I had a friend, ten years ago, who walked out and stood in the middle of Ossington Avenue and lifted his hands into the air. It was midnight on a Saturday. "This shit is going to blow up," he said, speaking into the quiet darkness. I don't think, drunken prophet that he was, he could have guessed at how that neighbourhood exploded. It's brought Dundas West along with it; few would argue the growth of these two streets isn't closely intertwined.

Here's how to spend a day in Dundas West and Ossington, from morning to late night.

BREAKFAST AND COFFEE

Starting the day with Saving Grace has been a neighbourhood tradition for over ten years, and there is still no rival for breakfast in the area. There is however, for your morning coffee. I live on Dundas, so I go to Ella's Uncle; those located a little more centrally hit Crafted or the new Sam James Coffee Bar.

MORNING ACTIVITY

You might want to burn those extra breakfast calories at the CrossFit-affiliated Academy of Lions - or just have another coffee at their paleo-friendly cafe, this time with yak butter. If yoga's more your speed, check out YogaSpace for hatha, vinyasa, and specialty yoga classes.

LUNCH

The area used to be kind of dead for lunch, with everyone piling into the Golden Turtle for pho, but now you can enjoy lunch on the patio at Union, or finally bypass the line and get a special lunch deal at Pizzeria Libretto, both excellent options. There is no greater definer of the Dundas aspect of this neighbourhood than the Connor family at Caffe Brasiliano, and their lunch counter may be one of the best deals in town.

SHOPPING AND CULTURE

I love spending hours in the Monkey's Paw bookshop, where the specialty is old, intriguing and odd, and pick up some reading material before wandering to the galleries. Cooper Cole and Le Gallery are very close, and in an alleyway between Argyle and Foxley you'll find G Gallery, where I saw an amazing show by Lisa Di Quinzio last year.

Ossington has become something of a shopping mecca with a mix of vintage and high-end designers. Tiger of Sweden and Stussy stock the latest duds, while Penny Arcade and Vintage Mix 1 keep us well heeled without breaking the bank.

AFTERNOON SNACK

Come afternoon I'm ready to hit Trinity Bellwoods, and I'll grab an ice cream at Bang Bang or a snack at Lucky Penny and find a spot on the grass, watch the dogs in the bowl, or cheer on the local pickup soccer game.

DINNER

Dinner is tough, with new choices like Mamakas and Branca competing for attention with old favourites. The Black Hoof still holds strong and remains a first stop destination for visitors, but when I want to abscond the hype and still have an amazing meal I go to Nathan Isberg for the hands-on dining experience of The Atlantic. It manages to be both comforting and challenging at the same time.

DRINKS AND ENTERTAINMENT

It's great to be able to go to the Dakota for the early shows and then swing by the Garrison later, making it a nice double-header of music (or for dancing - the monthly Turn Styles or Pressure Drop is legendary), and you can do the same for drinks too. I start the night at The Communist's Daughter and end it at Bambi's; somewhere in between I may find myself at the Hoof's Cocktail Bar, Bellwoods Brewery, Get Well or Unlovable. You really could do a different bar crawl every night for a week and barely find yourself in the same place twice.

LATE NIGHT EATS

Thoroughly imbibed and peckish, I head to Rhum Corner for a last snack and a fun cocktail. But if it's past last call, there is only one place to eat and everyone makes the trek - The Lakeview, open 24 hours, to satisfy all those late night cravings.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for how to spend a day in Dundas West and Ossington to the comments.

Photo by Jack Landau in the blogTO Flickr pool.

On Friday night lucky fans celebrated the life (and slow death) of Honest Ed's with a double bill of Canadian indie rock. The send-off for the Annex location of Sonic Boom (now re-opened on Spadina) was transformed into a Molson-branded concert venue, complete with red lighting, fencing, and portable toilets more befitting a large festival than a record store. A few elements of Sonic Boom's glory still remained, including the large chandeliers and the giant skull at the back.

The first thing I noticed going in (other than the massive bar) was how much smaller the space looked when empty. I gravitated between a charcuterie table and the servers roaming the room with appetizer trays with succulent little burgers.

The freebie-satisfied crowd greeted The New Pornographers warmly, though I think a few people who'd just come to see DFA 1979 were a bit confused by the seven musicians taking the stage.

TNP opened with an enthusiastic version of recent single "Brill Bruisers." A.C. Newman acknowledged the sponsors sarcastically(?): "We drink Molson Canadian cider. Why? Because it works!"

Dan Bejar (Destroyer), stayed off-stage for much of the set but took lead vocals for a few songs, which were much stranger than the power-pop that characterizes most of the band's other songs. A particular highlight was slick melody "War on the East Coast."

Death from Above 1979's onslaught was a huge contrast to the polished seven-piece New Pornographers. The duo, fresh from a free-DFA-tattoo pop-up promoting their first album in a decade, were clearly the stars of the night - the band came on to rapturous applause and a mosh pit formed within seconds.

DFA maintained a consistently brutal pace, with their bass and drum attack only pausing for breaks between songs. New song "Right On, Frankenstein" hit especially hard, confirming that their signature intensity hasn't diminished since the roar of You're a Woman, I'm a Machine.

After the set, the crowds' chant of "DFA, DFA" somehow turned into "Tina Fey, Tina Fey" like a giant game of broken telephone. The band came back on to play "Romantic Rights" and the pit was a storm again. Everyone was drenched in sweat by the time we poured out onto Bathurst, overheated but happy.

Let's hope Ed's anxious general manager Russell Lazar takes the success of the ex-Boom show to heart and allows more more pre-tear-down parties to rock Honest Ed's.

MORE PHOTOS

Photos by Matt Forsythe

Free events in Toronto this week include - don't panic - Nuit Blanche. Toga party disguised as Toronto's biggest art event? Throwback to crafty dress-up sleep-overs past? Important step forward in bridging fine art with the broke, unwashed rabble?

Toronto's free all night, multi-zone party means congested transit, Dollar Store feather boa trails across the city, and large and small, oft-twinkling installations to explore until sunrise. Sadly, there's no "is it art?" number to call this year. Speaking of, this week you can watch the Artsvote debate moderated by Damien Abraham. Hate art? Poutine. Eating. Championship.

MONDAY

• Artsvote Mayoral Arts Debate (TIFF Bell Lightbox)
• True Stories Told Live (Garrison)
• Toronto Palestine Film Festival Art Show: The Photography of Ali Mustafa (AGO Jackman Hall)
• The Nikki Clarke Show (White Elephant)
• The Spoke: LINER NOTES [PWYC] (Videofag)

TUESDAY

• September installment of the Toronto Comic Jam (Imperial Pub)
• SKETCH / PANAMA RED / THE PENSKE FILE / DYSTONIA (Bovine Sex Club)
• Free Live 50s & 60s Music w/ The Dreamboats (Cameron House)
• The Perimeter Series: Design and National Identity [Register] (Design Exchange)
• Somewhere There Presents... Ha!Man/Debaere Clutton/Johnston duo [PWYC] (Tranzac)

WEDNESDAY

• A Night OUT at QueerCab (Buddies In Bad Times Theatre)
• Thierry Gervais in conversation with Louie Palu (Ryerson Image Centre)
• Self Sense: An Insite Exhibition Tour with Jim Drobnick (Onsite [at] Ocadu)
• "wild Beast" unleashed - Opening night reception (Steam Whistle Brewing, The Roundhouse)
• Space-Earth : The new ecosystem (AFT Campus de Spadina)
• Pivot on October 1st: James Arthur, Jonathan Bennett, Guadalupe Muro, & Judith Thompson [PWYC] (Press Club)

THURSDAY

• Amsterdam Oktoberfest (Amsterdam BrewHouse)
• Firesmoke Book Launch (Beit Zatoun House)
• Concert: Fernando Varela (First Canadian Place)
• U of T Varsity Blues Basketball (Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre)
• Unreal Comedy at Placebo - SPACEJAM COMEDY [PWYC] (Placebo Space)

FRIDAY

• NIGHT OF THE LIVING ZINES: Zine-Making Workshop and Pre-TQZF All-Nighter (4th Floor, CSI Spadina, 215 Spadina)
• Live Performance: Canadian Opera Company: Madama Butterfly (First Canadian Place)
• Alzheimer Society of Toronto Choir (Music Therapy Centre)
• WIGAPALOOZA II [Before midnight] (Round)
• The Good Jobs Summit [Register] (Mattamy Athletic Centre)
• Murder Folk Night - The Fun Palace Radio Variety Show Edition [PWYC] (Monarch Tavern)
• Paint - concert film taping [PWYC] (Cameron House)

SATURDAY

• Nuit Blanche
• 5th Annual World Poutine Eating Championship (Smoke's Poutinerie)
• Free Punk Show Slumlord, Terminals, Sofistifucks, Cerebral Scrub (LOLA)
• West Toronto Ride for Renewables (Steamwhistle Brewery)

SUNDAY

• Brains, Words & Voices - Toronto's only monthly poetry recitation contest (109 Niagara)
• Nite Comfort 13 - nwodtleM , the One family, jefftheworld [PWYC] (Handlebar)

Also check out these regular free events

• Elvis Mondays at the Drake
• Foosball Battle Royale, Monday, Disgraceland
• Art Gallery of Ontario free evening, Wednesday, 6-8:30pm.
• IFOA Weekly, free for supporters, students, & youth under 26, Wednesday, Harbourfront Centre
• Skin of My Nuts Comedy Show, Thursday, Sonic Espresso Bar
• Canadian Opera Company's Free Concerts series
• While nearly all art galleries in the city are free to enter, it's worth noting The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) is always PWYC.
• The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) offers discounted tickets on Fridays ($10).

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.)

Photo by Irina No

Toronto has a powerful love/hate relationship with the Don River. At once prized for its unspoilt scenery, the mighty river and its impressive valley have been extensively manhandled over the last 200 years, becoming at various times a source of disease, a toxic dump, and a convenient conduit for transportation.

Jennifer Bonnell is an assistant professor in the History Department at McMaster University. Her book, Reclaiming the Don: An Environmental History of Toronto's Don River Valley, traces the history of the waterway and explores our complex and evolving relationship with one of the city's most defining landscape features.

The book is full of fascinating insights into the history of the Don. With input from Bonnell, here are 10 strange but true facts about the Don and the Don Valley.

The Don River caught fire on at least two occasions
Two oil refineries--McColl-Frontenac and British American Oil--were located on the Don in the early 1900s, and product discharged from their factories that coated the surface of the river. A fire destroyed a bridge across the river at Keating Street in 1931 and another in 1943 destroyed several properties. As a testament to the lack of environmental awareness, neither incident generated much press at the time, Bonnell writes.

The lower portion of the Don was straightened, widened, and deepened
South of the Bloor Viaduct, the original course of the Don River has been erased. In the 1880s, the city planned and built new industrial hub along the banks of the river, in doing so freeing up space for a new eastern rail entrance to the city. The original concept called for a straight run of the river through the Port Lands to better flush polluted water into the lake.

The right angled mouth of the river was built to avoid one of the oil refineries
The original mouth of the straightened Don River was supposed to connect to the lake via a gentle curve south of Eastern Avenue. Too bad that the British American Oil refinery lay in the way. The company refused to budge, and in 1915, the mouth was made into a tight right angle at the Keating Channel to avoid the now-demolished property.

The Don Valley used to be a popular location for summer homes
The verdant scenery, abundant wildlife, and gentle sounds river sounds lured many people to build vacation cottages in the Don Valley, including noted naturalist Charles Sauriol, who had two homes knocked down, one in 1961 to make way for the Don Valley Parkway and another in 1968 due to conservation and flood damage mitigation efforts following Hurricane Hazel. At one time, Sauriol had a large vegetable garden, orchard, and about 50 bee hives.

A proto-Don Valley Parkway was envisioned as early as 1914
With the straightening of the Don River, potential new transportation corridors were opened up on both sides of the water course. The city eyed a potential low-speed parkway in 1943 that would have traveled in an n-shape up the Don Valley, over the top of the city, and down the Humber River Valley, but the idea was shelved. It would take until the 1950s for the DVP to become a reality.

Squatters also holed up in shacks and caves in the Don Valley
As early as the 1820s the Don Valley has sustained a population of homeless people. "One of the first recorded squatters in the valley was Joseph Tyler, who, according to 19th century Toronto historian Henry Scadding, lived in a cave on the side of a hill in the valley near the Queen Street bridge," Bonnell writes. Tyler was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War and made a little money selling building materials or ferrying beer in a canoe from the Helliwell Brewery at Todmorden to the city.

The Port Lands was once one of the largest marshes on Lake Ontario
Industrialization might have made the city rich, but it entirely wiped out one of the great marsh areas of Lake Ontario. Early maps show the mouth of the Don covered in reeds, ponds, and little creeks that provided homes for migratory birds and other wildlife. The marsh once extended as far east as Leslie Street and served as a permanent connection to the Toronto Islands. A storm 1858 permanently severed the connection to the mainland.

The steep sides of the Don Valley used to be popular with skiiers
In 1934, the Don Valley was home to an insane 30-metre ski jump. Built by the Toronto Ski Club near Thorncliffe for a competition, the wooden ramp promised to launch participants some 50 metres into the valley. The winning participant, 17-year-old Teddie Zinkin, managed 34 metres on the day in front of thousands of spectators. Later, the wall of the valley just south of Lawrence was a city-owned ski hill. Today, a single pylon from the lift is all that remains.

The Don Valley used to be a hotbed of malaria
When early Toronto settlers complained of fever and chills, they called it "ague" or "lake fever," but what really ailed them was malaria. The disease-carrying mosquitos once reached as far north as Southern Ontario, taking advantage of pooled water and land disturbed by construction. The area around the mouth of the Don was one of the worst affected areas in the city.

The city once eyed part of the valley floor as a possible baseball stadium location
Before the city got the Blue Jays expansion franchise in the late 1970s, the city actively sought a Major League Baseball team in 1960. Tentatively known as the Toronto Canadians, the city offered up several possible locations, two of them in the Don Valley. One in Riverdale Park and another north of the Bloor Street Viaduct. The latter, which was sketched opposite the Chester Hill Lookout, would have nestled in the crook of the river. Escalators and elevators would have connected the stadium with Broadview subway station.

The launch event for Reclaiming the Don is due to take place on Wednesday, October 8 at Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum, where Bonnell will be in conversation with Tim Alamenciak from the Toronto Star

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Star, David Dang/blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto has been blessed with no end of Canadian filmmakers - David Cronenberg, Denis Villeneuve, Michael Dowse, Denys Arcand, Sarah Polley - who have let our city shine on screen. Few, however, have done so as consistently and lovingly as Atom Egoyan.

For almost three decades, Egoyan - one of Toronto's most celebrated and award-winning directors - has been showing off the city he loves in movies like Speaking Parts, Exotica, Chloe and more. It's clear that the director knows the city inside and out.

I asked Atom Egoyan, whose latest flick is in theatres right now, to talk about what spots he's particularly loved to put on screen, where he goes for inspiration, and - as an Egyptian born Armenian - what Toronto restaurants have the most authentic Middle Eastern eats.

What Toronto places do you love to show off to out-of-towners?

Ronnie's Local 69 on Nassau. I love having a drink on the patio of this bar and ordering a grilled cheese from [The Grilled Cheese] across the street and having someone bring it over. Where else but in Kensington Market could this happen?

Kensington Market is where I first lived after I graduated from U of T, and it's still a place I love to show visitors to Toronto. Then I drive across Queen West and take them all the way to the Harris Water Treatment Plant, one of the most stunning examples of an Art Deco industrial site in the world.

If there was a Toronto tour called "The favourite places where Atom Egoyan has shot a film" where would you take them?

Kensington Market, where I shot my first feature in 1984. Cafe Diplomatico at College and Clinton, where there's an actual Chloe table that Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson had a marital spat. And - of course - the places that only exist in our memory, like the dearly departed Peter Pan Restaurant in Speaking Parts, and the sadly missed Canary Cafe in Adoration. Not to mention the non-existent strip club called Exotica at Queen and Church.

Is there a particular part of Toronto you haven't shot on film yet, but really want to someday?

I'd love to shoot at the Harris Water Treatment Plant.

When you're working on your next project, where do you like to go to gain inspiration?

I always go for a walk from U of T, down through Kensington Market, down to Queen Street, then back up Augusta for a drink at Ronnie's 69.

Is there a film resource you think is absolutely essential for aspiring filmmakers?

The Film Library at TIFF is ground zero for any aspiring filmmaker in the city.

As someone with both an Armenian and Egyptian background, where would you go in Toronto to find the most authentic food experience?

The best Middle Eastern food in this city is actually Lebanese. [My] favourite Lebanese restaurants are Tabülè on Queen St. East, [and] also Byblos on Duncan Street.

ESSENTIAL SPOTS

Coffee Shop:Wagamama. Great brew close to my studio. Also, I Deal Coffee in Kensington Market, with a tiny outdoor patio to hang out.

Bar:The Cameron House. It's an epicentre of creative energy.

Bistro:: I love the small two-person booths at The Rivoli for intimate conversations.

Restaurant to take someone from out of town:Buca on King Street West for a high-end night out, but I also love the booths at Swan on Queen. Swan is my absolute mainstay.

Museum or Gallery:AGO

Bookstore:Balfour Books

Movie Theatre:The Royal, where I edit.

New Discovery: The Neuf Cafe. I feel like I'm immediately transported to Europe. Lovely view of the square across the street.

See also: An insider's guide to Toronto with Cameron Bailey

Chinatown is packed with late night food options but few could argue you'd get a better meal or service than at this seafood-focused spot near Spadina and Dundas. Many of Toronto's chefs are regular customers here and if you remember to order off the secret menu at the recommendation of a charismatic lady named Ling you'll be in for a treat.

Read my profile of Taste of China in the restaurants section.

Parkdale, once a posh west-side address, took a turn with the installation of the Gardiner in the 60s', effectively cutting off the neighbourhood from its lakeshore and ploughing through some of the grander buildings. High-rise apartment buildings went up, filled with new immigrants, and the older homes were sectioned off into many low rent apartments.

Instead of undermining the pride of the neighbourhood, these developments seemed to only solidify the Parkdale spirit - citizens celebrate a mix of high and low, younger gentrification, old charm, enthusiastic businesses, and vibrant ethnic communities, especially Tibetan and South Asian. And a walk across the bridge still guarantees access to Lake Ontario, where you can swim at Sunnyside or walk along the boardwalk to Ontario Place.

Here's how to spend a day in Parkdale, from morning to late night.

BREAKFAST AND COFFEE

First I head down to Glory Hole and snag one of the limited special donuts of the day, otherwise I miss my opportunity and they sell out. If I'm not in the mood for a sugar rush, I go to Easy restaurant for Huevos Divorcados, one of my favourite breakfast dishes in the hood: Two sunny side up eggs on corn tortilla with black beans, salsa verde, guacamole and ancho jam (so good).

There is only one place to get coffee in Parkdale, in my mind, and that is Capital Espresso. Ever since they started at the old Blondie's, I have logged in many an hour at one of those tables, over caffeinated and alternately typed away and people watching. Owners Damian, Maggie and Alex and the various staff members all work magic behind the machine, keeping level of coffee production very high.

MORNING ACTIVITY

McCormick Rec Centre is the epicentre of community sporting, from rockers facing off in one of the Exclaim Cup hockey teams to Parkdale creative types getting in their morning laps at the pool. Heck, kids and adults alike find a home here. Pia Bauman teaches all the Parkdale ballerinas how to point their toes, but for an uncoordinated duckling like myself, I settle for a bike ride past along the water.

LUNCH

I love roti for lunch (I often cut one in half with the intention of making two meals out of it but end up eating the whole thing) and go for either the shrimp and cheese at Bacchus, or the butter chicken at Mother India, or I get the lunch special at Om restaurant, a great place for Tibetan. Lunch was always a bit of a mystery in Parkdale until I realized that the best bets were all the Tibetan and roti joints along Queen.

SHOPPING AND CULTURE

Meg Watson and Kerry Butt will outfit you and entertain you with their hilarity at their shop The Future Of Francis Watson, the best place in Parkdale for jeans and city staples. Community 54 stocks streetwear, while Public Butter and House of Vintage sell the spectrum of vintage. I love to swing by Coriander Girl and pick up a bouquet on the way home too.

AFTERNOON SNACK

For an afternoon snack I stop by Kitten and the Bear for a little teatime, clotted cream and scones, a wee bit of England in Parkdale.

DINNER

Dinner is where Parkdale really shines, with plenty of choices. Parts & Labour made an early impression in the neighbourhood, along with Italian standby The Local Kitchen. Now at the other end of the street Porzia is getting in on the Italian comfort food game, while Chantecler and Geraldine dazzle with simple, focused menus.

DRINKS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Before Gord Perks helped clamp down on cabaret licenses, Wrongbar and the Shop under Parts and Labour, got their party on and you can see great shows at both places. For drinks I get Chris Harper at Pharmacy to mix me up something fancy, or meet friends at the Yukon.

LATE NIGHT EATS

Finally, I go to Electric Mud BBQ or Grand Electric for a final bite. The Southern-focused Electric Mud is the more recent addition, while Grand Electric was the frontrunner of the new breed of Mexican restaurants in Toronto and serves wildly good tacos. The music in both places is loud and lively, making the transition from bar to late night eats easy, but the move to bedtime that much more difficult.

The last kitchen to close in Parkdale might be Amico's, a down-home pizzeria that has been around forever, and remains as delicious as ever.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for how to spend a day in Parkdale to the comments.

Photo by Lori Whelan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto it's International Coffee Day, and you're going to need a caffeine drip to get through the city's offerings tonight, let me tell you. There's Damien Abraham of Fucked Up moderateing the ArtsVote Mayoral Debate at the TIFF Lightbox - what, couldn't they get Ed the Sock?

Then there's true stories performed live by various lit-heads at the Garrison (sans notes, and hopefully sans lies - totally unlike the above debate), music-centric live stories at Videofag, a free film fest art show thanks to Toronto Palestine Film Festival, and experimental music at Ratio. All these art events without any okay from City Hall? I'm not sure what to think. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• City: Artsvote Mayoral Arts Debate (TIFF Bell Lightbox)
• Lit: True Stories Told Live (Garrison)
• Film/Art: Palestine Film Fest Art Show: Photography of Ali Mustafa (AGO Jackman Hall)
• Lit: The Spoke: LINER NOTES (Videofag)
• Music: The Draperies & Allison Cameron (Ratio)

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

Photo by Denise McMullin

Chromeo are a strange beast. Basing their career around the disco-funk sounds popularized by Daft Punk's Discovery, they've maintained a balance between the lustful and the tongue-in-cheek for the last twelve years. A few of the Montreal duo's more interesting extra-curricular activities include funky jams to get kids to wash their hands, an Oreo commercial and some smooth duets with Daryl Hall (of yacht-rock mainstays Hall & Oates). They also recorded the "world's smallest album", Drive Time, with 55 songs in 183 seconds.

Entering what might be my last show at the Kool Haus on Saturday, I was greeted by the generic upbeat techno of opener Wave Racer, who spliced in a bit of dubstep to keep it modern-ish. The crowd was a mix of clubbers and indie types, with a few random goths.

Coming on stage to a prerecorded chant of "Chro-me-o...o...o", Dave 1 and P-Thugg (yes, actually what they call themselves) manned their keyboards which were supported by glowing, uh, lady legs. Opening song "Night by Night" got the crowd moving and it was clear that people were digging the duo's derivative but fun-loving style. The self-described "funk lords" embarked on a 70-minute set of similar sounding but weirdly engaging tunes.

While I still can't tell whether they're a parody band or not, Chromeo's commitment to their chosen style is clear. The arrangements were detailed and polished, while Dave 1's guitar playing was a perfect fusion of Nile Rodgers funk and 80s hair-metal. Some of their songs were surprisingly sticky too, despite some very silly lyrics, like "I'll be your boyfriend and your counselor" from way-too-catchy "Sexy Socialite".

Dave 1 (random fact: he's the owner of a Ph.D. in French literature) worked the crowd like a pro. For "Over Your Shoulder," he easily convinced a large number of women in audience to sit on guys' shoulders, while for "Tenderoni" he had us sway from side to side in sync. Sing-alongs popped up throughout, especially on the song "Momma's Boy."

While I went in to the show pretty skeptical about Chromeo, I was at least partially converted in the end by their dedication and playfulness. The crowd clearly loved it, with people singing their songs on the street after the show.

MORE PHOTOS

Photos by Jesse Milns

The works of the early modern playwrights--Henrik Ibsen, Anton Chekhov, and August Strindberg--continue to be produced because they model the qualities of the well-made play. Sometimes, albeit that rare sometimes, adaptations of these staples take flight with a slight shift in perspective, connecting the hundred year-old tale with themes that resonate today.

Florian Borchmeyer's updating of Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, originally presented at the Schaubühne Theatre under direction from Thomas Ostermeier, is an exceptional adaptation. This is one of the freshest treatments of a modern dramatist I've ever seen. So infused with present day relevance is this new production that members of the audience are encouraged to offer feedback during the play's climactic scene (more on that later).

Dr. Stockmann (Joe Cobden) makes a horrifying discovery that the town's baths have been poisoned by industrial waste. Alongside his wife Katharina (Tamara Podemski), Stockmann attempts to navigate the most appropriate course of action but is met with resistance from the town's power structures -- Hovstad (Matthew Edison) and Billing (Brandon McGibbon) at the newspaper, Aslaksen (Tom Barnett) the printer, and his most stringent oppressor, his brother and city councillor, Peter (Rick Roberts).

Borchmeyer's contemporary adaptation includes all of the political jockeying of Ibsen's original but in the context of our 21st century challenges: environmental concerns, technological isolation, the will of the liberal majority, ineffectual public officers, and the firm grip of capitalism. Stockmann and Katharina here are hip, young parents who jam with friends as part of a makeshift band. David Bowie's Changes surfaces again and again -- a not so subtle nod to the tension in the air.

The dialogue is so precise and exacting that the play's 105 minutes feels more like an hour. The reason is that there's so much incredible conflict at play, fueled by each character's investment in personal survival.

The conflict is meant to spill over into the audience. A debate over the veracity of Stockmann's report comes to a head at a dramatic town hall, where the audience is cast as the citizens. His damning manifesto, delivered with clear resolve by Cobden, encourages audience members to join the debate. It produces mixed results. While it's an electric moment to have the 4th wall so violently broken (during Ibsen no less), the more it plays out the more awkward things feel. It's an inspired choice but likely too difficult to give nuance to in performance.

Richard Rose for his part acknowledges his debt to Ostermeier's concept. The staging is slick. There are engaging scene transitions and a chalkboard mis en scene that creates the right mood on Michelle Tracey's set. The most striking image is the literal whitewashing of the stage that paints Stockmann into a corner and makes visible the behind-the-scenes cover-up.

The familial sparing between Cobden and Roberts is outstanding. Both performers convey how high the stakes are for the characters and the town. Roberts also accomplishes the supremely challenging feat of making us understand Peter's point-of-view. Barnett contributes a smarmy and often comical caricature of a small man in a powerful position.

This Ibsen adaptation feels like it was written this year. And you can't ask for more than that from a treatment of a turn-of-the-century drama.

--

An Enemy of the People, written by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Florian Borchmeyer and directed by Richard Rose, runs at the Tarragon Theatre until October 26.

A printmaker and artist has opened a new Toronto shop offering art, handmade items, secondhand goods, a custom art framing service, and all manner of odds and ends. But pay a visit, and you just might stumble into an interactive exhibit or activity set up somewhere in the store, or end up taking in a workshop, reading, or seminar. Either way, whether it's a new art print, a reclaimed knick-knack, or a new idea to mull over, you're bound to leave the store with something new.

Read my profile of Elephant In The Attic in the design section.

The top concerts in Toronto this October are gearing up for Halloween early, from Placebo to Trust to Father Murphy to (uh?) Satan and The Wytches on to everyone's favourite every-day barista costume, Stevie Nicks. I find that if custumers suspect you might be a witch of some sort, they tip better.

Placebo warbling on the stereo, black cloak all around me, haven't brushed my hair since last winter, lace cuffs dirty with ground espresso, judging you for adding cream. Clink clink. I know you're goth 5ever, Toronto, but I also know you need cuddles, so here are the month's Toronto music Craigslist missed connections before we press on to the top concerts.

Please pay attention to the lessons of Indie88 Concert - Where did you go?. Spent the show staring into "bright blue eyes" that make you feel "so warm inside" you "completely forgot what was going on," then held hands with this stranger for the last twenty minutes of the gig? Get a number. An email. An Instagram handle. Come on, plaid wearing cuties, before that creeper Cupid from Ally McBeal whacks you. Indie88, if you haven't read this French Vanilla masterpiece on air yet I'm begging you, please.

Moving on to other hope(less? ful?) tales, if you were at Riot Fest, maybe someone is looking for you. Here are your options (choose wisely): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Zac Efron. If you were an older man at the Black Keys, this troll is ready to troll you. Or not? Other Black Keys dreams: 1, 2. Wanna vibe with a Motley Crue fan who can't spell? I'm not sure you need the internet for that.

Choice Gaslight Anthem experience: "we kind of felt each other up near the end of the concert." Then there's Alone at the Russian Circles show - m4w (Lee's Palace), which speaks for itself. Good luck, boring nerdy white guy with a blue raincoat, black sweater (not my description) (I swear). The Weeknd missed connections are surprisingly superboring.

Finally, Sebastian - "you know The National are playing at Massey Hall on Oct. 25, right?" (It's true).

Here are the top concerts in Toronto for October 2014.

Constantines - October 2 and 3 - Danforth Music Hall
Arguably one of the best rock bands from these parts, the Guelph-born quintet came back earlier this year to celebrate the decade (well, 11-year) anniversary of breakout album Shine A Light through a reissue and a handful of festival dates. If you couldn't stomach a hefty festival ticket for a shorter Constantines set, you'll be thrilled that they're playing not one, but two headlining shows. Arms up. SK

Perfume Genius - October 4 - Mod Club
Do you need a hug? So will everyone exiting this show on Saturday. They will step out onto College and be greeted, instead, by the run-off chaos of all night art party Nuit Blanche. I can't think of anything more worrisome. Hug a Perfume Genius fan today, they'll need it later.

Cat Power - October 8 - Danforth Music Hall
Cat Power better redeem herself after last time. Just kidding - Cat Power can do whatever Cat Power wants.

Nas - October 8 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Legendary rapper and former Jay-Z nemesis is celebrating a record anniversary of his own - the 20th anniversary of Illmatic. Fans are being treated to a reissue and even a full-length documentary, but even better is the accompanying tour, where Nas is screening the movie and performing the famous album in full. There's two back-to-back shows planned for the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. SK

Trust - October 10 - Danforth Music Hall
Oooo my little gothic darlings, how you howl alone in your basement apartments to Kate Bush. How you clutch your blankets adorned with cats around your body and conduct the orchestra of your dreams below the tiny twinkling window overlooking the glorious unknown histories contained in the bricks of neighbouring duplex. How the night constantly shifts with your mood, an extension of the cape you bought to remedy the dread that stalks you as dance home again in your worn sneakers on your bicycle made of stars, back to safety.

Placebo - October 15 - Sound Academy
Within the walls of a meth dealer's trailer in rural Manitoba lies the pure morning you understand Placebo as one of the most important rock bands of all time. Respect to those who grew from the frosted ground up as warped trees twisted by bitter winter upon cruel spring. Peace to those strange stories, written in eyeliner, better left to ebb of their own accord. Dearest actual Placebo fans, are these guys good live?

Chandra - October 17 - Double Double Land
1980's pre-teen post-punk? I don't know much about mysterious Chandra, but I trust Weird Canada/No Visible Means' Jesse Locke completely when he tells me that her upcoming re-release Transportation is a "long lost NYC classic with a super cool story." We'll have more details soon, but for now just soak up the hype of this outsider bill also featuring Bile Sister, Sexy Merlin, New Chance, and Invisible City DJs. I also don't know how I'm going to stay up this late.

X-Avant IX - October 17-19
The Music Gallery's X-Avant Festival is without a doubt what many experimental, pop, jazz, noise, classical, and wtf-ever music fans will call one of the year's most exciting times, and what some other music lovers would hesitatingly call "interesting." Yet the five concerts and three outreach events on the year's (admittedly cliche) theme of "Transculturalism: Moving Beyond Multiculturalism" promise strong enough curation that those even slightly intrigued in expanding their musical horizons will be glad they took the dive.

Fleetwood Mac - October 18 - Air Canada Centre
More than any other record, Rumours is what I remember my dad listening to in the truck. The garage. The basement. The living room. Thus Fleetwood Mac were my baby brother's first favourite band, much to my dismay (how can you not like this Flaming Lips song it's a about a giraffe) But here's what our metal writer says about Mac live: "I was blown away. Lindsay Buckingham's ridic guitar work, Stevie Nicks' perfect voice... Plus, now that Christine McVie's back, long-time faves are sure to return to the setlist." Also look for Mick Fleetwood's art show at Liss Gallery all month.

Iceage with Father Murphy - October 19 - Horseshoe Tavern
Danish post punks Iceage are back in town, and they're bringing Italian weirdos Father Murphy over with them. Now a stripped down, raw live duo, this pre-Halloween Horsehoe gig will be doomsy gloomsy Father Murphy's first Toronto appearance in too long (a couple years?), so bring merch money - in January they put out a "two one-sided 10" containing two movements each, meant to be played simultaneously - or maybe not" (and it's incredible).

Lights - October 26 & 27 - Danforth Music Hall
I have this gallerist friend with impeccable taste who makes, among other curiosities, creepy miniature bondage doll heads which he sits on tiny podiums and shows at international art fairs. This guy loves Lights. That is the power of Lights, Toronto's pop priestess.

Slowdive - October 28 - Danforth Music Hall
Since high school my stance has been if a band is reuniting, I'm against it - unless it's Cocteau Twins, Siouxsie and the Banshees, or Slowdive. Maybe Pavement, but in my heart I was okay with Malkmus as a solo idiom. Rejoice! UK shoegaze originators Slowdive are back together, and I melt to a strawberry ice cream puddle each time I think about it. But do you know what, secretly, in my uncool LED-lit bedroom confessional, I think I prefer Mojave 3. Low are also on the bill.

Death to TO IV - October 31 - Silver Dollar / Comfort Zone / Junkyard
The Halloween covers-pocalypse contines this year with a line up including The Jesus Lizard! (The Soupcans), Hot Snakes! (Burning Love), Metallica! (Cellphone), Beastie Boys! (Phedre, Hooded Fang, Moon King, Hellaluyah), Babes in Toyland! (Mexican Slang), and U2! (Actually U2). (Kidding. Dilly Dally). There will be three stages and way more bands to be announced. Happy Halloween, it's all down hill from here.

See also

• The top dance parties in Toronto October, 2014
• The top 10 concerts in Toronto for fall 2014
• Just Shows

Contributions by Shazia Khan

Photo of Father Murphy

They don't just give out an appointment to be an Officer of the Order of Canada to anyone. Which is exactly why one of our country's most successful comedians, Rick Mercer, has received that honor. Throughout his career - his early one man shows (Show Me the Button), his time with This Hour Has 22 Minutes (and the popular Talking to Americans segment), his current hosting gig at The Rick Mercer Report (starting its 12th season on October 7th) - Mercer has proven himself an above-and-beyond passionate Canadian.

Mercer is also very much a passionate Torontonian. Especially when it comes to its comedic side. "Toronto is undoubtedly one of the best cities in the world for comedy," he said when I asked him to play tour guide for a day to an imaginary aspiring yuckster.

Before listing his go-to city spots, however, he cautioned his tour would come with some tough love for his tourist: "[Most] of the time would consist of me trying to convince them to reconsider their career choice." He did concede that "if they must, then Toronto is the place to do it." Though he was quick to add, "don't let that stop you from getting a degree in accounting."

Here then is Mercer's perfect Toronto day for an aspiring comedian accountant.

You're setting out to spend a perfect day in Toronto with an aspiring comedian. What would be the plan?

A great way to start is at the aptly named Starving Artist. Two words: Potato Waffles. Lunch would be taken at the Detroit Eatery, the best diner in town. This then brings us to the time of day when all comedians require a nap.

After you've had your siesta, where would you go next?

Afterwards, drinks at Allen's, dinner at Ruby Watchco and then an evening of live comedy. Everyone loves the Wednesday night open mic at Spirits Bar and Grill. It's the longest running open mic in the city, founded by the indelible Jo-Anna Downey and features a wide variety of comedians at different stages of their careers from seasoned professionals to nervous first timers.

Every now and then you can catch one of my writers doing a set there. It's nice to see them doing what they love to do, instead of working for me.

Any other comedy spots you would recommend your aspiring comedian in tow check out?

There's something going on every night of the week in Toronto's comedy scene. I polled my office and the hub of activity is now centered at the Comedy Bar and there are shows in the back room at The Ossington that are delightfully absurd, featuring some of the city's more alternative talent. This is all hearsay because I'm not hip enough to go to these shows. If you're looking for a classic, you really can't go wrong with The Second City.

ESSENTIAL SPOTS

Coffee Shop:Broadview Espresso

Brunch:Starving Artist

Restaurant to take someone from out of town:Ruby Watchco

Pub:Allen's

Museum or Gallery:Art Gallery of Ontario

Live Music Venue:Massey Hall

Bookstore:Book City Danforth Location

Clothing store:Korry's Clothiers for Gentlemen

Movie Theatre:Bell Lightbox

Secret (or lesser known) Toronto place you wish more people knew about:The Beet

See also: An insider's guide to Toronto with Atom Egoyan

Two years out from the info pillar fiasco, the City of Toronto is rolling out the first prototype in a series of improved signs and maps. The signpost at Queen and Bay, which was installed in the last couple of weeks, is the result of several years of effort to improving the city's navigational aids.

Enemies of the info pillars will be disappointed, however. The old designs, which are part of the city's street furniture contract with Astral Media, may receive minor tweaks but will largely remain untouched.

"The initiative that we have right now is folding those [info] pillars into the program, but we're developing a new type of sign product that's a whole lot better than the info pillar," says Chris Ronson, a pedestrian project manager with the City of Toronto.

Following the fallout from the heavily maligned info pillars, which drew complaints about blocked sight lines, impeded sidewalk space, and ad creep, the city decided to independently develop its own set of signs and investigate ways of making the old pillars more useful.

The cumbersome design of the info pillars will remain, but the maps will be refreshed. The city's new wayfinding will be ad-free, save for a small space reserved for a sponsor's logo.

"We've been working on the design and development of the project now for about a year or two," Ronson says. "Our public consultation hasn't ended yet, we have a week of intensive consultations this week. Some of that input will lead to some tweaks of the product that you see out there on the street."

In the lead up to the Pan Am Games, the city will launch a pilot project in the financial district between Union Station and Queen Street that will include 15 new signs with updates based on public feedback.

Ronson says the current prototype includes multiple layers of information, such as the locations of nearby transit stops, bike share stations, and PATH entrances. There are also directions to important nearby landmarks and attractions, publicly accessible private spaces, and parks.

"Obviously, you can't put everything on the map, so we have to be very careful not to overload the map with stuff or it just breaks down."

What do you think of the new designs?

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

Image: Derek Flack/blogTO

The top events in Toronto this October don't offer something for everyone, as the saying normally goes. If you're not up for all things arty, sexy, or scary, don't stay home and wilt like the falling leaves -- you could try snagging a last minute ticket to Cask Dayshere, or begging one off some lucky pal. Then there's Fashion Week for the fancy, the Psychic Fair for you spooky Mulders, and tons of other events you'll catch by perusing our events hub. Most importantly, don't forget to vote on October 27.

Yet not every event can be as equal as others. Here are October's can't-miss events in Toronto.

Alex Colville + Tim Hecker at the AGO
The AGO's Alex Colville exhibit is supposed to wow you with the tension in the painter's riffs on Canadiana-realism's doldrums. I'm not sure what the fuss is about, but Polaris-long-listed Montreal ambient composer Tim Heckeris a fan - maybe he'll explain with his live performance at the AGO's pre Nuit Blanche First Thursday party October 2. It's also a good chance to vote on the Aimia Photography Prize if you haven't caught the art truck. Later this month Michelangelo: Quest for Genius opens up (October 18-January 11) - busy month at the AGO.

Nuit Blanche
Toga party disguised as Toronto's biggest art event? Throwback to crafty dress-up sleep-overs past? Important step forward in bridging fine art with the unwashed rabble? Toronto's all night, multi-zone party October 4 means congested transit and Dollar Store feather boa trails across the city's all night eateries, but maybe you'll have a meaningful moment between Instagram opps - though zone titles like "The possibility of everything" and "The Night Circus" are highly suspect, and there's no number to call this year to ask "is it art?"

After Dark Film Festival
Toronto's haunted film fest is back from October 16-24. Featuring the Toronto premieres of the greatest in horror, scifi, action and cult, (let's be honest, the only film genres that matter) this year's After Dark looks to have topped itself in its delivery of vomit-inducing gross-outs, stupidly gratuitous violence and pants-wetting frights. From October 16-24 catch a total of 20 films at the Scotiabank Theatre. Look out for our upcoming preview of the gore-fest. Aaron Broverman

X-Avant IX
The Music Gallery's X-Avant Festival is without a doubt what many experimental, pop, jazz, noise, classical, and wtf-ever music fans will call one of the year's most exciting times, and what some other music lovers would hesitatingly call "interesting." Yet the five concerts and three outreach events on the year's (admittedly cliche) theme of "Transculturalism: Moving Beyond Multiculturalism," spanning October 17-19, promise strong enough curation that those even slightly intrigued in expanding their musical horizons will be glad they took the dive. Uma Nota runs this weekend as well.

Buffer Festival
Toronto's first-ever YouTube-centric convention is back for a second year October 17-19. If the words "like, comment, subscribe" mean anything to you, you'll be thrilled to know that the 2014 roster of guest YouTubers, in addition to returning faces like Charlie McConnell, has been beefed up with additions like Epic Meal Time, Shay Carl, Rhett and Link. I'm taking bets to see if Davey Wavey wears a shirt. Tickets to each event are $15, and going fast for some of the bigger names. (If you're not around that weekend, fast rapper and pale kidWatsky plays the Danforth Music Hall on November 10.) Natalia Manzocco

IFOA
Can't wait for the city's newest big lit event Toronto International Book Fair in November? The International Festival of Authors will return at the Harbourfront from October 23 - November 2. Book lovers can button up their cardigans and catch readings, awards ceremonies, workshops, and much more at the annual mega-fest, including a reading by David Cronenberg opening night. Check out the program here.

Feature Art Fair
Autumn's Art Toronto (Oct 24-27, 2014) is the city's biggest arts fair by a long shot, but newbie Feature: Contemporary Art Fair (Oct 23-26) doesn't seem interested in competing. Rather the lovingly curated fair of a modest 23 galleries and 60 artists at the Opera Centre will compliment the bigger, glitzier, ordeal at the Metro - where surely more money will change hands, yet perhaps a fair less driven by opening galas than charted by challenging work is long due.

The Everything to Do with Sex Show
Got a burning desire? Looking for some sexy results? Want to play a wicked game? The Everything to Do with Sex Show October 24-26 at the Direct Energy Centre can probably help with that. Unless it involves a rash, then you need a doctor.

Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition
Can you stomach seeing those blue dresses the scary twins wore in The Shining up close? Opening Halloween night, TIFF's Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition is next in a long line of steller, fan-pleasing installs at the King Street cinema (such as this creep-out Cronenberg tribute). The exhibit, featuring documents, swag, and props like 'Starchild' from 2001: A Space Odyssey, runs until January 25, which might give me time to get over those Shining nightmares I had from age 7-13. Maybe.

Halloween
Halloween is huge in Toronto and I can't wait to see what your dogs dress up as this year. The Church Street Halloween Block Party, Sorauren Pumpkin Parade, Night of Dread, Zombie Walk, and Death to TO are must-hits, then look out for our upcoming guide of parties, parties, parties. Unacceptable costumes for 2014: Rob Ford, Rob Ford's [anything], Rob Ford as [anything], [anything] as Rob Ford. Leave your political snark where it belongs - in the ballot box (Doug probably won't be swinging by Pride 2015 either).

Photo via KiddNation Radio

The best spa to get a facial in Toronto are largely focused on luxury. After all, folks tend to see facials in a different, more rarefied way than other personal beauty treatments. Hairdos, manicures, waxing, spray tans - the effects of all of those are immediately visible to the naked eye, while the visceral, obvious benefits of a massage tend to win over those looking to spend their spa bucks on something relaxing.

Still, the subtle effects of a good facial are what keeps them on treatment lists. No, people might not immediately notice what you did to make yourself look so refreshed and glowy - but they'll sure notice the confidence boost that comes from putting your best face forward. And if you have pesky skin issues that need a pro's help, so much the better - when the solution isn't found on a drugstore shelf, these folks will help you bring in the big guns.

Here are the best spas to get a facial in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Spas in Toronto
The Best Manicure in Toronto
The Best Waxing Salons in Toronto
Cheap manicure pedicure bars in Toronto
The top 10 spa and salon treatments for men in Toronto

Photo by Jeremy Gilbert in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto body horror originator David Cronenberg will discuss his new novel (just in time for Halloween, which lasts a month, thank you) Consumed with Geoff Pevere. Tickets are $32 and include a copy of the book. At the Bloor, Amnesty International will present Children 404, a doc centered around LGBTQ teenagers living in Vladimir Putin's Russia.

It's also a heavy day for concerts: Lykke Li, EMA, and Erasure are all playing tonight, and transient venue/org Somewhere There will make an early appearance at the Tranzac with HA!Man Rob Clutton & Pete Johnston and HA!Man South Africa & Joke Debaere Belgium. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Lit: David Cronenberg In Conversation With Geoff Pevere (Isabel Bader Theatre)
• Music: Lykke Li (Kool Haus)
• Film: Children 404 (Bloor Hot Docs Cinema)
• Design: The Perimeter Series: Design and National Identity (Design Exchange)
• Music; Somewhere There Presents... Ha!Man/Debaere Clutton/Johnston duo (Tranzac)
• Music: EMA (Drake Hotel)
• Music: Erasure (Danforth Music Hall)

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