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Where to learn parkour in Toronto

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parkour torontoThis sprawling jungle gym-like space near Keele and St. Clair represents a major expansion for this parkour-focused fitness centre, which was formerly located on Geary Avenue. The new location is decked out with a variety of obstacles to be be traversed by both beginners and experts alike in what is one of the more fun ways to work out that I can imagine.

Read my review of The Monkey Vault in the fitness section.


The best and worst Loblaws in Toronto

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best worst loblaws torontoThe best and worst Loblaws in Toronto are marked by a few noteworthy differences. The good are usually bright, well organized, and bountiful with fresh vegetables, meat, fish and baked goods. Kind and helpful staff goes a long way, as does accessibility.

The reverse is true of the bad ones. At worse they are dirty, frustrating, and expensive. Rarely is a Loblaws all of these things at once -- I expect they'd be run out of business if that were the case -- but a spectrum exists nonetheless. What's sometimes more of a travesty, however, are the mediocre spots. Sure you can pick up the basics at these places, but they don't inspire enthusiasm for eating, one of life's great pleasures.

Here is our list of best and worst Loblaws in Toronto.

BEST

Maple Leaf Gardens
Some were disheartened by the conversion of Maple Leaf Gardens from classic hockey arena to Loblaws food emporium. But it proved to be so insanely fantastic, with its wall of cheese, in-house canteen, cafe, Ace Bakery, butchery and cornucopia of every fruit, vegetable and product under the sun (you name it, they have it) that visitors can finally sing with "We are the champions" with confidence.

Queen and Portland
Like a phoenix from the ashes, the Loblaws at Queen and Portland rose from the terrible Queen Street fire. Striking that balance between downtown grocery feel and convenience with suburban perks like underground parking and extensive selection all under one roof. The wide aisles, on-site Ace Bakery, friendly staff and bounty of choice keep customers happy and coming back.

Queens Quay
The Queens Quay Loblaws location has been surrounded by road construction in the last few years, making it a little annoying for pedestrians and cyclists, but get around that and you can have a hey day with all the parking and great variety once inside. Highlights include the natural light, the take-away prepared foods section and cooking classes.

St. Clair and Bathurst
Of the best Loblaws, the St. Clair and Bathurst one is hit-and-miss. The overlooking cafe and cooking classes are good, plus they have a wide selection and all the PC products. But unfortunately it is no longer 24 hours, and some find it pricey.

WORST

Broadview and Danforth
Complaints run high for the Broadview and Danforth Loblaws. Tired and out-dated building somehow both cramped and yet lacking in variety, slow staff and rumours of rotting produce and expired food. The upside? Great deals to be had and the butchers will do custom cuts.

Dundas and Bloor
Tucked back by the empty old Zellers is probably the least of this Loblaws' problems. The Dundas and Bloor location doesn't carry the full line of PC products nor does it have the impressive cheese, dessert or bakery selection of other locations. There is no Joe store either, which can be a big draw. There is, however, a ton of parking and this store is fine for a basic shop.

Empress Walk
The Empress Walk Loblaws gets a mixed review. It has an unusual design, with three storey vaulted ceilings and an open concept, the organics selection is wonderful and it's directly across from the subway. Some people love the available self-checkout, while others hate it. Out Twitter followers also complaing of poor customer service.

Humbertown Loblaws
As part of the aging Humbertown shopping centre in Etobicoke (it is basically unchanged since the '70s), the Loblaws has a tired look around the edges. The open-air mall is slated for redevelopment though, so let's hope the produce section gets an overhaul while they're at it. That said, it has a certain nostalgic charm.

Loblaws, Upper Beach
This mid-range Loblaws has a few perks -- drycleaning, banking, a pharmacy -- but the produce and organics selections aren't particularly expansive and are on the expensive side. The small Joe Fresh collection may act as a lure for some, but over all nothing about this Loblaws really excites.

Leslie and Lakeshore
The Leslieville Loblaws is sort of an odd duck. It has a big Joe Fresh, is clean, relatively well laid out and thus all the promise of a great grocery, but its dowdy exterior and lack of modern amenities like self checkouts (slowing the whole process) makes it more frustrating and less appealing than other joints, like the nearby Queens Quay outlet.

Heritage buildings could derail Yorkville condo project

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toronto york squareA plan to add a cluster of converted homes on the corner of Avenue Road and Yorkville Avenue to the city's list of heritage properties could throw a wrench in the works of a major Yorkville condo project.

Under plans currently working through the approval process, York Square, a small retail courtyard that includes two converted Victorian homes and a flat-roofed modernist block, would be demolished to make way for a 38-storey condo by Empire Communities.

Giving the York Square heritage status, a course of action supported by the Bloor-Yorkville BIA and two local residents' associations, would be the first step in refusing the project that first surfaced last year.

toronto york squareBuilt in 1968 to a design by Toronto architects A. J. Diamond and Barton Myers, the shopping centre with its distinctive circular windows was one of the city's first examples of adaptive re-use.

"York Square set an important precedent for heritage preservation before Ontario's heritage legislation existed ... maintaining existing neighbourhood scale and character in opposition to the then standard practice of demolition," a report by the city's preservation staff says.

Both homes, completed in 1912, retain their gable roofs and dormer windows on the upper floors. At street level, Diamond and Myers' modernist brick facade wraps around the street corner.

Writing in The Globe and Mail, Toronto architecture critic John Bentley Mays called York Square "an expression of patient, careful urbanism that needs to be kept intact."

The new Zeidler Partnership condo would fit snug against, and possibly share a facade with a renovated Hazelton Lanes shopping centre, according to plans made public last August.

The heritage debate is due at the March 26 meeting of the Toronto and East York Community Council.

Should the city move to protect York Square?

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

Image: City of Toronto

Cutting through the B.S. in the Beer Store debate

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Beer Store ControversyThe Beer Store and the Ontario Convenience Stores Association (OCSA) have, as of late, been engaged in a very public and increasingly nasty fight over the state of the province's beer sales.

And while both the OCSA and The Beer Store are making much-repeated arguments on their respectivewebsites and Twitterfeeds about what's in the best interest of the public, let's be serious here: The Beer Store currently enjoys roughly an 80% market share of all beer sales in this province and they are unlikely to relinquish it easily. Furthermore, the OCSA doesn't want in on the sale of booze because they think they can offer you a better shopping experience; they want a piece of that action. As 1997-era Diddy will gladly tell you, it's all about the Benjamins. Er, the Bordens, as it were.

So let's cut through the bullshit and take a look at the validity of some of the claims being made on both sides.

THE PRICE OF BEER WILL CHANGE

TBS says
If alcohol sales are deregulated, the price of beer will go up. In a statement accompanying a study that The Beer Store commissioned, Beer Store president Ted Moroz said, "Prices will go up. Make no mistake. Beer, wine and liquor will be more expensive in Ontario."

The OCSA says
In their own study, the OCSA initially said that the prices would go down, noting that the average price of a two-four at The Beer Store was 27 per cent higher than at private retailers in Quebec. The Beer Store (and others) contested these claims, noting that the original study didn't properly take things like taxes into account. The author of the OCSA report then responded with a second study, confirming his assertion that deregulation would mean lower prices at large retailers. So...lower prices, then?

Well no. Here's Dave Bryans, CEO of the Ontario Convenience Stores Association in a video explicitly saying, "Yes, you would probably pay more for convenience because of location [and] because of hours of service." So what the what?

Sniff test
Both sides are bullshitting you a bit. The Beer Store's studies point to jurisdictions like Alberta where the system is entirely privatized and, yes, people pay more. This argument ignores the idea that, if The Beer Store and the LCBO stayed in business alongside some alternative, like convenience stores, there would be increased competition. And when you have competition, prices tend to stay fairly competitive so one business likely wouldn't be able to simply charge whatever they want. They'd hypothetically be forced to stay competitive and the argument can be made that the consumer would ultimately benefit from the increased competition.

On the other hand, you tend to pay for convenience since there's an increased cost associated with increased distribution to more store locations. So what's the reality? Who knows. There's a reason there are conflicting arguments on this part of the debate: It involves predicting the future and, while we can point to other jurisdictions and make educated guesses, it's tough to say exactly how deregulated alcohol might play out in a place where it's been regulated for the last 80 years or so. People can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. 14% of people know that.

CHANGE WILL MAKE GETTING BOOZE EASIER FOR MINORS

TBS says
The Beer Store points to the fact that they challenge 3.5 million customers per year and the dubious statistic that 64% of Ontarians believe that sales to minors would increase under a convenience store retail system (Oh, they believe it!). They also point to case studies about minors purchasing alcohol in privatized jurisdictions like BC and New York to show that the instance is higher when alcohol is deregulated.

OCSA says
The convenience stores association points out the fact that TBS's "studies" don't actually analyze their own rate of selling to minors (just how often they "challenge") and they likewise tout their own proven track record for ID'ing customers who are purchasing cigarettes or lottery tickets. They claim they'll do a better job keeping booze away from minors.

Sniff test
I'm going to have to call bullshit all around. Apparently everyone conducting these studies doesn't remember being a teenager. You can tout all the stats you want, but you can't keep teens away from cigarettes and alcohol. To paraphrase Dr. Ian Malcolm, the kind of control you're attempting simply is not possible. If there is one thing the history of teenagers has taught us it's that cigarettes and alcohol will not be contained. Teens break free, expand to new territories and crash through barriers, painfully, maybe even dangerously, but, uh... well, there it is: Teenagers will find a way.

THIS WILL AFFECT BEER SELECTION

TBS says
Ontario has more selection with the Beer Store in place. The Beer Store offers up 420 brands of beer from 100 different brewers and that's more than almost every other beer-selling store in Canada (that's a fact).

The OCSA says
The OCSA never really makes any claims toward improved selection--because they'd be stupid to even try--but anti-beer store pundits like the idea of private retailers being able to choose their selection, including from small craft brewers if they see fit; often pointing to a handful of depanneurs in Quebec that sell great craft beer.

Sniff test
The Beer Store's claims are legit, but still a little funky. It's true that they can't be beat for selection in the rest of the country, but that's something of a dubious distinction given that brewers that want to sell their beer in this province have literally zero other private options. Deregulation likely won't give Ontario a store with more selection; however, some hold out hope that it could give us stores that opt to focus exclusively on American craft beers, Ontario craft beers, maple porters, etc.

There's something to be said for that, but before we go crazy about the idea of craft beer in convenience stores, it's probably important to consider how many artisanal and craft selections you currently find among the Hostess, Lays, and Kraft products that convenience stores choose to stock.

DEREGULATION WILL HARM THE ENVIRONMENT

TBS says
The Beer Store's industry-funded recycling program has a 92% return rate on bottles and recycled more than two billion beer, wine and liquor containers in 2011-2012; roughly half of what the entire Ontario Blue Box recycles. If the deposit system is lost, they claim 453,000 tons of liquor packaging will have to be managed by municipal governments. They claim the cost to municipal taxpayers will be $40 million a year.

The OCSA says
The OCSA makes no claims in relation to recycling.

Sniff test
There's no clear bullshit here, with the possible exception that no one is actually proposing we do away with the Beer Store's "award winning recycling program." People just want an alternative place to sell beer. If The Beer Store remains in business, there doesn't seem to be any reason they can't keep acting as the province's bottle recycler. Indeed, given the skill with which they handle recycling, few might object if they opted to focus just on recycling. There is a suggestion that with less capital, the recycling system might suffer, but this point seems, at best, an attempt to simply shoehorn in a pro-Beer Store talking point and, at worst, a veiled threat to the province that they might stop recycling if they aren't allowed to maintain their monopoly.

Conclusion

Both sides are flinging more shit than angry monkeys at the zoo. The Beer Store is a legally-protected monopoly providing massive profits to foreign-owned breweries and the way they use this position to promote their own brands is a clear conflict of interest. The province obviously needs some alternative to The Beer Store, but let's not be so eager for it that we blindly accept the first alternative that comes along. The OCSA raises some good points, but theirs is not the fix-all solution to our Beer Store woes that we all want to think it is.

Finally, all this posturing seems largely moot anyway. The province has demonstrated no desire to change the status quo. Some people got their hopes up when Kathleen Wynne, in her February 11, 2014 Reddit AMA said, "We are in conversation with the Ontario Craft Brewers association and we're looking at ways to modernize beer distribution," but she also noted that "We need to make sure we make socially responsible decisions about the distribution of alcohol. We have a controlled distribution system in place in Ontario and it's worked well."

I contacted the Ontario Craft Brewers to ask about the "conversation" that was happening and was told by Christine Mulkins, who handles OCB's PR, that "OCB is always in discussions with government about ways to improve access for consumers and create more jobs in Ontario." So, Wynne's mention of a "conversation" was likely just a reference to an ongoing series of AGCO modernization consultations that are occurring (consultations at which you'll find sizable teams from the companies that own the Beer Store sitting alongside the OCB) as opposed to any real commitment to change

So while it's great that the issue is getting much-needed public discussion and more Ontarians are getting informed about alcohol distribution here, The Beer Store isn't going anywhere any time soon. That's no bullshit.

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

Rob Ford defends his desire to remove Pride flag

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Rob Ford Pride FlagFord Nation, the creepily low budget YouTube series featuring the Mayor and his brother, is back with new episodes, the most noteworthy of which addresses the controversy surrounding the Pride flag at city hall. You'll recall that numerous Canadian cities raised rainbow flags at the outset of the Sochi Olympics to show solidarity with gay communities across Russia. Toronto participated in this gesture at the request of Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and with the help of Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly.

When Rob Ford caught wind of the flag raising, he claimed that it was inappropriate and expressed his desire to have it taken down. "This is about the Olympics, this is about being patriotic to your country," he said at the time. "This is not about sexual preference." Then, like a mature adult who is (putatively) responsible for running the largest city in Canada, he taped a Canadian flag to his office window by way of protest.

Now he's taken to YouTube to defend his stance on the "Pride Ffffffffflag" while his brother meditates or prays by his side (no, really, just watch). After repeating his previous argument related to patriotism and support of Canadian athletes (because these things are mutually exclusive with gay rights, right?), the mayor does his best to look earnest, and delivers this defence to the camera:

"I am not homophobic. I'll got to anyone's house...anyone's place to help them out. I take offence when people say that to me. This is Canada...our Canadian flag should be up there not the Pride flag." When asked for his opinion, Doug Ford digs the hole even deeper by 1) noting that they both have lots of gay friends and 2) insinuating that he and his brother are being bullied into "things."

The whole bit would be brilliant if it was a comedy routine. But it isn't. Oh, and by the way, the breakdown of flags currently being flown at city hall is as follows: nine Canadian flags, eight Toronto flags, and one Pride flag. Thanks for clarifying, Norm Kelly.

Shopaholic

Today In Toronto: Reel Artists Film Festival, TMI Tales, No One Receiving, Chi-Series, Vector 2014

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Today in TorontoToday in Toronto the 11th Annual Reel Artists Film Festival kicks off five days of documentary film screenings focused on visual art and artists, starting with Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. The 35th Rhubarb Festival continues tonight at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, with Stephanie Markowitz's No One Receiving.

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

Image from Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace

This Week in Fashion: New menswear boutiques in Yorkville, Dutil Fade February Contest, Art of Fashion

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Toronto FashionThis 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

Suitsupply - a menswear brand founded in Amsterdam - is opening its first Canadian location in Yorkville (9-11 Hazelton Avenue) tomorrow (February 20). Expect to find the label's dapper made-in-Italy suits and signature bold colours in the 4,800 square foot space. If it were up to me, I'd upgrade your outerwear with a double-breasted coat or jazz your feet up with calf leather Chelsea boots.

As if Yorkville didn't already have enough menswear game, Loding - a luxury Parisian fashion label - is opening its doors at 133 Avenue Road this Friday (February 21). It's the first location in Canada stacked with the brand's high quality chaussures and cravates, so head on over for an ensemble with a certain je ne sais quoi.

EVENTS

From noon until 4 pm on Sunday (February 23), Swap Don't Shop is hosting a poppin' clothing swap party. The event's not only an overhaul for your closet - it's also a sustainable and socially conscious way to give and take back from the community. Entrance is just $5, so lug up to 30 pieces of gently used clothing to Arts Market (846 College St) and walk away with a brand new set of gear for spring.

Dutil's Fade February Contest is back for its third year in a row. Win a pair of Baldwin, Naked & Famous, or Rogue Territory jeans just by showin' off your best worn-in, whisker-ridden, honeycomb-covered raw denim. To enter, send a picture of your jeans along with your name, months of wear, and total number of washes to dutilto@dutildenim.com -- then show up to Dutil (704 Queen St West)'s denim party this Saturday (February 22) at 2 pm to register and (hopefully) claim your prize! If not, there'll be ice-cold brews and good company to enjoy til 5 pm.

Support Art of Fashion - a non-profit organization that helps emerging Canadian fashion designers on their feet - by smiling for the camera! Next Monday (February 24) and Tuesday (February 25), they'll be hosting a fundraiser in the form of professional headshots by Light Monkey at Joy Bistro (884 Queen St E). If you're looking to represent you or your brand with a jazzy new photograph, register online for a $30 session.

Photo of Dutil Denim by Dennis Marciniak


Map project ties together centuries of Toronto history

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toronto mapImagine standing at the corner of Queen and Bay and being able to fast-forward through time from 1818 right up to present day. Two city halls, polar opposites in terms of design, would appear before your eyes, the mighty Eaton's department store empire would proliferate and crumble, and rows of industrial buildings would give way to luxury hotels and bank buildings.

Chris Olsen, a professional cartographer based in Redlands, California, has made that dream a reality with a gorgeous interactive map application. Released earlier this month, the Google Maps-style interface lets users explore maps of Toronto that date back almost two centuries.

"It really gives you a window into the evolution of the city," says Nathan Ng, who supplied some of the image files used by Olsen. "If you look at the area around Old City Hall and zoom through the years you can see how The Ward changed, and by 1947 it's all different."

Olsen, who works for Esri, a geographic information systems software company based in Redlands, California, has made similar maps of Cleveland and Pittsburgh in his spare time and was challenged to do something for Toronto by Ng.

The result is a timeline of maps from 1818 to 1924 with aerial views from 1947 and 2012. The maps Olsen used for 1889, 1913, and 1924 were prepared for insurance underwriters and printed as 59 separate plates.

Zoom out far enough and the patchwork is visible due to minor variances in colour and tone.

toronto king simcoe"The most time consuming part is putting the maps together because you're starting with just the pure image itself," Olsen says. It took about to six months to stitch the pieces together, make the map searchable, and work out numerous tiny inaccuracies, he says.

"Everything that I've done is out-of-the-box, there's no customizing or smoke and mirrors or anything like that."

The attention to detail is remarkable: Each map has been rotated to true north, which puts Toronto's streets at their correct oblique angle, and synchronized with an address search function. It's possible to find a location and adjust the slider to see how the neighbourhood evolved.

Take King and Simcoe. In 1818 it's a rural crossroads on the outskirts of town. By 1889, the arrival of Upper Canada College, Government House, St. Andrew's Church, and the bawdy British Hotel tavern has resulted in corners being nicknamed "education," "legislation," "salvation," and "damnation."

Jump ahead to 1924 and the block is dominated by rail sidings and factories; leap ahead again and King and Simcoe is the heart of the theatre district, home to Roy Thomson Hall and Metro Centre.

Every point on the map has its own story to tell. Try it for yourself

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

New College St. cafe takes meatless eats to new heights

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Vegan Restaurant TorontoThis newly opened spot on College will give meatless eaters a brand new dining destination that doesn't feel like the mains are an afterthought. The menu can accommodate vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free eaters with a range of snacks, sandwiches, salads and hearty bowls like quinoa mac n' cheese.

Read my profile of Grasshopper in the restaurants section.

5 Toronto laneways and the stories behind their names

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toronto lanewayJust 10 per cent of Toronto's more than 3,000 public laneways have a name. Usually the titles recognize community figures, events or local traditions, but many are delightfully strange with brilliant backstories.

Case in point: Crestfallen Lane. The city is considering naming a little service road in Seaton Village after a horse "with sad eyes" that Toronto vaccination pioneer Dr. Gerry FitzGerald injected with small doses of diphtheria. FitzGerald was developing an antitoxin for the disease, and he would use half a dozen other animals rescued from a glue factory to help tackle rabies and other infectious diseases from a stable on Bloor Street.

Giving a lane an official name helps police, fire, and ambulance services quickly find the tiny roads that are officially distinguished by a four-digit number. The city is open to ideas, but all submissions must present a positive image and steer clear of lewd acronyms. Historical or geographical relevance is also a must.

Here are the stories behind five unusual lane names in Toronto.

OLD SWEATS LANE

Old Sweats Lane is marked on most maps as Industrial Parkway N., but that's no fun. Hidden in the northeast corner of the city near Kingston Road and Ellesmere, the short stretch of road provides access to a branch of The Royal Canadian Legion.

According to Les Goodman from the Branch 258, "old sweats" is a common nickname for soldiers with lengthy service records, particularly those that served in the world wars or Korean War. The legion, one of the few in old Metro with a step-free entrance, used to put on a popular old sweats dinner that inspired the name of the lane.

ICE CREAM LANE

Surely a contender for the happiest lane in all Toronto, Ice Cream Lane off the Danforth at Dawes Road is named for the Maple Leaf Dairy located nearby. Famous for its outlet store that serves massive portions of fresh ice cream in the summer, the business was founded on St. Clair in the 1930s but moved south in recent decades.

The sign outside - "May All Your Days Be Ice Cream Days" - best sums up the old-school little parlour with its bare-bones wooden interior and the lane it gave its name to.

toronto lanewayPICKING COKE LANE

Picking Coke Lane at the end of Cornwall Street in Cabbagetown is named for the rather bleak practice of "collecting fragments of coke from ash piles ... in order to transport them to private homes as fuel to heat a house," according to the city.

Coke is a high-carbon fuel made by extracting gas from coal. It was often discarded in giant ash piles by the Kemp Manufacturing Plant, a steel mill once on the site of three high-rise apartment buildings at Gerrard and River streets that was within walking distance of many Cabbagetown residents.

MAGIC LANE

Another Cabbagetown beauty, Magic Lane is named Doug Henning, a Toronto-trained illusionist who was an 8-time Emmy award nominee and winner for NBC's Doug Henning's World of Magic program. Henning also had top-billing on several Broadway musicals, including The Magic Show and Merlin.

In later life, the magician lived at 94 Winchester Street and became active in politics. He was the Senior Vice President of the Natural Law Party of Canada, a party based on the principles of transcendental meditation, and ran in the federal riding of Rosedale - now Toronto Centre - in 1993. He died in 2000.

BOYS OF MAJOR LANE

The boys of Major Street - Chucky, Porky, Solly, Harold, Red, and Joe - were honoured with four others in the name of a laneway off Harbord Street in 2013. The six teenage friends fought at the same time in the second world war, but only two came home. Joe Greenberg, known locally as Dr. Joe, was one of those who returned. The other was his cousin, Red.

Major Street was home to a disproportionate number of young men killed in combat. A powerful Toronto Star story published for Remembrance Day 2009 carried the headline "the boys of Major Street," and the name was officially unveiled for the previously unnamed stretch last year.

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

Image: inventor_77, Jeff Stewart/blogTO Flickr pool.

The Best Art Supply Stores in Toronto

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art supply stores torontoThe best art supply stores in Toronto will have whatever you need to get your next project from your brain to the page. The city's cheapest and best-stocked options are mostly clustered around OCAD, kept on their toes by one another's presence (and throngs of art school students ready to burn through gallons of paint).

Still there are plenty of decent options spread across town. Some go way past supplies, offering art classes so you can learn how to use those new goodies and framing services for the finished product.

Here are the best art supply stores in Toronto.

See also:

The 10 places to buy affordable art in Toronto
The top 7 artist collectives in Toronto
The best DIY spots in Toronto
Where to rent studio space in Toronto
The best custom and picture framing stores in Toronto
The best card, paper and stationery shops in Toronto

Where to get old school pretzels in the Annex

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Pretzels TorontoThis pretzel and smoothie shop might not be much to look at, but it hardly matters after a bite into the impossibly soft knot-like creations. Pretzels might not be the next food trend in waiting, but if they ever hit, these will make an appearance on plenty of "best" lists. Oh, the smoothies are pretty goo, too.

Read my review of Bite & Sip in the restaurants section.

Toronto set to ease food truck bylaws

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food trucks torontoThere's good news cooking for food truck lovers in Toronto. The City is on the verge of loosening archaic bylaws that have restricted the ability of food trucks to offer their eats on streets across town. Although the specifics won't be made public until closer to a March 18 Licensing and Standards committee meeting, the Star was able to wrangle some info about the proposed changes, the most notable of which is that food trucks will soon be able to operate near to existing restaurants, something which was previously forbidden.

We're unlikely to see food trucks just anywhere, as the availability of parking will be key to where vendors can operate, but this represents a major development in what has been a long and messy process to get Toronto up to speed on street food legislation. Despite tight regulations, food truck culture has thrived in Toronto over the last couple of years, but the eased regulations will likely favour existing operators as the City is expected to limit the number of permits awarded in a given year.

This is Toronto, after all. There will be red tape. Still, being able to operate on the sidewalk rather than locations designed to safeguard bricks and mortar restaurants will mean that food trucks become a fixture on city streets rather than just the festival circuit -- and that's good news.

Is Craven Road the weirdest street in Toronto?

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toronto craven roadCraven Road in the east end of Toronto is weird. It runs from Queen Street in the south to the Danforth in the north, only briefly interrupted by the rail tracks and Monarch Park CI. On one side of the street is a long wooden fence, on the other side a parade of some of the smallest detached houses in the city.

Both features are remarkable: The barrier between the street and the backyards of Ashdale Avenue is the longest municipally maintained fence in the city. None of the homes, almost all of them under 46 square metres (that's pretty small,) are exactly alike.

The road was originally called Eerie Terrace and provided access to tiny backyard dwellings built behind the homes on Ashdale around 1900. Amber Daugherty at Spacing recalls how before Craven Road, the Ashdale homes had huge backyards that were more than 42 metres long, prompting owners to subdivide their lots.

After a dispute over who owned the property surrounding the homes, the city bought the land in question, put up the fence, and laid down the road, Daugherty writes.

In recent years, many of the original working class residents have yielded to newcomers with money, resulting in gentrification and the destruction of some of the original dwellings.

This gorgeous mini doc shot last summer by Made By Other People, a group of filmmakers, musicians, and artists, captures life on Craven through the eyes of Jonathan, a colourful long-time resident, and touches on some of the unique local history.

"How would you describe the street in one word?," asks the interviewer.

"Mellow," says Jonathan.

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


Maria Augimeri appointed new TTC chair

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toronto maria augimeriVeteran councillor Maria Augimeri is the new TTC chair. Late this afternoon, 23 members of council carefully wrote the name of the long-time York Centre representative on their sheet of blue ballot paper, two more than for rival Councillor Josh Colle.

Augimeri promised to deliver "good, solid work" while in the position but was at pains to position herself as a temporary placeholder. "I'm a very hard worker and I run meetings very well," she said. "I hope with Andy Byford as a partner to move forward to try and claw back the funding we lost from the province so many years ago."

Outgoing chair Stintz will formally resign on Saturday to focus on her upcoming run for mayor in the October election.

Augimeri, a 16-year council veteran, supported the light rail option for Scarborough while Colle, a councillor nearing the end of his first term, voted for a subway extension. It's not expected that either of the candidates will re-visit the issue in the remaining months of this term of council.

"The people have spoken - they've spoken five times, so I say the issue is a closed issue now," she said. "The funding has to be found. I'm disappointed in the extra half per cent people are going to be paying for it, I don't think that's something people swallow very it well, it's a bitter pill."

Mayor Rob Ford tried unsuccessfully to place his brother Councillor Doug Ford on the ballot - only existing TTC board members are eligible to hold the position. Both Ford brothers and Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly voted for Colle.

City council will vote again on a TTC chair following the municipal election later this year.

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

Image: Chris Bateman/blogTO

Two distinct paths

Today In Toronto: The Artist Project, Dre Day, Jennifer Castle and Ame Henderson, Holy Gasp, Delorean

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The Artist ProjectToday in Toronto The Artist Project will challenge the typical art fair at the Better Living Centre. Here until February 23rd you'll find the artists themselves in the booths, meaning you get to meet and buy work directly from the people behind it, which is pretty special. If you're looking for sounds DJ Yella of NWA is in town, or you can catch Jennifer Castle and Ame Henderson go head to head combining music and dance at Winchester Street Theatre.

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 Film: The Wind Rises, Public Hearing, Destiny, Festival of New Spanish Cinema

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toronto filmThis Week in Film rounds up noteworthy new releases in theatres, rep cinema and avant-garde screenings, festivals, and other special cinema-related events happening in Toronto.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Refocus: Public Hearing (Thursday, February 27 at 9:15PM; Revue Cinema)

Much like last year's Charlie Victor Romeo, which was based on air traffic control transcripts for six fallen commercial airplanes, Public Hearing is a word-for-word reenactment of an actual public hearing about "the proposed transformation of an Allegany, NY Wal-Mart into a Super Wal-Mart." Granted, perhaps not the world's most exciting synopsis, but the results have earned comparisons to American documentary masters Frederick Wiseman and Emile de Antonio, so I'm willing to take the chance. Shot on black-and-white 16mm film (!), and composed entirely of close-ups; projected in HD.

REP CINEMA

Silent Sundays: Destiny (Sunday, February 23 at 4:15PM; Revue Cinema)
Destiny filmFrom the silent film legend who brought us Before Metropolis and then one of the first sound masterpieces, M, comes one of his earliest masterpieces: 1921's Destiny, one of the first films to really signal that Lang was going to be one of the great filmmakers. "Equal parts fairytale and fantasy, Destiny tells the tale of a young woman granted three chances by a world-weary Death to save her lover from the afterlife. Hugely influential, it even inspired a young Alfred Hitchcock to pursue a career in film." Piano accompaniment will be provided by the invaluable William O'Meara.

More rep cinema this week:

FILM FESTIVALS

Festival of New Spanish Cinema (February 26 - March 26; The Royal)

The Festival of New Spanish Cinema (FoNSC) is now six years old, but this is the traveling show's first stop in Toronto. The self-described leading showcase in North America for "the best in contemporary Spanish film" brings Toronto five premieres, including "the latest, most exciting films and allowing you to discover and share your love of Spanish cinema." More of a month-long series than a festival, FoNSC will screen a film every Wednesday evening at The Royal until the end of March, beginning with A Gun in Each Hand (Wednesday, February 26 at 7PM), a comedy about eight men who are all experiencing "a masculine identity crisis."

NEW RELEASES

The Wind Rises (Cineplex Yonge & Dundas)

Hayao Miyazaki is so popular that the only film series to have played at the TIFF Bell Lightbox twice in its only three-and-a-half year history is the Studio Ghibli retrospective, which sold out practically all of its screenings in 2012, and then did so again last December, a mere 18 months later. Sure, not all of the films screened were Miyazaki's, but let's not kid ourselves: How many other Ghibli filmmakers' retirement announcements made front page headlines on non-entertainment media outlets?

Naturally-as he already did once before-Miyazaki has since recanted his vow to make The Wind Rises his final film, meaning everyone who called this the perfect note for him to go out on will have to, I guess, wait for the next perfect note. As it stands now, this fictional biopic about Japanese World War II plane designer Jiro Horikoshi will just have to go down as another late period feather in the animator's cap - one, it should be mentioned, that is among Miyazaki's least surreal or fantastical films.

Also opening in theatres this week:

  • Cheap Thrills (The Royal)
  • Fly Colt Fly (The Royal)
  • Highway (Cineplex Yonge & Dundas)
  • Money For Nothing: Inside The Federal Reserve (The Bloor)
  • Pompeii (Scotiabank)
  • Takedown: The DNA of GSP (Cineplex Yonge & Dundas)
  • 3 Days to Kill (Varsity, Cineplex Yonge & Dundas)
  • Tim's Vermeer (TIFF Bell Lightbox)

Lead still from The Wind Rises.

Toronto Restaurant Openings: Fry Haus, The Goods, Shibui Robata Bar, People's Eatery II, Bar Oak

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Toronto restaurant openingsToronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest restaurant openings and closings in Toronto and also gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

OPEN NOW

  • Fry Haus at 296 Gerrard is now open and serving up bratwursts, German burgers and Fritten Mischmasch, er, poutine.
  • The Goods, a production kitchen and takeout counter is now open at 1255 Dundas West.
  • Shibui Robata Bar, an upmarket Japanese restaurant specializing in grill items and sushi rolls is now open at 230 Adelaide Street West.
  • Come and Get It could reopen at 676 Queen West any day now... fingers crossed.

RECENTLY REVIEWED

OPENING SOON

CLOSING

  • Grace Restaurant, the charming dining room at 503 College Street quietly closed its doors this week. [Toronto Life]
  • Brockton General (1321 Dundas Street West) has called it quits, the restaurant will serve its last dinner service on March 9th. [The Grid]
  • German creperie, Pfannkuchen Koln at 3345 Yonge Street is closed.
  • Corner House at 501 Davenport Road is closing its doors at the end of the month, though a notice on the restaurant's website indicates a new project is in the works.

OTHER NEWS

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to liora@blogto.com

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