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Today in Toronto: Grand Pride Wedding, CraveTO, Art Spin, Steers & Queers, Penelope Stewart, Maylee Todd

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Today in TorontoToday in Toronto A Celebration of Love: A Grand Pride Wedding will see 800 people or so gather at Casa Loma to say "I do." Bring a spare hanky for the person next to you, and don't worry - Macklemore and Madonna won't be there. Art Spin will tour Toronto galleries by bike, and CraveTO will bring local and independent chefs, brewers and more together with DJs in the Honest Ed's alley. Food and beer are $5. Dolly Partons (note: plural) will be taking over The Gladstone in droves for Steers & Queers. The Gladstone's Pride art show That's So Gay is partying as well. 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: Art Spin

Ryerson and the AGO team up for World Pride

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World pride artSophie Hackett, associate curator of photography at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) has been very busy curating two shows in time for World Pride 2014. "What It Means to Be Seen: Photography and Queer Visibility" at the Ryerson Image Centre, and "Fan the Flames: Queer Positions in Photography" at the AGO both explore queer identity, the play of gender and the ways in which artists have represented the queer community in search of a wider acceptance over the years.

Check out our photo gallery for a brief glimpse of each show. (Then be sure to stop by both galleries to check out the exhibitions IRL.)

Toronto Restaurant Openings: Jamie's Italian, East Side Social, Pearl King, Saturday Dinette, Luce Rotisserie

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

OPEN NOW

  • East Side Social, an oyster house and seafood-centric restaurant, is now open at 1008 Queen St. East in Leslieville.
  • Elm Tree Restaurant, a new family-owned and operated Mediterranean grill, is now open at 43 Elm St., taking over the former site of The Wolf & Firkin.
  • Pearl King, a new spot for dim sum, tapas and drinks at 291 King St. West, has quietly replaced Dazzling Modern Restaurant + Bar.
  • As reported earlier,Bunner's Bake Shop, the gluten-free bakery, has opened in Kensington Market at 244 Augusta Ave.
  • Completo is now in soft-opening mode at 5 Coady Avenue in Leslieville
  • Kinton Ramen 3 is now open near the corner of Queen and Spadina.

RECENTLY REVIEWED

OPENING SOON

  • Saturday Dinette, dubbed a "modern diner for Riverdale and Leslieville locals," is opening soon at 807 Gerrard St. at Jones.
  • Luce is opening a BBQ take-away called Luce Rotisserie in the next week or so next door to the existing restaurant at 793 King St. West.
  • Rush Lane & Co. is slated to take over the former address of Hot Wings Grill and Rib House at 563 Queen St. West.
  • Pizzeria Libretto continues to expand, with a new location going in at 155 University Ave.
  • Jamie Oliver is importing Jamie's Italian to Canada with help from King Street Food Company, the folks behind Buca. The first of 10 planned outposts will open next spring in Yorkdale Shopping Centre. [The Globe & Mail]

CLOSING

  • Zocalo (1426 Bloor St. West) is reportedly closing this week; the last service is slated for Saturday, June 28. [The Grid]

OTHER NEWS

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

Photo of Kinton Ramen by Jesse Milns.

Toronto gets a massive (and elaborate) French bistro

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cluny torontoA new breed of French bistro has opened in the Distillery District from the same team behind El Catrin, offering classic Parisian dishes - and then some. Stick to traditional fare like steak frites or frogs' legs, or opt for the more playful menu entries including Buffalo-style sweet breads and duck confit poutine.

Read my profile of Cluny in the restaurants section.

10 famous people visiting Toronto this summer 2014

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adam sandler torontoCelebrities visiting Toronto this summer are mostly limited to big-ticket touring musicians taking their 18-wheelers full of disco balls, confetti and catsuits through our biggest arenas. If you're the star-gazing type, though, that makes your job easy; just buy a ticket to the show. There's also a few well-known actors coming through town for shooting, conventions, or panels. Be patient (and maybe stake out a spot on a Yorkville patio) and you may just experience your own brush with greatness. Just don't be creepy, OK?

Here's a rundown of 10 famous people visiting Toronto this summer.

Adam Sandler
Did you have your commute wrecked by a closed-down Adelaide St. this spring? Maybe you were disappointed by a non-operational prop hot dog cart? You can thank Adam Sandler for that one - he's shooting the New York City-set film Pixels over the summer in Toronto. The movie, a remake of a 2010 short film, focuses on a crack team of hot-shot gamers saving the world from arcade game villains trying to attack the Earth. Between takes, Sandler's been spotted hanging out in Yorkville. I don't wanna judge, dude, but your kids are a little big for that stroller.

Lady Gaga
Once again, Mother Monster comes to grace us with her presence. She'll be taking her artRAVE tour through the ACC on July 9. Expect the usual Gaga show - y'know, octopus costumes, seahorse-shaped keytars, stuffed animals being shot out of cannons. Meanwhile, if you happen to be out and about on the streets of Toronto, keep your eye out for someone wearing a bra and orange chaps / onesie made of lace curtains / giant sperm-shaped hat. Yaaaaaaasss.

Katy Perry
She's responsible for all of your guilty-pleasure sing-in-the-shower songs, so we won't judge you if you shell out to see Katy Perry perform at the ACC on July 18, 19 and 21. (Whatcha got planned for that night off, Katy? Huh?) Proven fact: Google searches for "papier mache cupcake bra instructions" spike by 3000% in any given city one week before Katy Perry comes to town.

Jack White
Everyone's favourite White Stripe / Raconteur / Dead Weatherman has struck out on his own once again. Hot off the heels of his latest record, Lazaretto, White will be bringing his solo show to the ACC on July 31. When he's off-duty, he'll be ... well, I don't know where he'll be. Where does Jack White hang out when he's in Toronto? I'm envisioning a country bar in a bunker 50 feet below the ground where the walls are made entirely from the necks of dismantled Airlines.

Peter Dinklage
He's in town for the exact same reason Adam Sandler is - a starring turn in Pixels - but Dinklage gets his own spot on the list due to sheer Game of Thrones-related badassery. His rising profile, thanks to his role on the universally-beloved HBO series, has led to him being deluged by fans at Pearson and snapped by paparazzi hanging out with his family downtown. (The Daily Mail: Where it's always a slow news day.)

One Direction
Technically, yes, this is five famous people: Harry, Niall, Zayn, Louis and Liam will be kicking off their North American tour with back-to-back performances August 1 and 2 at the Rogers Centre. There will screaming. There will also probably be crying. Are you already crying? Oh, honey, it's going to be okay. Man, I hope that One Direction-branded mascara they're about to launch is waterproof.

William Shatner
Canadian national treasure William Shatner will be returning to the Fan Expo comic and sci-fi con at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre August 28-31. Shatner has been a top-billed convention favourite for decades thanks to his years as James T. Kirk, the captain of the Enterprise - or, if you were a preteen girl in 1999, his iconic turn as the pageant emcee in Miss Congeniality. The full convention schedule will be announced in August; while you're waiting, download all of these albums.

Patrick Stewart
If you're more of a Next Generation person, Fan Expo will also feature an appearance from Captain Picard. (He's also Professor Xavier. Can someone make him one of these T-shirts?) No talk or Q&A announcement has been made for the convention yet - though he's proven to be a candid and enlightening panel guest. If you'd like to queue up for an autograph or photo, however, you can make it so on Sunday, August 31 - he'll only be attending for one day.

Lena Dunham
Come early September, everyone will be freaking out over the jetloads of celebrities in town for TIFF. The festival's schedule is still up in the air, but after the smoke clears on September 14, the Just For Laughs festival will cap off a late summer of star-stalking with some of comedy's current greats.Girls mastermind Lena Dunham will be at the Sony Centre on September 20, reading from her upcoming book of essays and doing a Q&A. Will we become best friends? Watch this space for updates! (Other notable funny people coming to town for the fest include Seth Myers, Wanda Sykes and Nick Offerman.)

Lil Wayne (maybe)
There's this guy named Drake who's from around here, and likes to bring his famous buddies to town as surprise guests for his annual OVO music festival. Nothing's been announced officially, but I have a a pretty strong hunch that Lil Wayne will be making a repeat visit at this year's fest, which takes place August 3 and 4. (I guess this means Drake will be in Toronto, too.)

pure leafThanks to Pure Leaf for sponsoring our summer adventures. For more things to do this summer, check out our Best of Summer page.

Who did I miss? Add more famous people to the comments.

Inside Toronto's newest boutique hotel

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besixfifty hotel torontoA once-seedy motel on Bay, south of College, has undergone a major transformation. Now. the rooms are modern yet whimsical, outfitted with iPads that act as a miniature concierge and command centre for everything in your room. There's a cafe downstairs, a free-to-use gym down the street, and free mini cupcakes on check-in. Sounds like a step up to us - but how does the rest of it stack up?

Read my profile of BeSixFifty Hotel in the hotels section.

30+ bars with 4 a.m. last call for World Pride 2014

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last call 4am World Pride TorontoWorld Pride is on in Toronto, and (mercifully) over 30 bars are open until 4 a.m. so we can all celebrate to our heart's content. There are, of course, lots of official events to be attended and a flood of parties taking place across the city, but even after doing all those things, you should still be able to make extended last call for a night cap. While many of the bars on this list are located in the Village or nearby, the late night drink isn't confined to Church St. Places like the Garrison and the Drake are serving late, as are the Monarch Tavern and El Convento Rico. In short, you've got lots of options to exhaust yourself at the biggest Pride Toronto has ever seen. Note well: despite the Canada Day holiday on the horizon, extended licenses have been grant between June 26th and 30th.

Here are 34 bars with extended 4am last call for World Pride in Toronto.

Photo of Boutique Bar


New in Toronto real estate: Kingston & Co. condos

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Kingston and Co condosKingston & Co. condos is a new development on Kingston Road just east of Victoria Park. Located above the Beaches, the top floors and roof provide dramatic views of Lake Ontario and the R.C. Harris Water Filtration Plant. The area isn't exactly rich with condos right now, so the arrival of a large development is noteworthy for the degree to which it will inject energy into what is a rather tired stretch of Kingston Road. To be clear, this is actually a very promising location with its proximity to the lake and the vibrant stretch of Kingston Road to the west, and the addition of 20,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor will likely prove a boon to the immediate area.

At 10 storeys (10 on the fare west side), the Teeple-designed building scales well with the neighbourhood. It's not a small building, but it doesn't dominate the street, and there are already a few mid-rise structures in close proximity to the development. In some sense, it resembles the Code Condos on St. Clair West, another project which arrives in a predominately low rise area. The building is touted as an affordable option for first time buyers, though that might be subject to debate given a starting price of $250K for roughly 400 square feet.

Kingston and co condosSPECS

Address: 1100 Kingston Road
Storeys: eight, stepping up to 10 on the west
Number of units: 150 units - 75 of which have unique floorplans
Unit types: Studios, 1 beds, 1 beds + dens, 2 beds, 2 beds + dens, 3 beds, 3 beds + dens
Unit sizes: 407 to 1,439 square feet
Walkscore: 87
Price: Starting from $250,000s
Architect: Teeple Architects
Interior Designer: Mason Studio
Developer: TAS + Main and Main

kingston and co condosFEATURES

  • Community rooftop garden
  • Communal tool room
  • Southside offers views of Lake Ontario from the eighth floor upwards
  • Each suite features an outdoor space (30% have terraces with harvest planters)
  • 9' ceilings
  • Engineered hardwood floors
  • Kitchens feature stone countertops and backsplashes, stainless steel appliances, and track lighting
  • Bathrooms feature drop-in 5' soaker tubs
  • Walk in laundry rooms

kingtson and co condosTHE VERDICT

I like this development. It's a smart-looking building in an area that will get a significant boost from its presence. This isn't necessarily a straightforward gentrification story, however. Call it the Upper Beaches if you want, but Kingston & Co. is located in close proximity to a well established neighbourhood with plenty of retail activity just to the west. Also a plus are the community features, which include a rooftop garden (with views of the lake), a shared tool room, and a gym. Add the fact that each unit comes equipped with outdoor space, and you have an attractive place to live.

What do you think? Would you live here if you had the dough?

Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.

The top 10 cheap weekend escapes from Toronto

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cheap weekend escape torontoThe top cheap weekend escapes from Toronto are perfect for those of us with plenty of stress and not a lot of money. While nothing comes even near-free these days, if you've got a couple hundred bucks lying around, you can be one of the privileged cavalry stuck on a 400 series highway on a Friday afternoon, too. Yippee! More seriously, we live in a ridiculously beautiful province, and why should this rugged, lake-dotted landscape be reserved for those with deep pockets? It shouldn't. So go to the Falls (so cheap and so good), do the cottage thing like you own one (thanks Ontario Parks), or pitch a tent under the stars.

Here are my picks for the top cheap weekend escapes from Toronto.

Go camping at a Provincial Park
This one is a no-brainer. Provincial parks are the poor person's cottage, and in many cases, every bit as fun. Prices typically range between $25 and $50 a night depending on the location of one's camp ground and what amenities it has to offer (showers, electricity, etc). What park you choose will, of course, be determined by a number of factors, but personal favourites include Balsam Lake (relatively close to Toronto, nice beach), Killbear (rugged Canadian landscape and lots of private camp sites), Sandbanks (in Prince Edward County, great beach), and, of course, Algonquin for its true wilderness experience (note: backcountry camping rates are much lower than car-camping rates).

Be in awe of Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is one of the best cheap weekend getaways in the province. Just over an hour away from Toronto, you can get there cheap if you hop on the Megabus for less than 20 bucks, stay at one the city's many cheap motels (top picks include the Advance Inn and and the Cadillac), and skip the Keg in favour of the Flying Saucer, a true gem of kitsch in a city that's known for such things. While there, you can people watch along Clifton Hill (don't bother with the attractions except the Ferris Wheel), hit up the Butterfly Conservatory, and fall in love (once again) with the Falls.

Rent a cottage or cabin through Airbnb
Although nowhere near as robust as its urban listings, Airbnb does have a selection of cabins and vacation properties on offer throughout Ontario, some of which look absolutely fantastic. There are roughly 230 current listings for vacation-type properties on the site, a number which is split between rooms for rent (kinda creepy) and entire buildings (much better. One of my personal favourites is this rustic treehouse-like space in Plantagenet, which comes in at roughly $75 a night.

Hit the beach at the Breakers
The Breakers is one of the resorts that you count yourself lucky to have come across. It's clean, the accommodations are nice (if basic), it the resort is based right on one of Ontario's nicest beaches in Cobourg. The resort offers both motel-style rooms (though they're typically a bit nicer than what you might associate with motels) and two-bedroom housekeeping cottages complete with gas fireplaces and jacuzzi tubs. Rooms (with kitchenettes) start at $105 in the low season, while cottages start at $150.

Go camping - but with a roof
Here's a confession: I hate sleeping in tents. In mid-summer, they get brutally stuffy and I never wake up without some ailment or another from sleeping on the ground. I'm just prissy that way. This is why the roofed accommodations at Ontario parks are so appealing. Almost invariably cheaper than renting a private cottage, the many cottages and cabins offered at provincial parks are a step above car camping that still won't blow the budget. Rates start at $55 for a ranger cabin in Algonquin Park and go up from there depending on how much space you need. Note well: you need to book early to have any chance of securing one of these places.

Try out an oTENTik
If you're not into the tent thing, but you also don't need much by way of amenities, another option is to try out one of Parks Canada's oTENTiks. These structures are a combination of a cabin and a tent, and make rainy days and snooping bears way more bearable than paltry tent. For now these hybrid structure can be found at Thousand Islands National Park, though our fingers are cross that they're coming to Rouge Park in the near future. oTENTiks are $90 a night.

Do Muskoka on the cheap
The rugged beauty of Muskoka will generally cost you an arm and a leg, but there are a few exceptions to this rule, one of which is the above linked Spring Lake Resort. Something between a motel and a bonafide lakeside resort, it's a way to partake in cottage country without going broke. A standard room starts at $109 in high season ($79 if you don't mind cool weather), and offers you access to the lake, AC, an extra bed, and WiFi. This ain't the Ritz, but the setting is beautiful and you can drink until your heart's content. Sold.

Hamilton Calling
A few years ago, the average Torontonian looking to get away for a weekend would look at Hamilton as a smoggy roadside vista while crossing the Burlington SkyWay on the way to Niagara Falls. Not so anymore. Hamilton is a contender. While an NHL team might not be in Steeltown's future, the food scene is booming, live music ain't no slouch, and West Queen West could learn a few things about how to foster a gallery scene. You know, Hamilton is also kinda beautiful, located, as it is, on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. Go, enjoy -- you might buy a house there when it's all said and done. In the meantime, rent a cheap motel or B&B as par of your reconnaissance.

Witness the rebirth of Detroit (before it all changes)
Depending on how (un)sanitized you wish your vacation to be, Detroit might be the three-hours-from-Toronto destination for you. Here you can explore the ruins of the US industry and the burgeoning spirit of a America, one that's driven by the an enterprising drive that delights in opportunities like a bankrupt city. Sure, the rebirth of Detroit (tenuous as it is) ain't built off of the egos of the city's fore-bearers, but maybe there's such a thing as second chances? Go super-cheap at the Detroit Hostel or hit up the St. Regis (it's not quite as nice as it sounds) for something budget but not cheap. The Airbnb options are plentiful as well. I hear the food scene is on the serious rise.

Plan a staycation
This isn't a cop-out. Playing tourist in one's hometown is amazing if you know what you're doing. Toronto hotels aren't generally cheap, but there are exceptions to every rule. And if you're looking to spend a bit because you're saving on travel costs, two solid local options worth noting are One King West (oh, the view) and the Gladstone. When was the last time you looked at this city with strange eyes? Explore our top notch beaches, hang around the lake, have a picnic in a ravine (don't forget a knife), or dine at a new restaurant. Toronto -- it's yours to discover. Do it.

What did I miss? Plug your favourite cheap weekend escapes from Toronto in the comments below.Ford escapeThanks to Ford Escape for sponsoring our weekend escapes.

Photo of an oTENTik

Road closures in Toronto: June 28 - July 1

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road closures torontoRoad closures in Toronto for the June 28 to July 1st holiday weekend rounds up the key transportation shut-downs affecting the city, including street and TTC closures.

KEY ROAD CLOSURES IN TORONTO

SATURDAY JUNE 28

Church Street: Carlton Street--Hayden Street: A portion of Church will be closed from Friday, June 27 at 3 p.m. to Monday, June 30 at 7 a.m. for WorldPride events.

Wellesley Street: Jarvis--Queen's Park Circle: Wellesley and Queen's Park Circle is due to be closed to traffic for the Pride and Rememberence Run on Saturday, June 28 from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Carlton Street: Jarvis--Yonge, Yonge Street: Carlton--Charles, Charles Street: Yonge--George Hislop Parkette: Closed for the annual Dyke March Saturday June 28, 1 to 5 p.m.

SUNDAY JUNE 29

Rosedale Valley Road: Bayview--Park Road (plus lane restrictions on Bayview,) Bloor: Church--Yonge, Yonge: Bloor--Dundas, Dundas: Yonge--Church: To accommodate the Pride Parade and related staging areas from 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 29.

Gardiner Expressway: Dufferin--Downling Bridge: The eastbound Gardiner will be reduced to one lane for surface upgrades Sunday, June 29 at 9:30 p.m. to Monday, June 30 at 5:30 a.m.

TUESDAY JULY 1

Queen's Park Circle: College--Hoskin: Closed on Tuesday, July 1 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Canada Day festivities at Queen's Park.

Brimley: Progress--Ellesmere and Ellesmere--Lawrence, Ellesmere: Midland--McCowan: Scarborough's Canada Day parade will see Brimley and Ellesmere roads closed at various times on Tuesday, July 1. Progress to Ellesmere will be shut 1:30 to 6 p.m., Ellesmere--Lawrence 4 to 7 p.m., and Ellesmere from Midland--McCowan 4 to 5 p.m.

Yonge Street: North York Blvd.--Park Home Ave.: Southbound lanes closed on Tuesday, July 1 from noon to 11 p.m. for North York's Canada Day party. Yonge will be completely closed in the evening from 7 to 11 p.m.

TTC CLOSURES

  • Line 1 Yonge-University-Spadina: Wilson--Downsview. Critical track work means the some 70 shuttle buses will be operating the stretch of Line 1 between Wilson and Downsview on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29. Wheel-Trans buses will provide an accessible connection from Eglinton West station.
  • 505 Dundas: Bay--Broadview. WorldPride-related road closures this Sunday mean the 505 Dundas streetcar and 94 Wellesley bus will be on diversion. Stating at 1 p.m., 505 Dundas will divert both ways via Bay, College/Carlton, Parliament, Gerrard, and Broadview. Replacement buses will operate between Jarvis and Broadview after 7 p.m.
  • 94 Wellesley. After 1 p.m. on Sunday, the 94 Wellesley will be split in two: buses west of Yonge will service stops between Ossington and St. George station. East of Yonge, buses will make stops between Jarvis Street and Castle Frank station.

DON'T FORGET...

Queen Street: Broadview Intersection. TTC streetcar track replacement means that Queen and Broadview will be impassable from Monday, June 30 at 4:30 a.m to July 25.

ONGOING CLOSURES

Over and above the special closures this weekend, construction projects across Toronto result in numerous other road restrictions across the city. For a comprehensive list of such closures, you can consult the official map maintained by the City of Toronto (also available as a PDF.)

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

Rainbow skies over Kensington Market

That day a Toronto striker put Canada in the World Cup

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toronto canada soccerIt was supposed to be the reward after 28 years of frustration; Canada's national team had qualified for their first World Cup in Mexico back in 1986, in doing so earning the right to play the likes of the Soviet Union, France, and Hungary.

But there wasn't to be any luck for the plucky underdogs: Team Canada would fail to score a single goal at the tournament and within a year a match fixing scandal would tarnish the careers of several of its leading lights.

It was a chilly late summer's day in 1985 in St. John's, Newfoundland, and the Honduran team Canada was due to face in the final of the CONCACAF Championship (that's the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, FYI) had already suffered some bizarre bad luck.

The team's uniforms and kit bags had been misplaced by a Florida airline and delivered to Montreal instead of Toronto. A consulate official was unable to retrieve the gear and so, the night before the game that would decide who went to the Mexico World Cup, the South American players were busily sewing crests onto plain white uniforms they had purchased that day.

7,500 people, including Newfoundland premier Brian Peckford and Canada justice minister John Crosbie, packed the tiny stands at King George V Park for the game, clutching plastic cups of beer. Canada took the lead after just 15 minutes, thanks to 33-year-old George Pakos, a water meter mechanic from Victoria, B.C.

Honduras equalized just after half time, but it was Toronto striker Igor Vrablic who buried the goal, a header from a corner, that sent Canada to its first World Cup. The delirious crowd rushed the pitch at the final whistle, holding up signs that read "Good luck in Mexico, don't drink the water" and "Mexico in 86."

"It was very much a team effort, and that involves character, commitment, and discipline," said English coach Tony Waiters.

toronto canada soccerThings didn't go so well down south. Canada's first game against France, the reigning European champions, at the Estadio Nou Camp finished in a 1-0 defeat. The Canucks held on against the heavily favoured French for 79 minutes, but it was Jean-Pierre Papin who bundled the ball into the net, sealing the result.

The same resolve wasn't on display against Hungary. The team conceded in the first two minutes and had substitute Mike Sweeney sent off en route to a 2-0 defeat. The score was the same against the Soviet Union, the team's last game, three days later. Canada finished bottom of their group without netting a single goal, but the darkest hour was still to come.

At the Merlion Cup in Singapore later the same year, four players--Chris Cheuden, Hector Marinaro, David Norman, and Igor Vrablic, who scored to send Canada to the World Cup--were approached by a gambling syndicate about deliberately losing their semi-final against North Korea in exchange for $100,000. A fifth player, Paul James, was approached by the others and agreed to join the fix

Canada dutifully lost 2-0, but James was racked with guilt. He handed his share to the others and the incident was eventually revealed to the Canadian Soccer Association. All four of the original conspirators received a suspension.

In his autobiography "Cracked Open," which details his later struggles with cocaine addiction, James called the affair "a huge mistake" and "a personal nightmare."

"Being nervous at right fullback, I am not sure how I played even to this day," he wrote. "I genuinely just tried to compete as best I could, despite the fact that I still felt I was letting everyone down: my country, my real teammates, the coaching staff, and ironically even the four conspirators."

The Canadian men's team has not returned to the World Cup since.

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

Image: /blogTO Flickr pool.

Look what opened in Robber's former home on Queen

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zumel and co torontoThe space on Queen that used to house Robber has been turned into a mecca for all things bright, funky and inexpensive. This new boutique stocks clothing, accessories and jewelry, with most items ringing in at well under $100. The fast-fashion price tag generally matches up to the materials - but there are some real statement gems to be found.

Read my review of Zumel & Co in the fashion section.

Toronto Food Events: Ribfest, Taste of Asia, Group of Seven Brewer's Backyard, Festival Libra, PintxosTO

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ribfest toronto 2014Toronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious events, festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.

THIS WEEK

  • Rib lovers take note: there are two Ribfests of note this weekend leading up to Canada Day on Tuesday, July 1. The Toronto RibFest at Centennial Park starts on Friday, June 27, while the Canada Day Rotary Ribfest at L'Amoreaux Community Centre Grounds (2000 McNicoll Ave.) is open daily from 11am to 11pm starting Saturday, June 28.
  • The Taste of Asia street festival takes over Kennedy Rd. at Steeles Ave. this weekend Saturday, June 28 from noon to midnight and Sunday, June 29 from noon to 6pm. Highlights include 150 vendor booths, a Philippine Village, Korean Town, Bibimbap eating challenge, noodle competition and live performances.
  • Porkapalooza takes place Sunday, June 29 from 3pm to 5:30pm at Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West). For $8 you get a six-sample platter of the contending peameal bacon, pulled pork and ham sandwiches, and the opportunity to vote on your favourite.
  • In honour of Canada Day, Brewer's Backyard hosts a Group of Seven edition Tuesday, July 1 from 11am to 4pm at the Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Ave.). The afternoon will feature beers from Great Lakes, Nickel Brook, Oast House and Left Field, plus cider from Spirit Tree and food from Kanga Meat Pies and Sugar Pie Honey Bunch. As always, admission is free for the all ages event.
  • The Distillery District will be transformed into Little Havana for Bacardi Festival Libra, complete with live musical acts, Cuban food stations, live street dancing, buskers and even cigar rolling. The outdoor festival takes place starting Friday, July 4 until Sunday, July 6.

UPCOMING

  • Tickets are still available for PintxosTO, a Spanish-influenced summer block party (from the the team behind YumCha), which takes place on Sunday, July 6 in a parking lot at 495 Wellington St. West. Bite-size snacks will be on sale from Bar Isabel, Barsa Taberna, Buca, Carmen, Cava, Chiado, Marben, Patria, Portland Variety and Torito.
  • Advance tickets ($35) are available now a five-course prix fixe menu from guest chefs Ippei Iwata and Riku Okubo (of Guu Sakabar) when they take over the kitchen at Insomnia Restaurant and Lounge (563 Bloor St.) for the next installment of The Tablesetters pop-up series.

Photo from Ribfest


Where to eat pizza during World Pride

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pizza pride torontoAfter an original opening foiled by oven troubles, this Brooklyn-style pizzeria's second location is back in action on Church St. just in time for Pride. Their pizza feature an airy crust and ultra-fresh-tasting toppings, making for a perfect quick meal, and the menu - which has expanded from the original location on Palmerston - features some surprisingly tasty salads.

Read my review of North of Brooklyn on Church St. in the restaurants section.

Huge group wedding highlights World Pride festivities

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Grand Pride WeddingOver 100 couples tied the knot at Casa Loma yesterday afternoon as part of the Grand Pride Wedding ceremony for World Pride. Plenty of Toronto councillors came out to show their support, including Kristyn Wong-Tam and Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who kicked off the celebration. The inter-faith ceremony represented 12 denominations, which further underscored the inclusive nature of the event. Hosted by Liberty Entertainment (who covered the entire cost of the wedding), the event drew over 1000 attendees out to cheer on the newlyweds. The weather was perfect, the excitement was palpable, and the joy was on obvious display as the 110 couples locked lips and embraced at the conclusion of the ceremony.

Check out all the heart-warming highlights in our photo gallery of the Grand Pride Wedding.

5 random facts about Toronto to help you win at trivia

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Toronto triviaDid you know Toronto has hosted an Olympics in the last 40 years, or that one of the first street maps of the city was engraved by a precocious 13-year-old? Well, now you do. This city is a treasure trove of interesting tidbits. After all, it's the spiritual home of the Whoopie Cushion, Canada Dry ginger ale, and 5-pin bowling.

We've already posted about 10 quirky things you might not know about Toronto and followed that up with more local curiosities, but there's just so many random and interesting things to know about our city. Keep these and other facts in mind if you're a local trivia type.Heritage Toronto is hosting a series of trivia nights this summer. Hogtown Trivia runs on the second Tuesday of every month, June to September, at the Gladstone Hotel. The remaining dates this term are: July 8th, Aug 12th, Sept 9th, and the proceeds from the $5 cover support Heritage Toronto programs.

Here are 5 fascinating Toronto facts that are sure to bolster your trivia knowledge even further.

TORONTO HOSTED THE 1976 PARALYMPICS

toronto olympiadIt's true, while Montreal was grabbing international attention for hosting the 1976 Summer Olympics, Toronto was quietly hosting the counterpart paralympics. Branded that year as the "Torontolympiad - 1976 Olympiad for the Physically Disabled," some 1,600 people from 40 countries participated in some seriously low-budget events.

No facilities were constructed for the games so the opening ceremony took place at Woodbine Racetrack. Athletes were housed in student dorms at York University, University of Toronto, and rooms at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Events like archery, goalball, and swimming were held at Centennial Park.

The decision to allow apartheid South Africa to compete in the Torontolympiad stirred controversy and a number of countries staged a boycott.

Canada finished sixth in the medal table behind Great Britain, earning 25 gold, 26 silver, and 26 bronze.

TWO TORONTO MAYORS HAVE DIED IN OFFICE

Sam McBride, the first mayor of Toronto to die in office, was the city's chief magistrate for the founding of the Toronto Transit Commission and the squashing of plans for a tunnel to the Toronto Island. A famously cranky, McBride once threw a can of beans at a fellow alderman during a heated debate in the council chamber. He died aged 70 in the first year of his second term as mayor.

"Don Summerville died trying to be nice to people," Toronto Telegram columnist Frank Tumpane lamented in 1963 following the sudden death of the mayor. Summerville, a hard-working former Maple Leafs practice goalie, was playing in a charity hockey match at George Bell Arena in aid of Italian flood victims when he was forced to quit early, complaining of fatigue. He died minutes later of the second heart attack of his life in the locker room aged just 48.

THE FIRST MAP OF TORONTO WAS MADE BY A 13-YEAR-OLD

toronto todd engravingYoung Alphaeus Todd was barely a teenager when he produced one of the first street maps of early Toronto. By walking the town and converting his paces to a fixed scale, Todd managed to produce a remarkably functional map of the area south of Queen (then Lot) between Parliament and Peter streets.

For his efforts, prominent lawyer and member of parliament Robert Baldwin Sullivan convinced his counterparts to pay Todd and give him a job in the legislative library, thus beginning Todd's prolific career as a librarian and owner of some of the best sideburns in local history.

AMELIA EARHART GOT AN EARLY TASTE OF FLYING HERE

Everybody knows how the Earhart story ends, but what most people don't know is the famous aviator has Toronto connections. Earhart's sister Muriel lived here in 1918 and it was it during a visit to Toronto that the 21-year-old Amelia witnessed the city's war wounded.

"One day when we strolled down King Street, three soldiers on crutches approached us. All three had lost a leg. The poignant sight deeply affected Amelia; she had seen nothing like it in our country," Muriel recalled in a 1987 autobiography.

Earhart studied nursing at the Spadina Military Hospital and tended to injured soldiers during the final months of the first world war. She first saw airplanes at one of Toronto's airfields, but it wasn't until she had recovered from a bout of Spanish Flu and moved to California that Earhart first climbed into the cockpit of a plane.

RICK JAMES AND NEIL YOUNG WERE BANDMATES IN TORONTO

The Mynah Birds never released an album, but the R&B group's line-up reads like a classic supergroup: Neil Young, Rick James, Goldy McJohn, Nick St. Nicholas, and more. The group was bankrolled by John Craig Eaton, of the family behind Eaton's department store, and famous locally for their surreal and electrifying gigs.

"Neil would stop playing lead, do a harp solo, throw the harmonica way up in the air and Ricky would catch it and continue the solo," authorized Neil Young biographer Jimmy McDonough wrote in his book Shakey.

The group hit the skids when James, AWOL from the U.S. Navy, was arrested. "We thought he was Canadian," Palmer is quoted as saying in the book. "Even though there are no Negroes in Canada."

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

Images: Ronnie Yip, Toronto Star, A5, July 22, 1976; "Plan of the City of Toronto, Capital of Upper Canada, by Master Alpheus Todd, No. 35 Newgate Street, Toronto, Opposite the Brewery," 1834, Toronto Public Library, T1834/4Msm. Winearls, MUC no. 2067.

The top 10 sales in Toronto this week: Ted Baker, Drake General Store, Tiger of Sweden, Gotstyle, Gravitypope

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sales torontoSales in Toronto this week herald the coming of summer clear-out season. Glorious, glorious summer clear-out season. If it wasn't Pride weekend, I'd be spending all my time camping out in front of Hudson's Bay on Queen St. waiting for that Room shoe sale to happen. Lucky for us, it is Pride weekend - and the Drake General Store is still selling tons of rainbow-flavoured gear, along with clearing out a bunch of merch at 50% off. If bowties and pocket squares are more your speed, Gotstyle and Tiger of Sweden are offering menswear deals aplenty.

Here are my picks for the top sales in Toronto this week.

Ted Baker
Modern mad men and English roses alike daydream about Ted Baker's tailored-yet-whimsical threads. If you've got champagne taste with a baked-beans-on-toast budget, here's your chance; select pieces for men and women have been marked down to 50% at the brand's Yorkdale store (and online). The staff at the store tell me they just went through another round of markdowns in time for the long weekend, with everything from swimwear to suits on sale.

Drake General Store
Online, the Drake's clearing out some winter and spring stock at up to 50% off. Buy for now - flowy summer dresses at $50 - or plan ahead for the winter with an asymmetric-zip coat for half-off at $175. (Guys: Buy these shorts. Just do it.) The Drake's Queen and Yonge & Eglinton stores, meanwhile, are doing a buy one, get one 50% off promotion for clothing (excluding their Shared History line).

Dutil
The Queen West denim outfitter is hosting what they call the "happiest sale ever", offering "ridiculous savings". If you want to know what that means for you, here's a clue: They're also offering 20% off anything on their website with the code KEEPSMILING on July 27. (Be warned - all sales are final.)

Coal Miner's Daughter x eBay
The sweet boutique is doing something a little different, teaming up with eBay for a capsule collection featuring a dozen pieces priced at $90 and under (including free shipping). In addition to adorable pieces from an all-Canadian roster of designers, they're auctioning off a one-of-a-kind honeybee-print dress. The collection's available until June 30.

Holt Renfrew x Maison Kitsune
The latest international label to land at Holt's: Maison Kitsune, a French designer specializing in upscale basics like graphic tees and fox-emblazoned polos. A Kitsune pop-up, featuring pieces for both men and women, has moved into the department store's recently-revamped Yorkdale location until July 30.

Hudson's Bay Pride pop-up
Hudson's Bay, the Drake General Store and Brika held a Canadian retail meeting of the minds in honour of Pride, teaming up to fill a corner of the Yonge and Bloor Bay location with Pride-branded T-shirts, balloons that say "I'm gay" on them, and this unforgettable greeting card. It's on until July 3.

Gotstyle
Until July 1, both the Bathurst and Distillery Gotstyle locations will be offering increasing discounts; buying two items gets you 20% off, three items will get 30% off, and for four or more, they'll take off 40%.

Tiger of Sweden
The Euro chain's Ossington location must have heard my pocket square-related prayers, because women's suits are between 30 and 50% off this weekend. (Gentlemen, you still get to save 30% on some of Toronto's best suiting.)

Gravitypope
The cross-Canadian chain of shoe boutiques is cleaning out some inventory in honour of its 24th birthday. (Damn, Gravitypope is almost as old as I am. And we're both Cancers!) This is the last weekend to get 50% off discounted spring shoes, clothes and accessories, and 15% off everything else (mostly), both in-store and online.

Shopgirls
Spend your Canada Day weekend buying Canadian designer pieces using Canadian national currency: Parkdale's Shopgirls is offering a buy one, get one 50% off deal on all their spring and summer merchandise until July 30. My picks: This Eve Gravel dress and their line of Rare Specimens gemstone studs.

Got any sales tips? Leave them in the comments below.

The Best Jazz Bars in Toronto

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jazz bars torontoThe best jazz bars in Toronto are home to some of the city's top musicians. While Toronto doesn't have its own distinct jazz sound, the city's venues are home to a plethora of talented emerging artists coming from institutions such as Humber College, York University and the University of Toronto. This new community of artists has reinvigorated jazz in a city where diehards still lament the loss of former staples like Montreal Jazz Bistro and Top O' The Senator. What Toronto lacks in distinctiveness, it gains in diversity; from classical, to funk, to fusion, you won`t be hard pressed to find the subgenre of your choosing in this city.

Here are the best jazz bars in Toronto.

See also:The best blues bars in Toronto

Writing by Jacob Thompson.

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