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A brief history of the Mod Club Theatre

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toronto mod club historyThe Mod Club Theatre has become a staple venue in Little Italy over the past ten years. As a 600 person capacity space, it's been a coveted spot for countless nights of parties, concerts, live shows, drinking and joyful celebration. It initially had a focus on British acts from Amy Winehouse to Muse and New Order, but has since become a catch-all for a wide variety of musical acts.

Early days (1999 - Pre-Theatre)

What some may have forgotten is that the Mod Club, the brain child of Mark Holmes aka DJ MRK, of Can-Rock band Platinum Blonde, actually began as a weekly Wednesday club night at the Lava Lounge (now the location of modern furniture store, Structube). The venue was a perfect fit since it was already decked out with groovy '60s art and an accessible College and Bathurst location. Holmes supplied the music (Motown, Northern Soul, The Kinks, Small Faces, classic R&B) and cut-and-paste videos he put together himself on two VCRs.

"It was a very good time for British music. Bands like Blur and Oasis were at an all-time high, and Toronto was always very receptive to British culture. I thought why not start a night going back to its roots?" Holmes told us.

"I wasn't around to appreciate the '60s but I saw Casino Royale, the James Bond spoof, as a kid and it was one of the most influential films I ever watched. It had all the glamour I loved, and even from that age I thought, how on earth do I achieve that?" Somehow he did, and the night quickly took off, generating line-ups of birds in miniskirts and chaps in skinny suits that sometimes stretched around the block through all forms of weather, even knee-deep in blizzards.

2000-2001

The night expanded to Wednesdays at Lava Lounge and Saturdays at the Revival to accommodate the growing fan base. One night, Revival was slapped with an over-capacity charge which sent Mark scrambling for a replacement venue, as the show must go on.

Across the street was a massive pool hall that had a brief stint as a nightclub named Allure but the neighborhood complained about sound violations and it was quickly shut down. Prior to that, it was a community center of sorts, which explains how it acquired its stage. "I checked it out and it had this beautiful stage and balcony.

I was thinking, what on earth are they doing with this place?" Aside from a (literally) smoking sound system, the party was a success and Mark knew he had to have the space for his own -- but the timing just wasn't right. He kept the night going at Revival for two and a half more years before making the jump across the pond, er, street.

2002

The new venue was dubbed the Mod Club Theatre, to avoid further confusion, but continued to run his Mod Club Saturday nights at both clubs--directly across the street from each other--until Revival decided to take back their primary night. "I wanted to make a place that was glorious--where you could feel comfy, cozy and not have chewing gum stuck to the seat of your trousers. A place that had lights like a real concert."

toronto mod club history2004

It took some time to convince promoters and agents that the Mod Club was not a threat, but an ally to house their bookings. One of early shows brought in by 102.1 The Edge's, 'The Next Big Thing' concert series with Muse was a historic event for the establishment which cemented years of industry stardom for the venue. Muse still holds their after-parties at the club whenever they are in town, regardless of the show venue. They even flew in one Halloween from Chicago, just to party.

2006

Holmes booked Keane (pre-platinum album status) and paid out of pocket to fly them over for the show. In short, The Mod Club Theatre became something of a Toronto institution, much like New York's CBGB or The Marquis.

2007-2008

Thursday nights at the Mod Club went live to air with "Mod Club Thursdays," and Holmes claims to have started the global indie-dance-rock trend with his nights. He was justifiably irked when new music programmers stepped in and yanked his night, citing various reasons, such as demographic rescheduling.

2011

The Mod Club Theatre is tickled pink by Londoner Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Mobile sponsorship, making it a great match for their party lifestyle advertising. The age of the Virgin Mobile Mod Club Theatre begins here. The club remains a cross-generational venue that appeals to a wide demographic.

2012

The Mod Club celebrated its 10th anniversary with a renovated upper 'Loft' space and reinforced soundproofing. Holmes also declares war on pop music. "Our mission is to stop the sickly sweet tooth rotting music. Music is in desperate need of a kick in the ass--it's an embarrassment. I look at our fans as the reserve. We need to rally together and show this city that we aren't going to listen to just those five pop stars and what ever comes out of their recording companies. The Mod Club has always been revolution headquarters and will remain revolution headquarters for many years to come."

Writing by Jesse Ship. Photos by igormazic and Roger Cullman in the blogTO Flickr pool


Photos of the 2012 Santa Claus Parade

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toronto santa claus paradeThere's nothing quite like seeing jolly ol' Saint Nick hit Toronto streets to remind you that Christmas is right around the corner (and incite mounting panic about the imminent gift-giving season). The 108th Santa Claus Parade took place yesterday afternoon, and in addition to the generously-girthed, white-bearded man himself, there were 28 floats, over 20 bands, and a huge crowd of patient fathers sporting excited toddlers on their shoulders. The floats included a celebration of the Grey Cup's 100th edition, clowns, Oreos, Little Red Riding Hood flanked by wolves, and Barbie. It was a colourful, boisterous instalment of the largest children's parade in North America--and now we can look forward to a month and a half of holiday music.

Here are photos of the over-the-top cheer.

Photos by Brian Morton

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Photos from the blogTO Flickr pool

toronto santa claus paradePhoto by owen_yeo

2012 santa claus paradePhoto by JY:) / J. Yeaman

toronto 2012 santa claus paradePhoto by JY:) / J. Yeaman

Pizza and gelato come together in Parkdale

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new parkdale pizza restaurantThe name of this new Parkdale pizza spot can be rather misleading. Rest assured that it doesn't put gelato on the pizza, but rather serves both separately--its pizzas are authentically Italian, and the gelato is sourced from G for Gelato.

Read my profile of Gelato Pizza in the restaurants section.

Toronto Winter Woofstock 2012 goes to the dogs

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winter woofstock toronto 2012Winter Woofstock 2012 touched down in Toronto at the Direct Energy Centre this past weekend. Once again, for the third annual edition of the event, the place was packed with dog owners, dog product vendors, and of course dogs in all shapes and sizes.

Winter Woofstock is one of the biggest shopping experiences for those seeking gifts for pups this holiday season. While the event featured a Mr. and Ms. Canine Pageant and Wiener Dog Races, one of the biggest draws remained the always interesting costume contest. This year there were some incredibly creative homemade creations along with the more familiar prêt-à-porter designs.

Here are some shots of the four-legged fashionistas as they strutted their stuff for the masses.

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The Best Whisky Bars in Toronto

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whisky bars torontoThe best whisky bars in Toronto are adult places--havens for drinkers open to letting their evening unfold in a leisurely, amber-coloured light, and a refuge from boisterous pubs awash in pints or noisy clubs packed with giddy youth fuelling their evening with syrupy sweet coolers and alcopops.

This might be why even the newest place on our list aims for a venerability that can only come easily to a hotel bar that's been serving since Bennett was prime minister and Model As were as common as Honda Civics. Even if the place was a noodle house or a nail salon a year ago, they want you to take your seat at the bar confident that the bartender knows the difference between a Bowmore and a Blanton's, and when it's permissible to drink it with water.

It's an illusion of age that hopes to get you thinking that you're a regular (even if you only heard of the place a week ago) with a friendly agenda that will see you graduating from big icy tumblers of that rye your Dad drank, to precious little snifters of rare single malt. Because frankly, you're old enough, and it's about time.

Here's the list of the best whisky bars in Toronto.

See also:

The best cocktails in Toronto
The best manhattans in Toronto
The best martinis in Toronto
The best margaritas in Toronto
The best cheap drinks in Toronto

Transgendered rap star gets raw on Dundas West

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Mykki BlancoSporting a tight weave and knee-high combat boots Harlem's transgendered rapperMykki Blanco grabbed the mike at Bambi's for her second performance of the night after her opening set for Death Grips at Wrongbar. This was an afterparty that was announced just a few days earlier, but the crowd was lined up and ready for the self-proclaimed "rookie of the year."

Blanco's short set featured songs from her new mixtape Cosmic-Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss. The highlight was watching Blanco crawl the walls thru a never-ending acappella freestyle that had her clawing the air and sent her eyes rolling to the back of the skull. It all ended with the Brenmar produced single Wavvy. The crowd was hanging on her every word, every twitch of a wrist--they were living.

Blanco's performance was a hip-hop exorcism: a little grungy, unapologetically raw and a maybe more than a little fucked up.

What more could you ask for on a cold Sunday night on Dundas West?

Mykki BlancoWriting and photos by Alejandro J. Santiago who came for the music but whose real mission was to snap some shots of Ms. Mykki (she was more than willing). Check out the photos on his blog.

Dragonette

Radar: Free fish and chips, Andrew Solomon, 9th Annual Zareinu Fashion Show, Quattro Books Third Fall Book Launch, Mistletoe Magic Exhibition

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toronto events november 20FOOD | Free Haddock and Chips all day long
It's the 2nd anniversary of King West fish 'n chip shop The One That Got Away and to celebrate the occasion they're giving away free food all day. Expect long line-ups (if just based on the number of shares on our Facebook alone).
581 King Street West, 11am to 10pm

ART | Mistletoe Magic Exhibition and Silent Auction
Contemporary Canadian artists spread their creative magic at Mistletoe Magic Exhibition, a free art auction specializing in small works. Art from various mediums such as paintings, photography, sculpture, drawing and printmaking have been donated in support of the John B. Aird Gallery, a registered charity dedication to creating awareness of the arts. Opening in a special preview today, interested parties are invited to sneak a peek at the affordable art pieces that will be up for auction at an event co-hosted by writer, cartoonist and CBC broadcaster Kevin Sylvester. Enjoy the free art show and return to bid on your favourite pieces on the 29th!
The John B. Aird Gallery, Macdonald Block, Queen's Park (900 Bay Street) 10AM Free

BOOKS & LIT | Toronto Reference Library Presents: National Award-Winning Author Andrew Solomon
2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist and 2001 National Book Award winner Andrew Solomon joins CBC's Michael Enright for a chat at the Toronto Reference Library this evening. Author of the award-winning title The Noonday Demon, the author talk will focus on Solomon's latest book Far From The Tree: Parents, Children and The Search for Identity. A cash bar reception will take place at 6PM before Solomon sits in with Enright, and a Q&A will follow. Tickets are free but attendees must register.
Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge Street) 6PM Free

FASHION | 9th Annual Zareinu Fashion Show
Fundraiser is the word of the night--the 9th Annual Zareinu Fashion Show will premiere the ESCADA 2013 Resort Collection in a runway show to raise money for the Zareinu Educational Centre of Metropolitan Toronto, a treatment centre dedicated to improving the quality of life of physically and developmentally disabled children. Hosted by Jeanne Beker for the fourth year in a row, the fashion show will be preceded by a VIP cocktail hour with desserts served at 9PM. All funds go to the Zareinu Education Centre.
Bellvue Manor (8083 Jane Street) 7PM $150+

BOOKS & LIT | Quattro Books Third Fall Book Launch
Quattro Books, one of Toronto's successful independent publishers, celebrates the launch of its final set of in-print books for the fall season tonight at Q Space, the publisher's own café bookstore. Five titles will be released at the launch, including Gianna Patriarca's Too Much Love, Ian Burgham's The Unquiet, and Teachers at Their Best/Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour by Gina Valle. There will be a cash bar and the books will be on sale, following the author readings.
Q Space (382 College Street) 7:30PM Free

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR RADAR:

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 rossbelot in the blogTO Flickr pool


Morning Brew: Ford trial latest, Chow's mayoral odds improving, TTC fare hike coming, health board against casino, a mayoral wager, and a toilet with history

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toronto cityplaceThe judge presiding over a $6 million defamation lawsuit brought against mayor Rob Ford by Boardwalk Pub owner John Foulidis says he has to decide if Ford went "too far" while speaking about an untendered contract awarded to Foulidis' company. Speaking yesterday, the judge agreed Ford had a right to express an opinion on the contract as a mayoral candidate in 2010. The trial is expected to wrap up today.

A new poll suggests NDP MP Olivia Chow could win a mayoral election in Toronto even with a split anti-Ford vote, according to The Star. A survey by Forum Research found increasing support for Chow from Torontonians in the city and suburbs. The MP for Trinity-Spadina is rising in popularity with her name attached to the mayor's job.

Riding the rocket could be about to get a nickel more expensive as of January. The TTC is expected to approve a hike on Metropasses and other tickets, leaving cash fares unchanged at $3.

Also in trains, the Clean Train Coalition - an advocacy group fighting for electric trains on the under-construction air-rail link - is taking Metrolinx, the builders of the line who bought diesel vehicles, to court. Should we be fighting for electric trains even though it might push delay the project?

Toronto's board of health officially came out against a GTA casino yesterday, citing concerns over the negative impacts of gambling. OLG and several other casino companies have expressed an interest in developing a resort in the city. Could the tide be turning against a casino in Toronto?

Speaking of gambling, Rob Ford and Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi have agreed a friendly wager: the leader of the losing city at Sunday's Grey Cup has to donate his body weight in supplies to a local food bank and wear the jersey of the winning team at a council meeting.

Talk about flushing money down the toilet. A particularly dedicated (and rich) Maple Leafs fan has paid $5,300 for a salvaged dressing room toilet from the team's old College Street digs. It's safe to say numerous local hockey legends have defecated in this hallowed bowl over the years. Frankly, I'm not sure if that adds to the value.

Also in sports, the Jays monster trade with the Marlins has officially been confirmed after MLB commissioner Bud Selig announced he wouldn't stand in the way of the deal. The Jays also announced the signing of Melky Cabrera from the San Francisco Giants and it's rumored John Gibbons could return as manager.

Finally, here's a teaser for season two of hit web series The Avenue that is set for release next Tuesday. Filmed on location here in Toronto, the story follows Gregory Gorgeous and his circle of friends as they struggle with adult issues in the city.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Photo: "The view from their office" by michaelleckman from the blogTO Flickr pool.

PicNic Wine Bar opens bakery cafe two doors down

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picnic torontoWine and cheese becomes...bread, cheese, and espresso? The owners of a popular Riverside wine bar have delved into daytime service with a bakery and cafe two doors down. Find fresh breads, cheeses, tea and espresso here during the day, with charcuterie to come and (fingers crossed) weekend brunch.

Read my profile of PicNic at Home in the bakeries section.

Liberty Village Brewing Co. debuts home-brewed beer

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liberty village brewing company torontoThe idea of a new brewery that's advertising home-brewed beers at its launch doesn't really seem all that inviting. Typically, new breweries will present the credentials of their award-winning, well-schooled brewmaster--the impeccable standards of the region in which he or she studied the craft, and the breweries in which he or she has been employed previously.

So it was not without some trepidation that I attended a tasting session last week for newly-launched Liberty Village Brewing Company, which trumpeted the beers of brewmaster Eric Emery--a man whose sole official beer brewing credit was "3rd place finisher in the IPA category of the 2011 Toronto Beer Week Homebrewing contest."

But then, after I met the company's founders--Cassandra Campbell, Steve Combes, Kosta Viglatzis, and Emery himself--some of their clear enthusiasm for their company couldn't help but rub off on me.

Plus, I must admit, there is some beer-nerd appeal to the idea of a savant whose homebrew is so good that others would want to launch a brewery around it--which may well be the case. I spoke to Emery about his introduction to homebrewing in Toronto and he confessed that, having moved here from BC and finding the craft beer scene lacking, he had a panic attack and thought, "Oh my god. What am I going to do?" And so he started brewing beer. When he wanted a new style of beer he couldn't find here, he'd make one.

liberty village brewing companyBut the cynic in me was still willing to brush that off as deft marketing--it's certainly an interesting narrative for the company's origins. How, I wondered, did the beer actually taste?

As it turns out, pretty damn good.

The first beer we tried at the tasting session, held Tuesday night in the Liberty Market Building, was their "Penitent Pale Ale"--a beer which assured me that yes, Liberty Village Brewing Company was indeed the real deal. In fact, for my money, this beer would rank as highly as any other pale ale currently on the market in Ontario. It had citrusy, grapefruit notes and was assertive and hop-forward. Basically, it was a great example of the exact style of beer that's currently doing extremely well in beer bars and LCBOs across the city and the province. But at 6%, it would also be a little easier drinking than some of the higher alcohol offerings currently on the market.

In addition to the more superficial appeal of their event--flashy glassware, thoughtful food pairings, a space donated by Lifetime Developments, and a collection of Liberty Village's young, good-looking, professional demographic--after one drink, it was clear LVBC had done their beer homework.

And it's also clear they plan on doing some more homework before they make any big moves. Their tasting event Tuesday was all part of a larger plan to gauge public interest before they officially launch their company. This public tasting was the first of a handful of planned outings at which they'll actively solicit public input on their brews, with an eye to narrowing the field to one or two to brew on a larger scale once they decide on a place to contract brew their products. Eventually, once they've introduced their product to Liberty Village's restaurants and bars, they're aiming for broader expansion, an LCBO release and, ultimately, an actual space in Liberty Village where they can brew their beer, offer tastings, and let people walk out with a case of their product.

toronto liberty market brewing companyIn addition to their pale ale, on Tuesday they presented a dry-hopped IPA with slightly more bitterness and piney notes; a fantastic robust porter with nutty, chocolatey characteristics; and, the surprise of the evening, an imperial amber ale. In my opinion, any of these beers would fare well if they were kegged and sold tomorrow (which is saying a great deal for a brewery's first public outing), but the imperial amber ale was clearly the hit of the party. This subtly spicy, malty anomaly with caramel biscuit notes and a slightly bitter finish had the distinction of being unlike much else that's currently on the Ontario market, but also proved to have enough mainstream appeal to please the frat-boy sect--some of whom were certainly in attendance Tuesday and one of whom I actually overheard say, "I usually drink lagers, but I would drink this amber. Fully."

Fully indeed, sir.

If you want to participate in future tastings, you can get on LVBC's mailing list and help them shape the beers they'll eventually present to the public. While it seems a dubious feat to attempt to launch a brewery with beer brewed on home stovetops and cooled in bathtubs, if what I sampled Tuesday is indicative of the product to come, here's hoping they pull it off.

Photos by Paul Aihoshi

Where top Toronto restaurants get their produce

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100 km foods torontoThe increased focus on local and sustainable foods is certainly not a new trend, but Paul Sawtell and Grace Mandarano of 100km Foods Inc. have been spearheading the movement since 2007, when they quit their jobs, backpacked throughout Asia, then returned to launch a local food distribution company.

The thrust of the business is sale and distribution of local produce and foods such as fruits, vegetables, eggs, pantry staples, and recently, full dairy offerings. While the name might be a bit of a misnomer (not all farms are quite within a 100km radius), they do try to emphasize growers with sustainable farming practices.

Their list of clients reads like a who's who of high-end Toronto restaurants, from obvious farm-to-table and harvest spots like Richmond Station, to the McEwan (Bymark, Fabbrica) and Oliver and Bonacini groups of restaurants, to the Drake Hotel. You'll also find their produce at Table 17, Momofuku, Splendido and Royal York Hotel. Anthony Walsh of O&B was among their first clients, and the rest was done through word of mouth. "We don't actively market ourselves, but even as chefs move around, they retain us as their providers," Sawtell says.

They weren't necessarily intending to cater to the upper eschelons of Toronto cuisine, but when they first began cold-calling chefs whose cooking showed a concern for local food, they quickly discovered the clear correlation between a refusal to compromise on freshness, and fine dining. Intuitive, really. 100km provides a communicative channel between big-city chefs and small-town farmers, thereby benefitting both. Chefs are able to pick and choose from a wider variety of growers (ensuring greater access to seasonal goods), while farmers enjoy more business.

Their most popular items are fruits from Torrie Warner's farm in Beamsville, including the unusual Northern kiwi, and summertime salad greens from a farm in Creemore. 100km offers staples like carrots, onions and potatoes, but also rarer items like pawpaw and dairy from Sheldon Creek Dairy--Ontario's first dairy permitted to process milk from their own cows. "Their milk never leaves the farm," Sawtell tells me.

As you'd imagine, winter poses challenges, but it's more than the changing season that affects supply. Winter crops are directly related to the summer season, and due to the cold front in April, apples and pears are at a premium. "We normally have apples year-round, but we'll be sold out by Christmas," Saltwell laments, then add good-naturedly, "you take the good with the bad." Winter tests their ingenuity, requiring them to seek out other suppliers. They're currently looking into canned Ontario tomatoes, but have no interest in delving into the "highly specialized" industries of meats or fish.

As for the future of the local produce market? "It's getting more mainstream traction," Sawtell tells me. While farmers' markets have always been an option, Sawtell adds that he recently saw Ontario garlic in a Loblaws (rather than the typically available Chinese variety). It's a sign of better things to come.

Inside Reg Hartt's Cineforum

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reg hartt cineforumLong celebrated as a staple in Toronto's alternative film scene, Reg Hartt and his Cineforum definitely live up to the reputation--but not everything you've heard may be true. Operated and curated by Hartt, the Cineforum is a home-theatre fashioned out of a living room, in an unassuming Victorian town house at 463 Bathurst St (just south of College).

reg hartt cineforum torontoThe 'theatre,' which fits about 20 people, consists of rows of office chairs and walls covered with cult movie memorabilia. However, the real centerpiece is Hartt himself. Whether you know him as a reputable film archivist or as "that guy who yells at people after movies," Reg is nothing short of an unfiltered wealth of knowledge on film philosophy.

reg hartt cineforum torontoHartt told me how he got his start showing movies at Rochdale College (U of T's brief, failed experiment in hippy education), where his final screening was playing during one of the college's infamous drug raids. Hartt's cinema-talk show then moved to Bathurst Street United Church, and then Sneaky Dee's, before landing in its current location in 1992.

reg hartt cineforum torontoHartt delivers a lecture on the day's showing before and after each film, for which he is famously intolerant of dissent. To anyone who would ask that he show "new movies," "in colour," or taper down his talks, he is quick to snap back with a polite "F**k off." Like the professor at his podium, Hartt will lead the discussion during class time.

reg hartt cineforum torontoPlaying now is Kid Dracula, an edit of F.W. Murnau's silent film Nosferatu with Radiohead providing the score. From the opening credits alongside "Everything In Its Right Place" to the final climax playing with "No Surprises" the two go together surprisingly well; the haunting sounds of Radiohead perfectly complement the on-screen horror.

reg hartt cineforum torontoHartt speculates that the piece works because it "lets the audience watch the film," without having to focus on the "campiness" of the original 1922 score, updating the classic for modern tastes. Hartt made the edit "sometime in the '90s," and says that it'll run "forever."

reg hartt cineforum torontoVenturing to the Cineforum is definitely an adventure, and a must-visit for any diehard film buff. From the uncertainty of watching a movie in a stranger's living room, to being in the presence of a living legend--the whole experience is memorable. But be forewarned that Hartt "[doesn't] care that you don't want a lecture"--in other words, you're getting one.

reg hartt cineforum torontoEntrance to the Cineforum is a suggested donation of $20, or $10 for those under 24 years old. Reg generally shows movies at 5:00, 7:00 and 10:00pm, but call 416.603.6643 to confirm.

Additional photos:reg hartt cineforum torontoreg hartt cineforum torontoreg hartt cineforum torontoreg hartt cineforum torontoWriting by Aaron Ries. Photos by Brian Chambers.

This week on DineSafe: B Trust Supermarket, Buca, Happy Bakery, Lakeside Bar, Pho Mi Asia, Rebozos, Sam's Food, Student Eatery

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toronto dinesafeThis week on DineSafe was free from any truly horrific health inspections, though it did offer a few appearances from trusty repeat offenders. B Trust Supermarket in North York was one, receiving its second conditional pass in just a few months. Pho Mi Asia just a few blocks down the road was another; a familiar name on the weekly DineSafe delinquent list. This week's report also showed that the new Rebozos on College may have been off to a shaky start, though something tells me a tally of eight infractions won't be enough to keep the enchilada-enthusiasts away. Here's a look at some of the highlights from this week on DineSafe.

B Trust Supermarket (1105 Wilson Ave)
Inspected on: November 13
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 10 (Minor: 2, Significant: 4, Crucial: 3)
Crucial infractions include: Failure to protect food from contamination, inadequate food temperature control

Buca (604 King St West)
Inspected on: November 15
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 2, Significant: 5, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Inadequate food temperature control

Happy Bakery and Pastry (1245 Dupont St)
Inspected on: November 15
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Inadequate food temperature control, failure to protect food from contamination

Lakeside Bar & Grill (2961 Lake Shore Blvd West)
Inspected on: November 9
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 9 (Minor: 4, Significant: 4, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Failure to protect food from contamination

Pho Mi Asia (1008 Wilson Ave)
Inspected on: November 13
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 3, Significant: 3, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Failure to prevent food from contamination, failure to ensure/provide for proper employee hygiene/handwashing

Rebozos (424 College St)
Inspected on: November 9
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 2, Significant: 4, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Failure to protect food from contamination

Sam's Food Store (620 Vaughan Rd)
Inspected on: November 13
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Inadequate food temperature control

Student Eatery (1299 Danforth Ave)
Inspected on: November 15
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional Pass)
Number of infractions: 13 (Minor: 6, Significant: 5, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Failure to ensure/provide for proper employee hygiene/handwashing

Contest: Win passes to screening of Anna Karenina

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toronto anna kareninaDepending on who you talk to, Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is either a masterfully-crafted, epic tale of thwarted love and duty, or a somewhat plodding melodrama. Regardless which camp you fall into (or whether you've never read it at all), it's clearly a story that still captivates us over 125 years later (as its many film adaptations can attest to). The twelfth such adaptation stars the admittedly luminous Keira Knightley as the eponymous character, and is directed by Joe Wright, who's previously brought us such other wonderful adaptations as Atonement and Pride and Prejudice (which also starred Knightley, hmm).

The film's set to be a holiday season blockbuster, and if you'd like to preview it before it hits theatres, here's how.

THE PRIZE

10 lucky readers will receive double passes (good for 2 people) to see a screening of Anna Karenina on November 22 at 7 pm at The Varsity (55 Bloor Street West) .

HOW TO WIN

To win, just answer the following question: Which actor portrays Count Vronsky in the 2012 film adaptation of Anna Karenina?

The first 10 correct commenters win the tickets. Please make sure to include a valid email address in the comment form "Email Address" field so that we can contact you if you're a winner.

FINE PRINT

You must be a Toronto-area resident to win. Only one comment and answer per person. If you include multiple answers or post multiple comments you will be disqualified, and the winner must pick up their own tickets.

UPDATE

This contest is now closed. Winners will be contacted shortly.

Film still from Anna Karenina


Party Style: DX Intersection

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toronto party style dxOn November 16, the Design Exchange re-imagined its annual fundraiser (the DX Black & White Gala) as DX Intersection. The evening opened all three floors of the Design Exchange for a night of DJs, celebrity chefs and cocktails, and even Douglas Coupland himself. As you'd expect, guests were dressed to the nines, in party frocks, dapper suits, and (maybe in a nod to the gala's former name) some winning monochromatic looks.

Check out the photos from the gala in our Style section.

Get to know a startup: MyShoebox

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toronto my shoebox startupI love taking pictures with my phone. Ask anyone who's eaten dinner with me recently; my appetizer, main, and dessert will definitely end up on Instagram, complete with a mouthwatering caption. But I'm not alone. The Executive VP of Smart Devices for Nokia recently cited the astonishing fact that 1.4 billion pictures are taken on mobile phones every single day, and Toronto startup MyShoebox is determined to help you store, organize, and backup every single one of your digital photos for free.

Launched to the public on October 30, the app might be considered a competitor for iCloud, or even a replacement for that trusty old backup hard drive. But what's unique about MyShoebox is that the cloud-based app bridges the "digital device divide" since it can be used with Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android.

The idea is the brainchild of two tech-savvy co-founders. Steve Cosman and Kalu Kalu were still in high school when they met 10 years ago at Shad Valley, a nerdy summer camp where they were assigned as roommates. Both went on to study Software Engineering at the University of Waterloo, and both followed that up by working for tech heavyweights (Microsoft and RIM). Community Manager Anne Nolan explains why MyShoebox is one free app you'll want to adopt.

What's the inspiration behind MyShoebox?

With phones, cameras, computers, and tablets, our photo collections are getting more fragmented and we're left with very disjointed photo collections. We wanted to offer a simple way to unify your photo collection across your devices. By syncing your photos automatically, you are not only backing up your photos to protect against loss, but you are also ensuring that you can access them from wherever you are.

A lot of people already have a cloud backup feature on their phone or tablet. My iPhone has iCloud, for example. Why should someone like me be interested in MyShoebox?

First, a public service announcement: iCloud doesn't actually back up your photos unless you are paying for it! Every day we meet people who think their photos are "safe in iCloud." iCloud only stores the last 1,000 photos. We've heard from several people who thought their photos were safe in iCloud only to find out the truth the hard way when they lost a phone.

That aside, MyShoebox offers a few major benefits over the competitors. We're free. We have an unlimited free backup plan. We also work on almost any Windows, Mac, iOS or Android device.

How many photos are users uploading to MyShoebox?

Our users uploaded over 2.5 million photos in our first week. Each user uploads on average more than 3,000 photos. Instead of getting a few photos per user like Instagram and other sharing services, we're capturing entire photo collections that accumulate across different devices.

It seems like your team has put a lot of thought into the search feature of MyShoebox. How does it work?

MyShoebox extracts a lot of information from every photo, including the camera it was taken with, the location, and the time. We plan on adding image recognition features like face, place, and object recognition too.

With all this automatic tagging, we make it easy to find exactly the photo you are looking for. You can also search using intuitive questions like "find photos taken in the neighbourhood Queen Street West," and immediately find what you are looking for.

How do I know my photos will be kept safe?

We built privacy in from the start. Your photos are encrypted during transfer and storage. Only you can access your photos (unless you explicitly share them). MyShoebox uses AES-256 encryption to store your photos. It's the same encryption used by the National Security Agency for classified "Top Secret" information (seriously).

How will this free app make money for your company?

We offer a pro account for those that want to maintain the original resolution of their photos. Otherwise, after your free 30-day trial of the pro account your photos are stored at screen resolution (1024 pixels wide).

Since we just launched, 100% of our users are enjoying their free trials, but we look forward to our first stream of revenue at the end of the month.

I Deal Coffee expands with a third location

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I Deal CoffeeYonge and Lawrence might seem endless miles away (literally and figuratively) from Kensington Market or Ossington Avenue, but this cafe actually seems to be fitting in pretty well. Perhaps it's the ample seating, the homemade gelato, or just this cafe's espresso which always seems to be a notch above. Just don't be dismayed by the hordes of SUVs and minivans parked outside.

Read my profile of I Deal Coffee (Yonge) in the cafes section.

Henry Rollins brings his loud mouth to Toronto

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Henry RollinsHenry Rollins is a self-professed work slut. Not a workaholic -- a term he is quick to eschew.

Rollins' three-night stand at the Glenn Gould Studio continues his 100+-shows-a-year work ethic over the past 30 years. This time round, his spoken word performance -- or "mile-a-minute verbitude" as he calls it -- rewards audiences with a two-and-a-half-hour-long monologue rife with astute observations, social commentary and entertaining storytelling like no other.

He doesn't even pause for a sip of water throughout his set. For fear of people taking the seven seconds to walk out during his performance.

At 51, Rollins still commands every bit of attention on stage. He strikes an imposing stance, microphone firmly clenched in his left fist, cord wrapped around a few fingers. Tattoos on both his arms stick out of a black t-shirt gets that gets increasingly darker with sweat as the set goes on. His black dress pants and thick-soled Doc Marten boots and thick sports watch completed the look.

His commentary on the recent U.S. presidential election was aimed at one "feckless douche" which he described was unendurable but hilarious to watch on television. He likened the Toronto audience as a smart, astute and "switched on" crowd. So by and large, he was preaching to the choir. But there was never a dull moment hearing Rollins preach.

"At age 51, I'm getting the strength to learn from the people I meet now," he admitted. "My youth is 40 exits behind me and I can't remember the name of the onramp."

Indeed, some of the highlights of his stand-up delivery for me was hearing him retell stories about his fans approaching him after his show or writing him letters.

"People tell me stories that would peel the paint off your car," he says. One story is of a young man, or "YouthMan" as he refers to him, confessing about suicidal tendencies. Another is about a young teenage girl emailing him naked pictures of her, wondering if any boy will ever find her attractive. What's most telling is the retelling of his reactions and responses to them in his unique, Henry Rollins way.

His schtick is also filled with plenty of punk rock music references and hilarious stories about his recent Animal Underworld gig with National Geographic Wild, doing things that scare him to death. And his workout routine, where he gets on the elliptical trainer and tries to "destroy the machine while listening to a combination of The Ramones and Slayer" on his iPod.

If you've never seen Henry Rollins perform live, do yourself a favour and check out this show on Wednesday night at the Glenn Gould Studio for his last of three nights in Toronto.

Photo courtesy Swift River Productions.

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