Tonight at OCAD U, Canadian filmmaking icon David Cronenberg chats with Piers Handling on a variety of subjects, and there's no cover to attend. Not in the mood for weirdness? Connect with your inner Scot at The Caledonian - they'll be celebrating Robbie Burns' B-day all week, starting tonight with a Macallan tasting. Check out our full run down of Robbie Burns' Day events here. Music wise, Spookey Ruben's Dizzy Playground happens tonight at The Rivoli featuring The Bicycles, Pick A Piper, and more.

• A Conversation Between David Cronenberg and Piers Handling
• Robbie Burns Week
• Spookey Ruben's Dizzy Playground
• Art Battle 92 - Toronto
• Once On This Island

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

I bought my best friend Wu Tang socks for Christmas. Yes, you read that correctly: black and yellow cotton yarn spun into footwear, bearing a big stylized W of the renowned hip hop group. The trend of socks as a subtle way to show off style, not just a practical way to cushion your precious hooves from the abuse of rubbing shoes, shows no sign of slowing down.

WeSell Socks clearly agrees with me because this Toronto startup is betting all its chips on people who take their sock game seriously. The subscription sock service, which officially launched on New Years' Day, delivers subscribers a pair of good quality, stylish socks to their doorstep for $12 per month. Jump on their current early bird special and they'll wave the shipping within Canada and the US (a flat fee of $5 will apply in the near future). What's more, these socks will warm your feet and your heart. For every pair you buy, WeSell will donate a pair to someone in need.

Here's what founder Kevin Lee had to say about the roots of his stylish & socially-minded startup.

What was the inspiration behind WeSell Socks?

I'd been interested in building a socially responsible business for a long time. My first attempt was actually in my first year of high school. The specific inspiration of how to structure WeSell came from two companies I admire: Toms and Warby Parker.

Why build your entire business around socks?

It seems silly that I'd build a whole business around socks, but I think you have to love socks to understand. When one of my colleagues first showed me his funky socks I had to stifle my laughter. It was only after I got interested in wearing stylish socks that I finally got what I was missing out on. That's also why I believe they make such a great focus - people who like socks, REALLY like socks. I don't need to tell them my socks are awesome, they know they're awesome!

You've been inspired by companies like Toms to make charity part of every purchase. How will WeSell give back?

When winter comes around, one of the most requested items homeless shelters ask for are socks. Currently, I'm talking specifically to homeless shelters around Toronto, such as Covenant House, about how best to distribute our socks to the less fortunate.

Who do you consider competitors in this space?

There are startups based in the US, like Sock Panda and Soxiety, that offer a sock subscription service. Any apparel company that sells socks could also be considered a competitor, but I see them more as future partners rather than competition. The biggest difference with WeSell versus other startups out there is that we offer our users the ability to do social good with every purchase.

What's coming up next for WeSell?

Like every other startup, lots of stuff! But I'll let you in on one...we're working on socks that stay together in the washer.

Check out the WeSell Socks Facebook page for the latest developments.

DineSafe didn't hand out any red cards this week but of the yellow cards distributed, more than a few were repeat offenders -- not to mention there were a lot of crucial infractions doled out. Amaya Express and Honest Ed's were both cited for inadequate pest control, for instance. And La Tortilleria racked up two crucial infractions for lazy hand washing and failing to maintain foods at an acceptable temperature.

See the rest of this week's roundup here.

Amaya Express (1574 Bayview Ave)
Inspected on: January 14, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1 Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Berber Social (49 Front Street East)
Inspected on: January 13, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 3 Significant: 2 Crucial:1)
Crucial infractions include: Employee fail to wash hands when required, Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Honest Ed's (581 Bloor St W)
Inspected on: January 16, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Significant: 2 Crucial:1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated

La Tortilleria (1009 Dufferin St)
Inspected on: January 13, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Significant: 2 Crucial:2)
Crucial infractions include: Employee fail to wash hands when required. Operator fail to maintain hazardous foods at 60C (140F) or hotter

Rock Lobster (538 Queen St W)
Inspected on: January 13, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1 Significant: 1 Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to thoroughly cook hazardous food item(s)

La Prep (207 Queens Quay W)
Inspected on: January 13, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 1 (Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Dumpling Queen (649 Yonge St)
Inspected on: January 17, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1 Significant: 4)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Swiss Chalet (3253 Bayview Ave)
Inspected on: January 17, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1 Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

The bloggers behind Toronto food blog Fat Girl Food Squad aren't afraid to take up space online and offline, and over the past year Yuli Scheidt and Ama Scriver have made a name for themselves posting restaurant reviews, fashion tutorials, personal stories, and discussions on body politics. Next week they'll step firmly into the IRL art world with Fat in Public, the blog's first art show.

About a dozen artists will show in the exhibit, which will include Sam Abel's Saucy Nüdles and Scheidt's own artwork. From their curatorial statement: "Fat In Public intends to de-stigmatize the (fat) body and give an outlet for art featuring imperfect and sybaritical characters in equal measure."

The exhibit looks to be both playful and powerful - more of these kinds of shows, please! Fat Girl Food Squad started as a blog in Torontoonly last year, yet they now boast chapters - ahem, squads! - in Australia, New York, LA, Denver, Minneapolis, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Hamilton.

Fat in Public opens at 2186 Dundas on Thursday, January 30th.

This house at 325 Perth Ave. is a pretty good catch: a fully renovated Junction Triangle semi-detached with an open concept layout and lots of bright and airy touches. Two of the bedrooms might feel a bit small, but you can't fault a master with a bay window and sizeable closets in each room.

The basement has been converted into a clean, compact separate apartment complete with a new kitchen. The space is being billed as a "nanny suite," but there could be potential to turn this into an income property if you're looking for a mortgage boost. The studio at the back of the house, part of an addition to the original structure, might not be spacious but does have a lot of charm - if you're easily wooed by wood ceilings and brick walls. This space might not cut it as an extra bedroom, but it does a bang up job as a studio or home office.

It's difficult to suss out the quality of a backyard during winter sales, but this one looks promising: narrow but long with a tall privacy fence, a row of hedges and a large wooden storage shed at the rear. The location of the house is also very family friendly. The house is directly across the street from an elementary school, and Perth Square Park is just a few steps away. There are kids everywhere. Really - everywhere.

SPECS

• Address: 325 Perth Ave
• Price: $639,900
• Lot Size: 18.17 x 125 ft.
• Bedrooms: 3 + 1
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking Spaces: 1
• Taxes: $2,874.93 (2013)
• Walk Score: 93

NOTABLE FEATURES

• Fully finished lower level nanny suite with separate entrance
li>Renovated kitchen with new appliances
• Open concept first floor living space

GOOD FOR

A family. This neighbourhood is getting more kid-centric by the year, and three bedrooms is more than enough space for a few little ones. The separate basement suite is in great shape and could easily accommodate a nanny or a granny as is, but keep in mind some adjustments are needed before it could be fit to rent.

MOVE ON IF

The Junction Triangle is really on the upswing, but some might still consider this strange little West End slice to be a dead zone. If I told you could walk to Farmhouse Tavern from here in three minutes, would that change your mind?

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

Everyone's favourite baseball-themed Toronto craft-brewers will be opening their own brewery in Leslieville this year. Left Field Brewery, run by husband and wife team Mark and Mandie Murphy, has revealed that as of February 1st, they will be moving into a space at 36 Wagstaff Drive.

The announcement comes roughly one year after Left Field Brewery first arrived on Toronto's brewing scene and, as they told us they would back in March, they've spent the interim looking for the right space to call their own while building their brand and making their beer at larger facilities, contracting space from Grand River Brewing in Cambridge and Barley Days Brewery in Picton.

The site of their future brewery is roughly 100 years-old and was formerly a brick factory, but it has sat vacant for the last three years. Left Field Brewery has taken over 6,000 of the building's 10,000 square feet, giving them enough room for a 20-hectolitre brewing system, a tasting room, some office space and, potentially, the ability to expand operations if the need arises in the future.

The building clearly needs a little care, but the duo seems up to the task.

"It's not pretty," Mark says. "It needs some love," Mandie agrees, before pointing out its thematically appropriate potential. "It's a little rough around the edges, but it kind of has the style of an old ballpark right now."

While the building sits in what is technically within the boundaries of Leslieville, it's closer to the Danforth than it is to the foot traffic and retail of Queen Street East, sitting roughly one kilometre south of Greenwood Station.

As for timelines, Mark and Mandie are optimistic about getting the doors open as soon as possible. "The brewing equipment, between the time you order it and then it's built and delivered and installed--you can make that happen in six months." Mandie says. The application process for retail sales, though, can take up to a year so their projected doors-open date is sometime in early 2015. In anticipation of these big developments, Left Field Brewery officially doubled their workforce this week: Mandie gave notice at her job and is now also working full time for the brewery, bringing their total staff to two.

As for the beer, they'll likely introduce some more one-offs and experimental offerings when they open the brewery, but the plan is to sell cans of their core brands, Eephus Oatmeal Brown, Maris Pale Ale, and 6-4-3 Double IPA.

In the meantime, they'll be holding an open house on February 22nd so that they can meet the neighbours and people can get a chance to check out the space before construction starts on their brewery, retail space, and tasting room. Food will be provided by Big House Pizza and pints of Left Field beer will be available for just $5.

Ben Johnson also writes about beer on Ben's Beer Blog. You can follow him on twitter @Ben_T_Johnson

With a Leslieville location already in its portfolio, this Eastern European restaurant and rakia brand has taken over the space once occupied by Hrvati Bar on Euclid. It joins a host of other restaurants (think Barrio Coreano and Kinton Ramen) to call this stretch of Bloor home in recent months. Will it have more success than the previous tenant?

Read my profile of Rakia Bar (Euclid Ave.) in the restaurants section.

The best brunch restaurants that opened in Toronto during 2013 have little in common this year. Some are devoted to executing bacon and egg-centric staples with great finesse while others are breaking loose from tradition and introducing Persian, Cuban, and atypically dinner-ish fare (think burgers or steak tartare). If there is a commonality that brings these spots together, however, it's that Toronto's appetite for brunch (in its various forms) is as ravenous as ever.

Here are the best new brunch restaurants in Toronto for 2013.

See also:

The best new brunch restaurants in Toronto, 2012
The best new brunch restaurants in Toronto, 2011
The best new brunch restaurants in Toronto, 2010

Childhood nostalgia goes 19+ at this newly opened board game bar from the folks behind Snakes & Lattes. The official opening isn't until February 1st, but you can already fill up on craft beer, classic cocktails and fun snack-able foods while checking out the collection of 250+ board games on offer.

Find out more in my profile of Snakes & Lagers.

James Macdonald's farm in the community of Minesing, a tiny settlement near the shores of the Nottawasaga River, sold for a handsome price in 1885. The proceeds, an unspecified "large sum of money," was more cash than the 24-year-old had ever seen in his life, and he planned to guard it closely during his stay at what was then referred to as the Richardson House Hotel at King and Spadina.

On arrival, Samuel Richardson, the owner of the wooden three-storey building with its neat shaded windows and ground floor bar, warned Macdonald about the gas lights in the room. The young man wasn't accustomed to the technology of the big city. He had "never tasted liquor in his life," according to a newspaper report, and the room on Toronto's busy Spadina Avenue must have seemed a world away from his rural farmhouse near Barrie.

It's not clear what he planned to do with the windfall: perhaps buy a house, stash it in the bank, or split from Union Station for a new life away from the harsh winters of Canada.

Richardson explained how to extinguish the dim lights by closing the little metal tap but Macdonald didn't follow. He was too busy worrying about the cash. Before climbing in to bed, the young man bolted the shutters, securely fastened the window, and fell asleep with gas gently hissing from the darkened lamp.

The next morning Macdonald was found "insensible" from the fumes. "For several hours his life was in danger, but at midnight, though still insensible, he was able to raise his hand to his ear, and the two physicians have good hopes of his recovery," wrote The Globe.

The story of James Macdonald's brush with death is one of the first printed mentions of the Richardson House hotel, now the bright blue Global Village Backpackers, which closed for good last weekend "due to unforeseen circumstances." As its ramshackle appearance suggests, the property has been sheltering weary travellers for more than 130 years.

Built in 1875, the original block of the hotel was operated for several decades by Samuel Richardson, a decorated military veteran from the 13th Hussars, a cavalry regiment of the British Army that fought skirmishes in The Peninsular War, Battle of Waterloo, and the Crimean War. Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout movement, served in the regiment in India.

His property "when necessary, could room nearly 100 guests," an early advertisement declared. Richardson added two brick extensions to the building, more than doubling its capacity and dwarfing the original corner structure, before hotelier Robert Falconer took over and renamed the hotel for himself in 1906.

The Falconer Hotel (shown above) didn't last long, and it was renamed the Ziegler Hotel with another new owner seven years later. As the Toronto Sun's Mike Filey notes, the Ziegler name quickly vanished with the start of the first world war, possibly because of its Germanic sound.

The budget Hotel Spadina emerged from the shadow of the Richardson, Falconer, and Ziegler, keeping its name in a slightly tweaked format - Spadina Hotel - until 1997.

The Spadina Hotel with its "good food," "5 T.V. screens," and nightly music in the beach themed Cabana Room accommodated the Tragically Hip, Leonard Cohen, and the Rolling Stones and served (briefly) as a backdrop to the 1973 Jack Nicholson movie The Last Detail, tagline: "No *#@!!* Navy's going to give some poor **!!@* kid eight years in the #@!* brig without me taking him out for the time of his *#@!!* life."

For bands like the Skydiggers in the '70s and '80s, the close quarters of the Cabana Room provided a much-needed springboard to wider success. The grimy interior was part of the same gig circuit that included Lee's Palace and The Cameron House.

The Spadina Hotel became one of Toronto's heritage assets in 1985. In 1997, a $250,000 renovation stripped out the many of the timeworn fixtures and faded bar furniture for bunk beds, communal bathrooms, and shared kitchens and returned the building's focus on cheap accommodation.

When it opened, Global Village Backpackers was the largest hostel in downtown Toronto - a title it passed on for good last weekend.

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

Image: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Public Library, Scott Snider/blogTO Flickr pool.

A new video of Rob Ford posted to YouTube is sure to bring more heat on the mayor of Toronto. Posted by a user under the name Toronto TheCity with the title "New Video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Drunk, Swearing in Jamaican Patois? Bumbaclot," this clip appears to show Ford at a fast food joint, though there is no indication of when the video was shot or the exact location. We can't confirm the authenticity of the video nor provide additional context at this time, but it certainly is bizarre.

In it, the Mayor utters the phrase "bumbaclot" numerous times and adopts a Jamaican patois in speaking about his counter surveillance measures and his attention to communities like St. James Town, Jane and Finch, and Malvern.

Update:

Speculation on both Twitter and Reddit has the location of the video as Steak Queen on Rexdale Blvd. Doug Ford, meanwhile, has already stated that this video could not have been shot yesterday.

Here is a (likely not 100% accurate) attempt at a transcript of the video:

FORD: [JAMAICAN ACCENT] "Cocksucker. Fucking Chief Blair [inaudible] that man cheech me around for five months, man. Bumbaclot. [Inaudible] Me and him [inaudible] leave me alone. They got 5 months for him. And him trying to tell me, bro, we're countersurveilling the guy, you know what I mean. He's hiding here. I'm a hide in here. I'm a... Oh, we don't... fuck off. You know how much money that cost him? I said bro, just [inaudbible]. No, money, money, money. [Inaudible] Bumbaclot, man. I swear to God man, honestly man.

MAN: "That's to go, man."

FORD: "It's seriously shit, man. It's serious shit, bro.

MAN: "Oh, we know. Oh, we know. All we know is we got the best mayor in the world, man."

FORD: "No, bro. Seriously."

MAN: "This guy deserves to be even better than Prime Minister Harper...

FORD: No, no, no no, no."

MAN: "Harper is the guy..."

FORD: "I'm a straight up guy, you know."

MAN: "I always said he gonna become the prime minister."

FORD: "Who was in THC. Who go out in Jamestown, and Jane and Finch, and then Malvern-" [Inaudible.]

...No, bro. Seriously.

The Toronto Star has uploaded an audio clip of the Mayor admitting to being drunk last night - "on his own personal time," so nothing he did could possibly be offensive - but denying that he was on drugs.

Reporters demanded to know if Ford had been driving or who had driven him to Steak Queen last night, and if the Mayor lied when he said he stopped drinking. "It's my own personal time" was Ford's only reply.

A second video from Rob Ford's bizarre visit to Etobicoke's Steak Queen restaurant has surfaced on YouTube. This one, apparently taken surreptitiously by another diner at the Rexdale Blvd. hamburger and souvlaki joint, shows Ford seated calmly with a man who appears to be Sandro Lisi, the mayor's former driver.

Lisi, a "close friend" of the mayor, is facing a charge of extortion related to the video of Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine and is currently on bail.

Though Ford appears to be wearing the same red tie as in the video released earlier today, it's not clear when it was filmed. One of the TV screens shows the logos of the Toronto Raptors and the Philadelphia 76ers. The two teams are due to meet Friday. The specials board at the counter also seems to match the first video.

Perhaps more conclusively, the newspaper in front of the person making the video is open to Mike Strobel's column in this Sunday's edition of the Toronto Sun, meaning it could only have been taken late on Sunday or Monday.

Will the appearance of Sandro Lisi pile more pressure on Ford? How do you think the mayor will react to this video?

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

Photo by Amanda Judd in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Taiwanese indie-rock? Yes, indeed! 1976 and Bearbabes hit the Horseshoe tonight for a free show. Christine Kim's paper art show Accumulation opens tonight as part of the Toronto Design Offsite Festival, and her intricate and complex creations must be seen. Those in the mood for visual art will also want visit the opening of four different exhibitions at The Ryerson Image Centre. Handlebar in Kensington gets in on the arty action with their free "social drawing" event, Draw By Night.

• 1976 & Bearbabes
• Christine Kim "Accumulation" Opening Reception
• Ryerson Image Centre - Opening Reception
• Draw By Night Toronto: Part Quatre

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

Photo via Christine Kim

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

This Sunday (January 26), SOOP SOOP (168 Gladstone Ave) is closing up for a big move to 1315 Dundas West. The new shop won't be open until mid February - so be sure to pop by some time this week to get a last look at their old digs and a discount on both new and vintage merchandise!

EVENTS/PARTIES

Later today, Gerhard Supply is hosting a party to kick off the Toronto Design Offsite Festival. Take a gander at Noelle Hamlyn's spectacular window installation Sweetness of the Work, featuring a vintage sewing machine and other tools of the trade engulfed in rust and crystals. The piece comments on the absence of meticulous handwork in most of today's clothing production - a perfect compliment to the boutique's quality, made-in-Toronto menswear.

The Working Group (425 Adelaide St W) is proud to launch the first of many Decoded Fashion Meetups in Toronto tomorrow (January 23) at 7pm. After vastly successful events in New York, London, Milan, and Sydney, they're inviting you to explore the role of technology in the fashion industry through live demos, discussions, and networking with professionals from brands like Fashion-Forward and Kiwi Wearables. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Join Nathalie-Roze & Co (1015 Queen St E) in Leslieville this Saturday (January 25) from 11am until 2pm for the winter edition of Uber-SWAP: an eco-friendly clothing exchange. If you ladies have at least 10 pieces of gently used clothing or accessories you're ready to part with, bag it up and bring it over along with $10 for admission. Spend a couple of hours scavenging for new treasures and leave with a brand new bag of stylish garb!

From Geisha to Diva: The Kimonos of Ichimaru opens at the Textile Museum of Canada (55 Centre Ave) next Wednesday (January 29). Explore the life of Ichimaru - a 20th century musician famous for performing in full geisha regalia - through a collection of her exquisite, handcrafted kimonos and other personal items. The exhibit is organized by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and is only in town until April 11, 2014.

SALES

eLUXE is giving customers a chance to browse and buy their typically virtual designer products (at crazy sale prices, no less) by having a two-day warehouse sale tomorrow (January 22) and Friday (January 23). Find garments by designers like Mackage and Diane Von Furstenberg for up to 75% off at 355 Adelaide Street West from noon until 8pm.

WHAT WE GOT UP TO THIS WEEK

• 10 events to catch at Toronto Design Offsite 2014
• Does Preloved closing foreshadow the future of retail?

The place drum and bass (DnB) music holds in Toronto these days is far from what it was in the 90s. Attempts to legislate the rave scene at the end of the musically-groundbreaking decade effectively curbed warehouse raves, and rave-goers were funnelled into much more conventional venues. The most impassioned DnB lovers will claim that the genre held fast though, and remains the underground musical heart of this city's electronic scene.

There was a time when Toronto was known for one of North America's most intense rave scenes. Warehouses were rented at a moment's notice and big names from overseas would make unannounced appearances alongside hometown favourites. Unfortunately those golden days of unrestricted raving are gone, and to get a taste of the 90s one must find their way to the industrial towns of Europe. With Toronto now heavily dominated by EDM, the term "rave" is being applied to stadium events like Swedish House Mafia at the ACC or Sensation at Rogers Centre.

Yet while the venues on this side of the Atlantic have changed, the underground is still going strong: Toronto Jungle, a website dedicated to maintaining the roots of electronic music, is celebrating their 15 year anniversary. Along with Sonorous and Groundspace, they're throwing a huge bash at Guvernment, importing big names like Calyx & Teebee and Dillinja from the UK. Locals will recognize Rene Lavice, one of the biggest names to ever come out of TO's DnB crowd.

I chatted with Toronto's guru of everything DnB, Marcus Sills a.k.a. DJ Marcus Visionary, to learn a bit more about him and to get his opinion on the state of Toronto's scene leading up to the big event.

What was the first DnB show you ever saw?

To be completely honest I can't remember the very first rave style event I attended. I know that it must have been in 1991, as I was attending warehouse parties before that. Many of the early shows I attended were at 318 Richmond, otherwise known as 23 Hop. Sykosis Productions used to throw many of those. There were also Factory Tuesdays, which were all ages.

What is your best memory from the 90s rave days?

Attending a Chemistry rave and seeing Dr. No sporting a silver suit as he played. At the time Dr. No was by far my biggest influence. He's most definitely a pioneer of the Toronto rave scene.

Who is a great DnB artist on the scene right now that many people might not have heard of?

Artifice is one of the most talented upcoming producers coming out of Toronto at the moment. You can check out his releases on our label Inner City Dance, which are available worldwide via all major outlets - Juno, Beatport, iTunes, etc.

What is your favourite all-time Toronto DnB release?

Favourite Toronto DnB release would have to be Headlock by Rene Lavice. I still play it in my sets today.

The introduction of legislation limiting raves in the early 2000s had a pretty heavy effect on the DnB scene in Toronto. What would you say has changed about DnB in Toronto over the years?

The rave legislation pushed all of the events into nightclubs with a 19+ policy. For the first 10 years it was all good as many of the ravers were turning 19. The scene in the last three years has become much smaller because it's an aging market without the younger generation being exposed to it. There are a few new companies trying to push the all ages events. Let's hope they can succeed because the younger generation is the one that will continue pushing the music. Watch out for DnB Federation at the Opera House on Sun. Feb 16th (all ages).

If you aren't listening to DnB, what's in your headphones?

I listen to so much music. Everything from reggae, all types of house (garage, afro beat, soulful), soul, funk, blues. Music is my life.

What's your favourite venue to play in Toronto?

The Main Room of the Guvernment. It's the best sound system and the best DJ booth in the city!

What's one thing you'd love to see change about the public attitude towards electronic music?

It's hard to define what the public's general attitude is toward electronic music because there are so many different genres, etc. Electronic music is so much more accessible today. I would say people should keep an open mind and digging deeper is always a positive thing because you never know what you'll find.

If someone came to you and said they wanted to get into DnB, where would you tell them to start?

Making a career in DnB today is much harder since the vinyl industry is so much smaller. Competition is fierce among DJ's. If you want to do it for more than just enjoyment, I think music production is your only way to break into the global scene. If you want to DJ locally for fun then you just need to make a lot of mixes/podcasts and network well within your scene.

What is it about DnB that keeps you coming back?

DnB has an energy about it that you can't find in any other music. There are so many different flavours as well. You just need to dig in and find what you love most about the music. For me it's the mix of styles. Everything from Dub, Ragga, Soul, Jump Up, Dark - there is something there for everyone.

--

For more on Toronto's DnB scene, check out our previous article on rave photographer Dayv Mattt. Also, be sure to read the in-depth account of how Toronto lost its rave status, by blogger Erika Jarvis.

The Toronto Jungle party is Friday, February 7th at The Guvernment. You can also check in on Marcus Visionary Friday, January 24th at Detour Bar

Photos by Stoked

DrakeWeather.com brings Drizzy one step closer to being the loving caretaker of human being on earth. The new site is a one-pager that can tell you what the weather is wherever you are and right now. For instance, I've logged in from the Financial District and Drake's telling me it's -22C. Thanks a lot for that reminder Drake. Luckily I'd already checked the site earlier from home, and on Drake's advice, I wore an extra sweater.

The site was designed by three artists from Belgium, but we all know that Drake would approve of his image being used to help us remember to keep toasty warm - though last night the site had an audio embed that appears to have been removed. That's alright since I already have "Hold On I'm Going Home" stuck in my head 23 hours a day anyway.

If someone wants to log on from China and let us know if the numbers are accurate and written in Chinese, please do.

This new taco joint at Jane and Annette also serves as the site of a production kitchen for Mad Mexican speciality food products. Owned and operated by Jose Hadad (also of Frida), this is the hub for his mini Mexican food empire and sure to be popular spot for lunch until a liquor license can be secured.

Read my profile of Mad Mexican in the restaurants section.

"Have you seen the latest episode of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford?" So begins Jimmy Kimmel's bit on the latest Rob Ford gaffe. The late night talk show host, who's taken quite the interest in our "crack smoking mayor," goes on to note that while Ford had been quiet for the last little while, "the streak of good behaviour appears to have ended..." As is often the case with these things, Kimmel then just lets the now notorious Jamaican patois video do the comedic work before making a few concluding comments, the latter of which are the best part of his monologue.

"Just when you thought he couldn't pull another nugget out of his bag of crazy, he gets drunk and speaks Jamaican in a Steak Queen," Kimmel says in summarizing a thought that had surely crossed many of our minds. "When you're the best, that's what you do... So he's back folks, he back for an all new season of Super Mayor."

Yep.

Food porn on Instagram can be hit or miss. For every drool-worthy photo there's dozens of grainy, dimly-lit and unappetizing examples to sift through too. Even pros struggle, hell Martha Stewart was called out just mere months ago for totally grossing people out.

On the flip side, there's some really great food-centric feeds too; Toronto chefs sharing their own gastronomical creations and praising their peers as they eat around town; home cooks utilizing local produce and products. There have even been instances when a snap of some daily special has motivated me to get up and get it while it lasts. Here's our list of 15 feeds that'll whet your appetite for what Toronto's cooking.

Momolongplay
Covering the happenings at all New York, Sydney and Toronto restaurants, this Instagram account documents the culinary creations, collaborations and events at Momofuku.

Scott Vivian
The owner of Beast Restaurant is known to show off his own gastronomical creations and menu features. He's also one of the founders of the Group of Seven Chefs and travels frequently making his photo feed a culinary tour of what's what.

Andtru_Misfits
As the owner of both La Carnita and The HOTB, Andrew Richmond's Instagram offers the best selects from both restaurants intermixed with street art and commissions from international talent.

Suresh
Suresh Doss is the food and drink writer for Zagat Toronto. His photos are stunning, his captions super long, but more impressively his instagram has recently featured behind the scenes videos in kitchens and bars across town.

foodpr0n
Indie blogger, foodpr0n documents her own home cooking along with adventures eating out at restaurants and festivals across the city.

OCTA
An excellent source for roadtrip inspiration, this non-profit resource is devoted to promoting culinary tourism in Ontario covering Toronto and beyond.

Rob Gentile
See what's cooking at Buca as chef Rob Gentile showcases what's on the menu and teases at what's to come from the still expanding empire of Italian restaurants.

Freshcanteen
This delivery service previews weekly menus on Instagram and then sends the fresh ingredients and recipes direct to your door. Best of luck replicating these photo-worthy meals at home.

Jonathan Goodyear
The Top Chef Canada alum composes beautiful, intricate plates and takes some seriously stunning photos. Hopefully the new addition to his family won't take over.

barcheftoronto
Marvel at how well this cocktail bar knows its way around a camera... not to mention dry ice.

foodie411
As the producer of Death Row Meals pop-ups, Joel Solish is hooked up with some of the city's top chefs. His adventures eating out are fun to follow but he's also introduced be to plenty of local products available at independent retailers.

tastetoronto
Brad Wishen harnesses the power of Toronto diners everywhere, amalgamating food photos of drool-worthy dishes from restaurants all around the GTA.

bakerbotsbaking
Scrumptious baked goods and food-focused travels from the owners of this tiny bakeshop near Ossington station.

foodtrucksto
Follow our sister site, and keep up to date with food trucks as they roam around the city and see what's new on their ever-changing mobile menus.

ClaudioAprile1
The chef and owner of the Origin Restaurants posts stunning photos of his own culinary creations plus sneak peaks of Masterchef Canada filming.

Want to see where I'm profiling next? Want to see what I eat on my days off? Follow me, Liora Ipsum - I'm not above shameless self promotion.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ACCOUNTS:

Chefs

• TedCorrado
• ChefroccoTO
• Pancancooks
• LeetoHan
• ChefMDLeary
• dusty416

Restaurants

• meandmineto
• 416snackbar
• roseandsons
• thestopcfc
• bar_isabel
• partsnlabour
• thechasefo
• PorchettaAndCo

Food Trucks

• fidelgastros
• sidfriedman
• dirtysouthtruck
• crossroadsdiner
• prettysweet_to
• gourmetgringos

Food writers, bloggers, stylists

• abbeyskitchen
• ortdavid
• th3hungrycat
• YYZGourmand
• melissahaute
• soy_la_cereza
• foodfaceash
• torontofoodslut
• inyourmouthto

We're sure to have missed a few smartphone wielding cooks and eaters. Help complete the list in the comments.