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John Street cultural corridor starts to take shape

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John Street Cultural CorridorThere are big plans for John Street, as the City and the Toronto Entertainment BIA work to see the street become a "cultural corridor." What that means in more concrete terms is that an increase in pedestrian space is on the agenda for the street in an effort to make it something of a destination rather than merely a thoroughfare. In keeping with the approved Environmental Assessment of the street, the first signs of what the transformation might look like are currently on display leading into the summer. The City has recently installed a series of planters along the east side of John between Adelaide and Queen as part of a pilot project to test out how a more pedestrian-friendly design might work.

John Street Cultural CorridorSomewhat similar to the parklets installed on Church Street last summer, the infrastructure is currently temporary. The planters will be in place until October 12, and could continue to return on a seasonal basis until full blown construction commences on the Street. The added pedestrian space comes at the expense of turning lanes through this short stretch, so technically doesn't cost much in vehicular capacity. It is, however, a bit tight for cyclists now, so ride with care.

This is only a glimpse of the major redesign in store for the street, but it looks promising. The planters are a hell of a lot nicer than bollards and the added space certainly comes in handy during peak times like rush hour and weekend nights when the area swells with foot traffic. For more on the project, check out this Metro Morning interview with Harold Madi, Director of Urban Design for Toronto.


Today in Toronto: Plywood Collective Animal Art, Early Monthly Segments: Lis Rhodes, euphonia, Blue Coffee

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Today in TorontoToday in Toronto twelve street artists from Plywood Collective will display their works on wood in an animal themed show at 2nd Floor events. The night (and the ping pong) is free, and DJ Riccachet is on decks. At the Gladstone, Early Monthly Segments is showing three Lis Rhodes films including super 8 film All Flesh is Grass, shot in an abandoned mall in Buffalo NY. For more events, click on over to our events section.

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

Photo: Lis Rhodes "Light Music" by robbie_ewing on Flickr

Bring Back Our Girls Rally

This Week in Music: TURF, Riot, Lana Del Rey, APB, Austra, Partynextdoor, Stacey, Man Made Hill, Sarin

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

Riot Fest line up
Wow, the Riot Fest line up is brutal. Brutal can go both ways, and there's a little something for everyone here at least (really). The Flaming Lips, The National, Metric, Death Cab for Cutie, Death From Above 1979, Billy Talent, City and Colour, Rise Against, Social Distortion, Brand New, Stars, Dropkick Murphys, Die Antwoord, Tokyo Police Club, The New Pornographers, Bring Me The Horizon, Taking Back Sunday, The Afghan Whigs, Alkaline Trio, Bob Mould, Thurston Moore, Buzzcocks, New Found Glory, Lucero, and even more are on the line up. The fest is Sep 6-7 and tickets to travel time with them are $179.98 - $289.98.

TURF announces club series
While TURF takes place at Fort York, they've also got their club series going again this year. Born Ruffians, Deer Tick, July Talk, The Strumbellas and more will play at Lee's s Palace and The Horseshoe between July 2-8. Learn more about tickets and wristbands here.

New Toronto songs & vids

Austra - Habitat
Sparkle baby bat goths Austra will drop their Habitat EP June 17 on Paper Bag Records.

PARTYNEXTDOOR ~ West District (Chopped Not Slopped by The Chopstars)
This week in Drake brings a fun little pitch-shifter from the OVO Soundcloud.

Airplane Boys - Some Say
According to the boys, this is what house parties in Scarborough look like. Maybe we should invite them to write us a Scarborough party guide.

Stacey - Sleep Alone
Is Stacey Toronto's Lana Del Rey? I am the only one who gets to say that. It's simple stuff but I'm really feeling Stacey so far.

Man Made Hill - Constant Touching
Every time I see Man Made Hill he's wearing something different! I'm always just wearing black and being boring. The glitter-forward Toronto solo musician gets really warped in this one. As Ke$ha (Queen of Glitter) once said, "now you got me jonesing for a moustache ride."

Sarin - Crash
The video for electronic/techno track "Crash" from audio-visual artist Sarin features some cars having a bad time (think Cronenberg, not Haggis).

Hot ticket concerts

Lana Del Rey / Sony Centre / May 13 / sold out
The Coney Island Queen's superb vocal inflection and high drama might be lost on huge crowds, but it will never disappoint the individuals who have found a patron saint in Lana. Look for me in my Shelfies sweater and false eyelashes, and don't buy tickets from Richard Reeves. Sometimes the road gets tough and I don't know why.

Local hot tickets

Emergents IV / May 15 / The Music Gallery $12
Emergents is a great (and aptly titled) series at the Music Gallery which highlights emerging talents in experimental music. At IV, Thin Edge New Music Collective, music box musician Jason Doell (winner of the 2014 Toronto Emerging Composer Award), and Germaine Liu will perform. Read our interview with Jason Doell here.

Universe: A Live Soundtrack Experiment / Revue Cinema / May 15 / free
Absolutely Free, Fresh Snow, and Marcel Ramagnano will travel from here to outer space: the three will soundtrack archival film footage of the moon landing, strange vantage points in the galaxy, and even the lowly people who hang around Earth. Oh, and it's free! Like the wonder of the universe.

Recently announced shows

  • Chixdiggit! / May 15 / Bovine Sex Club
  • Hervana / May 20 / Handlebar
  • Construction Vol 2 / May 30 / Double Double Land
  • Moonface /June 8 / The Garrison
  • Blue Rodeo / August 15 / Molson Ampitheatre
  • Robyn & Royskopp / August 25 / Echo Beach
  • Sun Kil Moon / September 12 / The Opera House
  • The War On Drugs / September 15 / The Phoenix
  • Charles Bradley and Joss Stone / September 15 / Massey Hall
  • The Black Keys / September 16 / ACC

What we got up to this week

Photo of Austra by Brian Morton

The top 5 folk bands to watch in Toronto

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Toronto Folk BandsThere's long history of folk music in Toronto, including back to Yorkville in the 60's, the Riverboat Cafe, and early appearances by Silvia & Ian Tyson, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young. Today Toronto has open stages, the Tranzac, Free Times Cafe, Dakota Tavern, and draws musicians reflecting folk genres from around the world. While the Toronto folk scene is diverse and difficult to pin down (DIY folk song-writer / touring artist Angela Saini and retro-folk-80's cover band McFlies are both honourable mentions) here are five folk bands definitely worth the watch in Toronto.

Captain Dirt and The Skirt
The duo of Lyndell Montgomery (Captain Dirt) and Kristin Sweetland (The Skirt) demonstrate their multi-instrumental adeptness as part of the new collaboration Captain Dirt and The Skirt. their new album showcases their years of touring in an instrumental album of ever-changing stories. Live, they bring vocal and visual storytelling to their performances.

Sarah Burton Band
She's been called Canada's answer to Lucinda Williams. With multiple national tours under her belt, she's played NXNE, CMW, Winterfolk, and Alberta's North Country Fair. Her single "Then Run Away" was called Best Folk Song in Toronto Exclusive magazine (2009). Burton regularly plays with Luke Stackhouse, Jay Swinnerton, and a rotating cast of special guests. For those looking to get a more Americana Sarah Burton, she can be heard as part of the Ole Fashioned (powerpop fans check out Hot Peach).

Blue Sky Miners
This five-piece is a reminder of that Canada is not as big as we often imagine it, with friends from different coasts reuniting in Toronto. Their songs show off their regional experiences as well as coast to coast. Humber96.9 named them band of the month in March 2014, and they're fresh from playing CMW (Canadian Music Week) in May 2014.

The Boxcar Boys
Incorporating music from North American folk, Dixieland, Gypsy and European Klezmer, the boxcar boys bring a unique blend of genres and instrumentation with John Williams (Clarinet), Rob Teehan (Sousaphone), Karl Silveira (Trombone), Ronen Segall (Accordion), and Laura Bates (Violin). Whether onstage or busking, they manage to put humour and fun in every performance.

Graydon James And The Young Novelists
The Young Novelists continue to build a name for themselves with their penchant for story in every song, and folk-rock that's often dance worthy. They continue to develop a following as part of international folk festival showcases, house concerts, intimate Graydon and Laura duo performances, and beard etiquette. In addition to a Galaxie Rising Star award, three album releases, Graydon recently published a novel "The Mall of Small Frustrations".

Writing by Ryan Ayukawa, photo of Captain Dirt and The Skirt from Facebook.

Front and Portland gets a new espresso bar

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atlas espresso bar torontoThere's an new place to fuel up at Front and Portland. Not another gas station to pit stop before hopping on the Gardiner, but instead a coffee shop from a couple with ties to Mercury Espresso Bar and the short-lived bar The Avro. With locally roasted beans, fresh juice and interesting food, there's lots to like about this new spot.

Read my review of Atlas Espresso Bar in the cafes section.

Your photos of Chinatown in Toronto

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Chinatown TorontoBrimming with activity and colourful signage, the urban hodgepodge that is Chinatown in Toronto makes for one hell of a rich photography subject. The challenge when shooting the neighbourhood is, in fact, narrowing one's focus rather than cramming everything into the frame. This is true of street photography with a Canon 5D or if you're just shooting with your phone. We challenged our readers to post their best pics of Chinatown, and the results are a fitting mishmash of food items, market scenes, streetcars zooming by, and the people of the area. Taken as a whole, they give a good sense of this most visually stimulating of places. Thanks to moogie_wonderland for the lead pic.

Check out all the submissions in our Chinatown photo stream.

Tim Hudak shows how not to do a TTC photo op

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tim hudak ttc press conferenceOntario PC leaser Tim Hudak and his handlers must have thought it was a pretty good idea to announce his promise to build a new subway by riding the TTC rails like an everyman. What escaped the PC team, however, was the foresight to secure a permit or to get permission from the TTC, which has rules that restrict campaign events on its property. And that failure led to one marvellously awkward encounter yesterday morning, as transit officers put a stop to the impromptu photo op. The whole thing also caused a minor subway delay, which didn't exactly ingratiate Hudak to his fellow passengers.

PC party tweetHow exactly the officers knew where to find Hudak and his team is unknown, though the PC's claim that the incident was an example of CUPE interference. It's all rather dramatic, but the video itself is Curb Your Enthusiasm cringeworthy for the way that Doug Holyday does everything he can to stay off camera while Hudak wears a politician's perma-smile in the background.


New brunch spot serves up a perfect pulled pork hash

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Sparrow TorontoBloor West Village can stop mourning the loss of the "The Best Ever Tuna Sandwich", 'cause something even better has moved into Dr. Generosity's former digs. Now serving brunch and dinner, seven days a week, this new restaurant, which shares an owner with the Kennedy Public House next door, has won me over with a brunch menu featuring a filling pulled pork hash.

Read my profile of Sparrow Restaurant in the restaurants section.

Street Style: 20 spring looks spotted on Ossington

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street style torontoThe warm weather finally showed up in Toronto last week, with the mercury hovering near 20 degrees. On Ossington, folks were finally ditching their coats to reveal cool, casual spring looks. You could say spring arrived fashionably late this year.

Check out all the looks in our style section.

Dylan's Candy Bar sets sights on Toronto

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dylans candy bar torontoIf Dylan's Candy Bar has its way, Torontonians will soon be like kids in, uh, a candy shop. The chain of boutique candy stores, founded by Dylan Lauren (daughter of Ralph), is expanding north of the border, with its sights set on Toronto for its first permanent Canadian store.

Dylan's is looking for locations in the 5,000 to 15,000-square-foot range, Retail Insider reports, although it's not yet known where in town the company is hoping to set up shop. The Toronto store would be in good company: existing Dylan's locations include New York, Miami, Los Angeles and East Hampton, N.Y.

What began in New York as a popular sweet shop, bursting with all manner of candy, chocolates, and giant novelty lollipops, has branched out into a lifestyle brand. Concept shops have popped up inside Neiman Marcus department stores and launched a partnership with Vancouver's Holt Renfrew location - no surprise, given Lauren's high-fashion background. The company partnered with tween accessory mecca Claire's for their expansion, so expect to see sugar-flavoured cosmetics, candy-dot armbands and Swedish Fish travel tumblers alongside bins of Jelly Bellys. (Also, marshmallow guns.)

Photo via Dylan's Candy Bar on Facebook.

Get to know a Toronto startup: AskForTask

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askfortaskSomewhere between the help-your-neighbour sharing economy and the convenience of crowdsourcing lies AskForTask, a Toronto startup that connects you with local help for any errand on your to-do list.

Here's how it works: Askers (people looking for help) post a task they need done and the price they're willing to pay. They can browse the site for Taskers (people looking to help) who've posted how they can lend a hand with and how much they'd like to earn doing it, or wait for bids from the Taskers themselves.

Strike a deal with your chosen Tasker using the app's private messaging feature, and cross that pesky errand off your to-do list; you'll only have to pay, by cash, credit card or PayPal once your task is completed. Askers then post a review to help build the reputation of Taskers within this online community.

Founded by brothers Muneeb and Nabeel Mushtaq, AskForTask is available on the web or as a mobile app for iOS. I spoke with their team to find out more.

Why create AskForTask?

The inspiration came from Muneeb's mother, who asked him to find help fixing a leaky faucet. When he navigated his available resources, he found there was miscommunication, uncertainty with potential contractors and inflated rates. He wanted to create a place where people can post tasks on their budget. He also realized that with the abysmal job market, his friends and family could earn money in their community by completing tasks that others nearby needed help with.

Who are your competitors?

There are no other platforms like ours currently available specifically to Canadians. However, there are collaborative platforms such as TaskRabbit in the U.S. that are based on a very similar concept. The big difference between us (and them) is that we do not hire Taskers ourselves. We simply connect them to Askers in a secure way.

How does AskForTask make money?

When a task is completed we keep 15% of the posted price.

Do you have any memorable stories of how AskForTask has helped someone out?

Our CEO, Muneeb, hired a cleaner through AskForTask three months ago. When the woman he hired came to his home, she started discussing how amazing the platform was, but she had a complaint: that AskForTask didn't support credit card payments. At the time we only had PayPal or cash. Muneeb agreed with her complaint, but she clearly had no idea that he co-founded the company.

He took the feedback to heart, and the team started working to implement credit card payments into the system right away. He called her a week later to thank her for the feedback and told her that AskForTask started accepting credit card payments because of her. She was shocked, but told us she loves and trusts the platform even more because of how responsive we were.

What's coming up next?

We're currently focused on expanding globally. We've also identified three areas of focus based on how people are using the app: cleaning, home delivery and virtual help. Based on our forecasts, by the end of 2014 one in 10 Canadians will somehow be benefiting from AskForTask.

LCBO bureaucracy forces craft brewers into Beer Store

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Beer Store craft breweriesWhen Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery and Kensington Brewing Company both announced new beer releases last week, the news from both companies was somewhat surprising: Both would be releasing their new beers in The Beer Store. Yes, Flying Monkeys' El Toro Bravo Dark Rye Ale and KBCo's Fruit Stand Watermelon Wheat will soon be available to Ontario's beer drinkers, but in order to get them, we'll need to patronize our province's increasingly contentious, mostly foreign-owned, private, beer monopoly.

But why?

The short answer, unfortunately, is because both companies feel they didn't have any other choice. The long answer is slightly more complicated. As you may or may not already know, brewers in this province are currently limited for places they can sell their beer. Current liquor legislation states that brewers can sell their beer at their own brewery's onsite retail store, through the LCBO, or by paying to get into The Beer Store, which is privately owned by three of the biggest breweries in the world.

Both Flying Monkeys and KBCo have released other products in the LCBO previously, however, owing to the fact that the LCBO only offers each brewing company a limited number of products they are allowed to sell (commonly referred to as SKUs) these brewers, and many others, have been told they simply can't sell these beers at the LCBO.

"Our decision came to us simply by the LCBO not wanting it," says Brock Shepherd, Founder of Kensington Brewing Company. "We tried twice," he says. "The general public wants it at retail, and the only other choice is The Beer Store."

Likening his new partnership with The Beer Store to a "necessary evil" Shepherd contends he's doing what he has to do to run a business. "We are testing it out to see if our beer works in that environment."

So too, do the folks at Flying Monkeys see the Beer Store as a test of sorts, but they're interested in seeing if the Beer Store will live up to its own hype. According to the brewery's press release, "The Flying Monkeys are making a conscious investment in The Beer Store releasing a real specialty beer to embrace the cartel's claim that they support Ontario craft beer."

"TBS boasts about vendor neutrality and equal access in all of their media rhetoric. However, "vendor neutrality" gets everyone who pays the listing fees access to the system, it does not mean non-owner brewers are treated fairly and equally in terms of access to retail shelf space."

And so, as Andrea Chiodo, Creative director for Flying Monkeys explains, they are going to put the Beer Store through their paces. "We are definitely testing TBS with this release," she says, "and we hope it pays off. We already export to other provinces, the US, Mexico, Brazil, Scandinavia, and Taiwan, so we've had a glimpse of the challenges and advantages that come with the territory of a three-tiered system. However, until the politicians stop kowtowing to the lobbyists and propaganda of the Big Brewers, we have to play the field as it lies."

She reiterates that this doesn't mean they've accepted The Beer Store's monopoly. "We will never join the Dark Side," she says. "Someone is not your friend if you have to pay him to be your friend."

And while it's all well and good that Chiodo and Flying Monkeys and Shepherd and KBCo are using the system to call attention to its deficiencies, the unfortunate fact remains that they're doing so because they have to. Two Ontario craft brewers who are willing to work within the government-run retail environment that is provided by the province (and have done so before) are now literally being driven away and forced to do business with the only other option they have: a privately-owned company with owners based in Belgium, Brazil, Japan, and the United States.

And doing business with those guys isn't cheap.

"It costs us approximately $30,000 to put this beer in 100 stores," Andrea Chiodo tells me of El Toro Bravo. "There is an initial $3000 TBS listing fee plus an additional $250 per store (so 100 stores would cost $25,000). In addition, there is an addition $1 per bottle service fee charged upon sale for processing and shelving the beer." With this test case, she tells me, Flying Monkeys will consider it a success if they break even.

Accordingly, without a rule change, the current system not only costs Ontario businesses like Flying Monkeys who have to pay to play, but it is taking money out of provincial LCBO coffers and putting it into the pockets of AB-InBev, Molson-Coors, and Sapporo, three companies that really don't need any help from Ontario, financially.

AB InBev posted $1.37 billion in profits for the first quarter of 2014, Molson-Coors "handily beat expectations" this past quarter, earning $163.4 million (US), and Sapporo Holdings Ltd. net profits surged 5.2 percent to ¥9.45 billion last year (roughly 1.6 billion Canadian).

So what's the solution? Well, it's not the Beer Store or the Ontario Convenience Stores Association (OCSA), as Shepherd will tell you. "I don't like the tactics of either of them," he says. "The OCSA does not represent mom and pop corner stores, just the corporate convenience stores that pay to be members (sound familiar?)."

Peter Chiodo, owner of Flying Monkeys, hopes that by raising awareness, a new retail model might emerge. "Hopefully, growing public awareness and social pressure fostered by Ontario's beer writers and craft beer culture will influence small brewers' infiltration of the system."

He hopes that one day brewers will have designated shelf space somewhere so they're not competing with one another in an already crowded marketplace like the LCBO. "Craft Brewers could pay for a slot or a space in a store," he says, "but they could rotate different brands through that space without having to continually pay for new listings."

Until then, both companies--and the rest of Ontario's brewers--have little choice but to try to work within the system as it is. As Peter Chiodo says, "We're still crying for change, but we cannot go out of business during the revolution."

El Toro Bravo Dark Rye Ale is the second Spanish cedar aged beer in the Flying Monkeys' The Matador Series and is available now at select Beer Store locations for $10.95 per 750 ml bottle.

Kensington Brewing Company's Fruit Stand Watermelon Wheat will be available in 473ml cans for $2.95 beginning in June at self-serve locations of The Beer Store.

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

The Best Used Bookstores in Toronto

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used bookstores torontoThe best used bookstores in Toronto are a refuge and a resource for those enamoured with the written word - and still willing to pay for true pages. Unlike online sources like Amazon, at these stores, you can actually strike up a conversation about literature, attend readings or author events or other celebrations, trade or barter some of your own tomes, or uncover some dusty relic hidden on a shelf, calling out to you - a book that may just change your life.

I love everything about them: the smell of old wood and old paper, the coloured spines lined up like soldiers, the characters that live and work there - people and dogs and cats and bunnies - making them feel like a strange occupied kingdom. Used bookstores ooze charm and romance and mystery, and encourage wonderful self-reflection - and when you finally decide on what to buy, contained within your purchase is a small slice of your experience in the shop.

Here are the best used bookstores in Toronto.

See also:

The best bookstores in Toronto
The best comic shops in Toronto
The best public library in Toronto

Leslieville businesses feel the pinch of TTC construction

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Leslie BarnsA blue, white and red "for lease" sign is perched in the upper left-hand corner of Pentimento Gallery's front window. John Rait is closing the doors of his Leslieville gallery this summer for good, and he says it's because of road closures associated with the construction of the TTC's Leslie Barns. The closures have already slowed down business in the neighbourhood, he says, and with construction going on throughout much of the summer, Pentimento can't sustain itself.

The barns are being built to help house the TTC's fleet of new, low-floored streetcars, a function Rait agrees is necessary. But he says he's concerned that when the work is done, Leslieville as we know it won't exist -- it'll be a ghost town.

"This is impacting me in prime season. I had two shows scheduled this summer that would carry me through the year," he says.

"The whole city is benefitting from [the installation of the Barns], but my neighbourhood is being decimated through it. There's nothing to assist small businesses through this kind of interruption."

He says if the city had better anticipated the magnitude of the economic slowdown in the area, he may not have had to close. "The city should give tax breaks to the property owners. And if [the construction period is] extended, the rent should be paid for small businesses that need to survive."

The construction is already underway, with Leslie St. at Queen closed for watermain repairs. This portion of the constuction is expected to carry through until June 21, and after that, streetcar tracks along Queen St. E. need to be installed, which is expected to take until the end of July.

TTC Leslie barnsIt's all happening in Ward 30 Toronto, Danforth, councillor Paula Fletcher's territory. Fletcher says the last thing she wants to see in her ward is a construction-induced mini recession, and that she will do what she can to fix it.

"Surrounding businesses shouldn't have to pay for a city-wide project," she says, or be fearful they won't meet rent or be able to pay property taxes. "It shouldn't be all pain and no gain."

Fletcher brought forward a member motion at council last week requesting city manager Joe Pennachetti to report back to the executive committee on "the feasibility of implementing a property tax relief program for businesses impacted by large infrastructure projects of municipal significance, including the current connecting track work on Leslie Street."

While that's a solution Rait thinks could help, he says it comes way too late to be of any use. "The bill to help small businesses could have been [introduced] five years ago [when planning began]," he says.

From what I can see, Rait is right about business being affected. Construction under way so far has made the usually bustling little east end neighbourhood, full of families and professionals, seem sleepy. There's much less foot traffic than I'm used to seeing when I visit Rait on a Tuesday, midday. The energy in the area has dipped, and other business owners have noticed it, too.

Max Ryan works across the street at Sandy Aleksander,a specialty food shop specializing in charcuterie, cheese and chocolate. Ryan acknowledges business has been slower than normal. But Ryan has a kind of "whaddya gonna do?" attitude, and says that he believes Leslieville's small businesses are wonderful enough that they will survive the summer lull that's been foisted upon them.

Leslieville construction"I think [the city and the TTC] will do their best to get it done as quick as possible," Ryan says. He mentions that despite the decidedly negative impact to businesses in the area. the BIA is doing its part by launching a shop local campaign for the neighbourhood. And members of the community have banded together to create a thing called cash mobs, in which everyone bands together and makes sure to shop at a couple of featured small businesses in the area.

That, combined with community commitment to getting the word out online, is giving him hope.

What do you think? Should the city have put cost-alleviating initiatives in place sooner? Is the impact of construction being overstated?


House of the week: 233 Snowdon Avenue

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233 Snowdon Avenue TorontoThis Teddington Park home located at 233 Snowdon Avenue is a great mix of contemporary comfort and historic charm. It's been renovated into an open concept space with floor to ceiling windows, bringing tons of light into every room. Even the exterior feels open and inviting. The house incorporates a front lounge where you can sit and wait for the kids to come home, enjoy a glass of wine, or spy on the neighbourhood casually. No one will suspect a thing!

The contemporary renovation doesn't make the house feel entirely like a new build, though. How could it when it's located steps from Rosedale Golf Club and Hoggs Hollow? The neighbourhood is full of pre-war houses manicured to a tee. The highly sought after location doesn't do you any favours with the price, however. Listed at $2.1 Million, this one will do some damage to your bank account (but for the area it's not exactly outrageous). This ain't for the first time buyer, though (unless your family is filthy rich).

233 Snowdon Avenue TorontoSPECS

  • Address: 233 Snowdon Ave
  • Price: $2,149,000
  • Lot Size: 30 x 125
  • Bedrooms: 3
  • Bathrooms: 4
  • Parking: 1
  • Taxes: $9,357
  • Walk Score: 72
  • Notable Features
  • Modern contemporary feel
  • Floor to ceiling windows overlooking the backyard
  • Heated floors throughout the main and lower levels
  • Unique front lounge

233 Snowdon Avenue TorontoGOOD FOR

Families looking for a perfect balance of the urban and suburban. With four bedrooms, there's plenty of room for a kids' rec room, while still maintaining private space for the adults. You've got a quiet street, but you're still only a short walk from the amenities of Yonge. Win-Win. That's what you'd expect for the neighbourhood and price.

233 Snowdon Avenue TorontoMOVE ON IF

You're looking for a little more hustle and bustle. Though this house isn't located too far from the subway, it's not exactly a hop, skip and a jump from downtown. And the surrounding restaurants and businesses cater more to a wealthy family than someone interested in hitting the town. But hey, if you happen belong to the Rosedale Golf Club, you can always swing by the clubhouse for a drink. You just have to get off the wait-list first.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

233 Snowdon Avenue Toronto233 Snowdon Avenue Toronto233 Snowdon Avenue Toronto2014512-how-sitting.jpg233 Snowdon Avenue Toronto233 Snowdon Avenue Toronto233 Snowdon Avenue Toronto233 Snowdon Avenue Toronto233 Snowdon Avenue TorontoRead other posts in this series via our House of the Week Pinterest board.

Writing by Isabel Ritchie

The Brick Works gets a new bike shop

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Sweet Petes Bike Shop Brick WorksAlready home to Bike Works, the Evergreen Brick Works now boasts two bike shops, the latest of which does retail sales as well as repairs. With a focus on off-road riders, this new shop comes with a good reputation courtesy of its established stores in Bloordale and the Annex. Open on the weekends, it makes a nice addition to the busier and busier heritage site.

Read my profile of Sweet Pete's (Brick Works) in the services section.

Jilly's to close as developer buys Broadview Hotel

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Jillys Broadview HotelIt's the end of an era in Riverside, as Streetcar Developments has bought the Broadview House Hotel. The change of ownership will see the departure of Jilly's strip club, long thought to be a damper on gentrification efforts in the area. Of crucial note in these early stages is that Streetcar, while known for its loft-based condo developments, is saying that it does not intend to go this way with the historic property.

"Although rooted in loft development, Streetcar does not see this building as a residential condominium project," reads a press release distributed this morning. "We are in the early stages of planning, but our focus is to revive this building to a landmark everyone in the area can be proud of." So will this be the Gladstone/Drake East? Concrete plans have, of course, yet to be revealed, but we know that the developer's first priority is to restore to the structural integrity of the building, which has seen its better days.

Broadview HotelSpeculation as to what would become of the building, which dates back to 1893, has been swirling for years. With Jilly's soon to be out of the picture, the property could, once again, prove to be an anchor for Riverside, a neighbourhood that's seen plenty of development over the last half decade. One suspects the growth will only increase now that the old strip club is set to shutter.

As for when Jilly's will actually close, there's no set date, but it sounds like there's at least some urgency to the process of rehabilitating the hotel. "Streetcar is still in early stages of planning and looking at mixed use options but the first priority is safety," a company representative told us by email. "The city has determined that this building is unsafe for habitation so Streetcar is working with the tenant (Jilly's) to ensure the move is as fast as possible and done with care."

What would you like to see become of the heritage property?

Second photo of the Broadview Hotel in 1945 via the Toronto Archives

New website traces Drake's life from the bottom up

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Drake websiteYes, there's an animated lint roller - and the gripping story behind Drake's small town Shopper's Drug Mart video shoot. Toronto based company Pilot Interactive have launched a virtual timeline of Drake's life, from hockey to Degrassi to inspired facial tattoos and beyond.

Rather than fan-zoning the project (though Pilot must be either as #teamdrake as us or very ambitious), there are some good digs, including at the Toronto rapper's taste in interior design - which might lose these Drake scholars a spot at future Grammy-drinking parties at Drizzy's place. Or not. Drake seems pretty into making fun of Drake.

The website goes on to question Drake's football affiliation (is he an Argo's fan, or what? Hmm, I'm already bored) and then ends with a virtual hug, and a nod to all the huge names in hip hop Drake has brought to Toronto.

To learn more about Drake's $6,000 dice game and to keep up with the Joneses of Drake lore, spend some time on startedfromthebottom.ca. But do it discreetly, or your boss might send you back to the bottom - a place likely not as cute and stocked with ice-cream as Drake's. At least that's not soft ice cream in baby Aubrey's grip.

Will work for tacos? New taqueria barters for help

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tacos danforthTilde, a new contemporary taquiera currently in the works at 699 Danforth Ave. (at Pape), is employing a novel crowdsourcing scheme to help meet the deadline for its intended June opening. The restaurant is appealing to the public to participate in renovations - in exchange for the promise of free tacos.

Taco credits - one for each hour of work - can be earned by volunteering to paint or move furniture on Sunday, May 18 from noon 'til 4 pm. You'll be able to redeem them when the restaurant opens.

Unsure if the working for peanuts - er, tacos - is even worth it? Tilde is set to appear at the Toronto Underground Market on Saturday, May 17 to preview two selections from the upcoming menu that promises bold, unique flavours and multiple vegetarian options.

Photo (of El Tempo tacos) by Duc Banh via the blogTO Flickr pool.

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