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Now you can visit a cat cafe in Toronto (sort of)

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Pet Me MeowWe've been getting some comments asking us what's going on on the Toronto cat cafe front. It's an exciting, edge-of-cat-condo world, so let me bring you up to speed: first, there was Kitty Cat Cafe (formerly Smitten Kitten)'s announcement that they would be Toronto's first. Then, competition entered the ring in the form of Pet Me Meow. Both cafes have Indiegogo crowd funding pages up (KCC, PMM) and both will exist for a good cause: to help rescued cats socialize and find homes. But when will Torontonians get to experience a cafe full of felines without traveling to the US or Asia?

This weekend, it turns out. Pet Me Meow are setting up a pop up shop at Redfish Bluefish June 6-8. Stop by this weekend, grab a drink or a snack, and make your way to the temporary Pet Me Meow lounge area, where ten (ten!) kittens from Toronto Cat Rescue will be waiting to assume your shoelaces, hair, and jewelry are delicious prey. The sneak peek at what a cat cafe is like will mark Toronto's first foray into the world of cat cafes, hubs where visitors can make some furry friends and have the option to adopt them. Yes, all ten kittens are adoption ready if you are. Swoon.

Pet Me Meow's pop up runs at Redfish Bluefish (76 Harbord St) June 6-8 from 9am to 7pm. Grab tickets at petmemeow.eventbrite.ca.


New bakery brings sweet treats to the east side

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danforth bakeryThis bakery has been open near Greenwood station for the past few weeks, dishing out delectable tarts, squares, and cookies - but their real strength is their cakes and cupcakes. Though they seem to be ramping up production as the bakery gets off the ground, what's on the shelves right now is definitely worth trying.

Read my review of Sweet Serendipity in the bakeries section.

The top 10 Polish bakeries in Toronto

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polish bakery torontoThe top Polish bakeries in Toronto deal in a hearty array of home-style goodies that include more than just baked goods. Sometimes synonymous with a deli, a Polish bakery is an emporium of prepared goods, meats, and cheeses, while the specialties are crusty breads like rye, sourdough and cereal-laced multi-grains along with traditional pastries like paczki, bubka and poppy-seed roll cakes.

Here are the top Polish bakeries in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Perogies in Toronto
A guide to Polish Toronto

Benna's Bakery
The neighbourhood grocer on Roncesvalles is stocked with staples of Polish cuisine, including prepared foods and deli meats. The selection of fresh baked goods made on-site is especially impressive, covering everything from hearty whole grain breads to plum-filled paczki (doughnuts).

Starsky
The massive Mississauga supermarket draws customers from across the GTA for its wide selection of Polish baked goods that includes everything from paczki to pierniki (soft gingerbread cookies filled with apple or plum jam). Breads, kneaded by hand, are baked fresh onsite.

Anna's Bakery & Deli
Custard filled paczki, danishes and babka are displayed in the window at this old school bakery in Bloor West Villlage. Let the pastries beckon you inside, where you'll find loaves of multi-grain and rye just begging to be sandwiched with European cold cuts and cheeses.

Jaswoj Bakery
Two outlets in Mississauga are packed with an exceptional variety of European delicacies including traditional breads, buns and cakes like makowiec, a sweet poppy seed-swirled viennoiserie.

Universal Bakery
Like a bar mleczny (milk bar), this bakery cafe stocks superbly fresh rye breads, baked goods and deli items. Have a sandwich made up at the counter, pick up some perogi or enjoy a slice of sernik, a Polish cheesecake, on the front patio.

Nova European Deli
In Woodbridge, this 2,500-square-foot food store stocks the full lineup of authentic Polish baked goods, including light and dark ryes, sourdoughs, multigrain breads, wasa crisps, apple danishes, cookies, cakes and festive pastries.

Fine Bakery & Deli
Choose from traditional Polish breads for onsite sandwich assembly at this bakery on Lake Shore in Etobicoke, or enjoy home-style prepared foods from the hot table. Good luck leaving without something sweet - sugar-dusted pastries filled with custard are hard to ignore.

Polka European Deli
The inventory at this delicatessen in Scarborough includes an abundance of Polish favourites. Find an ample selection of hearty crusted breads, decorated cakes and cream and rich pastries that are deliciously heavy on eggs and cream.

Karpaty
Located in Long Branch village, this European food mart is the place to go for cheap and cheerful lunches. Order freshly made deli sandwiches on crusty dark or light rye, or pick from an assortment of traditional baked goods for grab and go.

Yummy Markets
While technically a Russian grocer, there are no shortage of Polish products in the bakery aisle. Sure, the two countries have a storied past, but breaking bread - say, a hearty loaf of rye - is an easy way to find common ground.

What did I miss? Add your favourite Polish bakery to the comments below.

House of the week: 217 Concord Avenue

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217 concord avenue torontoThis single-family home at 217 Concord Ave. near Bloor and Ossington marries old school charm with modern convenience. The narrow house feels wider than it is, with high ceilings and large windows throughout the first floor. Crown mouldings and original plaster details keep the Victorian feel - though the lighting that highlights these details is a little on the cheesy side. But, no worries, that can be easily remedied by the flick of a switch!

The kitchen has been fully renovated and actually maintains some room for eating! Between that and the dining room, there's room here for family meals and dinner parties. And while the backyard is small, it's rather beautiful with a deck that looks perfect for a good book and a glass of wine. Sure, there isn't the expansive space you'd need for a swing set or large vegetable garden, but with some thought you could definitely get some tomato plants going if you have a green thumb.

217 concord avenue torontoSPECS

Address: 217 Concord Ave.
Price: $789,000
Lot Size: 18.5 x 92 ft.
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Parking: 0
Taxes: $4,276
Walk Score: 97

217 concord avenue torontoNOTABLE FEATURES

  • Modern renovated kitchen with plenty of storage
  • Original crown moldings and other original features
  • Convenient location just blocks from Ossington Subway Station
  • Short walk to both Dufferin Grove Park and Christie Pits

217 concord avenue torontoGOOD FOR

Families who want to live in a central location. With three bedrooms and a finished basement, this home is plenty big enough for a family with kids. And it's located just a 10 minute walk from Dufferin Grove Park, one of Toronto's underrated treasures. Farmers' markets, yoga, bike polo, playgrounds, campfires...there's something for everyone. Plus, Concord is itself a quiet, tree-lined street that feels so very Toronto-like in the summer.

217 concord avenue torontoMOVE ON IF

A garage is a priority. This home comes with no parking, a big drawback for a lot of buyers. Or maybe you need a lot of bathrooms - there's only two here, one on the second floor, and one in the basement. Other than that, though, I can't see too many drawbacks to this spot. With the central location and street parking available, the lack of a garage might not be a huge loss. And how many bathrooms do you really need? I'm totally sold on this house.

217 concord avenue toronto217 concord avenue toronto217 concord avenue toronto217 concord avenue toronto217 concord avenue toronto217 concord avenue toronto217 concord avenue toronto217 concord avenue torontoRead other posts in this series via our House of the Week Pinterest board.

Writing by Isabel Ritchie

Street Style: 15 denim trends spotted on Queen St.

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toronto street styleFashionable folks of all kinds - from classic to edgy, colourful to minimal - have one great equalizer: denim. There's a pair of jeans in practically everyone's closet - but as the weather heats up, new trends are emerging. Last week, we spotted West Queen West's best dressed sporting bleached and ripped jeans, ombre-dyed jackets, and even overalls.

Check out all the looks in our style section.

Toronto Islands to get a much needed new restaurant

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toronto island airportAn historic piece of Toronto's island airport is going to become a restaurant and event space at Hanlan's Point, the Toronto Port Authority has announced. Terminal A, which has been sitting in the saturated outfield of Billy Bishop airport since 2012, will be moved closer to the public side of the island and renovated with input from designers and TV personalities Sarah Richardson and Tommy Smythe.

This morning, the TPA announced it had reached an "agreement in principle" to restore the building and open it up to the public, but it's unlikely to be a simple project. The protected three-storey structure, which once provided facilities for passenger and baggage handling, air traffic control and airport administration, has been abandoned and propped up on brick stilts for several years. Because of its heritage status, any alterations will have to be approved by the city.

Specific plans, budgets, and timelines for the restoration, which is being financed by a group of Toronto businessman led by private pilot Alexander Younger, Richardson's husband, were not released.

toronto island airportThe white clapboard structure was the first passenger terminal at the Toronto Island airport when it opened in 1939. An almost exact copy of an early terminal building at Malton airport, now Pearson, it pulled double-duty as an air traffic control tower and processing centre for arriving and departing passengers.

The terminal survived several expansions as the airport grew through its various incarnations as Port George VI Island Airport, a Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp during the second world war, and, more recently, a bustling hub for short-haul flights.

The building was forced to make way for the airport side of the pedestrian tunnel, which is currently mired in a legal dispute, in 2011. It was decommissioned and shifted away from the centre of activity on top of a giant skid a year later.

Questions surfaced over the building's future when the Toronto Port Authority, the airport operator, announced it was seeking a buyer who could preserve the building, one of the last of its kind in Canada, in a new location.

What do you think of plan to give the old terminal a new lease on life?

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

Images: Toronto Port Authority.

Historic Maple Leaf Tavern to be reborn as gastropub

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Maple leaf tavernThe historic Maple Leaf Tavern across from Gerrard Square is about to be reborn as a gastropub. The tavern, built in 1910 and converted into a hotel in 1935, is one of the many lodgings long neglected on Toronto's east side. In the 1980's it changed hands multiple times and became a dive bar known locally as the "kick and stab" after a number of unsavoury incidents transpired within its walls. In recent times the building has been shuttered and sporting a for lease sign.

But finally there is change coming to the tavern. Todd Morgan, owner of The Port restaurant in Pickering has gutted the space and will transform it into a gastropub with a menu not too dissimilar from his other spot. According to a spokesperson for the tavern, Morgan plans to recreate the feel of the era when the space was in its prime. The opening is targeted sometime this Fall.

Photo by Dominic Bugatto in the blogTO Flickr pool

First of the new fleet of streetcars arrives in Toronto

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toronto new streetcarThe number of streetcars in Toronto increased by exactly one Saturday afternoon when the TTC took delivery of the first production model in its fleet of new low-floor vehicles. Streetcar 4403, the first of the new high-capacity vehicles that will carry passengers this August on Spadina Ave., was shipped on a flatcar from the Bombardier production facility in Thunder Bay over the weekend.

The 1,300 km journey from assembly line to the Hillcrest maintenance facility took the vehicle, which was hauled by two Canadian Pacific locomotives, through Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, and Parry Sound. In Toronto, the TTC built a special spur track and unloading ramp off the CP main line in order to accept the delivery.

The $1.2 billion fleet of 204 low-floor streetcars will be brought to Toronto in instalments over the next six years. Though the vehicles are more spacious than the current fleet, the overall length is only 7 metres--about 25%--more than a Queen streetcar. Inside there is more seating, more standing room, and (at last) all-door boarding thanks to proof-of-payment vending machines. Presto, when it finally rolls out, will also be available.

The ARLVs--the articulated streetcars that operate primarily on Queen--will be the first to ushered into retirement, meaning that the 501 streetcar will be serviced by the TTC's smaller CLRVs in the near future, most likely in 2015. The last of the current streetcar fleet will be retired in 2020.

While the new Leslie Barns facility on Lake Shore Blvd. is still under construction, the new streetcars will be stored on Roncesvalles. Though the TTC is confident it will have the first vehicle in service by August 31, it remains to be seen just how many will be available on opening day. Spokesman Brad Ross says there will be a mix of old and new streetcars on Spadina until the end of 2014 at the earliest.

The TTC has been conducting an increasing number of street tests and noticeably ramping up its PR campaign in recent weeks. The official Twitter account of the new streetcar gave away spots on a special pre-launch ride in exchange for correct answers to trivia questions over the last two weeks.

Critically, the forays of the test vehicle, which will eventually be returned and converted for public use, helped identify at least one fault.

Engineers found that the retractable access ramps that fold out below each of the doors didn't work quite as expected. Streetcar stops with concrete islands on Spadina, St. Clair, Bathurst, Queen, and College had to be made a precise uniform height so that the ramp, which is capable of meeting a raised platform or the street, was able to accurately deploy.

"There's a new generation [of ramp] that won't be on the first set of production vehicles but will be on subsequent generations, and then those first few production cars we receive with the older ramp will be switched out," says Ross. "It has been a challenge."

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

Image: TTC


The top 10 tea based cocktails in Toronto

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tea cocktailThe top tea based cocktails in Toronto take full advantage of tea's unlimited array of flavours. With infusions commonplace in the city's cocktail scene, tea seems like a natural solution for adding large amounts of flavour to a syrup or liquor without spending weeks steeping ingredients - not to mention the medicinal qualities it provides.

Here are my picks for the top spots for tea-based cocktails in Toronto.

Geraldine
This cute Parisian-styled bistro in Parkdale is a favourite for a great cocktail, with bar manager Michael Mooney's lists never failing to impress. The Scarlet Carson is made with Tanqueray gin infused with jasmine and rose petal tea, along with Campari, Lillet blanc, grapefruit juice and honey syrup.

Cafe Belong
Happily tucked away at the Brick Works, Cafe Belong makes a Fish House Punch that incorporates Appleton's V/X rum with a peach infused brandy, green tea simple syrup, and sparkling wine. Delicious.

Byblos
Though Cocktail Parlour is no more, Wes Galloway's excellent drinks can still be enjoyed in the Middle Eastern restaurant that replaced it. Across The Sea starts with infusing Captain Morgan light rum with Moroccan mint tea, which is shaken with fresh lemon, sugar, and a house-made Middle East bitters, before topping the mixture with ginger beer.

Marben
Wellington Street's Marben produces the Tea + Sympathy cocktail, with chamomile-infused vodka, ginger syrup, lemon, and egg white, all shaken with dandelion bitters.

Parts + Labour
Next door to The Geraldine, Parts and Labour has become something of a Parkdale institution. The Down By The Bay cocktail mixes Sailor Jerry spiced rum with Amaro Nonino, watermelon juice, and a hibiscus tea syrup.

The Ace
This restored Roncesvalles diner offers the After Ace, made with Wild Turkey bourbon, Amaro Montenegro, and a syrup made from Earl Grey tea and burnt lemon, finished with a splash of Campari.

Red Sauce
Little Italy may have lost a fine dining destination when owner Scott Selland replaced Acadia with his family-friendly Italian sandwich spot, but the bar program remains as ambitious as its predecessor. The Strega Sour incorporates gin, Strega liqueur and lemon with an Earl Grey honey.

The Drake
Few lists involving cocktails in the city are complete without mentioning The Drake somewhere. They offer the Kahlo - Fortuna mezcal, creme yvette, agave nectar and grapefruit bitters mixed with chamomile tea.

Montauk
Josh LeBlanc's bestselling cocktail is the Tame Impala, featuring tequila, lime, fresh cucumber, and chai tea syrup, all topped with Thomas Lavers' ginger beer.

Northwood
This cafe and cocktail bar at Christie Pits is doing great things, and the Lady Grey Sour is no exception. Earl Grey-infused rye whiskey, lemon, and black pepper add bite.

Thanks to Pure Leaf for sponsoring our coverage of iced tea day in Toronto (coming up on June 10th).

Photo of the Tea + Sympathy at Marben by Jesse Milns.

Wall Street on York Street

Today in Toronto: Clubscape, DOC NOW, Query the Game, Meatball, Pivot, Frische, Tell Me Something Good

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Today in TorontoToday in Toronto Steam Whistle Brewery will host the opening of Clubscape, a photo show of Visualbass Photography and Flash and Capture's work documenting the city's party scene (full disclosure, you've seen Conrad McGee Stocks' photos in our music section a few times). Ryerson's DOC NOW Fest will screen eleven films in four programs today and tomorrow at Bloor Hot Docs - for free! Canadian cult classic Meatballs starring Bill Murray will play at TIFF for Action Against Hunger. 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.

Image by Conrad McGee Stocks / Flash & Capture

Toronto startup can turn your watch into a smartwatch

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glance watchIt seems the smartwatch's time is still coming. After the Pebble smartwatch crashed onto the scene with a record-setting Kickstarter in 2012, tech giants (most notably Samsung) and startups alike began falling over themselves to produce their own entries in the wearable-tech marketplace. The backlash was swift, with detractors arguing the gadgets were too buggy, too expensive, and not accessible enough to attract your everyday, non-gearhead shopper.

A lot of that argument may be handily foiled by Glance, a project by Toronto-based startup Kiwi Wearables, that simply and inexpensively converts any existing wristwatch into a smartwatch. Glance is a slim, curved machine-aluminum unit that slips under your watchband, leaving a sliver of display screen visible. It connects to your device via Bluetooth, and uses a motion sensing and a top button to take commands.

As it turns out, there's a lot you can do with that tiny amount of screen space, including reading texts (and auto-replying to them with a flick of the wrist), receiving phone call alerts, calling your phone (in case you can't find it), and using it as a mouse button or controller for a smart TV. There's also a built-in activity tracker.

glance smartwatchThe device is currently being funded via Kickstarter; early birds can preorder their own Glance for a $70 donation. An accompanying Glance app has been created for Android and iOS phones - Blackberry and Windows Phone support are available as stretch goals.

Would you buy a Glance? Let us know in the comments below.

The top 10 Long Island Iced Tea in Toronto

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long island iced teaThe top Long Island Iced Teas in Toronto hold an odd position in the family of classic cocktails. The innocuous-looking drink is made from a combination of anywhere up to five base liquors with lemon juice and cola. The end result could easily be mistaken for an iced tea - yet it packs a serious punch, with an average alcoholic content of over 20%.

The drink's history is debated: claims that it was created in either the 1920s or 1970s both appear to have some credence (though the latter decade likely produced the recipe that's in common use today). For most bartenders, this is one of the first drinks they'll learn to make - in a shaker, combine 0.5 oz of each of tequila, gin, vodka, white rum and triple sec with an ounce of lemon juice. Shake and strain into a highball glass, and top with a splash of cola.

The list below incorporates either drinks that reinvent the recipe in some way, or offer the classic at a low price.

Here are the top Long Island Iced Teas in Toronto.

Home of The Brave
Taylor Corrigan's bar program at King West's American comfort food hotspot serves up a Long Island Iced Tea in slushie form ($10). If the original cocktail seems like heaven on a hot day, then you really have to give this a try.

Sabai Sabai
This Thai spot at the corner of Dundas and Church eschews the lemon and cola for a housemade Thai tea sour mixture. It's delicately spiced, and available both by the glass ($9) and pitcher ($36).

SPiN
This King West ping-pong bar offers the Long Branch Iced Tea ($12), a cocktail more similar to a real alcoholic iced tea, with Ketel One vodka combined with peach bitters and freshly made iced tea.

The Dogs Bollocks
Looking for something a little stronger? This offering from one of West Queen West's most popular pubs stuffs three ounces of booze into a personal pitcher for $12.50. Combine this with the all-you-can-eat ribs for $15 on Thursdays for a bargain night of indulgence.

Ryoji
This upscale ramen spot on College St. serves up a pretty standard recipe Long Island, but re-brands it as a 'Long Okinawa Iced Tea', as is the case for most of the cocktails on their list ('Sex on the Okinawa Beach', 'Okinawa Sunrise'). They are, however, blissfully cheap at $7.50.

County General
It's not on the menu anymore, but they'll still make a Bellwoods Iced Tea ($12) for you at West Queen West's County General - equal parts El Dorado five and six-year rums are shaken with lemon, syrup, and housemade blueberry bourbon bitters before being topped with a splash of cola.

Pour Boy
This Koreatown bar might be known as a draft beer haunt for students, but they'll still throw a cocktail together for those who want to cut down on their carbs (or just get drunk a bit quicker). The LIIT here is served in a glass mug for a bargain $6.50, so those enjoying a cocktail can expect a bill that isn't twice the size of their beer-drinking buddies.

Bistro 422
This popular student haunt at College and Bathurst has long been known as a bargain dive bar, but offers mini pitchers of Long Island Iced Tea similar to The Dog's Bollocks for only $12.

Free Times Cafe
Also on College St., this 33-year-old spot is probably the only place on this list that's older than most of its patrons. Long Islands are $8 here, but it's the nightly live music or terrific brunches that you can pair them with that make this place worth seeking out.

Olympic Pizza
This Village-area pizza parlour is another spot that's been around for longer than most of its customers. At almost 40 years old, the bar selection feels like it may not have changed a great deal since first opening. Is that a bad thing? If the Long Island Iced Teas are only $5.50, then certainly not.

Thanks to Pure Leaf for sponsoring our coverage of iced tea day in Toronto (coming up on June 10th).

Photo courtesy Home Of The Brave.

Barberian's sister sandwich shop opens on Elm

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TLP TorontoThe management crew behind pricey Barberian's Steakhouse is now in the cheap sandwich game. The new spot, just open this week, wants to make $10 take-out lunches its niche, offering massive sandwiches topped with brisket, peameal bacon, calamari or meatloaf.

Read my profile of TLP Sandwich Co. in the restaurants section.

The Best Mexican Restaurants in Toronto

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mexican restaurants torontoThe best Mexican restaurants in Toronto are flourishing - many of them are fanning across the city, with satellite locations booming wherever they open. We're not just talking tacos, either, but traditional stews, stuffed poblanos and tortilla soups. Not to mention, there's a whole new school of establishments going past traditional Tex-Mex and so-Cal styles to dish out some cross-cultural ingenuity, including variations laced with foie gras, scrapple and kimchi.

Here are the best Mexican restaurants in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Tacos in Toronto
The Best Fish Tacos in Toronto
The Best Huevos Rancheros in Toronto
The Best Margaritas in Toronto
The top 5 tequila bars and restaurants in Toronto


Toronto ranked 9th most congested city in the Americas

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Toronto trafficToronto has been ranked the ninth worst city in the Americas for traffic congestion and the second worst in Canada, trailing Vancouver for the dubious distinction. The new rankings, courtesy of Dutch navigation company Tom Tom, includes an evaluation of 63 cities across North and South America, which means our ninth place spot isn't exactly something to pat ourselves on the back over. Even as Toronto tends to well on public transportation and quality of life rankings, congestion is a legitimate and frustrating problem facing the city.

According to the report, a commuter facing a 30 minute daily drive will experience 83 hours of delay time during the course of a year. Just think of all the life-enriching and fun things you could do with those hours given back. The traffic analysis also questions whether or not Toronto drivers really have any ability to capitalize on short cuts, noting that use of these so-called routes can lead to 50 per cent longer travel times. And here I thought I was a hero for knowing so many alternate ways to get to places.

The worst five cities on the list were Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, San Paulo, Los Angeles and Vancouver with congest levels ranking from 55 to 35 per cent, respectively. Toronto comes in at 27 per cent. For context, a city like Buffalo was scored at 14 per cent. You can read the whole report here, presumably while you sit in traffic.

Photo by Dan...Mr. Dan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Where to celebrate National Doughnut Day in Toronto

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National Doughnut DayNational Doughnut Day falls on the first Friday of June each year, and while it might seem like a rather arbitrary holiday, the event was started all the way back in 1938 by The Salvation Army as a sweet way to honour the men and women who served doughnuts to soldiers during the First World War.

Keeping the tradition alive, a number of independent doughnut shops in Toronto plan to recognize the day with in-store promotions on Friday, June 6th. Some will nod to the historical significance of the event, while others just plan to celebrate the simple beuaty of fried dough.

Here are 5 spots to celebrate National Doughnut Day in Toronto.

  • Glory Hole Doughnuts in Parkdale will commemorate the 76th year of National Doughnut Day, by giving away 76 of its mini doughnuts plus free swag from 10am on.
  • Jelly Modern Doughnutswill collect money for the Salvation Army at all locations, while offering free Sally Ann-coloured doughnuts.
  • Von Doughnuts is offering a free Von Kebob -- a skewer of mini Madagascar vanilla or French toast-glazed doughnuts -- with purchase of any 6 doughnuts and a drip coffee.
  • Tori's Bakeshop is going to be well-stocked with fresh made doughnut cupcakes ($3.50) and regular doughnuts ($2.50) in flavours like pink vanilla and chocolate cherry.
  • The Steady is promoting a classic cinnamon sugar donut that's both vegan and gluten free, as well introducing a yeast doughnut in a fun new flavour. Have a doughnut with the house-made cold brew for $5, or on its own for $3.

Photo of Glory Hole Donuts

This is what the Toronto condom looks like

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toronto condomWorldPride is coming up soon in Toronto, and yes, it's going to be a massive two-week party attracting LGBTQ folks and public figures from all over the globe - but, as it turns out, it may have also inspired the design of Toronto's very first city-branded condoms.

Last month, Toronto Public Health announced they'd be producing a proprietary prophylactic, nicknamed condomTO, placing us in the excellent company of cities like New York and L.A. In a series of images posted to Twitter today, TPH rolled out the wrapper design (very slowly, bit by bit) just in time for Pride.

The final packaging, in all its glory, pays tribute to the city's queer community: Church-Wellesley Village-style rainbow street signs, featuring some of our city's most giggle-inducing street names (specifically, Coxwell, Cummer, and Wood), appear next to the slogan "No matter which way you go, put it on." Cheeky, yet inclusive! (Sadly, Dixon Rd. and Orrell Ave. are both absent.)

Look for it to be available for free in clubs, gyms, and other public spaces in the coming weeks.

Photo via Toronto Public Health on Twitter.

The top 10 artsy weekend escapes from Toronto

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weekend getaway torontoThe top weekend escapes from Toronto for art lovers show off the vibrant arts and culture scene in Ontario, from well known destinations like Niagara-on-the-Lake's Shaw Festival to the rolling hills of Caledon and the hidden gem that is the Alton Mill Arts Centre.

While the arts communities in small towns across this province are generally driven by the theatre, landscape painting and craft-related work, it's crucial to remember that an important gallery like Albright-Knox is just two hours away (provided you have luck at the border) and a hotbed for modern art. In fact, when you step back and look at the options art lovers have to explore areas within a short drive of Toronto, you realize that we're collectively spoiled for choice, particularly in the summer and fall.

Here are my picks for the top weekend escapes for art lovers in Toronto.

Soak up modernist theatre at the Shaw Festival
The Shaw Festival is one of the most popular weekend getaways for arts and culture fans for a good reason: it hosts some of the best theatre on the continent. While George Bernard Shaw is the obvious focus, what keeps the festival engaging year in and year out is the addition of works from his contemporaries, esteemed modern playwrights like Noël Coward, J.M. Barrie, and Tennessee Williams, to name just a few of the heavyweights regularly featured here. The town itself is perfectly quaint with a host of historic inns, like the Pillar and Post, Harbour House, and Queen's Landing. Travellers on a budget will want to check out the many B&B options.

Immerse yourself in Elora's arts scene (and go tubing)
Elora and nearby Fergus are picturesque towns situated on the Grand River about an hour's drive from Toronto. Both are home to thriving artist communities, though the one around Fergus is more spread out along the back roads of Wellington County. Elora is the bigger draw of the two in part because of the Elora Centre for the Arts, which hosts established artists and arranges events like outdoor art fairs. The towns also host an annual studio tour in the fall. With the Elora Mill closed for renovations, your best bets for accommodations are the many small inns and B&Bs in both towns. Oh, and don't forget to go on a tube ride.

Check out the burgeoning Hamilton gallery scene
We've already fawned over Hamilton's music and culinary scenes, but Steeltown is also an art gallery town. Along with the impressive Art Gallery of Hamilton, James Street North is home to vibrant collection of art spaces that are bringing new life to the city. The unofficial gallery crawl on the second Friday long ago became an established event that brings out crowds that would make even Toronto galleries jealous. Add to that mix the Downtown Arts Centre, The Community Centre for Media Arts, and the McMaster Museum of Art and you might be inclined to strike out the "burgeoning" from the header of this blurb.

Retreat to the Toronto Islands to work on your novel
This one is more for artists than art fans, but if you're looking to retreat from the city to get some work done on an project, this could be the ultimate escape. You'll need to earn it, though. Artists looking to take advantage of Artscape's residency program at Gibraltar Point will need to apply online and explain what they're working on in the hopes of being accepted into the program. Along with private accommodations, success can make use of studio space, a shared kitchen and all the other amenities of the Islands.

Check out Albright-Knox and booming Buffalo
Buffalo, so long the butt of jokes about chicken wings and fires, is back on the upswing. With Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's "Buffalo Billion" initiative pouring money into revitalizing infrastructure across the city, now's as good a time as ever to pay a visit to the Albright-Knox Gallery, one of the city's cultural gems and as good a place to check out modern art as you'll find in most cities. When you pay your gallery visit, you can also check out nearby Delaware Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (of Central Park fame) and simply a gorgeous urban oasis. If revamped hotels are your thing, make sure you stay at the Hotel at the Lafyette.

Pay the Bard his due at the Stratford Festival
If Shaw isn't your bag, then head to Stratford for its world renowned Shakespeare-focused festival. The stages here have been home to a who's who of acting talent over the last 60 years and continue the trend in 2014 with Colm Feore in a stint as King Lear. While the festival also plays host to non-Shakespearean works (this year's production of Alice Through the Looking Glass is of note), there's nothing quite like taking in a well-acted production of the Bard's work. While there, stay in the gorgeous Mercer Hall Inn or one of the reasonably priced motels around town.

Rediscover the Group of Seven in Kleinburg
The quaint little village of Kleinburg has been engulfed by development over the last decade, but the main drag still retains its historic charm even as the subdivisions lie just outside of town. The main draw here, of course, is the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, one of the finest selections of Group of Seven paintings in the country. Yes, these landscape masters might not impress a younger generation of art lovers as they did in the past, but the work is quite obviously beautiful and the grounds of the gallery are rugged enough to make you forget just how unnatural the landscape is just a kilometre or so away. Stay at the inexpensive Kleinburg Inn or make it a day trip.

Hit up Prince Edward County's arts scene
Prince Edward County has built a name for itself over the last decade as a destination for wine and food, but its original calling card was as a scenic arts community with plenty of antique options. Along with your winery visits, you can hit up the Festival Players Summer Theatre, Art in the County (a juried art fair), the PEC Jazz Festival, and the annual late summer studio tour. Stay at the new Drake Devonshire Inn or go old school at the Merrill Inn.

Take in the Forks of the Credit and the Alton Mill Arts Centre
The rolling hills of Caledon get lots of love for their scenic beauty and the waterfalls in the area, but there's actually quite the arts scene as well thanks mostly to the Alton Mill Arts Centre, a converted mill that houses over 25 artist studios and a ton of events each year. The highlights are probably Doors Open of Headwaters, which invites visitors into the many mills and historic buildings in the area (a hefty dose of which have some artistic purpose) and the 18-day Headwaters Arts Festival in September and October. There are also open studios and other events scheduled throughout the summer. If you've got the dough, the nicest place to stay in the area is the Millcroft Inn.

Get arts and crafty in Muskoka
Muskoka is an arts and crafty kind of place to begin with, what with all those mom and pop type shops in towns like Port Carling and Bala that sell various cottage country-themed accessories and trinkets. But the obsession kicks into high gear in July for the Muskoka Arts and Crafts show in Bracebridge. A huge affair, the festival features over 200 vendors and has been running for over 50 years. It's not the place to acquire conceptual art of course (unless you've learned Duchamp's lesson that all art is conceptual art), but if you're looking to pick up some handmade goods to decorate your home, this could be the weekend escape for you. Skip the shitty chain hotels in Bracebridge in favour of the B&B options.

What did I miss? Plug your favourite artsy weekend escapes from Toronto in the comments below.

Ford escapeThanks to Ford Escape for sponsoring our weekend escapes.

Photo of Albright-Knox by Nick Stanley

Trash Palace reborn as monthly film night at the Revue

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Trash Palace RevueThe Trash Palace, Toronto's kitschy haven for 16mm film and culture, is in transition. While the space that many local film lovers have grown to love has recently shut its doors for the final time on Niagara St., ending a seven year run, the story of the cinema isn't all doom and gloom. Starting in July, the scene that the Trash Palace fostered over the years will shift to the Revue Cinema, which is still equipped with a 16mm projector to play the various oddities and obscurities so often screened at 89 Niagara.

The closure of the space comes as the area faces significant redevelopment pressure, though impending condos aren't directly to blame for the shuttering of the unique theatre. The Trash Palace was always made possible by owner Stacey Case's screen printing company in the building, and having moved on to a new career in craft services for film, he tells me that "it just seemed like a good time to get out while the going is good."

While the space itself was always at least part of the draw, the move to the Revue comes with some major benefits. Along with increased capacity and greater visibility, the monthly film nights will now have the added delight of booze thanks to the cinema's liquor license. Apologies, but that's kind of a big deal for me. Rather than see this chapter in the Trash Palace's history as an untimely end, Case characterizes the shift as "an underground cinema going legit after seven years." 16mm culture is alive and well in Toronto, after all.

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