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MakeWorks brings innovation to former shoe factory on College St.

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makeworksMakeWorks is a co-working office, a maker space, a startup incubator, and an events spot all in one. Simply put, according to founder Mike Stern, the 10,000 square foot space at College and Dufferin is a "shared R&D lab" for new startups and businesses of all kinds.

"We have a focus, which is startups doing non-traditional startup things," Stern says. "Instead of just software developers crowded around, we have this bigger facility where people are doing more physical things." The space is the perfect spot for digital and physical technology and innovation to collide; in addition to providing office space for startups, they also offer facilities for 3D printing, electronics work, laser-cutting, metalsmithing, ceramics, woodworking, and more.

makeworks torontoNecessity was, as usual, the mother of invention; Stern wanted to start a company that worked in both creating software and building hardware, but couldn't find a co-working space that fit his needs. started a software and hardware developing company. "Then I found this space" - a converted shoe factory - "and I found a few other companies, and they were already aligned in needing that kind of space. So, we just built it."

makeworks torontoThe front of the building is a month-to-month co-working area, fully outfitted with desks, WiFi, and some comfy leather office chairs. There are no cubicles, but that adds to the climate of cross-pollination between diverse startups and businesses. "By just being physically close to one another, you end up getting a lot of serendipitous moments," Stern says. (For example, a 3D scanning outfit and a real estate firm have been talking about creating virtual 3D walkthroughs of their properties.)

makeworks torontoCurrent tenants include Sensimat, who created a mat that helps wheelchair users track and vary seat pressure, Pawly, an app that lets pet owners interact with their dogs while away from home, and Sprout Guerrilla, who produce artwork and coasters coated in live, growing moss. Indiegogo Canada also recently moved into the space, which has made for an invaluable boost to startups looking for crowdfunding help: "They're a tap on the shoulder away if you need help with your campaign," Stern says.

makeworks torontoAcross the way is the MakeLab, the space's electronics and prototyping lab, which includes an array of 3D printers (available for rental), a laser cutter, and some electronics equipment acquired when RIM was downsizing. It's open to all members to use, and workshops and training are part of the space's programming. (Other knick-knacks lying around the lab: A fully-articulated 3D-printed scorpion toy, a doorbell that looks like HAL 9000, and a vending machine retrofitted to stock tools and materials for the electronics lab.)

makeworks toronto"There's really cool integration with people who have no hardware side of their business," adds Teddy Shropshire, the space's manager. Orchard, a startup that facilitates buying and selling used phones, have begun making laser-cut custom cases, just because they have access to the lab. "It's not really part of their business plan - it's just something that, because they have access to these tools, it gives them something a little more personal about their product."

makeworks torontoIf you're not looking to launch a startup anytime soon, but still want to learn how to 3D print, never fear - MakeWorks just began offering public workshops, and they've launched a crowdfunding campaign of their own to get those workshops off the ground. "People can come and take a 3D printing workshop, or a laser cutting workshop, or arduino-building, or drone-building," Stern says. "There's such a brain trust here, and we basically use the people that are in here and say 'Do you want to do a workshop on something?'"

makeworks torontoThat brain trust includes The Shop, a maker-space located at the back of the MakeWorks complex, where members and visitors can get hands-on with woodworking, ceramics, and metal (read more about them here). Workshops have been a big draw to the space - when I arrive, the room is set up for weaving class.

makeworks torontoThere's also a wide-open space used for events and as a gallery - though, given the demand for room at MakeWorks, it may not be kept open forever. Just a few short months after opening, though, a few companies have already "graduated" out of the office, including Brainsights and SHOEme.ca.

makeworks toronto"Traditional co-working spaces would, like, want to just keep their same membership forever," Stern says. "The more people that graduate, the more people will be like 'Oh, that company started at MakeWorks, so we want to start at MakeWorks'. It's a self-fulfilling thing."

makeworks torontoPhotos by James C. Lee.


The Best Japanese Restaurants in Toronto

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japanese restaurants torontoThe best Japanese restaurants in Toronto offer the wide range of Japanese cooking styles and types of food, from cold and hot noodles, sashimi to grilled meats, street food to high-end, austere to boisterous and fun. Remember when Molly Ringwald brings sushi for lunch to detention in The Breakfast Club, and all the other kids are agog at the concept of raw fish? That scene just wouldn't fly in a movie anymore, as the Western world has embraced Japanese cuisine in all its incarnations - raw and cooked. It's come to signify the best of food, and Toronto is lucky to have so many wonderful Japanese restaurants to enjoy. Domo arigato, Japan, for all the great eats!

Here are the best Japanese restaurants in Toronto.

See also:

The best izakaya restaurants in Toronto
The best cheap sushi in Toronto
The best splurge sushi in Toronto
The best ramen in Toronto
The best Korean and Japanese fried chicken in Toronto
The best omakase in Toronto

How much crime is there on the TTC?

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TTC crimeThe Toronto Transit Commission might be "The Better Way," but is it the safer way? TTC property is fitted with numerous safety features--CCTV, security mirrors, public telephones, intercoms, and designated waiting areas--and the new streetcars, which begin rolling out this weekend, will come with the same yellow Passenger Assistance Alarms found on the subway. Despite the security, crime still occurs, but how safe is the TTC compared to other transit systems?

The TTC keeps a record of offences against customers and staff--assaults, thefts, sexual assaults that involved police attention--and publishes the numbers in the monthly CEO's report. Over the last 12 months, there were 413 recorded offences against customers and 398 against TTC staff, a total of 811 incidents in roughly 528 million trips. The odds of experiencing a crime on the TTC were about 667,000 to 1.

The numbers average out to about 2.22 incidents a day, about evenly split between riders and workers. Customer incidents peaked at 42 in July 2014, 43 for staff in Oct. 2013, but the numbers remained relatively stable throughout the year.

Compare those numbers with the Montreal transit system, where, in 2013, there were a total of 754 criminal code infractions from 412.6 million trips reported to transit police, an average of 2.07 incidents a day, odds of about 476,000 to 1.

Another report, released April, showed an overall 20 percent decrease in criminal activity on the Metro, but singled out one hub, Berri-UQAM, as the most dangerous. Crimes against people: assault, robbery, sexual assault were most common (303 incidents,) edging out property crimes, like theft and robbery (279.) Other criminal code infractions, including prostitution, accounted for the remainder.

On the Calgary C-Train, there were a total of 856 person, property, and other criminal code infractions in 2013 from 107.5 million rides, an average of 2.34 incidents a day. Like in Montreal, person crimes were the most common (259,) but property crimes (221) saw the biggest increase--up 31.5 percent from 2012. Odds of a crime occurring in 2013 were 12,500 to 1.

Cops on Boston's Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority recorded a total of 718 criminal incidents on the city's various transit lines in 2013 from 352.6 million rides. Compared to the first six months of 2014, there was a 28 percent decrease in robberies, but a 38 percent increase in aggravated assault. Larceny accounted for the majority of police activity. Across the year, there was an average of 1.97 incidents a day in 2013. The odds of encountering a crime were about 50,000 to 1.

In this small sample group, Toronto's transit system ranked 3rd in terms of criminal activity. Calgary's transit police reported the most incidents, followed by Toronto, Montreal, and Boston, but it's worth noting that each jurisdiction calculated its figures differently. Boston, for example, included only "selected" offences in its report. For Montreal and Calgary, I excluded by-law infractions, because the TTC does the same for its figures.

Crime is rare on the TTC--it was the safest of the four systems. Surprisingly, Calgary Transit was the most dangerous from the group in 2013, beating out Boston. Montreal was closer to Toronto in terms of safety.

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

Image: Bill Wu / blogTO Flickr pool.

Sukhothai to open new location on Dundas West

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Sukhothai Dundas WestWest side fans of guaytiaw and gaeng garee have something to celebrate. Sukhothai, founded by husband and wife team Jeff and Nuit Regular, is home to some of the most authentic regional Thai cuisine in Toronto, and already boasts two locations (with an extended family that includes Sabai Sabai and Pai). Now, there's a third one on the way.

Setting sights westward, the newest (and largest-yet) addition to the family of northern-Thai restaurants will take over the space at 1442 Dundas St. West, formerly home to The Guild. While no opening date has been announced, it could be sooner than later, as the 5,000-square-foot space was in relatively good working order this spring when it was shopped around in "turn-key condition" - meaning recently reno'd and fully equipped.

There's no need to worry that the Regulars are spreading themselves too thin, either. The original Sukhothai location is managed by Jeff's parents, and this new outpost will be helmed by Jeff's brother.

Labour Day Weekend events in Toronto

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labour day events torontoWeekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this Labour Day weekend.

Canadian International Air Show
Maybe I should let the Toronto Air Show (unofficial, I guess) Twitter take this one. "VYOOOOOWWW-WWWOOOOOOOR-SHHHHH!!!!" Whether you're planning to have your eyes on the sky or your energy devoted to complaining (via Twitter or IRL), one must admit that big flying machines are pretty cool. The 65th Toronto show will feature tons of noise polluting planes and jets with super neato names. How does one get to name a jet, anyway? August 30 - Sept 1, 1-4pm, Canadian National Exhibition (210 Princes Blvd).

GEEK

Fan Expo
Today in Toronto FanExpo will call the city's geeks, cosplayers, comic artists, and curious to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. That big Twin Peaks reunion (well, big in that three of the star actors have been scheduled to attend) goes down on Saturday. Horror fans should also especially find Little Terrors of interest. The people on the TTC wearing costumes have been explained, you can now carry on as normal. Until Sunday, Metro Toronto Convention Centre (255 Front St West).

See also

PARTY

Beat Bazaar
Half dance party, half flea market, Deep North's Beat Bazaar is a day-long community music market specifically for electronic lovers, though anything goes. From vintage and used audio equipment to a dedicated vinyl section, anyone can show up at Geary Lane to buy, sell, ogle, and barter for synths, stereos, DJ gear, and records while eating, drinking, and dancing to eight live DJs including a headline set by Basic Soul Unit. It's like the old world spirit getting a techno facelift. Saturday, August 30, 2-10pm, Geary Lane (360 Geary Avenue).

See also

FOOD

Psychic Brunch
One thing about heavy, subconscious-scraping therapy is that if you're hungry, you're (excuse my French) fucked. A decent tarot reading is like a light, extrapolate-your-own-adventure therapy session, which means pairing it with a nice brunch would be a good idea in any old town. But this is Toronto, so it's genius. $29 gets you a 15-minute reading and a $5 menu voucher. Sunday, August 31, 11am-3pm, Flying Beaver Pubaret (488 Parliament Street).

For more food events, check out our Toronto Food Events, Summer Food Events, and Summer Beer Events post.

FILM

Doc Days of Summer
Can't wait for TIFF? Neither can we - and documentary fans don't have to, thanks to Hot Docs. Their audience favourites will screen from August 29 to September 4, and titles include Six Ways to Santiago, Particle Fever, Fed Up, and Life Itself. A 5-pack of tickets will cost you $40, which is a pretty good deal. Until September 4, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema (506 Bloor St. West).

See also

MUSIC

Arcade Fire
They're back. Wear what you want. Wait, the Constantines are opening? Wear that flannel you used to wear to the Lakeview back when they had open mic nights. Friday, August 29, Molson Ampitheatre (909 Lakeshore).

See also

For more music listings, check out our August Concerts, Summer Concerts, and Summer Music Festivals posts.

COMMUNITY

Open Streets
Yonge and Bloor will go car-free again this Sunday, once again from 8am to noon, prompting a few curious head-scratchers to say "people get up before noon on Sunday?" Musical performances start at 9:30am, which is like, four hours before you roll out of bed for brunch, I know. Sunday, August 31, 8am-12pm, Yonge & Bloor. Bonus: here's an after party with David Soknacki and John Catucci that you can make the tail end of.

See also

ALL OF THE LIGHTS

CNE
What rides? The CNE has become something of a Mecca for deep-fried eats. Consume at your own peril. Check out our outrageous food preview here and our top entertainment picks here. There are rides, games, and male-dominated musical performances too. Until September 1, Exhibition Place (200 Princes' Blvd).

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

Lead photo by David G. Tran

Warp speed on the TTC

The top 5 up and coming comedians in Toronto

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comedians TorontoThe top up and coming comedians in Toronto come from a city with such wealth of talent on stage every night in the city that the list is difficult to whittle down. My rationale was simple: if you want to get noticed by the big wigs in LA, you have to be able to possess both a killer stand-up act and a great presence on-screen. Therefore, preference has been given to those individuals that have done well across multiple comedic genres.

With that in mind, here's my list of the top five up and coming comedians that will make it big in the next two to five years.

Mark Little
Mark's one of those guys that's so talented it makes you shake your head in disbelief. He's the producer/author of multiple viral videos, won Yuk Yuk's Great Canadian Laugh Off, and is a Just For Laughs regular. Recently, he's been doing shows in the US, and it's only a matter of time before he gets snapped up by an agency with a three storey fountain in their lobby.

Kathleen Phillips
Kathleen is quite simply the most stunning comedic character artist that I've ever seen. Anyone can pull off an impersonation for thirty seconds, but what sets Kathleen apart is her special talent to get inside the head of the make-believe persona she's created and conjure up a nuanced, multifaceted personality. You'll have a chance to see what I mean very soon as she'll be appearing in Sunnyside, a sketch comedy series that just got picked up by CityTV.

K. Trevor Wilson
K. Trevor Wilson is a casual comedic genius on stage. The biggest notch on his bedpost is that he was handpicked to open for Patton Oswalt and Louis freakin CK at Just For Laughs. HANDPICKED. Wowzers. I mean just watch below - he gets an applause break on his first sentence. What's amazing about K Trev is that every line is a punchline, which is a huge testament to his writing ability. It's that kind of consistent, result-oriented delivery that late night talk shows salivate over.

Quinn C. Martin
What sets Quinn apart from most killer comedians and actors is that he has been able to personally attract a following that shows up in droves to each and every event he produces. He received a lot of attention when his Tim Horton's chicken sandwich commercial caught fire, and he continues to get callbacks for significant roles on a regular basis. What's next? Oh, you know, the usual: commercials, touring the US, movies, television...

Chris Locke
Chris Locke's hit stride in recent years, garnering regular appearances on MTV and releasing a stand-up comedy album that immediately shot to the top of the iTunes charts. Since then, he's killed in one club after another in LA and returned to play JFL. What's next? My guess is that Chris will hook up with his partner in crime from back in the day, Nathan Fielder, who struck it rich with his show on The Comedy Network, Nathan For You.

BONUS

Dave Merheje
Dave's quite literally a destroyer of stages. He's touring the States as I write this, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got snapped up by an agent before he had a chance to come back. To my knowledge, Dave hasn't done a ton of acting work, but he's just one of those guys that stand-up comedy producers can't get enough of. In my opinion, his sheer talent on the mic will make him undeniable over the next two years.

Rebecca Kohler
Rebecca has done just about everything you can do as a comic in Canada. She's written for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, performed stand-up for Just for Laughs, and even opened for Norm freakin' MacDonald. With her local options pretty much maxed out, she signed with a US agent and is busy entertaining our neighbours to the south.

About the Author: This is Michael Jagdeo, and I refuse to write about myself in the third-person. My blog, Diary of a Stand-up Comedian, walks you through the up's and down's (they're mostly down's, really) in my quest to become a killer comic in Toronto.

The top 5 psych bands to watch in Toronto

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Psych bands TorontoThe top up and coming psych bands in Toronto are tuned into a psychedelic revival that's been sweeping across the globe, even taking up root right here in good old Toronto. Inspired by bands from the genre's '60s heydey - Jefferson Airplane, the 13th Floor Elevators, the Velvet Underground - as much as '80s alternative bands like Spacemen 3 and Loop, punk, and obscure vinyl, the new psychedelic sound is something completely new (but just as far-out).

Here are five of the top Toronto psych acts to keep on your cosmic radar.

Comet Control
Out of the ashes of former Toronto psych juggernauts Quest For Fire comes the newly forged band by Andrew Moszynski and Chad Ross, Comet Control. Existing on the heavier end of Toronto's psych spectrum, the band put out their debut album on Tee Pee Records earlier this year and have shared stages in recent months with the likes of Fuzz and Dead Meadow. Comet Control is for those who enjoy a side of darkness with their psych.

Milk Lines
Milk Lines is the project led by Toronto-via-Montreal garage rock son Jeff Clarke (Hellshovel) and his wife Emily Bitze. Harnessing the joint forces of Clarke's heavy-handed guitar and country drawl with Bitze's paisley melodies and vocals, Milk Lines forms a sound you might find soundtracking some LSD-laden Western. Filling out the lineup are local familiars Kyle Connolly (Wish) on bass and Omri Gondor (Hellshovel) on drums. Look out for their debut album this fall.

Tess Parks
One of the first six artists signed to legendary record label owner Alan McGee's new 359 Records label, Tess Parks is Toronto's reigning local psychstress. In recent months, Parks' raspy vocals and hazy guitar lines have garnered attention from The Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe along with a series tour slots across the UK supporting Joel Gion and The Vacant Lots. Her debut album, Blood Hot, came out last fall.

The Auras
The Auras are students of the Brian Jonestown Massacre's school of 60s-inspired, stoned-shitless psych. Hailing from the nearby region of Orangeville, the six-piece, patchouli scented ensemble pack up their van with, day-glo lights, gear and beads almost weekly to play around Toronto alongside local and outta-town bands.

Wish
Wish is the newly formed project by local multi-instrumentalist Kyle Connolly, who also moonlights in Milk Lines, Beliefs and Breeze. Earlier this year, Connolly set up shop over two days at Candle Recording Studio and invited a group of friends including Milk Line's Emily Bitze and Belief's Kosh Korody to help flesh out his debut album, a self-titled collection of psychedelic dream pop tunes out now on Hand Drawn Dracula. In just the past year Wish have shared the stage with big names like King Khan and The Shrines, Ought, and Crystal Stilts.

Writing by Sam Davis. Photo of Milk Lines from Facebook.


A loner's guide to the 5 least used TTC subway stations

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toronto subwayFinding peace and quiet on the Toronto subway is a difficult task--and that's a good thing. Without people to crowd its platforms, pack its streetcars and stuff its buses, the TTC wouldn't exist, at least not as we know and (mostly) love it today.

There are, however, places on the subway and Scarborough RT where riders are more likely to find themselves alone, or at least part of a very small crowd. (In fact, there's one stop in particular where passengers are almost certain to be alone, save for the fare booth attendant, outside of rush hour.)

Here's a loner's guide to the quietest stations on the TTC.

toronto old millOld Mill
Despite its picturesque location on the bank of the Humber River, Old Mill is the quietest stop on Bloor-Danforth line and the fifth quietest overall--by a hair. The stop recorded an average weekday ridership of 5,790 in 2013, just 90 people fewer than Summerhill and Leslie stations, both of which both logged 5,880 riders. Old Mill is the only station on the TTC to be half underground, half elevated. A fire on board a garbage collection train in 2000 damaged the east end of the platform and ended the practice of collecting station waste using converted subway cars, including Tokyo Rose, a Japanese-made train that was scrapped in 1990.

McCowan
Located just a few hundred metres east of Scarborough Centre station, the second busiest on the RT, McCowan handles less than 15 percent of the riders of its neighbour--4,150 people on the average weekday. There's very little point to using McCowan, other than to beat the crowds at the next stop or avoid a very short walk east, since there are no connecting bus routes at street level. Though there are two platforms at McCowan, only one is used by passengers. The other provides access to the maintenance yard at the end of the line.

Midland
Another peaceful stop on the Scarborough RT, Midland station drew just 3,020 riders per weekday in 2013. The stop suffers from a problems shared with other stations on the RT: poor location in a mainly industrial area and a lack of bus connections: the 57 Midland route is the only other service that connects to Midland station. Most riders skip this stop and continue to Scarborough Centre or Kennedy, both of which have ridership levels competitive with stations on the Yonge and Bloor-Danforth lines.

toronto bessarionBessarion
Strange and lonely Bessarion is twice as busy as the TTC's quietest rapid transit stop, but that doesn't stop it claiming the title as the least used subway station. In 2013, Bessarion, which would probably have been called Burbank were it on the other side of Sheppard Ave., accounted for just 0.122 of the entire TTC subway/RT ridership. Only 2,550 used it on an average weekday in 2013.

The station was almost scrubbed from the subway map during planning of the Sheppard line in 1998. The cost of building the subway was climbing and some city councillors suggested cancelling the stop, which was to be surrounded by surface parking lots. Only a concerted effort by then-North York councillor David Shiner, who predicted the area would become a hot spot for development, saved Bessarion from elimination.

toronto ellesmereEllesmere
Almost nobody uses Ellesmere station. Just 1,140 passed through its turnstiles during the average weekday 2013, making it by far the quietest stop on the entire Subway/RT system. In fact, during the week, more people pass through Bloor-Yonge station in 4 minutes than use Ellesmere all day. Taking the point further, if all 146 people who live on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic one day decided to use the station to get downtown and back, the ridership of the lonely station would spike by 25 percent.

The problem is due in part to Ellesmere's location in the middle of an industrial park. The stop does not have any bus bays and there are only two connecting routes on Ellesmere Rd. The station, which is actually losing riders as the TTC as a whole gets busier, would be eliminated with the Scarborough subway extension.

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

Image: carly miller, scarboroughcruiser, Jack Landau, Danielle Scott/blogTO Flickr pool.

New takeout joint puts a healthy spin on Caribbean eats

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1 Love Kitchen TorontoThere's a new Caribbean takeout joint on Queen West offering coconut curries, roti and jerk chicken. Not to be confused with the vegetarian cafe on Bathurst, this place distinguishes itself through a menu that puts a health-conscious twist on classic island dishes.

Read my profile of 1 Love Kitchen in the restaurant section.

Carlton from Fresh Prince posted all over Carlton St.

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carlton fresh prince torontoRight now, that big, fancy Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens is the second-most awesome thing about Carlton St. Some wonderful anonymous person, looking to bring joy and mirth to all of our lives this Labour Day long weekend, has papered telephone polls along Carlton St. with photos of Carlton, stodgy conservative cousin to "Will Smith" and No. 1 Tom Jones fan of all time on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

The homemade signs, which feature a nice selection of several dashing portraits, can be found on the north and south sides of the street between Yonge and Church. They popped up on all over social media Friday, as they rightfully should. Chances are, we probably only have a few days with these beauties before city staff get to them so go take a look while you can.

The best and worst Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Toronto

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shoppers drug mart torontoThe best and worst Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Toronto are tricky to tackle: how does one measure the likeability of an army of chain stores that are designed to serve the same purpose? Interestingly enough, not all Shoppers are the same. Some are great grocery stores (minus the produce), and others, premium makeup suppliers.

There are medium-sized Shoppers', deluxe superstores, and seemingly last-minute, underground and compact locations. And given that every neighbourhood in the city has their own go-to location (sometimes two!) there's no doubt that Shoppers Drug Mart holds a special place in all our lives. (For Drake, it's the bottom.)

Here are the best and worst Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Toronto.

BEST

Broadview/Danforth
Situated directly across from The Danforth Music Hall just east of Broadview and Danforth, this Shoppers location offers a huge presence on the Danforth strip. The two-storey building (which takes up only one floor with very high ceilings) has a generous food selection, brightly lit and wide aisles, along with a comfortable digital photo lab located near the pharmacy at the back of the store. Downside: only street parking is available. Upside: proximity to a large LCBO location and Bulk Barn.

Avenue/Lawrence
This 24-hours Shoppers is what dreams are made of: a spacious entrance, cleanly organized shelves, a solid magazine stock, specialty toys for holiday shopping, and an overall pleasurable shopping experience. This Lawrence Park location is, not surprisingly, very family-friendly and exemplifies the best qualities of a suburban SDM location. It boasts a sufficient parking lot, an RBC ATM, and plenty of baby, pet, and children's products.

Queen West/Beverly
Regulars of the Queen and Beverly Shoppers enjoy a large make-up selection with helpful staff and a food store with well-stocked shelves and sale items that almost never run out. The bright, open second floor, while only accessible via stairs, has plenty of household and pharmaceutical products, along with a generous electronic department and school supply shelves. This location also hosts a Certified Diabetes Educator and a calm, quiet atmosphere - a pleasant surprise for an otherwise bustling part of the Queen West strip.

Dupont/Spadina
The clean, roomy Shoppers (another best that features a large LCBO nearby) found on Dupont, east of Spadina, gets bonus points for being close to the subway station and keeping TTC tokens in stock. The location has garnered a reputation for having helpful staff in all of their departments and a reliable stock of sale and regular priced items.

Yonge/Eglinton
Yonge's Midtown Shoppers Drug Mart location is a sleek, modern alternative to downtown's handful of dreadful underground Shoppers and under-stocked, small locations. A short jaunt from the Eglinton subway station, it has a wide entrance that opens up into a bright, well-stocked beautyBOUTIQUE and beautyRX Skin Care section. There's a large dry goods and frozen foods selection that satisfies any basic shopping needs beyond produce and an impressively extensive stationary and gift-wrap selection. Downside: the checkout is a too small given the size of this location and some of the overhead lights are dim.

Avenue/Dunblaine (North York)
Despite its odd hours and comparatively small location, patrons of this North York Shoppers praise the store's vast selection of non-GMO products, organic goods and health foods as well as natural cosmetics and unique essential oils. Other bonus stock includes rare Burt's Bees items and Crab Tree & Evelyn goods in their assortment of body care merchandise.

Bayview/Fleming
Mount Pleasant's quaint Shoppers Drug Mart, while located in a more narrow setting than your typical SDM, presents a clean interior stocked with essential beauty supplies and higher-end makeup, as well as a healthy food selection. It's located amidst charming shops along the Davisville strip and is an easy, well-stocked quick-stop for locals.

BEST/WORST

Yonge/Carlton
The Yonge and Carlton Shoppers Drug Mart, found right above College subway station, is a contentious subject for the crowd it serves. Its strengths lie in duo entrances that offer (on the Yonge side) a wheelchair accessible option and alternative for those with sensitivities to the perfume section, as well as its extensive beauty and skincare selection and comfortable room for the inevitable lines during checkout (particularly massive at night). That being said, customers typically find the sale selections to run dry quickly and have noticed little attention paid to spacing for other certain long lines at the Canada Post office.

WORST

King/Peter
This awkwardly laid out Shoppers Drug Mart is generally too busy for comfort and runs out of stock in their food store, in regards to both regular and sale items. Its low ceilings and the varying positions of their uncomfortable, short aisles make it difficult to shop as efficiently as alternative locations that feature a straight-forward layout of well-spaced aisles and stock.

Queen/Parliament
Queen East's Shoppers Drug Mart looks more like a warehouse or outlet store than your average neighbourhood Shoppers. Its shelves are neatly stocked and clean, but the burnt out lights and dim atmosphere create an unwelcoming vibe. However large the store may be, the department selection leaves much to be desired: only the very basics, like a pharmacy, Canada Post, and food store are located here.

Bloor/Walmer
Lines, lines, and more lines. The greatest problem in the Shoppers Drug Marts of our time is that any are understaffed and insist on paying only a single cashier during all peak hours. The Walmer Place storefront is no different, and on top of this predicament, has few good qualities besides their convenient location near the Spadina subway station. The specialty skincare section (beautyRx Skin Care) and Canada Post office appear to be an afterthought and the food selection is limited to junk food and condiments.

Queen/Carlaw
Plain and simple, this just renovated Shoppers is frustrating for those who live in the area and don't have the option to frequent a different one. Most complaints centre on the location's poor management regarding understaffing and wait lines that push you to the point of leaving before checkout. Another recurring issue with this location is that there is little available security for customers who are uncomfortable with non-patrons loitering directly outside the entrance.

College/Bathurst
However central this Shoppers may be for West-enders, the location has an inconvenient set of hours and doesn't host the typical stock of food or a Canada Post. Each component - the small magazine rack, short aisles, and inconveniently laid out cosmetic section - don't seem well thought out. Besides the pharmacy and cosmetics department, most items can be easily found at your local convenient store or small grocer's.

Yonge/King
This Financial District Shoppers Drug Mart was clearly designed with the nine-to-fiver in mind, as their hours are short and inconsistent depending on the day of the week. It's a small shop that's difficult to navigate when you're in a hurry, and when placed in an intersection with lots of busy, rushing people at various peak hours of the day, prepare to be forced into an uncomfortable shuffle on your way to the Twizzlers aisle.

St. Clair/Vaughan Rd.
The majority of complaints that have come out of this store stem from the pharmacy staff. Frequenters have dished an alarming amount of concerns regarding how educated and helpful the staff are with regards to filling prescriptions and sufficiently informing customers on their proper use after pick-up. The Shoppers itself is regularly understaffed (surprise!), out of stock on regular grocery items during the week, and can become very busy on weekends, meaning there's even less stock to choose from.

Bloor/Yonge
This is another Shoppers Drug Mart location that was built for the everyday needs of the commuter crowd. As such, it's regularly packed with eager subway-hoppers and, paired with its low ceilings and tight aisles, only offers a very uncomfortable shopping experience. It's the type of Shoppers that you dread going into and leave as quickly as you came. There's not much to offer in the food department and too much priority given to their wide holiday and seasonal aisle. Shocking bonus: there are usually enough staff on hand for lineups to move more quickly than most other locations.

Did I miss any? Leave your favourite (or least favourite) Shoppers in the comments below.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

The sights and sounds of the CNE at night

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the cne torontoJust before the sun starts going down you see them - the exodus of fairgoers through the Princes' and Dufferin Gates out of the CNE, but after nearly five decades of the Ex I have never understood why they're going just when everything's about to get good.

Sure, their feet might be tired or their wallets empty or they might be sick of carrying around a five foot tall stuffed Spongebob Squarepants or a tiny motorcycle. But the CNE that CNE haters complain about - hot, tacky, crass and worn-out - disappears when the sun goes down, and in its place a strange, vivid, even magical place emerges from the darkness. That it still remains hot, tacky and crass is purely a bonus.

the cne torontoFirst of all, it has to be understood that the midway rides - the Crazy Mouse and the Polar Express and all those other rickety chestnuts that get deposited here every August by North American Midway - aren't meant to be enjoyed in sunlight, either from the inside or the outside.

the cne torontoAs much effort has gone into covering them with grids of lights as making sure they work, into making their heaving blur as you're strapped in more terrifying, and their vast spidery frames stand out against the sky as it fades from blue to black.

the cne torontoNo two nights on the midway are ever the same, even though the basic smells (sugar and hot oil and scorched corn husks) and sounds (the rumble of machinery and crescendos of screams) are an abiding constant.

the cne torontoThe music blaring from the rides changes with each year's top 40, laced in with whatever cover band or faded chart act might be playing on the nearby stages, and each year's new crop of youthful barkers. Occasionally a new sound is introduced to the mix; for the last two years it's been the hiss of the zipline overhead.

the cne torontoEven the weather plays its part. After a scorching, muggy day, the relative cool of the night is sweet relief, though the humidity lingering in the air makes sound muffled, as if drifting through a fog.

the cne torontoOn chill nights, though, the air seems thinner and the shrieks and clangs and blaring music seem more focused, sharpening the sound as it echoes off the cotton candy stands and funhouses.

the cne torontoOver in the marketplace at the Direct Energy Centre, Jason Scott sells Panasonic massage chairs that cost either thousands of dollars to take home or five bucks for a fifteen-minute "ride."

the cne torontoHe says he does more sales pitches during the daytime but rents more chair time in the evening, as Ex-goers stop in on their way home. The final weekend, however, is where things get serious.

"We can easily do half our business in the last four days."

the cne torontoOut on the midway, Lisa is running one of the midway games. Originally from Panama, it's her first Ex, and she says that while it gets busier as the day wears on, the big rush begins at 8pm and continues until everyone either runs out of luck or change in their pockets.

the cne torontoAt the gaming booths, knots of people will suddenly bloom at the plate break or bottle toss booths as groups of young men egg each other on, trading loonies and toonies and five dollar bills for further chances at a prize, most of which leave them empty-handed.

the cne torontoEven with just an hour before closing time, after the Food Building has locked its doors, people still line up for bags of little donuts and deep-fried onions, and search the midway for rides that are still running.

the cne torontoEven when the fireworks next to the Princes' Gate announce the final hour's countdown, the crowds are still there, looking for one last ride or snack or game, knowing that when they finally put their money away and start heading for home, summer will be over.

the cne torontoPhotos by Jesse Milns

The Empire Strikes Back

Basic threads, unusual imports collide in new store

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latre art style torontoIn the Junction, an artist and restaurant owner turned self-taught clothing designer has created a home for his army-influenced pieces, built to last and livened up with rich indigo dye. But it's not all military austerity - the stock mixes things up with a carefully-chosen blend of accessories and decor pieces from Ontario, the American southwest and Africa, making for one of Toronto's most unusual shopping experiences.

Read my profile of Latre Art + Style in the fashion section.


Free events in Toronto: September 1-7, 2014

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free events TorontoFree events in Toronto this week won't land you any means of production to take back your life from the people to whom it means so, so little, but they will allow you to meander TIFF's free street festival from September 4-7. Star gazing and lifestyle envy are free as well (warning: actual stalking can land you in financial hot water with the law).

If you're a broke film buff, be sure to scour the TIFF schedules for free screenings, and look online for people selling ticket packages for cheap (beware of scammers). Just kidding - you can't afford a day off work to stand in line.

From Lizzie Borden to Homer Simpson, here's how to live la vida no dinero in Toronto this week.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Also check out these regular free events

Do you want everyone to know about your kinda random free or pay-what-you-can event? Submit it to our event section. (You can also submit your for-money events here, greedy-pants.)

The top 10 places to take a walk in Toronto

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walk torontoThere's not shortage of scenic places to walk in Toronto, a city that prides itself on over 1,600 some odd parks and green spaces. But not all parks are made for walking, and not all ravines will let you escape without hiking. There is, of course, a difference between a leisurely and contemplative stroll and trudging up and down off-camber ravine walls. No, the ideal walk is something that allows you to forget your body altogether in favour of some state in which you're consumed by the scenery at the expense of stresses of all kinds. We stroll to lose ourselves in the very hopes that we might find ourselves along the way.

Here are 10 places to walk in Toronto that'll help calm your mind.

Lakefront promenade at Marilyn Bell Park
There's no skyline view from the promenade at Marilyn Bell, but it's about as close to the lake as you can get, and on a clear day you can easily see the escarpment across the lake. This is a quiet place with plenty of benches to enjoy a little pause. I'm particularly fond of this stretch at night, when the blackness of the lake seems to envelope you until you look west and see the condo corridor by the Humber River.

Cherry Beach
Yes, I could have put almost any beach on this list, but Cherry Beach seems to be the choice of walkers, if only for its cool waters and ample park space just north of the sandy area,. Stroll around as kite surfers struggle to catch wind. If you walk far enough west, you can catch a glimpse of the skyline.

Edwards Gardens
One of the prettiest places in Toronto, if busy on summer weekends, Edwards Gardens has plenty of meandering paths and trails through immaculately tended grounds. Look for wildflowers, rhododendrons and roses amongst the various flora, and be sure to pause contemplatively on one of the many wood bridges that cross the various tributaries of the Don River.

The boardwalk at the Eastern Beaches
There are boardwalks at both the eastern and western beaches in Toronto, but the east side takes the win for its people watching (Kew and Woodbine beaches are typically busier than Sunnyside) and more ocean-like atmosphere (if you've been to both, this will make sense). I can think a few places better to stroll at dusk in Toronto than here.

Moore Park Ravine
The trail that runs southeast alongside Mud Creek is downhill all the way to the Brick Works (and vice versa) with a tree canopy that will make you think that you've left the city altogether. While you'll have to share the path with cyclists, it's never actually busy, and it's wide enough to easily accommodate all. This place is absolutely stunning in autumn when the trees have started to turn.

Scarborough Bluffs Park
The trails aren't really challenging enough to characterize as a hike, so if it's elevated lake vistas you're after, head to the bluffs. It's remarkable just how tropical the scene can seem in mid-summer (ok, maybe not this summer, but still). Look out at the water and imagine that the deposits from these very bluffs formed what is now the Toronto Islands.

High Park
High Park is an obvious choice, but impossible to leave off this list. High Parks rolling hills offer many ravine walks, ponds, and, of course, the Cherry Blossoms in spring. There are trails all over the park and lots of paved paths if you prefer not to venture too far off the beaten track. Don't forget to visit the zoo.

G. Ross Lord Park
Uptowners looking for a serene escape can hit this park, which features kilometres of weaving trails, alongside sports fields, picnic areas, and an off-leash dog park. None of the trails are overly challenging to walk, but the scenery is such that you'll feel much further north of the city's core than you really are.

Mount Pleasant Cemetery
This is one of my favourite places to walk in Toronto. Not everyone will embrace harolding, but as far as quiet and contemplative spots go, there's little that matches this century old burial ground. Rather than think of the tombstones as a downer, it's more rewarding to read them and think about the lives lived and the profound contribution to the city made by those interred here.

Broadview Avenue
What would this list be without one skyline walk? Broadview Avenue gets my nomination for its sweeping views of the city and Riverdale Park below. Rotate your neck across the scene and take in the perfect juxtaposition of the Don Valley and the Financial District. This is surely one of the best views of the city there is.

Photo by carlosbezz in the blogTO Flickr pool.

What open streets used to look like in Toronto

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Open Streets Toronto HistoryThe second edition of Open Streets TO takes place today, so what better time than now to recall what Toronto's first pedestrian takeover looked like. We've already traced the history of the Yonge St. Mall, but these photos bring something new to the table. Can you believe how packed the streets are. Alas, this is a far cry from the diminished version of the event that's takes place today, limited as it is between the hours of 8am to 12pm before most businesses are open.

At its peak in 1972 and 1973, the Yonge St. Pedestrian Mall spanned 11 weeks. And the people took note. Far from a criticism of the hard work that Open Streets TO organizers have done to push through a pedestrian-focused event like this in a political climate that's unfriendly at best, I'd point to these photos as an example of just how popular a wider application of an open streets initiative can be.

There were problems with the first iteration of the Yonge St. Pedestrian Mall, but the consensus was that it was mostly successful. That's food for thought as our main streets are open once again, for however long it lasts.

Open Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryOpen Streets Toronto HistoryPhotos from the Toronto Archives and the Vintage Toronto Facebook page

The top 10 events in Toronto for September 2014

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september events torontoThe top events in Toronto this September won't allow us much time to mourn the passing (or almost-passing, we hope) of summer. Lit fans will browse books at Word on the Street, runners will honour Terry Fox, foodies will gorge at AwesTRUCK and Dîner en Blanc, and Taste of the Kingsway and Roncy's Polish Fest will bring neighbours together, but then there's TIFF and Mike Tyson, standing over us with fist raised and saying "this is an event."

Here are our picks for can't-miss events in Toronto this September.

TIFF - September 4-14
"I'm trying to show what it's like to be human and to be alive" Roy Andersson told The Guardian this week. The Toronto International Film Festival's 38th year will be the second festival to show Andersson's A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, nearly a decade in the making. He claims this will not be his last film, and we expect this will not be our last TIFF whirlwind, but who can say? Life quivers before an uncertain future - even these lives. Our advice for this mortal plane: best-of-fest, hype, CanCon, docs, staff-picks, foreign.

Riot Fest - September 6-7 - Downsview Park
How does a band come to define one's sense of self - is it because we form our identities during the moments of greatest turmoil - moments when we also relied on the emotional support of Robert Smith and Ben Gibbard? Pop music is perhaps our generation's most beloved crutch and illusionary cloak, yet it also acts as an adhesive between us wandering and lonesome generation-whatevers, a rare glue in a craft cabinet containing rows upon rows of decorative ornaments but very little instruments of support. The Cure, Metric, and The National headline.

Inland - September 6-7 - 99 Sudbury
My good Canadian mother scorned fashion - clothing was a practicality. To cover oneself from the biting elements as cheaply as possible: thrift shops, sale-watching, coupon-cutting, and bushels of hand-me-downs wrapped in black plastic. Please let there be something cute in there. "Do you dress yourself?" two girls ask with a snicker, and I knew the question was cruel. "Yes." Would my mother have taken me to a two-day shopping experience featuring 80 Canadian designers? If I asked her to, of course.

Dirtybird BBQ - September 7 - Sherbourne Common
Any new project entails risk. A San Francisco barbecue among friends. A record label. A tour. Suddenly you're a chef on the road with DJs like Claude Von Stroke, Justin Martin, J. Phlip, and Christian Martin, and Canadians unknown to you are complaining that they have to pay $25 to enter a park you've never seen where you plan to cook them free BBQ all day until supplies run out. And supplies will run out, but you believe people will have a good time. A friend from SF will text "how's Canada?" and you'll reply, "Awesome."

Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth - Sept 10 - ACC
What's more real than a live Mike Tyson one-man-show tell-all? The hair standing up on the back of your neck as you walk home on the evening you finally get over the first heartbreak of your teenage life. You weren't even aware you were healing until you realize you made it through the darkness. You can love again. Your heart will go on. Why are you wearing a Slipknot shirt? That moment can't be re-lived, but Mike Tyson's facial tattoo and your capacity for life are still kicking.

Beer Week - September 12-20
You were never into crafts. Yet these labels with their intricate artwork cleverly referencing endless idioms that subtly resonate with your diverse pop/cultural heritage are pleasing - you become something of a light fetishist. You enjoy letting your eyes run over the unique labels and you indulge in a craft cruise or two. Your Tinder bio includes a few descriptors but "beer snob" becomes a defining call. You love the taste but you also love the idea. Your strong hands caress a 50-venue map via smart phone.

Ukrainian Fest - September 12 - 14 - Bloor West Village between Jane St. and Glendowynne
My baba never taught me to make pysanky but her hospital bed was shrouded with bright and intricate hand embroidery and she would have taught me had she not been firmly housed in the dusk of her abilities. Dark hours have haunted Kiev throughout the ages and this year, yet in Toronto a vibrant community celebrates rather than despairs. To spend hours detailing one of nature's most delicate creations is to triumph over fear.

JFL42 - September 18 - 27
It's impossible to bullshit about a comedy festival. When you see a comedy show at JFL42, you can check in via smart phone for a credit to see another show for free. Headliners Seth Meyers, Lena Dunham, Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, Joe Rogan, and Nick Offerman sit at the top tier of 42 acts in venues around the city. The festival links this classic pug video from their website.

Manifesto Festival - September 18-21
Sometimes a stacked program (music/art/dance/beer/food/all-the-things) reads as a gimmick. Mad respect for those whose multidisciplinary line-ups denote an obvious and refreshing enthusiasm. Here's the art show deets, and here's our photo roundup from last year. Manifesto's hip hop love-in is one of the year's best Yonge-Dundas Square take-overs.

Junction Music Fest - September 20
I propose we end festivals of any kind in the Junction. While some of my compatriots enjoy riffling through the remains of these festivities, the influx of smells is more than mildly disruptive to my delicate senses. Added to that, meandering through even lightly intoxicated revellers means we'll likely never make it to the bus stop at Keele, and I will be unable to perform my marking upkeep. Please inform The Sadies, Kashka, and Teenage Kicks they are not welcome. Sincerely, Mr. Snugglesworth, Junction Community Pug Leader.

Photo of the Manifesto Festival

New TTC streetcars hit the road on Spadina

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toronto new streetcarFor the first time in 35 years, a new generation of streetcar is on the road in Toronto. Following years of design and construction and months of conspicuous road testing, two of the 204 new cars entered service on the 510 Spadina route this morning.

Several hundred people turned out for the occasion, some of whom had been waiting more than three hours. "I was here at 7:00, I came out to be the first one," said Adam Weston, who was third in the line-up of about 100 people. "It's fun. I call myself Mr. First. I do a lot of things first."

Metallica's Enter Sandman thumped over the loudspeaker as the first streetcar, number 4403, broke through a banner strung across the track at Spadina station. The song "seemed right," said TTC spokesman Brad Ross.

toronto new streetcarThe first passengers were mostly reporters and TTC officials. Many of the people who had waited in line specifically to ride the new streetcar were forced to take the second vehicle, such was the size of the crowd.

"It feels awesome," said Mazin Aribi, the co-vice chair of the TTC's Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit, who uses a wheelchair and was one of the first people to board the new streetcar.

"It will make a huge difference. Downtown is run by streetcars that are not accessible and finally today, for the first time in many, many years, it is wheelchair accessible, so finally I can use it. It's opening a lot of doors for us. We can go anywhere we want. It's a great day."

toronto new streetcarThe low-floor, air-conditioned vehicles have room for up to 251 people, 50 more than the TTC's current articulated ALRV streetcars, and 119 more than CRLV model used on most other lines. Blue buttons on the doors summon a retractable ramp and there are two bicycle docks on board each vehicle for use outside rush hour. Best of all, the new streetcars are heated and air conditioned.

Apart from the plush new surroundings, riders will notice another key difference on Spadina--fare vending machines. The red boxes located on the streetcars and at each platform accept cash or tokens and issue paper transfers. Drivers are no longer responsible for accepting payments and newly hired fare enforcement officers are patrolling the line.

toronto new streetcarDignitaries on hand for the launch included Finance Minister Joe Oliver, Ontario transportation minister Steven Del Duca, and mayoral hopeful Olivia Chow. "I live at Spadina and College, so I take the streetcar all the time," said Chow, the only one of the leading candidates to attend (Rob Ford was a no show, of course.) "My mum is on a wheelchair half the time so the fact this is low floor is really going to help."

The TTC plans to keep adding new streetcars to Spadina until the end of the year, though an ongoing strike at Bombardier's Thunder Bay production plant could put the schedule in jeopardy.

toronto new streetcarAs it stands, 511 Bathurst will be added in early 2015, followed by 509 Harbourfront and 505 Dundas in 2015 and 2016. The 501 Queen route will come online in 2016 and 2017, followed by 504 King (2017,) 512 St. Clair (2017/2018,) 502 Downtowner (2018,) 503 Kingston Road (2018,) and finally 506 Carlton, which is due to round off the process in 2019.

The current streetcars entered service between 1979 and 1989. The TTC hasn't said when it will begin scrapping its CLRVs and ALRVs--both will remain in service beside the new streetcars, for now.

new ttc streetcartoronto new streetcartoronto new streetcartoronto new streetcartoronto new streetcarChris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Images: Christian Bobak/blogTO

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