While many fans lament the end of the golden age of jazz in Toronto, there has undoubtedly been an influx of young local talent within the last decade. Some come from respected post-secondary music programs, while some seem to come out of nowhere with their own DIY projects.

The result is a diversity in sound; classical, fusion, lounge, and free form are all well represented here in the city with a plethora of bars and festivals to support it. Peak your interest? Here are five Toronto jazz artists to keep an eye on.

Eli Bennett
At the age of 25, this Toronto-based saxophonist has already garnered 35 international awards while also cultivating a career as a film composer. A graduate of the Humber program, Bennett has been crafting his own sound while onlookers anxiously await the release of his debut studio album in the fall. His next local performance will be at the Rex on October 22nd.

Barbra Lica
Recently selected as one of Canada's top 5 jazz singers by CBC, the Toronto born Lica sings an upbeat, easygoing brand of jazz but with a soulful twist behind it. This summer she's been touring the festival circuit with stops in Toronto, Markham, and an upcoming show in Niagara.

Patrick Hewan
Drawing from influences such as Keith Jarrett and Oscar Peterson, Hewan has been tearing up the local circuit with soulful and energetic performances. He marries this energetic performances with a very virtuosic understanding of classical piano. He'll be playing at Poetry Jazz Café four times before the summer is up.

Andria Simone and Those Guys
Smokey is the first word that comes to mind when you listen to Andria Simone. Reminiscent of old school lounge singers, Simone can switch between funk, blues, and soul flawlessly while staying true to her own style. Her bandmates are no slouches either, providing a diverse soundscape with obvious jazz inspirations. Check out Brian Dhari's sax solo above below.

BADBADNOTGOOD
BBNG takes jazz to a new level with a grandiose fusion of new school electronic production, hip-hop and free form jazz. They frequently collaborate with Tyler, The Creator and Frank Ocean while also creating immersive and imaginative covers of artists such as Kanye West, My Bloody Valentine, and James Blake. While already three albums deep with a steady following, a Polaris long list nom, and a huge tour schedule, look for BBNG to catapult even further.

Writing by Jacob Thompson. Photo via barbralica.com.

The full TIFF 2014 schedule has been revealed, the programme book is printed and available, and the time to make our movie picks is upon all of us. Which means that now begins the mad-dash for tickets to some of the most hotly anticipated films at this year's festival.

If you're a little behind on the buzz, don't worry. I've collected a list of ten of the most eagerly awaited movies--which range from Hollywood, to independent to international cinema--that you want to be sure to snag tickets for before they get snatched up.

Foxcatcher
Foxcatcher, already an award-winner, probably has more Oscar buzz going into TIFF than any other movie. Director Bennett Miller and actor Steve Carell are already riding a wave of award-chatter that's making Foxcatcher a must-watch for those who want to be able to say "I saw it when" come Academy Award time in 2015.

The Imitation Game
Benedict Cumberbatch is so red-hot right now, pretty much any movie he's in becomes highly anticipated. The Imitation Game is no exception. One of the most talked about flicks leading into TIFF, the movie's subject is the true WWII story about Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), the man who cracked Germany's infamous Enigma communication code. The Imitation Game (which also stars Keira Knightley) promises to be part biopic, part thriller. And if it's half as great as director Morten Tyldum's Jo Nesbø adaptation, Headhunters, it also promises to be fantastic.

Leviathan
The Cannes winner of Best Screenplay, this Russian film from director Andrey Zvyagintsev (The Return), focuses on a family squaring off against a land-grabbing mayor in a small Barents Sea-side town. The reviews for Leviathan were so unanimously glowing, it's hard not to want to check out a film so widely heralded as a masterpiece.

Mr. Turner
British director Mike Leigh's movies are always events to be anticipated--especially with the hot streak he's on right now (Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky, Another Year). If word from Cannes is any indication, the run continues with Mr. Turner, a biopic about famed English impressionist painter, J.M.W. Turner (played by Timothy Spall, who won Best Actor at Cannes).

Nightcrawler
All it took was a 50 second video clip of a skinny, bug-eyed Jake Gyllenhaal marking an increasingly unstable sales pitch to ignite conversations amongst critics about what a good actor he's become. That clip--initially mysteriously unlabeled--was from Nightcrawler, a movie about a thief who becomes a freelance crime scene photographer that is maybe a little too eager to get a great shot. Word has it, Nightcrawler may also be a great shot for Gyllenhaal to get another Oscar nomination.

The Riot Club
Four years ago, Lone Scherfig's fantastic An Education earned several Academy Award nominations--including Best Picture--and made Carey Mulligan a star. Now, Scherfig re-teams with An Education screenwriter, and best-selling novelist (High Fidelity, About a Boy), Nick Hornby, for this much anticipated film about a secret society of privileged young men at Oxford University. TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey counts this as one of his top picks for the festival this year, so it's a definite must.

St. Vincent
Why is St. Vincent so buzzed about? Bill Murray. It's as simple as that. Yes, the supporting cast (Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Chris O'Dowd) is a draw too, but ultimately it comes down the perennially impish--on and off screen--Murray. Even TIFF knows it's all about Bill Muray: they're hosting an entire day dedicated to him when St. Vincent premieres.

While We're Young
Noah Baumbach's last movie, Frances Ha, was one of the best films of 2013 and showed a surprisingly welcome softer side to Baumbach's filmmaking. While We're Young (which re-teams him with Greenberg star, Ben Stiller) is riding a wave of anticipation to see where Baumbach goes next. If the TIFF programme description is any indication, we won't be disappointed.

Wild
Reese Witherspoon is so frequently discussed in conjunction with this year's festival, it almost feels like she's its mascot. That's not just because she's in two eagerly awaited films--Wild and The Good Lie (both by Quebecois directors, Jean-Marc Vallée and Philippe Falardeau). It's because everyone loves a career resurrection (see: Matthew McConaughey), and Witherspoon seems on the verge of hers. Most of all with Wild, an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir, which will find the actress playing a broken drug addict trying to get her life back in order.

Winter Sleep
Whenever a Cannes Palme d'Or winner makes its way to TIFF, it tends to generate a good deal of curiosity, like last year's Blue is the Warmest Color. Nuri Bilge Ceylan has already established himself with the great Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, and while his running times can be bladder challenges (Winter Sleep is 196 minutes long), word is TIFF-goers will find its accolade well-earned.

Thanks to the Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington, for sponsoring our coverage of TIFF 2014.

What movie are you most looking forward to seeing at TIFF? Add it to the comments.

The top neighbourhoods for bars in Toronto each foster their own kind of intuitive pub crawl. This city is a great place to eat and drink, and while Torontonians are an adventuresome bunch, we tend to frequent the same watering holes over and over again. But barring local pride, which one is the best? If you had to drink in one 'hood forever, which would it be? Which is your favourite?

Here are my picks for the top 10 bar neighbourhoods in Toronto.

Dundas West
Dundas West grew out of an extension of the Ossington scene, and while Ossington got posh, Dundas has kept its grittier - and in my opinion, more fun - roots. Closer to Ossington, you'll find popular bars like Communist's Daughter, Get Well, Camp 4, and the Red Light. Moving towards Bathurst there's Cocktail Bar, Archive Wine Bar, May, Montauk and The Press Club. To the west, you can catch a show at the Garrison or Lula Lounge, hit the dance floor at Bambi's, watch sports at Dock Ellis, get your beer at Unlovable, a bottle of wine at Midfield, a cocktail at This End Up and finish off with a visit to Japanese rockabilly bar Black Dice.

Parkdale
Slow gentrification has kept Parkdale weird and wonderful and a little rough around the edges. Start with some day drinking and grab a pint at either Mezzrow's or The Sister, spend cocktail hour at Seventeen Eighteen, then go for a live show at the Shop under Parts & Labour or Wrongbar. You'd be a fool not to experience the charm of bar veteran Chris Harper's Pharmacy or one of the great DJ nights at the Yukon.

Ossington
10 years ago there wasn't much on Ossington aside from Vietnamese karaoke bars and the Crooked Star, the only casual bar in a sea of Portuguese chicken and auto-body shops. Then came Sweaty Betty's, and now...The Ossington, The Painted Lady, Baby Huey, Reposado, The Well, and the many restaurants that offer more formal cocktails or wine. The street's favourite honkytonk tavern, The Dakota, is a guaranteed good time.

Queen West/West Queen West
Queen West was Toronto's original arty bar scene, and there are still lots of favourites here. For live music you can't go wrong with The Horseshoe and the Cameron House, barflies congregate at the Done Right Inn, Squirly's and The Paddock, while others sample elaborate cocktails at Barchef or get their party on at 416 Snack BarThe Drake, The Gladstone, Dog & Bear or The Beaver. Nobody does the patio tan/post-work beer than the Black Bull.

King West
Large scale clubs and VIP bottle service set the tone of the King West party scene, making possible places like Weslodge, Brassai and the Hoxton, but occasionally even hedge funders need to chillax. For post-work brews they head to Bier Markt and Bar Hop, Bar Wellington, the Wheat Sheaf or the Olde Yorke. Music fans make use of Adelaide Hall or the Rock N Horse Saloon, and if you prefer a lap-dance with those pints, there's always For Your Eyes Only.

Bloorcourt/Bloordale Village
Call it what you want - Bloorcourt, Bloordale, Blansdowne - but suddenly bar-rich neighbourhood has a lot going for it. I like to think of the area's bar vibe as casual fun with twist. Duffy's Tavern has been a mainstay for years, with Disgraceland picking up the slack, The Steady is queer-positive, and there's often great little or no-cover shows at Holy Oak and The Piston. Get the gang together for food and booze at industry staples The Emerson, Whippoorwill, or 3 Speed, and jokesters head to the Comedy Bar for laughs. For top notch cocktails, hit up Northwood and for craft beer head to Wise Bar.

Little Italy
Little Italy has a long history as a social mecca that shows no signs of stopping. Here old school Italian favourites like Bar Italia mix with new kids on the block like Crawford and Weldon Park while the reputation of otherworldly cocktails at Bar Isabel draws a new crowd. Old rockers and college kids hang out at No One Writes to the Colonel, Ted's Collision, the Mod Club and Sneaky Dee's. Strangely, Little Italy also has a concentration of pubs like Snakes & Lagers, The Emmet Ray, and The Monarch Tavern.

The Junction
The Junction's bar scene has been on the rise for a few years now, and can hold its own against many neighbourhoods with older establishments. Start with a pint at brewpub Indie Alehouse, then head to the Hole in the Wall or 3030 Dundas West for a flight of craft beers and a bite. Finally, catch a show at the newly opened Junction City Music Hall before capping the night with tequila shots and tacos at Playa Cabana Cantina.

Church-Wellesley Village
Toronto's gay village is a rainbow of fun for everyone. There is no place like Woody's, the HQ of nightlife on Church, and you just can't have partied on the strip without a wild wander through its doors. Bears and leather enthusiasts reign supreme at the Black Eagle; Byzantium was Toronto's first martini bar and still kills it on the dance floor, while Church on Church and Boutique Bar added a touch of sophistication with all those great cocktails. For a classic pub try the Hair of the Dog. And don't forget Crews and Tangos, which is always packed and fun.

Riverside
The east side's newest nightlife destination is home to one of Toronto's new country and western bars so get your bull riding and line dancing on at the Boots 'N' Bourbon Saloon. If you can't stomach the weekend line-ups to get in, hit up nearby watering holes - the An Sibin Irish Pub and the Prohibition Gastrohouse for simple pub food and pints, or the Opera House for live music. For something more current, there's pseudo dive bar Hi-Lo (order the pickled eggs.) The Comrade has you covered for something a bit more sophisticated in the cocktail and beer department.

Did I miss your favourite? Tell us your favourite neighbourhood for a bar crawl in the comments.

Karen Stintz has dropped out of the Toronto mayoral race. The Ward 16 councillor and former TTC Chair never managed to garner the type of voter interest required to be a true contender, consistently polling at lower than 10 per cent of the projected vote. Stintz entered the race on a wave of optimism given her victories on Toronto transit expansion, first reviving the former Transit City plans and then backing a Scarborough subway line. That change in direction, however, would dog her on the campaign trail, with accusations that she was a flip-flopper becoming commonplace.

The presence of John Tory in the race also posed problems for the Stintz campaign. Although her platform focused more firmly on transit, the two candidates fall around the same place on the political spectrum, and the former leader of the provincial PCs has more clout to lean on. As of the last poll, Stintz was at 4 per cent of the vote, clearly a losing battle. Stintz will not, contrary to some rumours, turn her efforts toward re-election at city council.

What do you think? Will Stintz's departure shakeup the mayoral race?

Photo from Karen Stintz's Facebook page

The top mojitos in Toronto can often make for a rough ordering experience. Bartenders are, in most circumstances, likely to roll their eyes at the amount of work you've just asked them to do (especially if they have to go and beg the kitchen for mint, crush ice, or are already pretty busy). However, if a bar is already set up with everything it needs, this really is one of the simplest and most refreshing cocktails around.

Like the daiquiri, this drink hails from Cuba, and was made famous at another of Hemingway's haunts: La Bodeguita del Medio. A light and fresh blend of light rum with lime, sugar, mint and soda water, they're really hard to beat on a hot day. If you've got a hankering for one, you can avoid the eye-rolling and get an excellent iteration at any of these spots in the city.

Here are my picks for the top mojitos in Toronto.

Mambo Lounge
Mambo Lounge offers something of a sanctuary for devotees of Havana culture in Toronto. Tucked a few doors away from Broadview station, the place allows for cigars on the back patio, serves up suckling pig roasts for special occasions, and mixes the most authentic mojito anywhere in the city. Bruised mint is lightly pressed with sugar and lime, before being topped with Havana Club and soda ($9).

This End Up
This Brockton snack shop sticks to the classic recipe, but makes two sizes of mojito - the small ($10) is served in a 250ml mason jar, and contains two ounces of Appleton white rum, mint, lime, and sugar. The large ($18) doubles both the rum and the size of jar. That's right, four ounces of rum packed into a half-litre mason jar. Don't lose count.

The Citizen
This King West cocktail bar and restaurant makes a summer variation on the classic. The watermelon mojito combines Bacardi superior, mint, watermelon and soda. It's great to enjoy on their sunny patio, and will run you just $4 everyday before 7 p.m..

No One Writes To The Colonel
No One Writes To The Colonel on College St. (just west of Bathurst) pride themselves on their mojitos, with several variations to choose from. Their signature classic moito($8) features white rum, soda, demerara sugar, mint and lime juice, though you can also order a fruity variation ($9) such as strawberry, peach, wild berry and a seasonal option. If you are in the mood to splurge, they also make the Royal Mojito ($12) with white rum, prosecco, sugar mint and lime.

The Drake Hotel
The Drake Hotel have seen many competitors come and go, and have lived through all manner of cocktails fads, from Prohibition to Molecular and Tiki. It's no surprise then, to see that they make sure to keep a solid list of classic cocktails around (it's also a significant function of running a hotel bar), without tampering with them too much. Their mojito ($12) benefits from the use of seltzer water, which is a little lighter and less intensely bubbly than soda, and is also a much more authentic recreation of the Cuban approach (club soda not being readily available in Castro's socialist paradise).

SpiritHouse
The Mojitos Bodeguita ($12) at SpiritHouse is an ode to the authentic Cuban style (with Havana Club rum, lime, mint, simple syrup, and soda). More importantly, with a dedicated crushed ice machine, and more tools than you can shake a stir stick at, the guys at this bartending mecca will have no problem whipping up an excellent one in a flash.

Pacific Junction Hotel
Heading to the east end of King St., this colourful rum 'n' tequila-focused spot is a great place to head for fun Caribbean cocktails, and with a 2oz mojito for only $9.30, it's certainly a good value pick. However, there's more fun to be had, with sharing bowls of mojito available for $35.

DEQ Lounge
This lovely lounge and terrace shows off the picturesque Toronto skyline in style, the outdoor fireplaces and wicker seating are a great place to enjoy one of the mojitos on offer. The strawberry basil mojito ($15) is an excellent use of fresh seasonal ingredients. Bacardi white rum is blended with muddled lime, organic mint, fresh basil, housemade strawberry syrup and soda.

La Cubanaa
La Cubana on Roncesvalles acts as a great one-stop shop for authentic Cuban food and beverage. Another good value pick at only $10 for a 2oz mojito, this one is a little lighter on the sugar, providing a slightly more sour and lip-smacking cocktail that fares well against the salty, fatty, delicious food.

East Thirty Six
A relatively new spot, East Thirty Six takes up the former Lucien site, and applies a heavier focus on cocktails. Their take on the mojito is a real luxury option. The Mojito Royale ($12) fuses the regular ingredients with blackberry liqueur before topping with Cava, adding a dry, sophisticated component.

Did I miss any? Leave your favourite Toronto mojito spot in the comments.

Photo via the Citizen.

In light of Brookfield Properties' highly publicized bike confiscation scandal last week ("Bikegate,") and the same company's manhandling of a busker, councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam is asking the city to look at the possibility of marking the often invisible line between public and private property.

If you recall, Brookfield Properties, the owner of the Hudson's Bay Centre at Yonge and Bloor, removed a bike that was legally chained to a street fixture on public property and placed it in storage--no note of explanation. The incident was, of course, a PR disaster.

There's some precedent for demarcating public and private: New York City property owners occasionally mark such lines with metal plaques or discreet strips etched into the pavement. Toronto property owners sometimes do the same, but there are no rules requiring boundary markers.

Confusion tends to arise when buildings are set back from the street, Wong-Tam writes in her city council motion. At the Hudson's Bay Centre there is a portion of sidewalk in front of the building, which is technically private property. Brookfield staff wrongly assumed--perhaps because there's no clear marker--that their portion of the sidewalk was larger (it's also possible the security detail saw itself as unofficial by-law officers).

Late last month, the city unveiled the first in a series of privately owned publicly-accessible space (POPS) markers at CityPlace. The little plaques, which are the brainchild of councillor Josh Matlow, label spaces that are not owned by the city but are still freely accessible, in effect blurring the line between public and private.

The motion, which is backed by cllr. Matlow, is up for debate at next week's city council meeting.

Should the city draw a line in the sand, so to speak, between public and private space?

Photo by marina~ in the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

Minto Westside is a condo project at Bathurst at Front that, along with the Well, will drastically transform western Front Street. Although only 20-storeys tall, the development has a significant foot print on account of the large size of the site, which will feature a one acre courtyard space around which the condos will be built. While the project is still at the pre-sales stage, the early renderings reveal an architecturally bold design, which eschews the tower aesthetic in favour of something more akin to a campus.

SPECS AND FEATURES

• Location: Front and Bathurst
• Storeys: 20-storeys
• Price: From $188,990
• Architect: Wallman Architects
• Interior Design: Burdifilek
• Developer: Minto
• Amenities: One acre courtyard space, rooftop pool, 8,000 square foot gym, indoor/outdoor party spaces.

THE VERDICT

So far, so good. It's a little early to make any surefire evaluations, but the design from Wallman Architects is certainly promising, and the hiring of Burdifilek to handle the interiors bodes well for this development. We don't know what the unit sizes or types will be yet, but it's clear that the tag "design forward condos" is apt.

Perhaps what's most exciting is that the development takes outdoor space seriously. The courtyard at the centre of the project will no doubt prove a popular communal space, and some of the lower units feature small terrace-like spaces, which open the condo to the street. Like the plans for the neighbouring Well development, it appears that the architects are looking to avoid insularity and to integrate these buildings into the community at large.

MORE RENDERINGS

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

The Toronto mayoral fast approaches. And while the loss of Karen Stintz from the race today should make things ever so slightly easier for voters who have yet to make up their minds (she was only polling at around 4 per cent), those who fall in the undecided category will benefit from a slick new website and app designed to track the platforms of the leading mayoral candidates. Of course there's plenty of articles that track just this kind of information, but the advantage here is that the information is laid out in an easy to digest and graphically pleasing manner.

Well, that and the fact that the tool is available as an app for both Android and iOS. Sure, this won't be the most useful app you'll ever download, but if you want to get a handle on what each candidate has to offer, flipping through their platforms while waiting for the bus or coffee might actually be a great way to get better informed without devoting much energy to the enterprise. And given that it's free, there's little reason not to give it a whirl.

It's not a turkey, a sign sale, or a massive dance party, but tomorrow someone (we're not sure who) wants to serve you free corn dogs outside Honest Ed's. Who could be behind it? Rob Ford (Corn-Ford Fest)? Those mens' equality people (Phallic-Symbols-Against-Misandry-Fest)? Marxist Nudist Taxidermists (I-don't-even-wanna-know-Fest)?

The free mystery corn dogs will be served from 12-3pm in the Honest Ed's alley (581 Bloor St West). Just remember not to sign anything without reading it, and bring a friend who's staying off the 'dogs to guide you through what could be a PCP-laced trip-on-a-stick. Okay, probably not, but safety first.

Photo of Corn Dog Love by Denise Rose Photography on flickr.

After 13 years, the tides are turning at Starfish, with the Adelaide oyster bar set for a major revamp this fall. In addition to the changes you might expect, like a new name (the Pearl Diver) and an overhauled atmosphere (think laid-back "oysterman's pub"), the new restaurant is working on features that should be some pretty tasty bait for the city's food fans.

Most notably, the restaurant will be partnering with bike delivery service Hurrier to offer freshly shucked oyster delivery, making them the first restaurant in the city to bring fresh bivalves right to your door.

If you opt to dine in-house, you'll be able to try their new menu of Asian-inspired seafood dishes, including lobster bao and seafood ramen, as well as more traditional surf-and-turf dishes and a new craft beer menu. Or visit the back room, where you can check out a selection of food-related books curated by Alison Fryer (of Yorkville's now-departed Cookbook Store).

For now, you can say goodbye to the Starfish as you once knew it; the restaurant is set to shut down August 30 and resurface in its new form in October.

Road closures in Toronto for the weekend of August 23 and 24 rounds up the key transportation shut-downs affecting the city, including street and TTC closures.

KEY ROAD CLOSURES IN TORONTO

Yonge: Richmond--Gerrard, Yonge: Gerrard--College, and others. Buskerfest is due to close Yonge between Richmond and Gerrard from today (Thursday) at 9:30 a.m. to Sunday, August 24 at 11:59 p.m. Gerrard to College from Friday, August 22 at 6 p.m. to Sunday, August 24 at 11:59 p.m. Expect closures on Dundas Square Street, Walton, Gould, Edward, and Elm over the weekend, too.

Bathurst: Wilson--Allingham. Two southbound lanes of Bathurst will be closed between Wilson and Allingham on Saturday, August 23 from 4 a.m. to Sunday, August 24 at midnight for Taste of Manila. During this time, one northbound lane will be reversed for southbound traffic.

Gerrard: Glenside--Coxwell. The road will be closed from Saturday, August 23 at 10 a.m. to Monday, August 25 at 2 a.m. for the Festival of South Asia.

TTC CLOSURES

Line 1: Bloor--Eglinton.Planned signal upgrades mean the Yonge line will be closed all day on Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24. Shuttle buses will operate between both stations, calling at all stops. Wheel-Trans buses will also be made available.

510 Spadina: Dundas.Due to construction at Dundas, the 510 Spadina streetcar is currently being served by shuttle bus between Spadina station bus platform and Queens Quay West. The 505 Dundas is operating as normal through the area. The intersection is due to fully reopen August 30.

504 King, 505 Dundas: Broadview. The 504 King and 505 Dundas streetcars remain unable to reach Broadview subway station due to construction on Broadview at Danforth. The 504 is turning south at Dundas and Broadview and returning to King via Queen and Parliament. The 505 is diverting via Parliament, Gerrard and Broadview. Both routes are being completed by shuttle bus. Work ends August 31.

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.

Photo by Vik Pahwa in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto 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

• Food Truck Frenzy at the CNE starts tonight Friday, August 22 and runs until Sunday, August 24. Found on Princes' Blvd. in front of the Allstream Centre and Direct Energy Centre, the Frenzy will feature almost 20 of Toronto's top food trucks.
• The Gerrard India Bazaar a.k.a Festival of South Asia is on this weekend August 23 and 24 from noon until 11pm. Expect to find over 100 shops, restaurants and vendors representing regional diversities of South Asian food, fashion and music.
• Coconut Festival Canada takes place at Artscape Wychwood Barns (601 Christie St.) on Sunday, August 24 from 10am to 6pm. Event highlights include a diverse lineup of vendors hawking tasty tropical snacks and meals as well as seminars and cooking demos.
• The fifth annual Wild Blueberry Festival is on at the Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Ave.) on Sunday, August 24 from 10am to 3pm. Enjoy a blueberry-centric brunch, Ontario craft beers and cider, plus family friendly storytelling and cooking workshops.
• North of the city, Tastes of the Hill takes place on Sunday, August 24 at Richmond Green Park (1300 Elgin Mills Rd. East). Happening from 11am to 8pm the family friendly event will feature a farmers market, food demos and kids cooking classes.
• Little Manila plays host to the Taste of Manila street festival this weekend (August 23rd and 24th). Head to Wilson and Bathurst to get your fill of Filipino music, dancing and great eats from some of the local restaurants.

UPCOMING

• AwesTRUCK is back for its 3rd year on Friday, September 5 and Saturday, September 6 at Mississauga's Celebration Square. Admission is free for the street food fest and food truck awards meaning you'll have more dough in your pockets for food. Those unable to make it out to Mississauga can enjoy a mini pop-up rally happening from noon to 8pm on Saturday, August 30 in the parking lot at 495 Wellington Street West.

Photo of AwesTRUCK 2013 by Jesse Milns.

In the last week, I've told you all about the award-winning, the Canadian, and the hotly anticipated movies coming to TIFF in 2014. Now it's time to get a little personal and tell you about the ten movies I can't wait to see at TIFF this year. Many of them have already been mentioned in the other posts -Leviathan, Foxcatcher, Force Majeure, While We're Young, Winter Sleep, Tu Dors Nicole - so this list features films that haven't been mentioned yet. Because we all know that when it comes to TIFF, nobody has just a top 10 movies to watch. It's more like a top 20, 30, or 40.

The Cobbler
Thomas McCarthy's The Station Agent is one of my favorite films of all time, and every one of his excellent follow-ups (The Visitor, Win Win) has done nothing but deepened my anticipation of whatever he does next. In this case, The Cobbler, which is about a man (Adam Sandler) who finds a magical family heirloom that lets him walk a mile in his customer's shoes (sort of literally). The fable-like premise, and the potential for the first good Adam Sandler dramatic performance since Punch Drunk Love, are all draws. But they still take a backseat to McCarthy once again telling a story about a sweet, gentle man whose uneventful life becomes enriched and expanded.

Eden
Mia Hansen-Løve's Goodbye First Love was a masterpiece--a wonderful ode to young love and the bumpy transition from teendom to adulthood. Her follow-up could have been a biopic based on a Miley Cyrus Instagtam photo and I'd still would have seen it. Instead (thankfully) Eden sees the director return to the subject of youth, this time on a slightly grander scale: the thump-thump world of the early 1990s electronic-music scene in Paris.

Haemoo
Director Shim Sung-Bo hasn't done very much as a filmmaker. In fact, this is his first feature film. But he has two things going for him. One, he co-wrote the screenplay for Bong Joon-Ho's Memories of Murder, one of the best South Korean films ever made. Two, Bong Joon-Ho (The Host, Mother, Snowpiercer) is returning the screenwriting favor for Haemoo. That's certainly enough to anticipate the film, but it also helps that TIFF seems so confident in the film's quality, it's included it in their Gala Presentations.

The Humbling
Imagine this: What if one of the greatest living American actors (Al Pacino) starred in an adaptation of a novel by one of America's greatest living authors (Philip Roth)? That's The Humbling. Supported by the infinitely watchable Greta Gerwig, and directed by Academy Award winner, Barry Levinson, The Humbling should hopefully prove to be more than just your normal May-September romance movie.

Laggies
As someone who is forever hopeful the romantic comedy will become successful once again, Lynne Shelton's charming Your Sister's Sister was a sight for sore eyes: a deft indie film appropriating many of the characteristics and virtues of the rom-com. Laggies looks to build on that. With all the earmarks of a good rom-com, here Keira Knightly plays a young woman undergoing a quarter-life crisis. She befriends a teenager (Chloë Grace Moretz) with whom she then stays to figure out her life. All the while, she starts to form a connection with the teen's dad. A dad played by Sam Rockwell, which is another reason to look forward to Laggies. Sam Rockwell should be in everything.

Maggie
Sometimes you just want to see a TIFF movie so you can scratch an unbearable itch of curiosity. That's how I feel about Maggie. Here Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a farmer in the Midwest whose daughter (Abigail Breslin) becomes sick, and slowly starts turning into a zombie-like monster. The art house treatment of B-movie plots (i.e. zombies) is always intriguing, but most of all my curiosity lies in wanting to see how Schwarzenegger fares in his first serious role since returning to acting.

Meet Me in Montenegro
Seven years ago a little-seen film called In Search of a Midnight Kiss proved to be a welcome entry in the Before Sunrise pseudo-genre: two people meet, spend 24 hours-ish together, walk, talk, and--of course--fall in love. It's been a long wait for director Alex Holdridge's follow-up, but it's finally here. What's more, his new film Meet Me in Montenegro sounds like it could be just as interesting a study of modern love--the euphoria and the challenges--as last time.

[REC]4 Apocalypse
[REC] 1 and 2--thrilling, clever, and anxiety inducing--count as two of my top horror movies of all time. After a misguided (and ignorable) sidestep into comedy with [REC] 3, the series returns to its roots and the star of the original film for the (supposed) final chapter. This time it's inventively, and claustrophobically, set on an ocean freighter. Which is pretty much the zombie movie setting I never knew I wanted.

Tokyo Tribe
Last year, Sion Sono's Why Don't You Play in Hell? killed at Midnight Madness. This year he's back with Tokyo Tribe, which the TIFF programme calls a "yakuza-street gang-hip hop-musical epic [set] in a futuristic, alternate-world Tokyo." Honestly? I don't need more than that to be excited for this.

Two Days, One Night
Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's last film, the heartfelt (but never saccharine) The Kid with a Bike, was co-winner of 2011 Cannes Film Festival's Grand Prix award. Two Days, One Night received equally good buzz at Cannes this year, especially for Marion Cotillard's performance as a working-class mother fighting to keep her job. The Dardennes have a rare talent for creating tension and suspense out of everyday stakes, and--like all rare talents--it needs to be appreciated as often as possible.

Thanks to the Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington, for sponsoring our coverage of TIFF 2014.

What would you add to this list? Plug the movies in the comments.

Tomorrow sees the debut adventure of a new Doctor Who played by Peter Capaldi, heavily promoted by Space as an unmissable TV event owing to its street cred with geek chic culture, a worldwide cult following who will no doubt to cast a long shadow over next weekend's Fan Expo at the Metro Toronto convention centre. Not bad for a 51 year-old TV series.

However not all that long ago, Doctor Who was in the inter-dimensional dumps. After being created in 1963 by Toronto born CBC brain trust Sydney Newman, the series ran for 26 years on the BBC before losing its mojo and becoming a creaky pantomime joke. It was cancelled in 1989, and faded into the limbo of cult television hell kept alive only by nerdcore books and comics, mostly written by fans.

During those "wilderness years", rumours appeared frequently about Doctor Who's imminent return. Everything from Steven Spielberg producing an Americanized version with a rapping Tardis to a big screen version starring David Hasselhoff were mooted and booted. Few knew the truth was about to (de)materialize in Toronto.

Enter Toronto animation house Nelvana, best known nowadays for pre-school televisual juggernauts like Max & Ruby, Franklin and Mike the Knight, and recut English dubs of Japanese anime like Beyblade and Bakugan. After a large budget adult animated feature Rock & Rule nearly sank the company in the 1980s, Nelvana rebuilt it's empire thanks to some help from their friend George Lucas who had employed the company to animate the first appearance of fan favorite Boba Fett in 1978's notorious Star Wars Holiday Special:

After Return of the Jedi , Lucas had wanted to continue to tell stories from the Star Wars universe and did so with a pair of successful Saturday morning cartoons produced by Nelvana- Droids and Ewoks. Nelvana began to pursue Sci-Fi/Horror properties and were in active development of animated series based on Jane Fonda's campy film Barbarella, Clive Barker's comic EctoKid and the Image comic Savage Dragon.

Sometime in early 1990, the BBC approached Nelvana with a proposition to co-produce a new series of Doctor Who, in animated form. Ted Bastien, now a supervising director at Nelvana, remembers it well: "We went through a lot of development on it, then we were scripting and storyboarding it and about 4 scripts had been written. It happened really fast".

The BBC wanted to continue the show as it was (i.e not pitch it down to a younger audience) only as an animation to keep the costs down, and hopefully be able to sell more toys. Rather than base their sketches on a previous Doctor, the artists used actors such as Peter O'Toole, Jeff Goldblum and Christoper Loyd as inspiration, while plucking elements from other Doctor's wardrobes such as the scarf and hat.

Respect was paid in full to the Doctor Who mythos by including newer versions of his enemies like the Daleks, Cybermen and friends like K-9. "We were instructed to make them as toyetic as possible" recalls Bastien, explaining the Dalek tank which would have allowed heads to pop on and off. K-9 was designed to fold into a Doctor's bag with a head that looks like a prophetic vision of an iPad.

In keeping with the 90s obsession with cyborgs, the Doctor's arch enemy The Master was to be re-imagined as half man, half robot with a cybernetic bird accessory and a face modelled after Sean Connery.

There would be Time Lords, screaming female companions from Earth, and lots and lots of epic scale battles which the live-action BBC show could never afford with their rubber band budgets. Those at Nelvana at the time thought it would be their biggest show to date.

Sadly, this rebirth of the legend was not meant to be: "It was pulled out from under us" according to Bastien. After spending a considerable amount of time on developing, scripting and storyboarding the show, a BBC executive showed up with a representative from a UK animation studio who claimed they could do it for much less. The cord was pulled just as quickly and the world was denied a cartoon Doctor Who made in Liberty Village, where the Nelvana studios was previously located.

Of course, the series did finally return full bore in 2005, to great acclaim and a new generation of fans. As with any cult TV show, seemingly every minutiae of Doctor Who has been thoroughly pored over, researched and documented, however its brief Toronto dalliance with Nelvana remains somewhat of a mystery. Bastien has no idea what happened to the scripts, or to the original drawings. Thankfully he hung onto some Xerox's and sketches, allowing us to get an idea of what it may have looked like.

"Most people don't know this ever happened" says Bastien, with a raised eyebrow and mysterious look worthy of the Doctor himself.

Retrontario plumbs the seedy depths of Toronto flea markets, flooded basements, thrift shops and garage sales, mining old VHS and Betamax tapes that less than often contain incredible moments of history that were accidentally recorded but somehow survived the ravages of time. You can find more amazing discoveries at www.retrontario.com.

There's not a souvlaki in sight on the menu at this new Greek restaurant on Ossington. Named for a motherly term of endearment, the focus here is on family -- family recipes and family-style eating where dinners are assembled from an array of plates on the table and a "help yourself to seconds" kind of attitude is encouraged.

Read my profile of Mamakas in the restaurants section.

Lost music venues in Toronto serve as a reminder that when it comes nightlife in this city, the only constant is change. Just as a cool new concert venue opens up somewhere in the city, there's another venerable music institution shuttering its doors across town.

With the Guvernment Entertainment Complex - the longest-running club currently in Toronto - announcing its impending end for early next year, it's clearer than ever that no amount of seniority or success in the scene can keep any of our beloved establishments safe. [Insert snide comment about condos here.]

After seeing the lively discussion generated from our post on the top heavy music venues in Toronto, we got to thinking about some of our favourite spots of yesteryear - the ones that defined a cultural movement, hosted iconic musicians or could've just been great if they were given a fair chance to build a clientele.

Here are 15 of our favourite defunct Toronto venues. R.I.P.

The Big Bop
Ah, who could forget that giant purple box at the corner of Queen and Bathurst. The Big Bop's three music rooms became the central hub for Toronto's resurgent 90s punk scene, drawing a mostly younger crowd of outcast thanks to all-ages shows and a distinct lack of pretension. But as Queen West's gentrification continued unabated, it was inevitable that this symbol of counterculture would eventually get the axe.

A friend of mine actually got to play The Kathedral on one of those last fateful days; half into her set, a staff member yelled to "just get off the stage, there's no one here." I always thought that was a depressing, oddly hilarious, perfect end to The Bop - it's how I'll always remember it.

What's there now: Furniture store CB2. Check out the Rockpile, Rockpile East, and Nocturne for former Bip Bop owners and bookers.

The Gasworks
Forever immortalized in Wayne's World ("always a babe-fest"), The Gasworks was a headbanger's dream at the height of 80's metal. The long-haired and leather-clad enjoyed overflowing quarts of beer and loud bands in what could really only be described with the three d's (dank, dark, dive), and though the occasional scuffle happened every so often, it was worth it to see acts like Rush, Platinum Blonde and Triumph get their big break.

What's there now: A surplus and sporting goods store.

Palace Pier
Back in the day when people were super into the Lindy Hop, Palace Pier was the lakeside party destination Torontonians had long been waiting for. Despite hindrances of The Great Depression, lack of funding, and other developmental hiccups, the expansive hall finally opened in 1941 and enjoyed years of performances from big-name jazz and country performers including Duke Ellington, Peggy Lee, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash. Trouble never seemed far behind, however, and the Pier suffered the ultimate fate of burning to the ground in 1963.

What's there now: The Palace Pier condo towers (and a small memorial to the original venue near the waterfront).

Ted's Wrecking Yard
Indie rock is so ubiquitous at this point, it's hard to remember that there was a time when it didn't get enough attention. Ted's Wrecking Yard came along at a time when a lot of our most famous indie acts would've had trouble getting booked elsewhere. Jason Collett, Broken Social Scene, Metric, Peaches, Kathleen Edwards, and many more got the chance to play to small yet steadily growing audiences here, occasionally as part of Wavelength, which also started as a weekly showcase on the club's small stage.

What's there now: An LCBO store.

Colonial Tavern
Around the Palace Pier's prime, Colonial Tavern was also making jazz-lovers jitterbug much closer to the city's centre. The building's two floors were relatively small to be hosting such big bands and lively gigs, but somehow they made it work. Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, B.B. King, and Big Mama Thornton were just a few of the greats to grace the Colonial's humble stage, and the owners constantly struggled to accommodate the influx of eager patrons. Later, the club kind of lost some of its gravitas as it transformed into a more lowbrow rock spot, but its jazz legacy is unforgettable.

What's there now: An empty lot set to be part of the future Massey Tower condo.

The Edge
At the end of the seventies, the changing face of punk music was having trouble getting a foothold in the city. Enter The Edge: headed by infamous duo The Garys, the unassuming space gave way to some of the most avant-garde post-punk, new-wave and art rock bands of the era. The progressive booking encouraged a mix of unknowns alongside well-known names like XTC, and local fans could often see their favourites play multiple nights in a row. With the impact made by The Edge after three short years in existence, just imagine what it could've done with more longevity.

What's there now: An emergency shelter for women.

Masonic Temple
It's funny to think that his historic corner of Yonge and Davenport was once a sacred meeting point for the Freemasons - its usage since has been anything but low-profile. In the 60s it was the (former) Rockpile, a large concert space which notably hosted Led Zepplin on their first North American foray, then "The Concert Hall," where many more big names played including David Bowie, Frank Sinatra and Black Sabbath. The rock-solid structure and cavernous interior always made each show a grand experience.

What's there now: Bell Media most recently used the Temple for MTV Canada's studios, but sold it to Info-Tech Research Group last year.

Maple Leaf Ballroom
An unassuming old building on St. Clair West that was originally a movie theatre, the Maple Leaf Ballroom reopened in the 60's as a dance club. In an elegant room with a classic mirrorball, live music was usually performed by Irish showbands invited to town by owner Jimmy McVeigh. It's greatest claim to fame, however, is when McVeigh booked an up-and-coming Irish rock band named U2 for a gig in 1980. Strangely, it seems many more people claim to have been there than could have been accommodated in the 300-seat room.

What's there now: A Salvation Army thrift store.

The Matador Club
This former bowling alley may not have had a ton of "official" concerts after being opened in the 60s, but true country fans knew that most big performers would wind up here after their headlining Toronto gigs and could be counted on to wile away the late hours with an impromptu live set. Stompin' Tom Conners and Loretta Lynn were just a couple of the famed regulars here, and rumour has it that Leonard Cohen loved the place enough to write "Closing Time" about it. Not many after-hours clubs in the city have reached this kind of legendary status.

What's there now: The land was purchased in 2010 to become a "living arts centre," but as of now is still vacant and under construction.

The BamBoo
At the height of Queen West's 80's cultural renaissance, The BamBoo carved out an essential niche for world music on the strip. A colourful venue rife with African artwork and tropical touches, the club featured a very communal mix of reggae, jazz, ska, hip hop and soul, which was refreshing in a neighbourhood dominated by rock shows. Crowds were attracted just as much by the delicious Caribbean food on the menu as they were the diverse music, and a social consciousness brought in a lot of meaningful events, from community fundraisers to Afrofest.

What's there now: Cube Nightclub.

Larry's Hideaway
Holed away in the Prince Carlton Hotel's basement, Larry' Hideaway was often lovingly described, at best, as a disgusting cesspool by all who frequented it. But despite its vile reputation, Larry's made history by hosting some of the best punk and metal shows Toronto has ever seen. Burgeoning local pioneers like Anvil and Razor played memorable sets on it's low stage, which was aided by having a surprisingly good sound system and The Garys on board for bookings.

What's there now: Allan Gardens.

Industry
Towards the end of the 20th century, there still wasn't much happening in what's now known as Liberty Village. Then along came Industry, an ambitious nightclub at the corner of King and Stratchan that sought to bring house and techno music mainstream recognition. One of the coolest things about Industry was how diverse the clientele was - regardless of race, class, or sexual orientation fans happily grooved together to tunes spun by the likes of Fatboy Slim, Daft Punk, and Basement Jaxx. Top Toronto DJ's were always given equal attention as internationally recognized performers, propelling our city's own talent to the fore.

What's there now: A Shoppers Drug Mart.

Circa
People always say to "dream big" - what they don't tell you it to make sure your bank account's bigger first. Infamous NYC nightclub impresario Peter Gatien returned to his homeland in 2003 and immediately attempted the lofty goal of opening Canada's largest club in Toronto's entertainment district. The initial results were impressive: a massive, artistically driven, multi-room playhouse that hosted major DJs and pop stars like Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Rihanna and Lupe Fiasco. Too bad it had to become "The Titanic of night clubs."

What's there now: A Marshall's department store.

Who's Emma
Radical politics and hardcore punk collided in a big way at Who's Emma, a Kensington Market collective and meeting space. Named after famed anarchist Emma Goldman, it was a multi-purpose venue which served as a store, zine distributor, activist meeting hub and DIY concert venue. It's probably not surprising that an anarchist-run organization struggled with a lot of infighting and interpersonal turmoil which likely contributed to its demise, but while it was around, it served as a vital platform for the more subversive, often ignored underbelly of politically motivated nineties punk.

What's there now: The Grilled Cheese sandwich shop.

Siesta Nouveaux
The DIY punk spirit has been shuffled around the city many times over, but it seemed like it'd found its best home yet at Siesta Nouveaux. Basically held in an apartment, shows here always felt like the best house party ever - tons of all-agers crammed into a sweaty, graffiti-covered room with loud bands and the ever-present threat of cops shutting the whole thing down. Despite the chaos, a tolerant atmosphere prevailed, and the welcoming vibes always gave punk lovers a safe place to find the like-minded and let off steam.

What's there now: It's been levelled to a parking lot, but will be developed into a condo in the future.

What other once-great Toronto venues do you miss? Let us know in the comments.

Toronto has a long love affair with the idea of making downtown Yonge St. more of a public space than merely a thoroughfare, and once in a while we actually try it out. Last Sunday the first Open Streets TO revived a plan first hatched in the 1970s to turn the street into a pedestrian mall. The latest proposal to reimagine the street comes courtesy of Richard Valenzona, who would reduce two lanes of traffic and eliminate the curb to create a promenade featuring additional pedestrian and patio space.

Naturally, a reduction of two lanes of traffic would be controversial, but what's interesting about this proposal is that it's not completely pie in the sky. As winner of the inaugural NXT City Prize, Valenzona has the backing of Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmat to explore the idea. He's just won $5,000 with the top design in the competition, which also provides access to a group of working professionals and an additional $10,000 to get his plan actualized. That's still probably not enough to make something so radical happen in Toronto, but one suspects it'll be good enough to keep the conversation going.

Have a look at his full proposal here.

Toronto artist Istvan Kantor aka Monty Cantsin, who will always be the eying you up and down and mentally declaring himself more punk than you, has struck again with his "Blood Campaign," this time leaving a giant bloody "X" and a "Monty Cantsin was here" at the Whitney Museum's Jeff Koons retrospective in New York. As always, he also left a manifesto declaring his blood a "supreme gift."

Kantor was captured posing between a Koons sculpture and his bloodied wall with childlike glee on Wednesday by photographer Antoine S Lutens before security dragged him out. Several shots are, naturally, blocked by people's smart phones. None of Koons' works were bloodied. According to the NY Post, Kantor was taken to a New York hospital for "psych evaluation" and later released with no charges.

Governor General's Award winner Kantor's most notorious Blood work involved exchanging fluids with a Picasso painting at the MOMA. Kantor once told Brooklyn Rail: " I can't just go to the museum and cut my veins. I collect the blood in tubes before going to the museum" which admittedly may not seem that hardcore, but who among us regularly bleeds into a beaker for art (no disrespect/shout out to the world's life saving variety of blood donors).

One of the worst articles I've ever read about art is about Kantor. In it, Joe Fiorito meets (discovers) Kantor at a bus stop and becomes so enamoured with his quirky #artlife that he proclaims, "I love art." Kantor's dedication to leaning into his madness may always inspire these feelings in Star writers and some art fans, but we've got to ask ourselves why anyone would host a Koons retrospective in the first place.

Photo: Antoine S Lutens

There are two kinds of people in this world; those who watched our mayor drunkenly stumblehisway through the past couple of years and thought "this is a massive cry for help", and those who thought "wouldn't it be hilarious if I showed up drunk at Muzik on Friday in a Rob Ford costume?" If you're the latter, I have good news: you are one step closer to fully embodying your party spirit animal. The Toronto Sun reports that an Etobicoke party store has begun offering Rob Ford masks, and they are flying off the shelves.

Amazing Party and Costume put the the latex "Mayor masks" on sale just over a month ago for $29.99, and they've already sold most of their first run of 200 - more are on the way just in time for election day, I mean Halloween. If you never, ever (ever!) get tired of "drunken stupor" jokes, step right this way to buy your own. Or just stare, hypnotized, into its black, soulless eyes.

Photo by daggadiez on Instagram