier's huge group effort More Than Two (Let It Make Itself) and on Sunday she'll lead a tour of the exhibit for the Power Plant's Sunday Scene. Sunday, January 5, The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery (231 Queens Quay West), 2pm.

Everything & Nothing
This group exhibition will bring together 6 graduating classes from York University's Visual Arts Department. 21 artists will be in the show in total (check them out here). While each other the artists is cheekily valued at $30,000 each (per diploma - whew) the curators promise all the art on the walls will be affordable. Catch the opening tonight, or stop by Creatures Creating to see it this week. Friday, January 3, Creatures Creating Gallery (822 Dundas Street West), 7pm.

BOOKS

TRAMP featuring Zoe Whittall
Books and parties need to hook up more often, right? Restaurant (try the sliders ser.ious.ly.) meets queer bar The Steady hosts TRAMP tomorrow night - "a dance party for female identified folks but all respectful people are welcome." The night starts out on a literary bent with dinner-time readings by Zoe Whittall, Stacey May Fowles, Anna Cammilleri, Alison Taylor, Mariko Tamaki, and VIVEK SHRAYA. There will be numerous drunk specials, and music provided by DJ Jacqie Jaguar. Saturday, January 4, The Steady Cafe & Bar (1051 Bloor St W), 8:30pm, free.

FASHION

Canada's Bridal Show
If you're planning a wedding this year, Canada's Bridal Show can help you get prepared. 350 exhibitors will be at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre this weekend to help you coordinate your special day. From flowers to cake to DJs to The Dress, bring a list and see how many tasks you can check off. Brides of Beverly Hills star Kevin Lee will be there, plus you can winner thousands of dollars in prizes - including diamond rings (which I think are kind of tacky, but what do I know?). January 3 - 5, Metro Toronto Convention Centre (255 Front Street West), Friday 5-10pm, Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 10am-6pm, $20-$45.

Really Really Free Market
You might be burnt out on stuff post holidays, but maybe you got some well meaning gifts that just don't fit into your colour scheme or onto your body. Don't throw those away - bring 'em down to West End Campbell Park on Saturday to find them a new and better home, plus maybe grab some cool freebies for yourself. Bring your items before 3pm. Saturday, January 4, Campbell Park (Lansdowne Station / 195 Campbell Avenue), 10am - 4pm.

SPORTS

Motorcycle Supershow
While it isn't ideal motorcycle weather outside, you can cozy up indoors with some heavy metal machines this weekend Toronto International Centre. There will be hundreds of exhibits, custom bike displays, 3 stages for entertainment, special guests, bands, fashion shows. Holiday overspending be damned - 50,000 attendees are expected to make it out this weekend to shop for new and used bikes, helmets, leather, and other accessories (or maybe just pick up some free swag). January 3 - 5, Toronto International Centre (6900 Airport Road), Friday and Saturday 10am-10pm, Sunday 10am-6pm, $20.

Run4Kids
Not so keen on winter running events in the sleet and snow? This marathon (or 30K, 10K or 5K) is hosted by York University at their indoor track guaranteeing you protection from the elements. Run4Kids raises funds for school aged kids in Toronto, so while you're running around in circles remember you're doing it for a great cause. Saturday, January 4th, Toronto Track & Field Centre, York University, Keele Campus (4700 Keele St), 9am.

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

Lead still from The F Word at TIFF Top Ten, Motorcycle Supershow photo by Roger Cullman,

Photo by Jack Landau in the blogTO Flickr pool.

In 1968, the Toronto Transit Commission unleashed Barney Beaver, its children's safety mascot, on an unsuspecting population. The giant dark brown castor with its two massive pearl incisors was meant to educate the kids of Toronto about staying safe on transit, which it did just fine - it's just shame Barney almost always looked like a terrifying monster on film.

The black and white pictures of Barney cast him as a shaggy silhouette with only a pair of bright eyes and teeth. His outsize TTC driver's hat was his only piece of clothing.

Barney was first introduced in the TTC's internal magazine, The Coupler, in December 1968. In November of that year, Barney and his handlers made their first public outing to Wilkinson Public School on Donlands Ave.

Barney came with his own anthem, titled "I'm For Safety," which was co-written by Wilkinson teacher Ross Knechtel, an exchange teacher from the U.K., and the TTC's Dave Prentice. Here's a sample of the lyrics. The emphasis belongs to the original print:

"First find the safety bar
The a seat
Or a stop could throw you
Off your feet

Sit well back
With your feet beneath
Or a sudden stop could
Wreck your teeth

Keep your arm in
Head in too
Or that could be
The end of you!"

The song appears to have been part of the repertoire of the TTC's house band, the Sunshine Boys, with whom Barney would perform at public safety events and shopping plazas. The beaver split duty between lead dancer and occasional drummer, according to promotional pictures.

Barney Beaver had a year-round tour schedule with stops at Toronto schools. The creature and his support staff traveled in one of several city buses that doubled as a mobile classroom. Inside, kids watched as Barney and TTC staff performed pratfalls, swung from the bars, and gracelessly fell to the floor as the bus lurched into motion, in short illustrating how not to be a straphanger.

It's easy to laugh at Barney, but the idea was a sensible one: "Introduce the do's and don'ts of transit safety; to initiate the young passengers of the future into becoming responsible citizens."

The slogan of the education program was "I'm for Safety," and the TTC printed buttons and t-shirts adorned with Barney's cartoon likeness. "[The] grassroots approach to safe transit travel may seem a little unorthordox to staid adults ... children find their antics amusing and visually it tells the story."

It's not clear when Barney went to "the great dam in the sky," in the words of current Coupler editor Mike DeToma. An image search shows a modernized Barney at events as recently as two years ago but it appears he's retired, officially at least.

The Barney Beaver Safety Bus, a special rig that allowed kids to rev a real diesel engine, was still in use in 2011, according to videos on YouTube.

Safety first.

Do you remember Barney Beaver? Did you catch him in person at one of the TTC's live events or at your school? Let us know in the comments section.

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

Images: The Coupler

It's a whole lot warmer in Toronto this morning that has been over the past few days, but one suspects that there will still be thousands of people tearing back multiple blankets as they get out of bed. Although the folks in Winnipeg might scoff at our plight, it has been brutal out there, with windchill numbers below -30C. We've had an extreme cold weather alert, ice quakes, streetcars pulled from service, and more weather-related complaints than you can imagine during this deep freeze. Thankfully it's (mostly) over. Now we can look forward to a massive snowstorm. Lovely.

Here's how some of our Twitter followers coped with the cold spell.

John Letnik won't set sail without a fight, as the embattled owner of the eponymous Captain John's has launched a $1.2 million counter lawsuit against the Toronto Port Authority in an effort to prevent his ship from being sent to salvage.

Back in June 2012, the Toronto Port Authority rescinded the floating restaurant's lease and the City of Toronto turned off its water supply on account of the (well) over $500,000 Letnik owed in unpaid rent and back taxes. In October of 2013, city council voted to evict the Captain from his ship.

Letnik claims that the TPA's refusal to grant a long term lease to the ship has undermined his ability to sell it, a point which is backed up by the fact that Vaughan tycoon did make a bid for the ship, but refused to close the deal in the absence of a long term lease being offered on the slip where the Jardan is docked.

Before one thinks that Letnik's lawsuit will hold water, however, it's worthing noting that according to the Toronto Star he's decided to represent himself in upcoming legal proceedings, which lends an air of farce to what otherwise sounds like at least a rational case. So the Captain fights on, furiously bailing his ship single-handedly.

Photo by endekl in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Since 2010, Toronto's board game lovers have flocked to Snakes & Lattes to caffeinate over some Catan. The folks behind the Annex coffee shop are expanding their empire with a new pub, the equally cleverly-named Snakes & Lagers.

The sister pub is opening next week at 488 College St., previously occupied by the dearly-departed Smokeless Joe's (the selection of 19 craft beers and ciders should do its predecessor justice). There's also a full menu featuring falafel sandwiches, salads and other tasty treats.

The bar will be strictly 19 and over, and the $5 cover charge (to cover use of their game libraries) still applies. We'll be there figuring out how to convert Cards Against Humanity into a drinking game.

Photo by ElieDahdz in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The North American International Motorcycle Supershow is a fantasyland for motorcycle enthusiasts in Toronto. There's a variety of motorbikes to drool over, from cruisers to sport bikes to cafe racers to scooters.

Boasting as "the world's largest motorcycle show," it features more than 500 exhibitors and 1,000 motorcycles on display. It's no wonder the Motorcycle Supershow attracts over 50,000 attendees to the International Centre by the airport strip every year.

You'll find swimsuit calendar models sitting astride Harley's as well as heavily bearded Heaven's Saints Motorcycle Ministry dudes. All of them the friendliest people you'd ever meet.

Since the -38 degree windchill forced most in attendance on Friday evening to arrive on four wheels, not two, I was likely not the only one feeling a bit like a kid in a candy store amongst all the motorcycles.

While I had my scooter parked for a good few weeks now, I was pleased to see this sharp old Lambretta at the show, posing with a stuffed bear for the good folks at MADD.

Harley Davidson motorcycles were well represented at the show.

As were the sports bikes. This Kawasaki Ninja Special Edition sure turned a few heads.

There was a nifty nook with some classic motocross photos. This 1974 Yamaha YZ250 B was the very first production motorcycle with monoshock rear suspension. The dry weight was claimed at 214 pounds.

If you're looking for a new helmet, there's a plethora of choices at the Motorcycle Supershow, including some real deals to be had. Especially if you wear size XS or XXL.

This ape is on his Victory lap.

You've got to be a real man to equip your bike with leather fringe grips.

The motorcycle show vendors were all smiles, eager to pose or have you try out sitting on their bikes.

The Vintage Road Racing Association brought a few of their finest rides, including this 1972 Yamaha XS750.

Learning Curves was on hand to show off a sporty new Honda Grom 125 and sign up eager new riders for their motorcycle training classes, which begin in late March. Thinking of riding this year? You'd better sign up soon, as they're already filling up.

Aside from the bikes themselves, you could find some cheap belts (2 for 5 bucks!), fancy wallets (see below) and badass t-shirts to be had. And you could get some fancy leather polish to shine up your motorcycle leathers (and footwear).

I found a nice pair of riding pants on sale at the rather large GP Bikes display. I'm not sure if they replenish stock every day, but the most popular sizes tend to go quickly.

More photos:

The Motorcycle Supershow concludes on Sunday at 6 p.m. Admission is $20. The show takes up several large halls at the International Centre, so be sure to wear comfy shoes.

Photos by Roger Cullman Photography.

Each day we post a photo of Toronto from the blogTO Flickr pool, which until recently have been part of a regular contest to determine the best shot of the week. While the photos of the week posts are no more, it'd be a shame not to draw a little extra attention to some of the most popular photos taken this year. Congrats to the featured photographers and to all the local shooters who post to the Flickr pool. It's a delight to see Toronto through your lens.

Here are the 15 highest voted photo of the week winners from 2013.

23 Birchmount Rd is an oversized, countrified Cliffside home that looks good in the winter and is bound to have even more curb appeal once the snow melts. Located on a quiet street close to the Scarborough Bluffs, the house features a new flagstone driveway, custom-built in-ground pool and two glassed-in sunrooms. Correction: one sunroom and one solarium. Still, though, that's a lot of natural light.

The interior has been recently upgraded with a new kitchen, new bathrooms and fresh hardwood floors throughout. This house is designed with a brood in mind: there's plenty of storage, lots of yard and space to park four cars. You can't really go wrong with a private home theatre, either. This basement movie pit includes a 102" screen, Marantz surround sound speakers and six leather recliners.

SPECS

• Address: 23 Birchmount Road
• Price: $1,219,000.00
• Sq-Ft: 3500
• Bedrooms: 4+1
• Bathrooms: 3
• Parking Spaces: 4
• Taxes: $5,789.00 (2013)
• Walk Score: 62

NOTABLE FEATURES

• Home theatre with six seats
• In-ground pool custom built by the Clark Design Group
• Home gym in garage
• Large pool house/clubhouse in backyard

GOOD FOR

A family looking for a woodsy setting, renovated finishes and some special features. The overall design of the house is fairly simple and traditional, but it wouldn't be hard to put a personalized stamp on this space.

MOVE ON IF

Despite its enviable proximity to the lake, some might find the location of this house remote. If you're looking for true Toronto, this might be a touch too east side for your taste. Take note of the Walk Score of 67: there aren't many stores or restaurants within walking distance, and TTC riders will have to rely on buses. Still, with this home theatre and this pool, do you even need to leave?

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

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

Neapolitan pizza in Toronto is about as close as you're likely to get to Naples without jumping on a plane. The pinnacle of authentic Italian pizza, it's a highly regulated niche overseen by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana (VPN).

Here in Toronto, there are truly only a handful of certified pizzerias who follow the rigid guidelines to the letter. The use only premium, DOP ingredients and woodfire dome ovens, which result in crispy, charred crusts that are thin and pliable at the centre, covered in a soupy mess of cheese, sauce and olive oil that necessitates utensils or a four-fold to eat.

More plentiful in Toronto are the so-called imitators, those reverential pizzaiolos hand-slinging dough, those restaurants that boast imported ovens but expired VPN dues, and even a few ex-pat Italians fleeing purist-pizzadom.

Here's a round-up, in no particular order, of all the tasty "Naples-inspired" options around Toronto.

See also:

The best pizza in Toronto
The best pizza slice in Toronto

Viva Napoli
Situated on Mount Pleasant south of Eglinton, this VPN-approved pizzeria adheres to the stringent rules of the authentic style: thin blistering crust covered with bright tomato sauce, irregular melted pools of fior di latte and a basil leaf or two.

Pizza e Pazzi
This Italian trattoria boasts two locations certified by the VPN and is known for uncompromising, hand tossed wood-fired crust topped with San Marzano tomato sauce or white base and fresh toppings.

Pizza Libretto
This popular rustic pizzeria prides itself on being loyal to real, VPN-certified pizza. Here, the menu features purists staples first and foremost. Amidst the duck and blue cheese, the Margherita and Marinara still stand tall as the chief reason the lineups never cease.

Queen Margherita
This still expanding family of pizza parlours does pies in the Naples tradition; hand tossed 00-flour dough, tomatoes imported direct from the motherland, and locally sourced fior di latte that gets flame-licked at ultra-high temperatures.

Via Mercanti
Owned and operated by a pair of ex-pat Sicilians, these pizzerias (one in Kensington and one on Elm Street) offer simple, honest, hand crafted thin crust pies. The pizzas here boast optimal textural contrast between crust and saucy cheesy centre.

Picea 997
This pizza bar on Dupont had its oven built on site by master Italian oven builder Ferrara from materials imported direct from Naples. The menu offers a full range of comforting Italian fare and notable pies with nuanced flourishes like fried sage and smoked cheeses.

Fabbrica
This Mark McEwan-fronted restaurant does upmarket Italian fare including a selection pizzas that honour the traditional pizza making style of Naples. Notable menu features include the classic Margherita as well as a truffle crema-topped Funghi.

Doppio Zero
This midtown family restaurant is an obliging spot for homestyle Italian comfort foods and woodfired pie. As the name suggests, here you'll find dough with ultra-refined flour, even as the pies tend to be on the firmer side.

Pizzeria Defina
This Roncesvalles pizzeria offers pies in a choice of styles -- Rome or Naples, the latter of which is made on a traditional crispy thin dough that is soft and pliable at its centre. Here, liberal toppings include wild boar meatballs, caramelized shallots, and broccoli purée.

Famoso
This chain of no fuss Neapolitan-style pizzerias hails from Western Canada and employs an efficient service style that has guests order at the counter before the flash-fired pizzas are delivered to the table. Look for a combination of traditional imported ingredients or a choice of inventive combinations dreamed up by staff.

BONUS

Enoteca Motorino
Located in Woodbridge, this sleek hot-blooded pizza bar serves a full menu of Italian fare including a range of Neapolitan-style pies topped with San Marzano tomatoes and a choice of fior di latte or mozzarella di bufala.

Lead photo from our review of Pizzeria Defina

Just when you thought Leslieville has too many coffee shops along comes something new across from the local beer store. Want to know how it stacks up against the competition?

Find out in my review of Hola Cafe in the cafes section.

This is about as cold as it gets in Toronto, with morning temperatures so brutal that Pearson International had to put arrival restrictions on planes due to the deep freeze. Those were lifted just after 10:00 a.m., but the thermostat is still hanging at around -18C with a windchill factor of -33C. Ouch. While today is the worst of it so far, it's been frigid enough over the last little while that local photographers have been able to capture the cold on camera, be it in the form of frozen Lake Ontario, steam rising from sewer grates, or ominous looking clouds hovering above the harbour. It's all rather stunning to look at -- and then you remember your feet are cold and you get angry. Oh well.

Check out what Toronto looks like in the midst of a deep freeze in this photo gallery.

This new cafe at Gerrard and Greenwood pulls a solid espresso shot, but it's their hefty sandwiches and other lunch fare that makes them stand out from the pack. The food here the opposite of the pre-packaged snacks on offer at some cafes, and with a public skating rink across the street, there's likely to be a regular supply of hungry regulars.

Read my review of Brickyard Grounds in the cafes section.

Photo by Paul Hillier in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The Next Stage Festival - the Toronto Fringe's younger sibling - opens tonight with a choice of five different performances you can check this evening, then the fest runs until the 19th. Get ready here with our Next 2014 preview. If you're more inclined to risqué theatrics that take place outside of a theatre proper, "Reveal Me At The Rivoli" has that bit of burlesque buzz you might looking for.

• Next Stage Festival Opening
• Brockton Writers Series 080114
• Reveal Me at the Rivoli
• Northwood Wednesday's

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

Photo from Polar Opposites

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

Over the past couple of years, Lost + Found has been a go-to spot for Americana menswear and mean lattes. But it's not just a clothes and coffee shop anymore; Town Barber recently made a home in the space to offer $25 cuts and $35 shaves (or $55 for both) to anyone who wants a little trim along with their new garb and caffeine boost. The barbershop's open from 11 am until 7 pm Tuesday through Saturday, and appointments can be booked online.

Last week, Pearson International Airport got a little snazzier. Nuance Group opened a whole slew of luxury designer boutiques - including Burberry, Bulgari, and Gucci - for travellers to peruse post-flight. Located in International Departures in Terminal 1, the shops take up 6,000 square feet and are hard-to-find elsewhere in the country.

After two years on Dundas West and four years as a brick-and-mortar location, Dalston Grey is packing up and closing down this Sunday (January 12). But don't fret; their unique vintage treasures and handpicked contemporary finds will continue to be available online. Plus, every vintage piece in-store is now marked as low as $20, so if you act fast you just might score a gem!

SALES

Dapper chaps rejoice! Uncle Otis has extended their Boxing Week sale to offer sweet markdowns on fall/winter gear both in-store and online. Snag a printed parka for $200 (regular price $420) or slim-fit cords for $90 (regular price $179) before they're gone forever.

WHAT WE GOT UP TO THIS WEEK

• The Best New Fashion Stores in Toronto, 2013

Photo of Lost & Found by James C Lee

Toronto-based photographer Edward Burtynsky and co-director Jennifer Baichwal won $100,000 for their documentary Watermark last night from the Toronto Film Critics Association. The Rogers Best Canadian Film Award was much deserved by the stunning film, co-directed by the pair behind Manufactured Landscapes (which also won them the TFCA's Best Documentary Award in 2006).

Watermark journeys to 10 countries to trace the way water shapes our world - and the way humanity shapes water. Like Manufactured Landscapes, it's a must-see, even if your inner environmentalist is about the size of a baby squirrel. The Best Canadian Film prize is the biggest payday of the annual Canadian arts prizes, which one can only hope will be invested in more stunning work from the local photographer / filmmaker duo.

Other winners included Joshua Oppenheimer for the doc The Act of Killing, which took home the $5,000 BMO Allan King Documentary Award. Ryerson students Walter Woodman and Patrick Cederberg also received $5,000 for their short Noah, while Norman Jewison used the $50,000 Technicolor Clyde Gilmour Award to fund Quebec filmmaker Jeff Barnaby.

Check out the trailer for Watermark below.

Art shows in Toronto this winter offer layer after layer of benefit like a Vermeer that just won't quit. Art exhibits? Pretty much always indoors - and apparently it's cold outside (no galleries have scrambled to put a show called Polar Vortex together yet, but there's still time). Winter is kind of boring, and for many a little lonely - hello, pick up the phone, it's art calling. Don't hide away at home in the dark when you could be feasting your eyes on some of Toronto - and the world's - best visual talents.

From photography to installations, here are 10 shows to have on your radar this winter, hot chocolate in hand (just don't spill, please).

Lutz Dille / Jan 14 - March 8 / University of Toronto Art Centre
If you missed Lutz Dille's Toronto photographs during the fall at the University of Toronto Art Centre, you'll have from Jan 14th to March 8th to view his must-see photos including "fashion accessories, unconscious gestures and everyday objects" taken after he moved to Canada from Germany in 1951. Dille sought honesty with his camera, and standing amid his photos, you can almost feel him standing over your shoulder. Lutz Dille passed away in 2008.

Ahmet Öğüt - Strategies for Radical Democracy / Jan 15 - March 2 / Blackwood Gallery
Strategies for Radical Democracy is Turkish conceptual artist Ahmet Öğüt's first solo show in Canada. This is a thinker's exhibit - from the curatorial statement: "The centerpiece of the exhibition is a raised platform structure (8' x 8') illustrating the artist's theory titled Strategic Diagram for Non-hierarchical Participatory Radical Democracy. The diagrammatic structure functions as a way to analyze socio-political shifts and demarcate mediation. On Jan 15 a free shuttle bus will take you from Mercer Union (1286 Bloor Street W) to the U of T Mississauga's Blackwood Gallery at 6pm and bring you back to the city at 8:30pm.

Jimmy Limit / Jan 18 - May 4 / Rodman Hall
Sculptor/photographer (in that order, chronologically) Jimmy Limit stimulates with bright colours and absurd forms. His photos look like commercial stock photos, until you get a bit closer and realize the objects photos like "2 Litre Mountain Dew on its side with level" are made to melt your brain. Jimmy Limit is represented by Clint Roenisch Gallery and has a solo show coming up there, but for you can see his working starting January 18th at Rodman Hall for Recent Advancements, curated by Marcie Bronson.

Robert Burley: The Disappearance of Darkness / Jan 22 - April 13 / Main Gallery
If you have nostalgia for the fading art of the darkroom (may it never truly die), stop into Ryerson's The Disappearance of Darkness for Burley's photos taken between 2005 - 2010 of sites and events related to the production and business of photography, including corporations like Kodak, Agfa, and Ilford. The exhibit is fresh from the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.

Come Up To My Room / Jan 23 - 26 / Gladstone Hotel
Come Up To My Room is the interdisciplinary art and design explosion that happens at the Gladstone Hotel each year. Creative peeps transform the rooms of the hotel with their mind-altering installations the public is welcome to explore, or get right in there and participate is the collage parties at the Melody Bar. Either way you won't look at the Gladstone the same way again.

Tessar Lo / Jan 31 - Feb 22 / Cooper Cole
Whether working with minimalist, loose sketches or in full blown colour (or anywhere in between), Lo gives his imagery a heavy dose of the strange. Anyone attracted to zines and lo-fi DIY aesthetics will love Lo's work, yet it's got something else going on too. Lo participated in Micah Lexier's More Than Two (Let It Make Itself) at the Powerplant last fall, and this will be his second solo show at Cooper Cole.

Mike Nelson / January 31 - May 19 / The Power Plant
Did you love Labyrinth as a kid? If you loved it for more than Bowie's leggings (and you did, come on) you'll need to wander through Power Plant this winter/spring to see Mike Nelson's first Toronto solo exhibit. "Nelson is best-known for his labyrinthine architectural installations that unfold as narrative structures, where the viewer moves through rooms like a reader turns pages in a novel." The show will include "Quiver of Arrows", a conjunction of four old travel trailers.

Zoe Jaremus / Feb 1 - Feb 15 / Bau-XI
Zoe Jaremus will be showing her 36 x 36 inch chromira prints at Bau-XI Photo for the first two weeks of February. Muted, wintry photographs will make for a perfect cold weather show, paired with purposefully blurred indoor shots aptly titled "Strange and Awkward" - I try to crawl inside suitcases and clothes baskets all the time too.

The Artist Project / Feb 20 - 23 / Better Living Centre
The Artist Project (TAP) will challenge the typical art fair format from February 20 - 23 at the Better Living Centre. Here, you'll find the artists themselves in the booths - over 250 curated contemporary artists from Canada and around the world. This means you get to meet and hopefully buy work directly from the people behind it. That's pretty special. There will also be various special events and programming taking place.

Simulators II / Feb 22 - March 22 / Angell Gallery
This upcoming group show at Angell is going to be a good one, and may just make you a fan of digital art if you haven't been won over thus far. The exhibit will include Rafael Ochoa (who we named a top artist to watch in 2014)'s digital paintings. Ochoa is a young Toronto artist who, using multiple digital-imaging software programs for each piece, messes around with classical imagery, bridging antique still lives and epic paintings in gilded frames with The Sims universe. Expect more explorations along these lines in Simulators II.

Lead photo of the Artist Project

Rob Ford's approval rating is soaring high in the wake of the Toronto ice storm, at least if you trust the polling methods of Forum Research. According to the firm and the Toronto Sun, the Mayor's approval rating is up to 47 per cent from 42 per cent back on December 9th. Perhaps even more telling of the positive response to his handling (but was it really him?) of the ice storm is that 41 per cent of respondents indicated they'd vote for Ford in the 2014 municipal election, up 8 per cent from the same December poll.

It's obviously way too early for any of these numbers to have lasting significance, but they do paint a picture of a mayor whose popularity is on the rise. In the more hypothetical sphere, should a Toronto election with five of the most talked about candidates go down today, Forum projects the results as follows: Ford takes 35 per cent of the vote, Olivia Chow would comes in at 30 per cent, John Tory pulls 22 percent, while TTC chair Karen Stintz and David Soknacki would get 12 and 8 per cent respectively.

Despite all this seemingly good news for Ford, it's worth noting that 54 per cent of people interview for this poll said that would not vote for the incumbent. So while it's possible Ford might make some inroads with voters fed up of his scandalous ways, the jury is still out on whether he has a chance at reelection.

Photo by HiMY SYeD in the blogTO Flickr pool.