Cheap designer clothing in Toronto is everywhere - provided you know where (or when) to look. Toronto's consignment stores are a huge trove of designer scores - the time served by that 3.1 Phillip Lim dress in someone else's closet can translate to major savings. Discount retailers often leave high-end pieces hanging on racks alongside no-name threads (case in point: the $35 Pink Tartan pants I spied at Winners a few weeks ago). And while the three-or-four-figure price tags in many of Toronto's designer boutiques can be intimidating, with a little patience, those prices may eventually shrink to fit your budget.

Of course, with any of these options, there's an element of digging involved, whether you're searching for an affordable price among splurges, or a piece in your size at the secondhand store. My advice? Learn to love the thrill of the hunt. It'll make victory that much sweeter. (And even if you could just walk into a store and pay full price for all this stuff - really, where's the fun in that?)

Here are the top 10 stores for cheap designer clothing in Toronto.

hr2
Replacing the warehouse-like Holt Renfrew Last Call store at Vaughn Mills, the bright, cheery, trend-focused hr2 is set to defend Holts' market share from budget-luxury chains like Nordstrom Rack. The flourescent-lit space is a far cry from the luxe atmosphere of the mothership -- but who can argue with bargains like $99 Rebecca Minkoff handbags and $299 Prada shoes? New stock is brought in weekly, but take note: Though some lines are carried in both stores, there's no product overlap between the two, meaning that piece at Holt's you're coveting probably won't end up here.

VSP Consignment
A newcomer on Dundas West, VSP stocks smashing secondhand goods with a careful eye. For discerning bargain hunters, that means pieces from the likes of Marni, Alexander McQueen and Chanel marked down as far as 80%. (Mind you, that still leaves some items in the four-figure zone.) Not everything there is designer -- we spied some Zara and Asos items rubbing elbow patches with the high-end stuff -- but every piece there is fabulous, and just waiting for the right person to come along and snatch it up.

Fashionably Yours
This Queen West consignment store is a favourite spot for those looking to ditch -- and replace -- their designer duds. That describes most of the clothing here, including a shelf full of shoes (including multiple Louboutins and Manolos) and locked cases of bags from the likes of Valentino and Vuitton. Nearly everything is 40-60% off retail; bags seem to be given less of a price break. (My own personal one that got away: A Bao Bao Issey Miyake tote marked down to $300.)

The Room
It seems obvious to put the sprawling designer emporium that occupies much of a floor in Hudson's Bay's Queen St. flagship on this list, but the Room's sales are the stuff of legend. When things go on markdown, they go on markdown -- a pal of mine scored Pierre Hardy wedge boots for $40. Late summer and winter are prime sales season; for some real high-octane treasure hunting, wait for their August and January sales at the Arcadian Court building at Bay and Bloor, where you can find Erdem and Thakoon for up to 80% off.

Winners
Sure, it's home to plenty of no-name sweaters and juniors-sized jeans, but the discounter's "Runway at Winners" pieces step up the thrill of the hunt in a major way. Twice a year, in late summer and late winter, Winners' designer offerings are unleashed upon the masses in a Runway sale event; there's everything from Pink Tartan and Theory right up to Marni and Givenchy (I once spied a Nightingale). Designer pieces seem to hang around longest at the College Park and Bloor locations; other hot spots include Queen and Portland, Lawrence and Bathurst and Leaside.

Kind Exchange
You may need a little luck and patience to get to the designer gold at this T.O. chain of consignment stores, but the steals are worth it. Their Yonge and Eglinton store seems to get the lion's share of the big-ticket items, but killer finds also pop up frequently at the Queen Street West stores -- including a Marni necklace I once traded for $99 worth of closet castoffs. For up-to-the-minute info, follow their Instagram account; the store's staff will put up some of the most exciting new finds.

The Cat's Meow
Shopping at the Cat's Meow could be the difference between nabbing a Chanel piece for $1000 instead of $3000. The Avenue Road consignment store plays host to plenty of vintage items, mainly from the '50s, '60s and '70s, right alongside modern pieces from mainstay luxury labels like Vuitton, Prada, Diane von Furstenberg and Alexander McQueen. There's also a small sale room at the back where 60-day-old items eventually wind up; between seasons, they'll occasionally put that entire room on further markdown. (On another note: somebody get over there and buy this Prada S/S 2000 skirt. Do it for me.)

Jonathan + Olivia
Known primarily for bringing edgy streetwear labels to Toronto, this Ossington boutique isn't really famous for deep deals. But when sale season hits - that's after Boxing Day and in the summer -- you'll find last season's Kenzo and 3.1 Phillip Lim selling for between 50% and 75% off. All it takes is a little patience. (They'll also occasionally host trunk shows and sample sales.)

Haute Classics
A recent transplant to Yonge and St. Clair, Haute Classics focuses on barely-worn designer pieces -- from the last three years or newer. That means one of the largest stashes of gently-used designer bags in the city, with Balenciaga, Vuitton and Miu Miu among the offerings, as well as reams of used denim. Prices start in the low hundreds, on average.

Coco's Closet
This small boutique at Jane and Annette, helmed by former Holt's buyer Nadia Trelle, has played host to plenty of Louboutins, Hermes scarves, and Chanel bags (all of them authentic, thanks to her keen buyer's eye), with a couple of mid-range brands mixed in. Check the store's Twitter feed for new buys.

BONUS:

LAB Consignment
Lauren Baker's designer consignment business was once an Ossington mainstay; the business moved in 2011 and eventually shifted to focus on online sales. Now, they sell consigned items primarily through their site, but visits to their studio can be made by appointment. Of particular interest to bargain hunters: the "$150 and under" and "new and unworn" sections.

What did I miss? Add your favourite store to buy cheap designer clothing in the commenst below.

"Completely finished. Finished. I've had a come-to-Jesus moment, if you want to call it that," Rob Ford told the CBC's Peter Mansbridge in a rare one-on-one (plus Doug) interview hours after council voted to take away his powers. He sounded sincere, but in the months since that November meeting Ford hasn't managed to steer clear of the kind of "excessive, stupid, immature behaviour" he promised to avoid.

This morning, the Toronto Star published fresh allegations about the mayor's drinking in British Columbia in late January. Ford was supposed to be attending a memorial service for the mother of family friend and former logistics director David Price, but pictures quickly surfaced of dancefloor shenanigans in a Coquitlam pub.

There are also allegations Ford was drinking at 3030 Dundas West in the Junction Wednesday night before calling in sick to work the next day.

Here are five Ford incidents that have occurred since Ford swore off alcohol and drugs for good.

SEEN "TALKING GIBBERISH" IN A B.C. PUB

The Toronto Star reports this morning that Rob Ford was rambling incoherently at a Coquitlam, B.C. bar hours after receiving a jaywalking ticket. An anonymous witness to Ford's well-documented visit to the Foggy Dew pub, which is just streets from the gas station where he was fined by an RCMP officer, told the paper that the mayor drank beer, rum and coke, and shots of Jack Daniels after the bar had closed to the public.

DEMANDS PRIDE FLAG BE REMOVED FROM CITY HALL

Ford kicked up a fuss Friday about a rainbow Pride flag being flown in solidarity with LGBT athletes competing at the Sochi Olympics. The flag was raised outside City Hall with the help of Toronto's only openly gay councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly on a flagpole reserved for "multi-cultural events," among other things. Ford said he wanted a Canadian flag flown instead but was unsuccessful in his request.

SNUBS WORLD PRIDE, SAYS HE'S "NOT GOING TO CHANGE"

Rob Ford said he wouldn't be attending this year's World Pride event in Toronto because he is unwilling to shift his opinions on the matter, a significant change in tone. In previous years Ford claimed the event clashed with a recurring family commitment. "I've never gone to a Pride parade. So I'm not going to change the way I am," he said. Doug Ford said he would be absent too, due to his fear of seeing "buck naked men running down the street."

ACCUSED OF ORDERING JAILHOUSE BEATING

Scott MacIntyre, an ex-boyfriend of Kathy Ford, older sister to Rob and Doug, alleged in a statement of claim that the mayor ordered a savage jailhouse beating that left him with a broken leg and missing teeth. MacIntyre said the attack was designed to stop him leaking information about Rob Ford's "drug and alcohol abuse and association with criminals" in the months before the crack story broke. He also suggested the "drunken rage" video was related to the incident. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

FILMED SPEAKING IN JAMAICAN PATOIS

Cha, bumbaclot. Ford caused a stir in January when a video posted to YouTube showed him insulting Police Chief Bill Blair in an affected Jamaican accent. Hours later, the mayor admitted he had been drinking "a little bit" at Etobicoke's Steak Queen and a subsequent video showed him seated with "close friend" Sandro Lisi, who is currently free on bail on a charge of extortion related to the video of Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine.

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

Images: @JeremyNachos (Twitter)

Photo by Hogtown Blues in the blogTO Flickr pool

Free events in Toronto are going to be a necessity if you went and blew all your cash buying specialty chocolate and making prix fixe resos for next weekend. Consider me the little green Cupid savior of your wallet. Want to dance, see live bands, or learn about stuff? Honestly, Toronto's got you. Toronto cares.

Here are the best free events to check out in the city this week.

Hip Hop Closing Party
Relatively new Project Gallery in Leslieville is celebrating the end of Hip Hop: Urban Art Exhibition with a closing party and open mic. Tuesday, February 11th 7-11pm, Project Gallery (1109 Queen St E).

Ladies Lugging Gear - Put a Hex on the Polar Vortex
This is PWYC, but LLG promise no one will be turned away. They just want to party with you! Not familiar? "While LLGs gatherings are salon-style, they're not about academic laurel resting. LLG provides a more progressive and safe space for emerging women in media to get going as well as more experienced media-makers." Pursuit Grooves, Dames Making Games, and CarbonPaper will rock this one. Tendril (119 Spadina Ave, suite 800), Wednesday, Feb 12, 6:30pm.

'The Collective Evolution III: The Shift' FREE World Premier Film Screening
Want to hide out in the dark and watch a free new doc that will make you think? Watch the trailer to see if this is for you. OISE Auditorium (252 Bloor St W), Wednesday Feb 12, 7pm.

HUGLIFE: Valentine's Day Edition
Turns out Handlebar is right there with you h8ing on V-day! Dance to "booty house, future garage, strip club anthems, lionel richie (sic)" but arrive early - only the first 214 people get in for free (and have to make out). Yeah, Handlebar can definitely fit that many people if they're groping and crawling inside each other. Handlebar (159 Augusta Ave), Friday Feb 14, 10pm.

Exclaim! Media & Junction Craft Brewing present: Big Free Show in the #JunctionTO
Self explanatory! Free concert in the Junction. On the bill are Samantha Martin's Roots n' Roll Review and The Sinners Choir. 3030 (3030 Dundas West), Saturday Feb 15, 9pm.

Wyrd Distro Launch Gathering
Read all about music blog Weird Canada's plans to start a much needed indie much distribution hub for Canadian sounds, then party with them as part of the Wavelength festival. The Toronto gathering will feature a Google Hangout talk by Weird Canada's Marie Claire Flanagan & Aaron Levin and a live performance by Carl Didur. Saturday, Feb 15, 4pm, June Records (662 College St.), all ages.

Toronto Rally for a $14 Minimum Wage
Yo if you had mo money you wouldn't have to read this post! But you would anyway, right? Yonge and Dundas Square (1 Dundas Street East), Saturday, Feb 15, 1pm.

Do you want everyone to know about your kinda random free or pay-what-you-can event? Submit it to our event section. (You can also submit your for-money events here, greedy-pants.)

Photo via Project Gallery on Facebook

Toronto is a fabulous city for vintage shopping. We've got swaths of stores on Ossington and in Kensington Market, multi-store chains like 69 Vintage, and even secondhand mega-marts like Black Market. That rich vintage scene also means plenty of lesser-known or underrated gems, each of which are worthy of a visit.

Some are obscure just due to being new on the scene, while others are hidden away in spots with less foot traffic or TTC service. But they all have something to offer, whether that's a selection that hasn't been picked over by bargain-hunting shoppers, lower prices, or (of course) the bragging rights that come from having an awesome secret vintage source.

Here are 10 great under-the-radar vintage clothing shops in Toronto.

Print Vintage
Print's been in the same tiny space on College for over 15 years, yet folks still wander in off the street and ask if the store is brand-new. It's like falling into a walk-in closet stuffed with fantastic vintage, from full-skirted, wasp-waisted dresses to mod '60s coats to heavy jackets coated in hand-sewn sequins and beads. Prices hover at around $40 to $80 for non-super-rare pieces.

Thrill of the Find
This Leslieville vintage spot is accurately named; Owner Mireille Watson stocks the store with a host of vintage pieces from illustrious fashion houses like Chanel, Hermes, Chloe and Prada, as well as numerous no-name finds. Watson keeps the best pieces in the back room, but she may let you check them out if you ask nicely; she's also known for having a knack for giving you the once-over and handing you a vintage piece that fits perfectly.

Maggie's Farm
You will definitely want to work on Maggie's Farm, a Roncesvalles repository of clothing, shoes, accessories and housewares. (Look for the "Holy Land Food and Video" sign.) When I visited recently, nothing -- from the leather pants to the vintage heels to the wool coats -- rang in at over $50.

Kingpin's Hideaway
Previously located in the basement of Queen St. vintage fairyland Cabaret, Kingpin is still tucked out of sight in its new home on Mercer St. The "gentlemenswear" store, as owner Jonathan Hagey calls it, is filled to the brim (in this case, the brim of a very dapper felt hat) with vintage pieces like python leather shoes and uniform jackets. Prices aren't terribly cheap, but with a selection this good, you won't look cheap, either.

A Homerun
Formerly Pretty Freedom Vintage, A Homerun has a new name and a new space (right next door to the old one, at 165 Augusta). The carefully-decorated store is more boutique-like than the jumble-sale atmosphere of most of Kensington's vintage stores; despite the more 'edited' feel, nearly everything I checked out during a recent visit was priced at $25.

Boutique Monique
Boutique Monique isn't anywhere near what you might consider a popular shopping area, but the lower rent at St. Clair and Oakwood means owner Monique Nanton can pass on savings to shoppers who make the trek. The store was born out of Nanton's extensive collection of designer vintage: With most items (including pieces by the likes of Max Mara, Valentino and Oscar de la Renta) topping out at around $150, you'll be able to expand your own collection pretty quickly.

Da Vintage Code/Fashion Old And New
These sister stores (at 22 Kensington Avenue and 27 Kensington, respectively) share an owner, but differ slightly in their product offerings: Da Vintage Code focuses more on clothes (including tons of sequined and beaded pieces for $60 or less), while Fashion Old And New hosts a huge stockpile of vintage bags, including Coach and Dooney and Bourke. Both are remarkably well-organized (by size and, often, colour).

Mrs. Huizenga
Located at the foot of Roncesvalles, this vintage emporium looks less like a clothing boutique and more like an antiques shop. Racks of clothing are tucked away at the back, with gorgeous vintage clothing, shoes and accessories woven into the vignettes of items around the store. (There's so many treasures they actually hold auctions on the first Sunday and third Thursday of each month for the rarest and most unusual pieces.)

DuWest Vintage
Apparently, DuWest is a nickname for Dundas West; it's also the name of this warm, lived-in boutique, helmed by a 20-year veteran of Toronto's vintage clothing scene. Where prices might be driven up in another neighbourhood, the vintage shoes and worn-in rock tees here are available for a steal.

Stella Luna
Stella Luna's existence isn't exactly a secret - the vintage boutique has been tucked into a storefront at Queen and Roncesvalles for nearly 20 years - yet it somehow tends to slip away from local media when it comes time to round up Toronto's best vintage stores. It's reportedly a favourite of Toronto's most fashionable, including pro stylists, due to its mix of owner Crispian Underwood's careful eye for selection and rock-bottom prices, even for designer vintage (Christian Dior labels are frequently spotted on the racks).

What did I miss? Suggest a vintage shop you think more people should know about in the comments below.

This newly opened smokehouse on Parliament Street totally caught me off guard. The homey dining room is more fanciful than expected but the menu of non-traditional smoked meats and playful desserts turned out to be solid.

Read my profile of 420 Smokehouse in the restaurants section.

Photo by Phil Marion in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto you can catch the ever popular Trampoline Hall at The Garrison, or if you crave live music you can check singer/songwriter (and producer) Jonathan Wilson at The Horseshoe. Other strong contenders are: Euphonia laying down some Debussy and Copeland at Lula Lounge, or Turko-Canuck fusion (dubbed "Canurkish") of Anahtar - a band made up of some of TO's most happening world/jazz players. Meanwhile at The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema Vincent Lam hosts Hatsumi, the first installment of PEN Canada's Pen Picks series.

• Trampoline Hall
• Jonathan Wilson at The Horseshoe Tavern
• Euphonia's Feb concert
• PEN Picks Series - Vincent Lam hosts Hatsumi
• Anahtar - Turkish-Canadian music

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

This Week in Music rounds up the latest news, releases and concerts coming to Toronto.

Deadmau5 is rich and his new car is insane
Deadmau5 posted pics last week of his "Nyan Cat Car" - a brightly coloured Ferrari 458 Italia with a kitty's face on a poptart flying on a rainbow. Anybody forget about Deadmau5? Welcome to thinking about Deadmau5 and all the money he has once again. The car was "wrapped" by Sekanskin and designed by 3mcube, who assure us this thing will be zigzagging through the city soon -- the car "was designed and wrapped in Toronto. It will be driven in Toronto after the Gumball 3000 show in England." Honestly I'd just like to see this thing idling in front of City Hall.

Black Walls release Communion LP
You can buy your very own copy of the new Black Walls LP from Pleasence Records here. They're calling it "soft-psych" but you really just need to be a fan of gloomy, pretty things to dig this.

Owen Pallett announces details for In Conflict
Pallett's new album In Conflict will be out May 13 and feature Brian Eno. He released a trailer full of album credits via Youtube, in case you want to become an expert on it.

Digits announce Shake Your Body Down mixtape
Pleasence Records have been busy -- they'll also be releasing the new Digits mixtape "Shake Your Body Down" on February 18th, which comes attached to a pretty animated gif cover. Get the track list (including a Majical Cloudz remix and more) on thefader.com.

New Trust video - "Rescue Mister"
It's like a computer that can feel! Though apparently it's all analogue video hardware, so colour me impressed.

By Divine Right release video for "Past the Stars"
A band plays with kaleidoscopes for first time ever. Mild chaos ensues.

Juno award nominations announced
Here's what Drake was nominated for: Fan Choice, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Rap Recording of the Year (which Shad was also nominated for - I know you care). Hayden and The Sadies were nominated for "Adult Alternative Album of the Year" AKA Adulternative. The Junos will be held in Winnipeg, which is too bad for them because I think Mondragon is closed now.

Hot ticket concerts

Wavelength '14/ February 13-16 / Various Venues / $10-25
Wavelength '14 is a four-night live curated mixtape of some of the best independent music coming out of Canada and the US in 2014. This year's line-up includes Colin Stetson, DIANA, Cousins, Phèdre, TOPS, US Girls, Odonis Odonis, and many others. Not to mention, tickets to this fest are the perfect excuse to avoid any potential Valentine's day terrible-ness.

Justin Timberlake / February 13 / ACC / 7pm / $67.25 - 192.75
JT's world tour is coming through Toronto. It's the 20/20 experience, meaning... you can probably only experience it if your vision is perfect, cause your seats will probably be in the nosebleeds by this point. For a healthy dose of Michael Jackson's dance moves to the soundtrack of thousands of screaming straight girls, get yourself tickets to this show - Craigslist or otherwise.

Recently announced concerts

• Digits / February 28 / Encore Studios.
• Islands / March 15 / Horseshoe Tavern
• Andrew WK / March 25 / Hard Luck
• Emmylou Harris w Daniel Lanoi / April 15 / Massey Hall
• EMA / May 6 / The Horseshoe
• Comeback Kid / May 9 / Mod Club
• Owen Pallett / May 10 / The Danforth Music Hall
• James Taylor / July 24 / Molson Ampitheatre

What we got up to this week

• Huge music hub for indie artists set to launch in Toronto
• Breakout Toronto Bands: Birds of Bellwoods
• Hip hop meets pop up at Naturally Born Strangers show
• PUP make mosh pit mayhem at The Garrison

The Rhubarb Festival turns 35 this year, a milestone anniversary for the progressive and interdisciplinary theatre event. It happens in the shadow of government funding cuts, in the amount of $20,000-$25000, which arrived without any sort of explanation as to why the festival no longer qualifies for the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage programme. Buddies has soldiered on, curating a sprawling collection of performances under the direction of Laura Nanni that activate a variety of different spaces throughout the city. Here are some of this year's highlights.

Becoming an Image / February 12 / 9:30pm / $10
The headliner of Rhubarb's 2014 festival is Canadian-born performance artist and bodybuilder Heather Cassils. While most well-known for her make out with Lady Gaga during the extended introduction to "Telephone," Cassils is a dynamic performance artist who uses the body as a medium to address gender representation and cultural norms. In Becoming an Image, she creates a unique sculpture on-stage by attacking a 2,000-pound block of clay in the dark while a photographer illuminates the performance with camera flash. Cassils will also sit down for an artist's talk on Thursday, February 13.

35 Performances for 35 Years / February 13 / 8:00pm / $10
A veritable who's who of Rhubarb past performance comes together to present the best of their previous work in the context of today's realities. Festival Director Laura Nanni has enticed all of these performers back to the festival for a cross-section of Rhubarb throughout the ages. Those on hand to present short work include Sky Gilbert, Cynthia Grant, Daniel David Moses, Ed Roy, Cathy Gordon, Sonja Mills, Keith Cole, Ryan G. Hinds, Jordan Tannahill, Nicolas Billon, and Hannah Moscovitch.

Young Creators' Unit Presentations / February 14-16 / 8:00pm/6:00pm / PWYC
Buddies has nurtured talented, young performers through their well-developed youth programmes, encouraging them to contribute new and exciting queer stories. This year's performers could eventually find their way onto the theatre's mainstage after further development. Chimera, by Rory Jade Grey, presents a disturbing image of twin fetuses who question their very existence; Alt Title: I Wish I Knew, by Jackie Rowland, profiles a bisexual woman and her desire for transformation under pressure from public scrutiny; and Twenty-Something or Nothing, by Ramon Vitug, is a black comedy that considers a young gay man's struggle to overcome societal expectations and standards of happiness.

The Fun Palace Radio Variety Show / February 12 8:00pm; February 23 6:30pm / Free
Small Wooden Shoe takes us back to the days of the variety show, the internet variety show that is, with a live taping of The Fun Palace Radio Variety Show featuring performers Christopher Stanton, Nicola Correia-Damude, Richard Allen Campbell, and Susanna Fournier. The entertainment grab bag, from creators Brendan Gall, Jacob Zimmer and Evan Webber, will feature serial drama, music, science fiction, and, of course, a slew of surprise special guests. With a name like 'Fun Palace' be sure to expect the unexpected.

Open Space Projects / Various Times and Locations / Free
This year, the festival has made a concerted effort to link Toronto's LGBT communities together through performance. The Open Space Projects is a free initiative, developed around the concepts of history, archive and 'making public,' set to inspire artistic connections between five historic queer institutions around the city. To this end, there will be a number of intriguing satellite performances meant to activate and explore the city's queer heritage at the 519 Church Street Community Centre, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, the Canadian Lesbian & Gay Archives, the Glad Day Bookshop, and the Pink Triangle Press.

Week Two Mainstage / 8:00pm onwards / February 19-23 / $20
During the second week of the festival, Buddies offers audiences the opportunity to sample a number of mainstage performances with a "choose your own adventure" viewing style. Presentations on offer during the second half of the festival include An Anthology of Belonging (Kerri Flannigan), No One Receiving (Maggie MacDonald), Since Santino XXX (Jill Connell and Katie Swift), Henri Fabergé on the Lamb (Henri Fabergé), Trapped! (Hope Thompson and Morgan Norwich), Jagged Canyon (Bridget Moser), Viking Blood (Humboldt Magnussen), and Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo (Viktor Lukawski and Nicolas Di Gaetano).

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The Rhubarb Festival runs from February 12-23 at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Week One Mainstage Projects are $10, Week Two evening passes are $20, Young Creators' Unit performances are PWYC, and the Open Space Projects are free.

The 13th annual Motionball gala went down on Friday, February 7th at the Liberty Grande. Featuring live art performances, DJ sets by Skratch Bastid, DJ Dopey & DJ Don Mescal, the event brought hundreds out in support of the Special Olympics Canada Foundation. Long dresses and bow ties were the order of the day, as the formal affair witnessed attendees dressed in their finest attire.

Check out all the looks in our style section.

Bounced from radio and television, the Ford brothers have taken to YouTube to address Ford Nation and anybody else who will listen to them repeat over and over again how much money they've saved the city. Their new YouTube series, which features frighteningly close views of Doug Ford's face, rather explicitly lays out the basics of Ford's re-election campaign. And while most of this is familiar territory for anyone paying attention, the claim that subway infrastructure will be coming to Finch Avenue and that a Downtown Relief Line (yes, Ford called it by that name) will be built is noteworthy in its monorail-esque fantasy vision.

Ford also addresses allegations that he has a substance abuse problem and explains why he lied about previous drug use. "I'm not a drug addict," Ford stresses. "I don't use drugs. Have I in the past? Yes. When they ask me, it's very, very humiliating in front of the world to say 'yes,' and everybody's lied, so maybe people can tell me, why do you lie? People either lie to cover up, people lie because they're embarrassed, and that's why I lied."

Apparently Rob Ford's also a social liberal, but you can make your own judgment on that one. Watch the videos below if you haven't reached Rob Ford overload.

This new club/bar hybrid at Dundas and Ossington gets points for great decor and, even more importantly, cheap drinks. I'm not so sure about the whole door-theme, but the vibe is laid back and fun, so I'll give it a pass.

Read my review of La Porte in the bars section.

Crazy Town by Toronto Star reporter Robyn Doolittle, a.k.a. one of the only people to have ever seen the infamous Rob Ford crack video, is hot off the press but it looks like the film rights have already been acquired. Doolittle is fresh from her appearance on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the books are selling like, well, crazy (it's at #1 on the Amazon.ca's bestsellers list). The tell-all book details the incidents leading up to and surrounding the ongoing scandals at City Hall, and no one will be surprised to hear that the story scored a film deal. Or at least, some kind of movie deal.

Producer Daniel Iron's Blue Ice Pictures, formerly Foundry Films (Cairo Time, Watermark, Inescapable starring Marisa Tomei), has nabbed the rights, and while Blue Ice apparently has "offices in Los Angeles, London, Johannesburg, and Cape Town," those offices might just be phone booths judging by this Weebly page. Will this be a CanCon blockbuster, or a terrible TV movie starring some guy who looks nothing like Chris Farley? All we know is the answer to "does Rob Ford deserve more celebrity status?" remains a solid "no."

Photo by Andrew Williamson

The best card, paper and stationery shops in Toronto are absolute paradise for crafters, scrapbookers, artists, collectors of shiny things, and anyone who just wants to send a great-looking letter.

Toronto's paper and stationery shops fall mostly into two categories: Artsier shops with all the raw materials to make a fabulous paper creation of your very own, or high-end stationery stores stocked with luxurious letterheads and gilded envelopes. But they often tend to meet in the middle on items like gift wrap, journals and notebooks, artist-designed greeting cards, and a few fun office supplies and last-minute gifts.

All of this means binge-shopping is hard to resist: You walk in for, say, a sheet of black cardstock, and inevitably walk out with a dozen different patterned sheets, some wrapping paper, a pack of coloured Sharpies, fancy twine, and a rubber stamp or twelve. If anything, that's a solid reminder of the joys of paper in an increasingly digital world.

Here are the best card, paper and stationery shops in Toronto.

See also

The Best Art Supply Stores in Toronto
The Best Stores to Buy Greeting Cards in Toronto
The Best Places to Buy Unique Gifts in Toronto

The Don, Humber, and Rouge get all the glory, but Toronto is much more than a three-river town. Before John Graves Simcoe, when the land that would occupy the city was thick with trees and thickets, its soft soil was traversed by numerous streams and creeks that over centuries etched out deep ravines and sculpted rolling dales.

As early city builders would find, it's actually quite difficult to completely erase a river, and many of the waterways that once penetrated downtown Toronto still exist, re-routed into culverts or sewers and (mostly) from view. Here are five buried rivers that used to flow through Toronto.

GARRISON CREEK

Of all the rivers present in early Toronto, Garrison Creek was the biggest and hardest to cross. Its winding course and ocasionally deep ravine proved a significant obstacle to the expanding city and substantial bridges were built at Dundas and Harbord streets, both of which have been buried but still stand.

Garrison Creek started north of St. Clair and headed directly south via Bloor and Christie under a half-buried bridge at Harbord - the stone wall on the north side of the street at Bickford Park is the bridge's parapet. It continued south, causing the weird dips and warped intersection on Crawford Street.

From there, Garrison Creek headed through Trinity Bellwoods Park, where there's another buried bridge under Crawford Street (the dog park is in part of the old ravine,) and out the southeast corner parallel to Niagara Street, where the river bank caused its distinctive arc. Garrison Creek drained into the Toronto Bay near Bathurst and Fort York Blvd.

TADDLE CREEK

The geographical legacy of Taddle Creek, sometimes called Little Don River, is more subtle than that of its westerly cousin Garrison Creek. The odd dent in the southwest corner of Queen's Park Crescent and the gentle slope of Parliament just north of King are the extent of the river's surviving landscaping.

Possibly rising at Wychwood Park northwest of Davenport and Bathurst (no-one is entirely certain,) Taddle Creek flowed south along the eastern edge of the University of Toronto campus, forming a small pond at Hart House Circle that shows up early photos of the university grounds.

At College it swerved east, eventually draining into the bay near Parliament and Esplanade.

CASTLE FRANK BROOK

The steep sides of the Rosedale Ravine had to come from somewhere. Castle Frank Brook, the product of several smaller rivers that met near Cedarvale Park, eroded the Nordheimer Ravine, which could have carried the Spadina Expressway but now covers the Spadina line, and the deep Rosedale Ravine.

Today, Castle Frank Brook cuts under St. Clair West station, rises again in Sir Winston Churchill Park, and vanishes back into a sewer that carries it down under Rosedale Valley Road into the Don River opposite Riverdale Park.

SMALL'S POND

The size of a small lake, Small's Pond once dominated the area close to Queen Street E and Kingston Road. It was fed by two separate streams, one that started near Gerrard and Coxwell, the other closer to Woodbine, and was once a prime source of beverage ice in the winter as many other bodies of water were considered too polluted.

The 12-metre deep, roughly U-shaped Small's Pond was naturally divided into two separate arms, one of which was popular with skaters and boaters and known locally as The Serpentine. The other, broader arm ran roughly parallel with Coxwell Ave.

In 1919, nine-year-old John Vice drowned in a weed-choked portion of the Small's Pond and the next year two small boys had to be pulled from its dark waters. Small's Pond became a stagnant, sewage-filled pool when its feeder streams were diverted into sewers. It was drained and filled in on health grounds around 1935. Orchard Park roughly marks the place where the two parts of Small's Pond met.

ASHBRIDGE'S CREEK

Ashbridge's Creek was so un-loved that it appears never to have been given an official name, though its geography is still easy to trace. Rising in two branches near today's Monarch Park, "the creek," as early landowners the Ashbridge family called it, passed under the rail tracks and down Woodfield Road, where it's still audible in the sewers.

At Gerrard, it moved slightly west, eroding a wide depression in the land where Highfield Road is now before draining into Lake Ontario at today's Eastern Avenue, just behind the streetcar yard. The lawn of the Ashbridge's home, which still stands on Queen Street E, got its dimpled texture from the river.

Today, Ashbridge's Creek flows into the Mid-Toronto Interceptor Sewer at Gerrard Street and ends life at the Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant.

For more information on lost rivers, visit Lost Rivers, a great little resource for everything wet and buried in Toronto. Nathan Ng's map site is a great resource for discovering old streams.

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Public Library,

Photo by cookedphotos in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto the Danforth Music Hall has a bill that will have fans of Austin psych in attendance as the old guard and the new guard rock TO in one show: Roky Erikson (formerly of the 13th Floor Elevators) and The Black Angels. The literary minded might consider attending local small press BookThug's 10th anniversary party, and Cometry Poedy is a worthy option if you're looking for some spoken word with humour and surprises. Project Gallery will celebrate the end of their Hiphop Art Exhibition with a closing party and open mic.

• The Black Angels & Roky Erickson at Phoenix Concert Theatre
• BookThug's 10th Anniversary Party
• Cometry Poedy - Shoot the Shit
• Hiphop Art Exhibition: Closing Party
• Viva Tuesdays!

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

Photo of a Jeff Blackburn art piece by Scott Snider

The five week streak of no red cards on DineSafe continues, though a number of repeat offenders have made the hit list. Future Bakery, Churrasco of St Clair and The Kitchen Table all received conditional passes due to food safety issues of the significant and/or crucial variety.

Here's the rest of this week's damage on DineSafe.

Salsas (249 Augusta Ave)
Inspected on: February 3, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 60C (140F) or hotter.

Mullins (537 College St)
Inspected on: February 3, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Pho 4 You (789 Warden Ave)
Inspected on: February 3, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Nu Bugel (240 Augusta Ave)
Inspected on: February 5, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

El Almacen (1078 Queen St W)
Inspected on: February 6, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Future Bakery (106 North Queen Rd)
Inspected on: February 6, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder. Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 60C (140F) or hotter.

Churrasco of St Clair (679 St. Clair Ave W)
Inspected on: February 6, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated

The Kitchen Table (595 Bay St)
Inspected on: February 6, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Wavelength 14 will kick off four nights of the best independent music coming out of Canada and the US this week. Each night from February 13th to 16th, there will be main-stage concerts at specially selected venues, which will feature performers, curated visual projections and art installations. Wavelength, a Toronto institution, has booked the likes of Broken Social Scene, Feist, The Constantines, Arcade Fire, and Crystal Castles -- all in intimate settings prior to the bands breaking out.

This year's concert line-up includes Colin Stetson, Marnie Stern, DIANA, Cousins, Phèdre, TOPS, US Girls, The Wet Secrets, Odonis Odonis, among many others. Aside from these concerts, there will be free events at local indie record stores during the daytime, including the launch of Weird Canada's indie music hub Wyrd Distro (read about it here).

Here are the tops bands performing as part of Wavelength 14.

Phèdre / February 13th / The Silver Dollar / 8pm / $10-15
Wavelength and Silent Shout present Phèdre at The Silver Dollar to kick off this year's festivities. These Hooded Fang members will be playing their trippy dippy electronica, which you'll dig if you're into Washed Out, Kate Bush... or cute little indigestible squares of paper. At the moment, Mike from Beta Frontiers is DJing for them, and they plan on just jumping around stage like rappers. Phèdre will be joined by TOPS, Zoo Owl, Alden Penner (ex-The Unicorns/Clues), and You'll Never Get to Heaven. Get tickets here.

Marnie Stern / February 14th / Adelaide Hall / 8pm / $17-20
If you ask your Valentine's date to this show they won't say no (if they do, you've probably dodged a bullet). Marnie Stern aka "the lady who shreds" is headlining - you might know her from her three critically-acclaimed albums filled with her singular frenetic finger tapping and insightful lyrics. Homegrown Toronto talents DIANA, Odonis Odonis, Weaves, and MATROX will be warming up the stage beforehand. Also on tap is DJ ZOJO (Diamond Rings), projections by Live Action Fezz, and General Chaos Visuals. Get tickets here.

Colin Stetson / February 15th / Polish Combatants Hall (206 Beverley St.) / 8pm / $20-25
Recently Juno-nominated for best instrumental album, Weird Canada brings Colin Stetson to play his killer show at Wavelength 14. He is nothing short of a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist and has done his fair share of collaborating, but now he's been focused on recording and performing his solo compositions. He'll be mostly on saxophones and clarinets, using his intense technical prowess to match his mesmerizing songwriting skills.

U.S. Girls / Saturday February 15 / Polish Combatants Hall / 8pm / $20
Also on the Saturday line up is unstoppable Toronto based artist Meg Remy, who's been releasing music as U.S. Girls since 2008. Fans have watched her noisy, contemporary soul sound grow with each new release. Some advice: never miss a chance to see her throw down! Remy's sets are one of the most compelling and intelligent live music experiences the contemporary underground has to offer. Other performers on the lineup include Biblical, Petra Glynt, and Gambletron. DJing by Jesse Cook and projections by Ottawa's Hard Science. Get tickets here.

Cousins / Sunday February 16th / The Garrison / 8pm / $10-15
Halifax garage rock group Cousins will close down the last night of Wavelength '14. They tip toe between melody and anarchy, in a live show that is both heavy and sweetly poetic. They are a hard working touring act, and have just announced May some concert dates in support of Chad Vangaalen. The complete lineup includes Greys, The Wet Secrets, Lido Pimienta, and Elaquent, plus DJ Slowdown (PS I Love You). Get tickets here.

Wavelength 14 runs from Feb 13-16. An all-access festival pass costs $49, or individual show tickets are available for $10 and $25 depending on the night. Check out their Wavelog for artist interviews and more.

Photo of Phedre by Jennifer Bundock