Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this November 16-18, 2012.HOLIDAY

Santa Claus Parade
Santa Claus is coming to town as this Sunday marks the 108th Santa Claus Parade in Toronto. A tradition started by Eaton's department store in 1905, the parade continues its legacy by beginning at 12:30PM in Christie Pits park, then heading eastward on Bloor. Television coverage begins at 12:30PM and the parade ends at St. Lawrence Market, with crowds welcome along Bloor, University and Front streets. Bundle up!
Christie Pits Park (750 Bloor Street West), November 18, 2012, 12:30PM Free

Cavalcade of Lights If the Santa Claus parade is just too kid-ridden for you, but you're still looking to jumpstart your holiday spirit, head to Nathan Phillips Square for the Cavalcade of Lights. There will be live music from some unknown artists, but it's really all about the fireworks. Go for them not the music. Trust me.
Nathan Phillips Square, November 17, 2012, 7PM, FREE

PARTY

Unibrow Bash: A Frida Kahlo Jam
Inspired by the Mexican artist with a singular eyebrow, Unibrow Bash: A Frida Kahlo Jam is a colourful, one-night party at The May to celebrate painting and women who come as they are. Stick-on unibrows and make-up artists willing to paint one on will be on hand as activities like live mural painting and performances by Spawn of Phil and DJ Geordie Gordon take place. This party coincides with the Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics & Painting exhibit at the AGO. Text 647-929-9650 for reduced cover.
The May (876 Dundas Street West), November 17, 2012, 10PM $10

THEATRE

Fare Game: Life in Toronto's Taxis
A multimedia play that travels alongside taxi drivers during the daily minutiae of their work, Fare Game: Life in Toronto's Taxis opens at Theatre Passe Muraille this Friday evening. A changing mode of transportation with the advent of affordable hired car services and the increasing population of a traffic-ridden city, the tale of the Toronto taxi driver is told by the actor/creators of the show, Ruth Madoc-Jones, Marjorie Chan, and Alex Williams. Tickets are available at the theatre box office and the show runs until December 8th.
Theatre Passe Muraille (16 Ryerson Avenue), November 16-December 8, 2012, 7:30PM $30-$35 regular, $25-$30 student/senior/artist

For more theatre listings, check out our This Week In Theatre post.

COMEDY

Sirius Xm & Perfect 10 Present: The 4th Anniversary Show And After Party
It's an anniversary of something somewhere, so you might as well celebrate it by checking out some stand-up at Toronto's newest comedy club, The Lot on Ossington. The 4th Anniversary Show, presented by SiriusXM, will be recorded for XM Radio with an after party to follow. If one of the comedians--like Sara Hennessey, Jean Paul or Chris Robinson--bomb, not to worry, there are nine in total so someone is guaranteed to make you laugh at this large ensemble show.
The Lot Comedy Club (100 Ossington Avenue), November 17-18, 2012, 9:30PM $15-$20

For more comedy listings, check out our This Week In Comedy post.

FILM

Darryl's Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival
Raunchy, taboo, or tame, any kind of sex you can imagine, this film festival will show it. Darryl's Hard Liquor and Porn Film Festival is a one-night only program of shorts from international filmmakers that are all about sex. The showcase will take place at The Projection Booth East on Saturday night at 7PM and will repeat at 9PM, with an after party at The Centre of Gravity East to follow (included in ticket price). Intermission music will be performed by surf guitar trio Luau Or Die and there will be a contest for the best porn star costume. Get hard liquor and watch porn!
The Projection Booth East Cinema (1035 Gerrard Street East), November 17, 2012, 7PM $20

For more film listings, check out our This Week In Film post.

FOOD

501 Streetcar Food Tour
Ride the Queen streetcar through six neighbourhoods and make six stops at local food joints this Saturday on the 501 Streetcar Food Tour with Foodies on Foot. Beginning at Parkdale's Glory Hole Doughnuts and heading east to Leslieville, this FOF tour will be a 5-hour journey on Toronto's longest surface route to find the best food, baked goods and drinks with an expert guide. Tickets are available through the Foodies on Foot website. (Hint: use your own metropass and tickets are only $65.)
Glory Hole Doughnuts (1596 Queen Street West), November 17, 2012, 11AM $75

Art y Tacos
Art and tacos sounds like any another Friday night for some but at La Revolución, it's a reason to party. Opening their doors to Mexican-Portuguese pop-up restaurant Oxala, La Revolución plays host to an event inspired by Mexican street festivals. Toronto-based artists like Natalie Meyers, Angel76, PUA69, Cop, and El Kardenal Verde will display works alongside international street artists Slurg, ChrisRWK, and mrSAY while Oxala serves tacos, vegetarian tamales and ceviche shooters to the Junction crowd. The fiesta begins Friday.
La Revolución (2848 Dundas St West), November 16-17, 2012, 7PM Free

For more food listings, check out our This Week In Food post.

ART

DX Intersection
All forms of design meet at Intersection, the Design Exchange's new annual fundraiser gala. A large celebration of Canadian architects, artists, chefs, filmmakers and designers, the most impressive party of the year will feature art installations by Douglas Coupland, Niall McClelland, Alex Durlak, Scott Cudmore and Jonah Falco. The multi-level DX will have several DJs spinning with a special set by Toronto hip-hop electronica trio Keys N Krates. Other event highlights include a moonshine distillery, raffles, a silent auction and a food market, complete with food trucks at the end of the evening. Tickets are available through the Design Exchange website with VIP passes featuring an early dinner with Douglas Coupland in attendance.
Design Exchange (234 Bay Street), November 16, 2012, 8PM $175 general, $150 member, $75 student

Bored & Mentally Ill
Bored & Mentally Ill attempts to visually express the neuroses and various psychological states that produce creativity through the works of local artists. Fifteen painters, photographers and illustrators draw their own internal environments during the process of creation, no matter how disturbing it may be. The opening reception of the show takes place from 8PM-3AM in the basement gallery of Vintage Grounds at Bloor and Bathurst this Friday evening.
Vintage Grounds (760 Bathurst Street), November 17-23, 2012, 10AM Free

MUSIC

Kreayshawn with Rye Rye & Honey Cocaine
No matter how many times you ask what a Kreayshawn is, she just won't go away. 23-year-old Oakland rapper and White Girl Mob member Kreayshawn plays Toronto to disrupt your otherwise quiet Sunday evening. Joined by Baltimore rapper Rye Rye, Kreayshawn is set to take her shrill rap to stage at The Hoxton along with local hip-hop artist Honey Cocaine and trap pop sensation Chippy Nonstop. Tickets are available through Ticketweb, Rotate This and Soundscapes.
The Hoxton (69 Bathurst Street), November 18, 2012, 8PM $22

Steam Whistle Unsigned 24
Steam Whistle Brewery's ongoing concert series Unsigned serves to promote new indie talent in Canadian cities, and tonight, in its 24th installment, the brewers' present three acts that have been charging full steam ahead. Electronic pop musician Digits will play along with funk and jazz set BABE and Toronto instrumental band Beta Frontiers in the brewery Beer Hall, beginning at 8PM. Tickets and booze are cheap, with all sales going towards the Artists' Health Alliance.
Steam Whistle Brewery (255 Bremner Boulevard), November 16, 2012, 8PM $5

CunninLynguists at the Opera Hall
The band with the cleverest name out there roll through Toronto Saturday night in support of Oneirology, released in March. It's hard to believe these guys have been around since the early 2000s, but their brand of atmospheric Southern hip hop is masterfully produced and they're known for being able to to translate this to their live shows, a feat that's not necessarily the easiest thing to pull off. Check out @TheUnionEast's Twitter feed for a ticket giveaway.
Opera House (735 Queen St E). Doors at 8PM, 19+, $20

For more music listings, check out our Hot Ticket and November Concerts posts.

MARKET

101 Markets @ 3030 Dundas West
Vintage and handmade artisanal goods come to the Junction's latest night spot, 3030 Dundas West, during 101 Markets. Vendors specializing in vintage and contemporary designs, independent or retail goods, all gather at 3030 this Sunday for a monthly one-of-a-kind market. The market opens early and closes by 5PM.
3030 Dundas West, November 18, 2012, 10:30AM Free

FASHION

Roger Vivier Lecture Series "Looking Pretty: How The 1950s Celebrated The Female Figure"
Victoria Dinnick knows vintage as the owner of one of Toronto's most successful vintage retailers, Gadabout Vintage Clothing. Taking part in the Roger Vivier Lecture Series, Dinnick will walk attendees through the trends of the 1950s in "Looking Pretty: How The 1950s Celebrated The Female Figure," with samples of pencil skirts and crinoline from her own collection. Dinnick will encourage guests to feel and touch the clothing samples during the illustrated talk so prepare for a hands-on experience. Ticket price includes entry to the Bata Shoe Museum, valid for all day Sunday.
Bata Shoe Museum (327 Bloor Street West), November 18, 2012, 1PM $16

Swap!--Don't Shop! Clothing Swap Party
All your out-of-season and unwanted clothing wanted for the return of Swap!--Don't Shop! Taking place at Beaver Hall Gallery this Saturday afternoon, this clothing swap party is only $8 to enter when joined with an armful of gently used clothing. A stylist will be on hand to help second hand shoppers purchase the right goods and on-site alterations will also be available. No used clothes you're willing to give up? No problem--just pay an extra $5 at the door. Any unsold items will be donated to local charities at end of day.
Beaver Hall Gallery (29 McCaul Street), November 17, 2012, 12PM $8

For more fashion listings, check out our This Week In Fashion post.

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

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.

Photos by sniderscion and Greg David

African Kings of Comedy? What about the Jamaican Kings of Comedy? A man with a lesbian haircut that shared the stage with Dave Chappelle? Follow me as I wade through the talented line-up in This Week In Comedy...

SUN NOV 18 / THE JUICE CUP / DANFORTH MUSIC HALL / 147 DANFORTH / 830PM / $38.50

They're calling the competition between the African Kings of Comedy and the Jamaican Kings of Comedy, "The Juice Cup." They should have called it "Carrot Juice & Guinness"...I've said too much. Anyhoo, representing the seat of mankind is Michael Blackson, the guy who wore a dashiki on BET's ComicView back in the day. Holdin' it down will be Blakka Ellis, who's performed at Sunsplash. Hold on... Sunsplash? Double Wowzers. Anyone who can perform stand-up in front of a crowd that rowdy has to have some serious chops. Oh, and this might be one of your last chances to catch Trixx before he starts taking over Los Angeles!

MON NOV 19 / ALTdot COMEDY LOUNGE / RIVOLI / 332 QUEEN W / 9PM / $5

We're truly lucky to have shows like ALTdot every week. There's no place in Toronto where you can see 5-10 acts that would usually headline and/or host Yuk's or Absolute, one after the other. This week, one of my favourites--Graham Kay--hosts. When I first started out, he was the guy that made me laugh in awe, struggling to understand the magic he was wielding. I still haven't figured it out.

MON NOV 19 / LAUGHABLE AT UNLOVABLE / UNLOVABLE / 1415-B DUNDAS W / 930PM / FREE

Damn! Gilson Lubin (Def Comedy Jam), Matt O'Brien (Best Stand-up at LA Comedy Fest), Fraser Young (Comedy Now), Steve Patrick Adams (Canadian Comedy Award for Best Stand-up), Sarah Donaldson (Edinburgh Fringe Festival)...there's more, but I think you get the idea. Nick Flanagan and Steph Tolev, producers of Laughable, know how to put it down.

WED NOV 21 - SUN NOV 25 / NATHAN MACINTOSH feat. MIKE STORCK / ABSOLUTE COMEDY / 2335 YONGE / 8PM / $6-15

You have to give credit where credit is due: Nathan Macintosh, a Caucasian comedian with orange hair boldly took the stage at Kenny Robinson's All Black Comedy Show and had the crowd on his side all night, which is no easy feat. What impressed me the most was that he took that particular stage and did HIS act, not the act that he thought they wanted to see. He's gathered up accolades accordingly, including the 2009 Canadian comedy Award for Best Newcomer, semi-finalist in the Boston Comedy Festival, and winning the Tim Sims Encouragement Fund Award.

SAT NOV 24 / TORONTO COMEDY REVUE / DOMINION ON QUEEN / 500 QUEEN E / 830PM / $20

Continuing our theme of absolutely stacked shows, we have the Toronto Comedy Revue, which always brings the heat. In this edition, powerhouses like Mark Little (PicnicFace, Mr. D) and Darrin Rose (Last Comic Standing) light up the stage. Also headlining this edition is Laurie Elliott, whose CV includes The Red Green Show, three Canadian Comedy Awards for Best Female Stand-up, and Just For Laughs.

About the Author: This is Michael Jagdeo, and I refuse to write about myself in the third-person. My blog, Diary of a Stand-up Comedian, teaches you how to be - and how not to be - a comedian in Toronto. 

There's a measured hand at work in the scripts of celebrated Canadian playwright John Mighton. A mathematician by trade, Mighton pens stories that probe the boundaries of the world in which we live. His plays wrestle with the construction of the rules that govern our universe, but also the philosophical questioning of our place among them.

The Little Years is a study of the trappings of time and space. Specifically, the brutality of time and its effect on everything from health and relationships, to technology, art, and the environment. Mighton's intellectual themes are brought richly to life by director Chris Abraham and a clearly focused cast who age before our very eyes. While there are moments where it plods through these time stretches, stuck too firmly in intellectual questioning, there's a lot to enjoy in this slow, cerebral dance through the decades.

Kate (Irene Poole) seeks to uncover the mysteries of time and space in a decade in which women aren't supposed to exercise their brains. Her mother (Chick Reid) places Kate firmly in the shadow of her older brother William, who marries Grace (Pamela Sinha), a liberal activist. As time passes, the characters shrink under the weight of regret and drift forwards and backwards.

Like a well-crafted lecture, the play is chock full of wonderful intellectual challenges tempered by moments when emotions, that are resistant to rationality, interfere. If there's a criticism of the play it's that the ideas almost always dominate feeling, leaving some of the scenes painfully slow and lacking action. There's a sense of hyper-realism in the dialogue — long pauses, short answers — that weighs down the pace.

At the core of Mighton's explorations is the fear of irrelevance brought on by the passing of time. It proves to be the strongest and most affecting theme of the play. Kate as a young teen grapples with this burgeoning feeling, like a pit in the bottom of her stomach. As a young adult it continues to nag and she combats it with anger. And finally, as an adult, the feeling has so overwhelmingly taken over that she's lost all desire for accomplishment. Mighton shows masterful craftsmanship in the triptych of Kate's journey.

Abraham and a talented team of designers push the text further. Thomas Ryder Payne underwrites the dialogue and transitions with a subtle but deeply effective score. Kimberly Purtell's complex lighting design transcends mood setting, as a host of shapes float through the space. And Julie Fox outfits fifty years of style in 90 minutes — not an easy feat.

Poole's slow transformation from anger into irrelevance is haunting to watch. There is a broken quality to the eldest Kate that feels rooted in the real; we've all met this fractured person before. Reid is riveting as the mother who helps drive her there, especially in her final years. Cohen and Sinha are also strong as their beliefs change throughout the years.

There's rarely a moment in Mighton's play that isn't endowed with an interesting question. It makes for a challenging but deeply unique working out of the confines of time.

—

The Little Years, written by John Mighton and directed by Chris Abraham, runs at the Tarragon Theatre until December 16.

Photo of The Little Years by Cylla von Tiedemann

The room is filled with shrunken heads, ancient war clubs, and sculpture of resin bananas with penises inside. Yup, this is definitely Billy Jamieson's collection. Media has gathered at Richies Auction House on the eve of the first official preview for an auction of Billy Jamieson's incredible possessions. The lot is simultaneously beautiful and terrifying, with an elegant Tang Dynasty ceramic figure on one end of the room, and a taxidermy two-headed calf on the other.

Billy Jamieson was known as one of Canada's foremost dealers and collectors, with an eye for the eccentric and a personality to match. He travelled the world looking for one-of-a-kind antiquities that he could buy and sell, with the leftovers (or the especially beloved) landing in the 6,000-square foot loft/museum he shared with his fiancée, Jessica Phillips.

Jamieson was working on the History Television show, Treasure Trader, when he died suddenly in his Wellington Street apartment back in July 2011. Jessica, however, saw to it that the program went to air, and continues to immerse herself in the world of antique trading. And she is the motivating force behind the Billy Jamieson auction this weekend.

"All of these things meant something to someone," Jessica says when I ask her how she chose which items to put up for auction. "Each one has a story; someone made a remark about it, or was connected to it, or it's just something I think someone else will appreciate."

Jessica strikes me as remarkably poised, especially since I can imagine the process would be emotionally draining. "It is hard," she admits. "People keep asking me what my favourite item is, and I don't want to say it because I'm afraid I'm going to pull it off the wall!"

There are definitely a few items going to auction that are garnering a fair degree of attention. There's the 1966 Austin Healey 3000 convertible, for one, which is parked outside the auction hall and somewhat lost in the evening darkness. Inside, the 18th century Ojibwe war club, on the other hand, is getting the attention it deserves, especially for its finer details which include 11 human figures carved on its side, indicating just how many people the owner of the club had killed in war. That piece alone is estimated at somewhere between $125,000 and $140,000.

Taking in the sheer volume of collectibles in the room, I discover a few coveted lots of my own, including a collection of 20th century Chinese lotus slippers for bound feet, and a somewhat cringe-inducing gilt bronze miniature bed with a iron mousetrap built into the mattress.

There's also an incredible painted "Phantom" shield from the Western Highland Tribe of New Guinea (estimated at upwards of $8000), plus a framed picture of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Roger Maris with signed baseball cards and a World Series ticket from 1962. So, really something for everyone.

Before leaving I catch up with Jessica and ask her what she's hoping to get out of the weekend. "Really, I think this is going to be great," she says. "I sort of see this as a way of giving people a little bit of Billy, even though it's hard," she continues. "But Billy taught me that you can't really own anything; you just hold it for a little while."

Photos by Laura Lodoe

Long before the Blue Jays and the SkyDome, Toronto earnestly tried to win a 1960 American League expansion franchise by proposing new civic stadiums in several diverse and quite frankly ridiculous locations.

The idea was that the city's existing ballparks - Maple Leaf Stadium and Exhibition Stadium - were either too small or poorly configured for big league baseball. If Toronto wanted a team of its own, it would need to build a new venue or significantly expand one it already had.

Locations like High Park, the Don Valley, Riverdale Park, Rosedale, the Danforth, Woodbine Racetrack, Liberty Village, and even one on new fill in Lake Ontario near the foot of Strachan Avenue were touted as suitable locations for a Skydome-like project, and several reports were produced discussing the viability of each. Officials even toured US stadiums to gather ideas.

As part of their fact-finding missions, Toronto sent questionnaires to the municipal governments of 19 American cities with their own franchise. Most responded with intricate details of average spends, pedestrian traffic figures, and gorgeous maps of their cities. Based on the facts gleaned from this survey, the city established its own set of stadium criteria.

It a nutshell, it needed to accommodate baseball, football, and other "sundry" sports, a horseshoe or bowl shape, have links to a subway and highway, and be able to hold 60,000 fans. The total cost was predicted to be between $3- and $6-million, depending on the location.

Major League Baseball had indicated it planned to expand the American League in 1960 into cities without a team of their own. It's likely plenty of towns in the US sent in applications - an MLB franchise was widely seen as a major boon to local economies. Toronto's formal proposal imagined a team named the "Toronto Canadians" that would play in a purpose-built stadium somewhere in the city and attract visitors from the US.

The pitch tried to dispel concerns about the local climate (ironically, the Jays' first game would be played on a snowy field) and boasted of Torontonians love for the bat and ball. You can read the whole thing below:

Toronto Canadians MLB Pitch

Meanwhile, in an internal report, the city weighed the pros and cons of various stadium locations. Very few open spaces were exempt from at least some kind of consideration and as a result several truly awful proposals came up (a Skydome in Trinity Bellwoods Park, anyone?)

The locations that didn't make it beyond the first elimination were: High Park, Earlscourt Park, Christie Pits, Dentonia Park, Ramsden Park, the air directly above rail yards at Hillcrest and Main Street and Danforth, Woodbine Racetrack and several other sites in East York, Scarborough, and Toronto. A few, upon study, merited more detailed proposals. Here are some of those:

GREENWOOD AVENUEIn late 1950s, two large patches of land either side of Greenwood Avenue just south of the Danforth was up for grabs. Disused gravel pits, roughly where Monarch Park and St. Patrick Catholic Secondary School stand today were listed as suitable for a major league ballpark.

On the west side of the street, the TTC lands which had yet to be developed into a subway yard were also thought ripe for development. The city pitched the idea of a stadium above the subway yard with a spur line or second exit into the complex from the planned Greenwood station. Alternatively, parking would have been placed over the yard and a pedestrian bridge across Greenwood Avenue would link to a stadium in Monarch Park. The city balked when the TTC said an engineering study would be cost prohibitive.

CENTRAL HARBOURFRONTOne of two waterfront proposals, the planned stadium would have been built on existing fill south of Queens Quay between York and Yonge, the site of the present day ferry terminal. Good links to the Gardiner Expressway, Union Station, and the downtown core were considered major positives. The report suggested using the stadium's parking for nearby offices in the off-season. The plan was nixed because it was thought ramps to the highway would be too close.

KING-JOHN-FRONT-SIMCOEForeseeing the reduction in railway use in the area, a stadium was planned to cover the area south of King north of Front, effectively condemning part of Wellington Street to pass through a tunnel.

Though it had good transit connections, the idea of a stadium here wasn't considered viable due to its potential impact on local traffic. An alternative site roughly where the CN Tower is now is also mentioned but the cost of building over the tracks was thought to be prohibitive.

MAPLE LEAF STADIUMRefurbishing the former home of the bat and ball Toronto Maple Leafs made a good deal of sense. The site was big enough to accommodate expansion, the ballpark was already established, and there was a good chance of building links to the proposed Queen Street subway and the Gardiner Expressway.

What the Lake Shore Boulevard lacked, however, was parking. This was the 1950s and the car was the king. The nearest available land would have required (shock horror) a shuttle bus service. The proposal also suggested a rapid transit link to Union Station but died on the table. The stadium site is now occupied by apartments.

LAKE ONTARIO

This one was probably the most ridiculous of all the stadium suggestions. Basically a proto-Ontario Place, the stadium in the lake would have required new fill close to the Western Gap against the advice of the Harbour Commission who wanted the space between the city and Billy Bishop airport open.

Unfortunately for render junkies the stadium didn't progress the diagram or mock-up stage. The massive cost of building a new stadium in the lake was the main reason why this project never garnered popular support.

RIVERDALE PARKBelieve it or not, this was actually the city's favoured location for the Toronto Canadians. The natural amphitheatre in the land north of the isolation hospital lent itself well to baseball and the links to the coming Bloor-Danforth line and Don Valley Parkway were a major draw for developers.

It's worth noting that the route for the subway hadn't been finalized in the above map and two possible alignments are shown: one over the Prince Edward Viaduct and one under the Don Valley further south. Had a stadium been approved for Riverdale Park it's possible the route of the Bloor-Danforth line could have been altered to accomodate the project.

An alternative site north of the Prince Edward Viaduct on the valley floor would have linked to the Danforth by a system of escalators and required a the diversion of the Don River.

During examinations it was decided that the land in the valley would have to be raised before construction could begin to prevent disaster in the event of a flood. Hurricane Hazel just a few years before had clearly demonstrated the dangers of building too close to rivers and the associated costs of keeping the stadium safe was likely a deciding factor when it came to eliminating this location.

ROSEDALEHoards of marauding baseball fans in one of the city's most upscale neighbourhoods? Sure, why not. The "ingenious" Rosedale Stadium was sketched at the top of Rosedale Valley Road directly over the top of the subway station and seemed to have some local support.

A 5,000-space parking lot close by would have served the stadium on game days and, apparently, boosted local shopping. The natural bowl shape in the land at the top of the valley would have allowed the ballpark to be submerged below the level of the surrounding neighbourhood in an attempt to cut noise.

One pamphlet distributed at the time by the Yonge-Bloor-Bay Association makes a passionate case for the project but then continues to state, bizarrely, that "there is not much place in society for beatniks."

EXHIBITION PARKAnother stadium reno, the CNE grounds proposal suggested boosting capacity at the existing Exhibition Stadium as an economy measure compared to the cost of building a new arena on reclaimed or flood-prone land.

The report worried about scheduling clashes with football games and other Ex events but later it was agreed the stadium could get almost as much money from hosting Grey Cup games as MLB matches. The transit links weren't ideal though - just two streetcar lines served the site and the chances of a hookup to a subway line weren't great.

Though it wasn't the favourite, Exhibition Stadium was eventually selected as the site for the proposed new franchise. A south bleacher section was added in 1959 but, in the end, it was all for naught. MLB didn't feel like playing ball with Toronto or Canada at that time. The new franchises were awarded to the Los Angeles Angels and Washington Senators (now Texas Rangers).

The city would have to wait another 16 years for the Blue Jays to land at the CNE grounds.

Images: City of Toronto Archives

Photo by Dan Armishaw in the blogTO Flickr pool

The story behind Ryerson's new gallery reads almost like a fairy tale--complete with a generous benefactor--but the attention rightly belongs on its world-class collection of photography, and innovative programming.

Read my profile of Ryerson Image Centre in the galleries section.

A photography exhibit and book launch is the last place you'd expect to see buff men with muscular arms, but the uncomfortable contrast of servers in tight black tees serving Chilean cab sauv while art kids consume imagery is exactly what Flash Forward is about. A quick browse around the Daniels Spectrum at Wednesday night's Flash Forward 2012 winners' exhibit opening and book launch detailed the appeal of such contrasts in art.

Jonathan Hobin's "Boo Grave" reenacts the Lynndie England scandal with child models, while around the gallery's corner, British photographer Maja Daniels' "Mady and Monette" series depicts elderly twins fulfilling simple, child-like behaviours such as dancing.

What began as a festival in 2004 has grown under the guidance of MaryAnn Camilleri, creator of Flash Forward and director of the Magenta Foundation, an arts publishing house that publishes a print edition of each year's winners.

This year's Flash Forward 2012 hardcover ($40) featured hundreds of images on glossy pages, including Bright Spark Award winner Evgenia Arbugaeva, who won for her images of Tiksi, the small Russian town of her youth, which was depicted through the lens of an adult, but revisited with a child's sense of imagination.

The exhibit itself, taking place in the expansive Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre on Dundas East, honoured emerging photographers from Canada, the U.S. and the UK in its 8th annual show. Flash Forward 2012 showcased over 100 pro fine art and documentary photographers' works.

While the exhibit did its best to represent artists from all three countries--and the crowd tried its hardest to ignore the misfits serving them booze as they browsed the four walls of photographs--a large emphasis seemed to be placed on Canadian talent, including up-and-coming Canadian pro fine art and documentary photographers such as Ian Willms, Jeff Bierk, and Joshua MacDonald.

Images, such as Arbugaeva's, will appear at the London, UK exhibit opening and book launch next Wednesday. A U.S. show is also in the works.

Flash Forward 2012 is on display at Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre (585 Dundas Street East) from Monday to Saturday, 12-6pm, until November 20th.

Photos by Andrew Williamson

This week in theatre rounds up the most noteworthy live theatre playing right now in Toronto. It includes just-opened shows as well as productions that are about to close.

The Arsonists / Bluma Appel Theatre / 8:00pm / 1:30pm / $24-$79
Swiss playwright Max Frisch's The Arsonists is the farce on the Canadian Stage calendar this year, in a new translation by Alistair Beaton and with direction from Morris Panych. In the play, two strangers appear in the home of the protagonist, who's keen to turn a blind eye towards their identities since he's certain they're the criminals torching houses in his town. The play features Michael Ball and Fiona Reid.

BOBLO / Theatre Centre / 7:30pm / 2:00pm / $20-$25
Kitchenband Productions has been cooking up a personal show called BOBLO during their two years of development in residency at The Theatre Centre. The show is an interdisciplinary theatre and music experience that takes as its subject a place called Boblo Island Amusement Park, located in the middle of the Detroit River. Through personal recollections, field recordings, songs, and signature souvenirs, the childhood environment is revived once again.

The Little Years / Tarragon Theatre / 8:00pm / 2:30pm / $21-$53
John Mighton is as unique a voice as we have on Canadian stages. The Siminovitch-winning playwright deftly bridges art and science in his work (Half Life, A Short History of Night, Possible Worlds). Originally produced at Stratford last year under direction from Chris Abraham, the play is set in the 1950s and introduces us to Kate, who is entranced by space and time, and William, sight unseen, who finds success in the literary world. The show features Hannah Anderson, Ari Cohen, Victor Ertmanis, Giacomo Gianniotti, Bethany Jillard, Irene Poole, Chick Reid, and Pamela Sinha.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts / 7:30pm / 2:30pm / $25-$100+
The National Ballet's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a company highlight from 2011, is back for their current season after garnering rave reviews touring in Los Angeles. As we saw the first time around, this treatment of Lewis Carroll's classic, with choreography from Christopher Wheeldon, is big on spectacle and whimsy. It's here until November 25, at which point the company will turn its focus to a tour in Washington, D.C in January.

Eigengrau / Lower Ossington Theatre / 7:30pm / 10:00pm / $10-$20
Meaning "intrinsic light; the colour seen by the eye in perfect darkness," Eigengrau is used here as a metaphor for seeing clearly in unexpected and strange circumstances. It's what happens to the four characters in Penelope Skinner's dark comedy: Rose who believes in true love, Cassie who fights against patriarchal structures, Tim who has trouble getting out of bed, and Mark who's wrapped up in the world of marketing. All four will have their worlds shaken when circumstance brings them together.

Photo of The Arsonists by Bruce Zinger

Jerk chicken sausage, Tuscan lamb with sundried tomatoes and pine nuts, blue cheese steak sausage, wild boar with prunes and cognac and so many more. This Etobicoke butcher offers an endless list of homemade signature sausages, all of which are made preservative- and additive-free. Plus naturally raised aged beef, and charcuterie made from locally raised meats.

Read my profile of Medium Rare in the grocery stores section.

Nathan Phillips Square is a hive of activity right now. Celebrations for the 100th Grey Cup Festival and construction work on numerous new, less grey features are now underway. Below is a reminder of what the project is bringing to the space outside City Hall. There's also a look at an often overlooked feature of Toronto's streetcars and video of the end of Etobicoke's lost tourist destination.

The lead image by Martin Reis shows one of the final riders of the Jarvis bike as a work truck approaches, cleaning off the controversial paint. Removal of the bike lanes started Monday and sparked a minor but passionate protest from several cyclists. A fifth lane is due to be up and running at the expense of the markings shortly.

UPDATING NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUAREConstruction might be running a little over budget, but Toronto's civic square and monument to the glory of concrete is in the late stages of a major facelift. When it's finished, the city will have a much-improved space to gather, play, and protest (if the need arises.)

Here are some of the new features currently now scheduled to cost $2.6 million:

• Theatre Stage: A permanent structure for live performances located on the west side of the square. The twin towers of City Hall provide a cool backdrop.
• New Skate Pavilion: A revamped place to rent skates for the reflecting pool rink in winter and a cosy place to change. There's also going to be a concession stand.
• Restaurant: Soon diners will be able to chow down in the shadow of municipal politics. The 300-seater restaurant and bar will also have a seasonal patio.
• Enhanced Planters: If there's one thing Nathan Phillips Square lacks it's green space. New low-level flower beds at street level and on the podium roof will provide a splash of much needed colour.
• A new Peace Garden: Shifted closer to Osgoode Hall, the new Peace Garden will include raised planters, a water feature and an eternal flame.
• Disappearing Fountain: Just like Rob Ford imagined on his trip to Edmonton, the new square will prominently feature a nine-jet water fountain/splash pad in the summer. When it gets cold, the fountain can be turned off and the basin used for winter activities.

STREETCAR SANDToronto's new streetcars might be chock full of fancy features like air conditioning, Presto readers, and extra doors, but one thing is staying the same from the old model, and that's sand. Lots and lots of sand.

When a streetcar - or any train for that matter - has to brake suddenly, the metal wheels tend to skid across the surface of the rails. Depositing a blast of sand provides extra grip and reduces stopping distance.

In the current CLRV and ALRV streetcars the sand boxes are located under the first seats on each side of the vehicle. The fine spray is automatically deployed when the driver steps on the anchors or when there's particularly low traction. The driver can also apply sand manually.

Look out for patches of fine grit trapped by the rails next time you're crossing the street and rest assured it will be there for some time yet.

CARDS WITH A HEARTIt's easy to forget that while we're fussing over shiny new additions to the TTC's fleet many people in our communities regularly go hungry and rely on local food banks for sustenance. At Christmas, these problems can seem even more pronounced.

"From Me T.O. You," a local group of graphic designers, has produced a series of charity Christmas cards to benefit the Daily Bread Food Bank. The packs of 10 cards cost $15 and are available online.

SMASHING THE BEACH MOTEL

Earlier this week demolition crews tore down the last remnant of Etobicoke's once booming lakeshore hotel strip. The Beach Motel was once one of thirty or more resorts on Lake Ontario popular during the 1950s and 60s. When the Gardiner Expressway arrived, however, the appeal of the lake front in the area waned. The motels that clung on were renowned for prostitution and drug use in recent years.

Above is video of a hungry grabber pulling down the walls of Beach Motel to make way for a new condo development.

WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK:

• The same company has supplied City Hall's Christmas tree for more than 50 years [The Grid]
• People really liked the Jarvis bike lanes [The Star]
• Barn swallows have dangerous poop [The Star]
• No, that person on the street didn't just fart (well, maybe...) [The Star]

Photos: "Stand in the place where you bike" by Martinho from the blogTO Flickr pool, PLANT Architect and Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will, and Chris Bateman/blogTO.

Photo by DMVPhotography in the blogTO Flickr pool

What's high strung, a little dangerous, and flies across Nathan Phillips Square at 30 km/h? Points if the name of a city councillor came to mind, but I would have also accepted a temporary zip line strung between the towers of City Hall and Queen Street.

Every day until November 24, the day before the Grey Cup, visitors to City Hall can pay $20 to be strapped to a pulley and walked off the end of a metal gantry built over the roof of the clamshell, the circular building in the centre of the municipal complex. The pay off is a thrilling ride and a great view of Nathan Phillips Square.

The 130 feet tall ride is the tallest urban zip line in North America and was set up as part of the10-day 100th Grey Cup Festival. A street party and film festival at Yonge-Dundas Square theatres are also part of the program. The net proceeds from the zip line will go to the Argos' charitable foundations.

Once you've signed your life away with a waiver, the zip line staff buckle you into a harness, give you a helmet, and send you up a temporary metal tower. At the top, you're clipped into a pulley with a safety line in case, you know, something breaks. The most unnerving part is walking off the end of a set of stairs to get started. The last step is about 13 floors above the ground.

The ride itself is pretty brief (about 20 seconds) but you do get a chance to see the roof of the council chamber, an expansive view of Nathan Phillips Square, and a unique perspective of the buildings in the financial district. Oh, and watch out for the end - it's a little bumpy...

If you prefer to get your adrenaline fix from the comfort of home, here's a surprisingly expletive-free video of my trip down the wire taken from a helmet mounted camera:

GOPR0032 from Tom Ryaboi - BlogTO on Vimeo.

ZIP LINE HOURS:

• Saturday, November 17: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• Sunday, November 18: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Monday, November 19: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Tuesday, November 20: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Wednesday, November 21: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Thursday, November 22: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
• Friday, November 23: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
• Saturday, November 24: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

MORE PHOTOS:Photos: Tom Ryaboi

Photo by suesthegrl in the blogTO Flickr pool

CULTURE | Henry Rollins @ Glenn Gould Studio
Tonight, Henry Rollins begins a three-night run at the CBC's Glenn Gould Studio. This venue is quite a far cry from the rough and tumble hardcore punk gigs which the former Black Flag frontman used to perform back in his early '80s Get In The Van era, but times have changed, as have Rollins' offerings as a performer. Rollins has been focusing his efforts exclusively on spoken word performances for a while now, but it's certainly a format he has been involved with since the beginning of his career. His current speaking tour, dubbed The Long March, will promote his book of essays and photographs Occupants, many of which were taken on his world travels. Rollins is known for his humour, wit, insight, and vulgarity. Should be good!
Glenn Gould Studio (250 Front Street West) 7PM $30

MUSIC | Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil hits Massey Hall tonight! Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira, also known simply as Gilberto Gil is a Brazilian singer/songwriter who has also had a political career, having served as his homeland's Minister of Culture. Gil is known by many as the "godfather of the Tropicália movement," and has won two Grammys: in 1998 he received the Best World Music Album for his album Quanta, and 2005 saw this musician take home the award for Best Contemporary World Music Album for his album Eletracústico.
Massey Hall (178 Victoria Street) 8PM $29.50 - $79.50

BOOKS & LIT | What Disturbs Our Blood
Tonight, as part of the Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre's "Book With Us" series, James Fitzgerald will read from his memoir, What Disturbs Our Blood. This book has been hailed by the Globe and Mail as being "as riveting as a crime thriller." Fitzgerald is a journalist and author who lives in the Parkdale neighbourhood, which works perfectly with the Book With Us series' focus, which is celebrating both literature, and their community.
PARC (1499 Queen Street West) 7PM PWYC ($10 suggested)

FUNDRAISER | Light the Dark
Light The Dark is a special fundraising event in support of Cameron Helps, a TO charity that works with teens to both raise awareness about and aid prevention of teen suicide. Cameron Helps educates teens about the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle which is conducive to mental health. Tonight at this event, there will be a silent auction and a raffle to help raise some funds, plus a fun meet and greet with the Toronto Marlies' Will Acton, food, and live entertainment with Shawn Brady and Seven Symphonies.
Pour House (182 Dupont Street) 7PM $7

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR RADAR

Neil Young + Crazy Horse
POINT TRAVERSE, A feature film by Albert Shin
Shannon Graham and the Storytellers at the Rex

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

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.

Photo by under the influence of dub in the blogTO Flickr pool

According to the The Star, a new poll says Toronto is split on how to finance a downtown relief line. 45 per cent of respondents said they were willing to pay for the infrastructure with a $50 annual property tax hike, while 40 per cent said they were opposed. 15 per cent said they weren't sure. The proposed line would connect Pape and King stations to take pressure off the Yonge line. Does these results surprise you? Where do you stand on a property tax hike for transit?

The 108th annual Santa Claus parade brought festive cheer to late November this weekend. The parade, which featured Rob Ford handing out candy canes, ran from Christie Pits Park to the St. Lawrence Market. CTV helpfully notes the candies were stored in a "reusable black canvas bag." The parade was shown on TV in New Zealand, Norway and Ireland, apparently. We'll have pictures shortly.

Doug Ford defended his "workaholic" brother on a special solo edition of their weekly this weekend. Guest starring councillor Frances Nunziata while Ford was busy on parade duty, the show featured a justification of the mayor's dedication to time spent coaching the Don Bosco Eagles. Is the coaching justified now his team is seeing success?

Speaking of councillors, the Toronto Taxpayers Coalition, a group dedicated to monitoring municipal spending, has handed out report cards for each member of the 45-person council, rating them A+ to F. Doug Holyday, Cesar Palacio and Denzil Minnan-Wong all received the top grade. Rob Ford got a B.

The reversible centre lane on Jarvis Street is set for its first major workout this morning. Two bike lanes made way for the additional vehicle lane, which has been open since Saturday. Perhaps the hardest pill to swallow for cyclists still smarting from the loss: the reappearance of on-street parking on the west side of Jarvis. Will you use the street if you commute by car? Will you still ride if you're a cyclist?

Also in transportation, the Spadina streetcar is back this morning between King and Bloor streets. The TTC was replacing sections of track on the street and renovating stations.

The Toronto Sun's fixation with Christmas trees and what people choose to call them continued this weekend. Coverage of the Eton Centre's weirdo pink tree made the front page this Sunday.

Finally, in case you missed it this weekend, the Toronto Argonauts are heading to the Grey Cup thanks to their closely-fought win over the Montreal Alouettes Sunday. The championship game will be played against the Calgary Stampeders at Rogers Centre next weekend.

IN BRIEF:

• Toronto public school board ponders selling land from 127 school playgrounds [The Star]
• Loved ones voice more concerns about Sunnybrook veterans [CBC]
• TTC reinstates 'brave' streetcar driver suspended for chasing assault suspect [National Post]

FROM THE WEEKEND:

• Mighton's The Little Years bends time and space
• Shrunken heads, 2-headed calf at Toronto auction
• That time when Toronto went stadium crazy
• New Ryerson gallery unveils world-class photography
• Flash Forward 2012 showcases new photography talent
• This Week in Theatre
• This Week In Comedy
• Toronto butcher makes over 60 varieties of sausage
• Sunday Supplement: Nathan Phillips Square, streetcars, and the Beach Motel
• City Hall gets a zip line (for a limited time)

Photo: "18/365 - ROM" by mcdux from the blogTO Flickr pool.

AC/DC fans, you're not going to want to miss this. To celebrate the release of AC/DC's Live at River Plate, in stores today, a convoy of AC/DC-branded military vehicles will be traveling throughout downtown Toronto today between noon and 8pm giving away thousands of items of free AC/DC swag. Not wanting to be left out of the action, we're giving away a full AC/DC catalogue (20 albums in total) to one lucky winner. Keep reading for how you can win.

THE PRIZE

1 lucky winner will receive a full AC/DC catalogue (20 albums in total)

HOW TO WIN

To win, just tweet us one or more photos of the convoy that's roaming around Toronto today. Don't know where to find it? We'll be tweeting throughout the day updates on locations where we've spotted it. Make sure to include the hashtag #about2rock for your photo to qualify for this contest.

All photos must be tweeted (with the hashtag) no later than 9pm tonight (November 19, 2012). We'll then select our favourite photo and announce the winner tomorrow morning. Check back on this post (or watch our Twitter or Facebook) tomorrow to find out if you won.

FINE PRINT

You must be a Toronto-area resident to win. We'll be contacting the winner via Twitter so make sure to follow us (and allow us to follow/contact you) and check your Twitter DMs tomorrow.

UPDATE

We now have a winner! Congrats to Twitter user @bmaetel who sent us the following photo:

Live music picks for TUESDAY NOVEMBER 20 through SATURDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2012.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 20 / ...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR W / $18.50 - $20 / 19+

It might not be a sound that appeals to everyone, but no one can say that Austin-based alt-rockers ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead aren't masters of the technical aspect of music. With a blending of genres including post-hardcore and math rock, this quartet has gained an almost cult-like following, and are well know for their wild and frantic live shows that often end with the band destroying their instruments. The Coathangers and The Box Tiger will offer support.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 21 / GENTICORUM / HUGH'S ROOM / 2261 DUNDAS W / $22.50 - $25 / ALL AGES

If you're looking for something a little different this week, you might want to check out Genticorum, a trio from Montreal who specialize in a unique brand of traditional Quebecois folk tunes. While their compositions are largely original, they tend to stick to traditional lyrics. And you certainly don't have to be fluent in French to enjoy their music, as their live shows are known to be very lively and filled with audience sing-alongs.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 22 / THE REZILLOS / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR W / $18.50 - $20 / 19+

This Scottish punk/new wave band has been on the scene since 1976, and while they haven't released any new albums in 30 years, they still tour extensively. Interestingly enough, their best-known song isn't even an original piece - it's a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in Tonight." It's a very, very decent cover, but the band's other work is definitely worth checking out, especially if you're a fan of punk.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 23 / OTHER LIVES / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN W / $15 - $17 / 19+

If you're a fan of folk music, you'll definitely want to head down to the Horseshoe on Friday and check out this Stillwater, Oklahoma quintet. In the past, Other Lives has opened for bands like Bon Iver and Radiohead, and it's not difficult to see why - their music, while firmly entrenched in the folk genre, has a very atmospheric and almost-dreamlike sound to it.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 24 / THE MALADIES OF ADAM STOKES / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR W / $7 / 19+

This is absolutely fantastic stuff, right here. The Maladies of Adam Stokes are a Toronto-based group that will be celebrating the release of their debut album, City of Trees, at Lee's with an incredible lineup of supporting artists, including Graydon James and the Young Novelists, David Hustler and the Trustworthy, and Beyond the Mountain. This is alt-country at its finest, and all for only seven bucks - you really have no excuse to miss it.

For more music listings, check out our events calendar.

Looking for tickets? Check out Rotate This or Soundscapes to avoid Ticketmaster robbery.

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

Photo of ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead courtesy of Guus Krol on Flickr.

No love for butter-free, egg-free cake, Cabbagetown? Or you just want your vegan cake, and to eat something meaty too? Whatever the reason, Mylk Uncookies has been bought by a new owner, and the menu has been subsequently transformed (or rather, expanded) to offer some daily specials from the new proprietor's catering menu. But don't worry, there's room for vegan cookies, espresso with almond milk and tuna wraps and grilled chicken, too.

Read my profile of It's Jenny Espresso Boutique in the cafes section.

Stopping by the Opera House on the tail-end of their first ever full Canadian tour, the CunninLynguists - with special guests DJ Flip Flop, Sadistik , Tonedeff and PackFM lit up the stage on Saturday night with an unparalleled setlist of intelligent, lyric-driven hip hop music.

After Sadistik's appearance, during which he freestyled about the Cuban Missile Crisis based on a fan request, Tonedeff energetically took to the stage with a highly entertaining performance. After teaching the audience how to do the two-step, he jumped off the stage and performed "Everybody Knows But Me" within the small but devoted crowd. During "Issawn," he and PackFM got the party going by starting a Conga line which serpentined its way throughout the venue.

Tonedeff's dedication to audience interaction was only outmatched by his skills on the microphone. Alleged to be one of the fastest in hip hop history, Tonedeff spat out lyrics at break-neck speed. After such a spectacular performance, I was almost disappointed that his set wasn't longer.

As soon as CunninLynguists appeared, my near disappointment turned to excitement. Natti was M.I.A. as he didn't make it over the border, but Deacon the Villain and Kno gave a shout-out to border control saying, "Natti sends his love. Fuck the border control!"

The two original members of CunninLynguists started their set with "Hellfire" and continued with a list of old-school hits like "Thugged Out Since Cubscouts," "Old School," and "Will Rap for Food." The throwback set list was likely due to Natti's absence and I was slightly disappointed to miss out on some of my favourite songs from Oneirology - "Darkness (Dream On)" and "Murder (Act II)" in particular.

I was still happy to hear an abridged version of "Stars Shine Brightest (In the Darkest of Night)" and an awesome rendition of "Enemies with Benefits" during which Tonedeff and Sadistik returned to the stage.

Even though Kno stated that asking Canadians if they liked weed was like asking anyone if they liked food and oxygen, security guards at the Opera House threw out anyone caught lighting up. But aside from an ever-thinning crowd due to very tight security and a missing member, CunninLynguists put on a fine performance, showcasing their clever rhymes.

It's been 10 years since the last time they were in Toronto. Let's hope their next visit comes sooner.

Photos by Brian Morton