Toronto artists often find themselves releasing books to limited fanfare outside of the art world. As the cold settles in for the long haul, it might be time to take a break from obsessively re-reading Donna Tartt novels over clove cigarettes and coffee, and instead cuddle up with a cup of your tea (this winter has made me a chamomile fan for the first time ever) and with the work of the city's visual innovators - without trudging through the snow to a gallery.

Also don't miss the Pitiful Human Lizard comic books, the upcoming catalogs for This Is Not a Toy and Villa Raster's contemporary art festival, and titles at Art Metropol, The Beguiling, Magic Pony, the AGO, Cooper Cole, TYPE, Angell, Mercer Union, Bau-Xi Photo, and many more.

Here are 5 great books from Toronto artists you can buy right now.

Jennifer Rose Sciarrino - 2015 - 06 - 21 - 2024 - 06 - 21
If you're a fan of the gracefully psychedelic, check out this publication from Jennifer Rose Sciarrino, one of our artists to watch in 2015. 2015 - 06 - 21 - 2024 - 06 - 21 "charts the movement of the sun on the longest day of the year, June 21st, in Toronto, Canada, from the years 2015 to 2025." . The beautiful work is available through Art Metropole.

Nina Bunjevac - Fatherland
Whether you're an avid or tepid fan of graphic novels, you won't regret picking up Nina Bunjevac's compelling (and brutal) family memoir, tracing paths between Canada and the former Yugoslavia. Find it at shopAGO, Amazon, and many Toronto book stores and comic shops.

Introducing Suzy Lake
The AGO's Suzy Lake exhibit runs until March 22, 2015, and the artist's takes on identity, photography, and feminism and other social issues are a must-see. The exhibit catalog, edited by Georgian Uhlyarik and Sophie Hackett, is available from shopAGO.

Kim Dorland
When Toronto painter Kim Dorland opened solo exhibit I Hate Poetry but I Love TV(or, K.D. @ 4-oh/4-reel) last fall, his vibrant nature scenes echoing with eerie digital pulses had already made him one of Canada's most hyped painters. Find it at Chapters Indigo, the AGO, and other book shops around town.

Jesse Harris (misc)
Cooper Cole recommended we check out the books of Jesse Harris, the artist behind Queen Street's "You've Changed" mural and one of our artists to watch in 2015, and it was a good call. Find titles Notebook, an alphabetical collection of "every slogan he has ever thought up," risograph song lyric-influenced book Idyeahs: Is a Poet a Poem?, xeroxed How To Look Punk, and more.

BONUS

Kid Power
For the film buffs: Spectacular Optical's Kid Power, the Kier-La Janisse and Paul Corupe edited book on kids in cult movies, was written for adults and refined children. Grab the book on their website, and if you're more into screenings than galleries, look out for Spectacular's film screening series. Kier-La Janisse's House of Psychotic Women: An Autobiographical Topography of Female Neurosis in Horror and Exploitation Films is also still available.

What did we miss? Leave your favourite Toronto art books in the comments.

Images: Jennifer Rose Sciarrino's 2015 - 06 - 21 - 2024 - 06 - 21 via her website, Kim Dorland, Fuck Love - oil, acrylic, spray paint and ink on wood panel - 2008 via his website, Suzy Lake Are You Talking to Me?, 1979, gelatin silver prints (5) and chromogenic prints (2), various dimensions, from 81 x 53 cm to 94 x 63.5 cm, each, Purchased with the assistance of Art Toronto 2009 Opening Night Preview and the David Yuile and Mary Elizabeth Hodgson Fund and Greg Latremoille, 2009, via the AGO, Fatherland via Nina Bunjevac's website, Jesse Harris book via projectspace.ca.

The No Pants Subway Ride returned for the 2015 edition on Sunday, once again packing the subways of the world with throngs of pantsless commuters. Though the January chill thinned the crowd at the Toronto edition, dozens of participants remained undaunted, gathering at Downsview Station and the Eaton Centre to drop trou on the TTC, act completely normal, confuse a few hundred people, and (of course) hit the afterparty.

Check out all the action in our slideshow from the event.

Ask anybody who claims they're from Toronto about where they grew up, and most will cautiously admit they're from one of the suburbs. Frankly, it's just easier (and way cooler) to say you're from Toronto. But the truth is growing up outside the city offered a completely otherworldly experience. Anyone who did their time in Oakville knows exactly what I mean.

Here are 10 signs you grew up in Oakville.

1. You've been to a bush party in one of the many ravines, or in Lion's Valley. Bonus points if the cops showed up and chased you away.

2. You've spotted Donovan Bailey, Pinball Clemons, Ron MacLean, or Tom Cochrane shopping at Oakville Place.

3. You jumped off the Lakeshore bridge into 16 Mile Creek, or laughed at someone who did.

4. You bought and sold used CDs from Cactus Records on Kerr.

5. You remember Arnold's pre-renovation, before they ditched the video games.

6. You still say Sharkey's on Lakeshore had the best patio in town before they tore it down to build condos.

7. You knew to visit Filthy McNasty's on Tuesdays and Thursdays and The Oar House (now Boston Pizza) on Wednesdays.

8. You remember Sheridan before Disney bought out their curriculum and went construction crazy.

9. You remember the Famous Players in Oakville Town Centre 2 (now Staples) and the Cineplex off Speers (now Delta Bingo).

10. You know what OTMH stands for.

What signs did I miss? Add your suggestions to the comments.

Writing by Matt Prokaziuk

A whole lot of cuddles are on their way to Toronto. Two cuddle services have announced plans to provide platonic snuggles in our fair city in the coming weeks. Vancouver's Cuddlery revealed it was headed to both Toronto and Edmonton last week, but homegrown site Cudle Me is poised to give them a run for their money.

One wonders what Michel Houllebecq would have to say about this -- surely it's another sign of the decline of Western civilization as we hopelessly struggle against the gradual adoption of post-humanist values.

It will cost you to cuddle with a stranger, of course. Cudle Me plans to charge $80 an hour for a bit of safe physical contact, while Cuddlery currently asks $65 an hour to bond with this roster of superstars. You'll forgive me if I thought both sites were pranks (given the typos and dubious design) before discovering that all of sudden cuddle services are no longer the domain of Craigslist and Kijiji. New York's Snuggery, I'm told, is very popular.

Cuddle services elsewhere have attracted controversy, mostly fuelled by suspicion that they're a front for a different kind of physical affection, though both of the sites in question explicitly state that no sexual activity is permitted. Which just makes sense. The cuddle market is its own thing. And besides, to return to Houllebecq, "tenderness is a deeper instinct than seduction, which is why it is so hard to give up hope." As for capitalism, no comment.

Toronto Design Offsite (TO DO, for short) is once again poised to celebrate local design talent for another year, bringing a packed calendar of gallery exhibits, interactive installations, and design-oriented talks and panels. While some of the familiar picks on the TO DO list always make for safe bets (including the Gladstone's Come Up To My Room, now in its 12th year, and a number of student exhibitions), there are plenty of events and shows, from huge installations and parties to tiny storefront exhibits, to discover.

Here are my picks for 10 events and exhibits to check out at this year's festival.

Outside The Box series (January 19-25)
While Toronto design is at the centre of TO DO, cities around North America get some representation through this series of window installations, each dedicated to showcasing curated picks from a given city's design scene (including Detroit, Calgary, Montreal, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and Vancouver).

TABLES, CHAIRS & OTHER UNRELATED OBJECTS (January 14-31)
This annual exhibit by OCAD's furniture design students is a perennial favourite, featuring designs that explore the role of furnishings as cultural items and as a means for personal expression. Year in and year out, this is an exhibit that brings discussion to the table (ha) about the intersection of conceptual art and practical design.

April 30, 1904 (January 19-25)
This window installation at Coolearth Architecture Inc. commemorates a little piece of Junction history - the day 10,000 residents packed local hotel bars to enjoy the last day of drinking before Prohibition was enacted in the neighbourhood. The installation features a mosaic of 10,000 shimmering bottle caps, as well as a supplementary exhibition exploring the history behind the event.

Exporting Toronto Design (January 20)
This panel discussion, featuring four local experts (including Paul Rowan, a founding partner at Umbra, and Laura Stein, the creative director of Bruce Mau Design), will tackle how to bring Toronto design talent to the world stage. Organizers promise the talk at Lightform will be a launching point for a future initiative to spread Toronto design internationally.

White Out (January 20-25)
If you're not already sick of looking at a sea of white and grey outside, head to this group exhibit at TAC Art/Work Gallery, which explores the subleties and variations in what we might think of as the absence of colour.

PechaKucha Night Toronto Vol. 32 (January 20)
Always a favourite at TDS, PechaKucha Night is back, teaming up with the Colour Research Society of Canada to present an evening of mini-lectures on the topic of colour. The format remains the same: Experts are permitted to bring 20 slides and talk about each image for 20 seconds, making for informal, enlightening chats.

Anderssen Voll & Mjolk (January 21-February 23)
Lovers of industrial design, product design and all things Scandinavian won't want to miss this installation at Mjolk, the first North American retrospective of work by Norwegian design firm Anderssen Voll. The design duo will be on hand January 24 for an interview to discuss their work (including designs for Foscarini and Muuto) and the Norwegian design scene.

Wintersphere (January 21)
The Toronto School of Art is taking over the Junction Train Platform for this one-night-only event featuring digital installations and interactive sculptures (including giant spheres of marshmallows - which visitors can disassemble for roasting over a campfire). Sip on some hot chocolate and check out student work.

A Dawn For Leonia (Opens January 23)
This exhibit by SUMO Project examines a dystopian future in which the earth has been totally stripped of resources by manufacturing and consumption, and most of the population survives using repurposed or found objects (or items assembled from both). It's on at the Harbourfront Centre's Architecture Gallery until June, but you can attend the opening reception January 23.

TO DO Closing Party with Love Design (January 24)
The festival's closing party, which doubles as a celebration of the Gladstone's annual Come Up To My Room show, promises a packed dance floor - but the real draw for Saturday night's festivities is the promise of installations by multimedia artist Alexandra Mackenzie (whom you might also know as Petra Glynt).

Did I miss any? Leave your picks for TO DO 2015 in the comments.

Photo of Come Up To My Room 2014 by Natta Summerky.

The best new fashion stores in Toronto for 2014 are notable for bringing some of Canada's best fashion right to our doorsteps, with Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver contributing some of the city's most exciting new retail outposts. But there's plenty of homegrown goodness to enjoy, too, with fledgling local companies bringing their take on Toronto fashion to the city's streets.

Here are the best new fashion stores in Toronto for 2014.

See also:

The Best New Fashion Stores in Toronto, 2013
The Best New Fashion Stores in Toronto, 2012
The Best New Fashion Stores in Toronto, 2011
The Best New Fashion Stores in Toronto, 2010

Photo by Scapevision in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto The Garrison and Cadillac Lounge are keeping you warm with laughter - the joy of comedy and Simpsons trivia, respectively. At the Phoenix Jungle lovers can sweat it out to Marcus Visionary, Trading Fours, and PVP.

The Beaver's been keeping the party going just about every night of the week this winter and tonight they'll welcome staff, regulars, and friends for a special love-in. Then Next Stage Theatre Festival continues at Factory - check out our preview here. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Music: Audiopollination #26 featuring Michael Kaler (Array Space)
• Theatre: Next Stage Theatre Fest (Factory)
• Party: In The Jungle (Phoenix)
• Party: Beaver Winter Party (The Beaver)
• Music: Acoustic Sessions w/ Amy Bronson & more (Rivoli)
• Games: WooHoo! Classic Simpsons Trivia (Cadillac Lounge)
• Comedy: Mega Crazy Crazy Frenzy (Garrison)

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

Photo by Stoked

We have our first red card of 2015 this week on DineSafe. Ali Baba's on Wellesley is shut down due to a crucial rodent infestation.

Here's the rest of this week's worst on DineSafe.

Ali Baba's Middle Eastern Cuisine (24 Wellesley St. West)
Inspected on: January 8, 2015
Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to prevent a rodent infestation.

Celebrity Hot Pot (254 Spadina Ave.)
Inspected on: January 5, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 4, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Ba Le Sandwiches (538 Dundas St. West)
Inspected on: January 8, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 1(Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

La Cubana (392 Roncesvalles Ave.)
Inspected on: January 6, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Nova Era Bakery & Pastry (1172 Dundas St. W)
Inspected on: January 8, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 1 (Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (140F) or colder.

Szechuan Legend (3280 Midland Ave.)
Inspected on: January 7, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Correction; Last week we included The Emerson in our weekly DineSafe round-up, we have since been notified that DineSafe has made a data entry error and we have updated last week's column to reflect the correction to public records.

Toronto has one of the fastest growing beat music scenes in the country, with Drake and Diddy coming to blows over a Boi-1da beat and Wondagurl producing for Jay Z. But if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Out of all the beatmakers in the city, it's fair to say that many of them will never get the shine they deserve. Will they see the light at the end of the studio? Or forever be lost in the depths of the Internet? Maybe this will be their year.

Here are ten beatmakers in the GTA that you've (probably) never heard of.

The Kount
If his Soundcloud was a collage, The Kount's bigger picture would be an a(bando)ned time machine stuffed with vapor-y saxophones and bouncy basslines. On a Friday, you might find him haunting the newly revamped Smiling Buddha or Little Italy hotspot Weldon Park with his signature slippery funk mixes. Boasting multiple collaborations with Toronto's Harrison and close to 400,000 plays on his edit of ScHoolboy Q and BJ the Chicago Kid's "Studio", The Kount has a bright future ahead of him.

McCallaman
Cutting his teeth as a drummer in the heart of the city, now Ajax-based producer McCallaman was the man behind GoldLink's breakout, Noisey-premiered single "When I Die". His main purpose as an artist is to "build something from the ground up and have [his] own means of representation" within the white-dominated music industry. When he's not busy composing his brand of self-described "black pop" for artists like Toronto R&B duo BizZarh or New York's Mariami, McCallaman can be found DJing on sold-out bills at The Rivoli.

TALLBOY
Hailing from Toronto's west end, aptly-named TALLBOY must have hit his head on every doorway from Kipling to Keele. Though his venture in music began by dabbling with crackly boom-bap beats, he started making a name for himself with his signature iced-out trap beats, producing records for year-end listed Toronto rappers like DillanPonders and Flex the Antihero. Currently residing in Montréal, you can find this 18-year-old powerhouse DJing at buzzy Korova Bar or skate-friendly (literally equipped with a half-pipe) TRH-Bar.

Paul Chin
Part musician, part graphic designer Paul Chin's relocation from the Cayman Islands to Toronto's downtown core started with the desire to attend OCAD, but made a segue into the booming electronic music scene. His THUMP-approved single "Triumph Howl" from The Forest (released last year via Cosmonostro) succeeds at being just as hard-hitting as it is atmospheric, making it suitable for a few slow drinks with your yuppie friends as well as your next kegger back in the 905.

Hut
Hut wears a lot of hats over in Hamilton. Drummer in jazz-hop fusion band Haolin Monk. Head honcho of record label Hamilton Audio Visual Node. Concert promoter at the HAVN performance space on Barton Street. When he finds time to make beats, his cuts come from a very different cloth. His sound blends bendy vocal samples, trickling percussion and other-worldly ambiance, giving the listener the impression that his habitat is Mars rather than of a short drive due west on the 403. Check out his production on Emay's new Sinner, Song-Writer EP.

Memorecks
Toronto's Memorecks has a style as diverse as the city itself. He might flip an Armenian vocal sample into a dusty hip-hop beat, then lay down a gut-rattling dubstep bassline over a trapped-out drum pattern, or release an ambient album. After two collaborative efforts with longtime friends Zed's Dead ("Collapse" and "Love Me") garnered a combined 2.5 million plays and boasting (?) an on-stage "collaboration" with former mayor Rob Ford, Memorecks is well on his way.

Chef Byer
What would a list of Toronto beatmakers be without a Drake connection? Burlington producer Chef Byer is highly regarded amongst his peers but keeps a low profile despite receiving over 1.5 million plays for the production of OVO member OB OBrien's breakout single "Steve Nash." You know it's real when The Boy himself blesses your beat with a cameo. On top of landing placements with rapper SonReal and Toronto's Luu Breeze, Chef Byer's brand of wavy hip-hop beat tape, entitled Weekend at Cheffie's, was premiered by Complex.

DJ SMOKEY 666
Being relatively unknown anywhere but the Internet is a tune all too familiar in 2015, but that doesn't hold back DJ SMOKEY's brand of purpled-out trap bangers in the slightest. His Soundcloud page features international collaborations, including Stockholm-raised Sad Boys' collective members Yung Lean and Yung Gud and Austin-based OVO affiliate Eric Dingus. After his official performance debut at Hamilton's Club Absinthe with SpaceGhostPurrp, DJ SMOKEY 666 set the bar high right off the bat.

Dumsaint
With a grand total of 28 followers on Soundcloud, Dumsaint could very well be Toronto's next best tastemaker in due time. After spending most of his formative years in Bolton, Ontario, a sleepy bedroom community north of Toronto, Dumsaint relocated to South Etobicoke to attend Humber College's vocal jazz program, demonstrating his ability to be so much more than just a beatmaker. Call him a singer, rapper, songwriter, poet, video editor, but over anything else, Dumsaint is a product of the Internet. I think this kid could be the next Kanye.

Harrison
Harrison has lived in the Beaches, Harrison has lived in the Beach. He's seen them put it together, he's watched them take it apart. But all is well in the east end of Toronto, where Harrison crafts his nostalgic brand of cute, video game-tinged electronic music. Just in the past year alone, he's shared the stage with the likes of Ryan Hemsworth, Com Truise and Purity Ring. The icing on the cake that was Harrison's 2014 is a record deal with Toronto powerhouse label Last Gang Records. Keep your eyes well peeled for this guy in 2015.

Writing by L-SPEX

Photo of Harrison by The Bass Collective & Brent Michael Azeri via Facebook

Toronto has plenty of cooking classes - everything from basic knife skills to butchery to pizza-making - but no culinary discipline offers quite as much outdoor fun, or as many novelty-apron-wearing possibilities, as open-air grilling. Aspiring pitmasters, your hour has come; the Weber Grill Academy is now open in Vaughan and ready to show you the hot coal-lined path to greatness.

The school's schedule is rolling out three-hour classes starting at the end of the month, featuring instruction from Michael P. Clive, a local chef known for his TV appearances. Class levels range from beginner (burgers, pizzas, s'mores) to more advanced classes (chicken, ribs, corn) to a smoking-oriented course that will teach you how to smoke your own brisket to perfection. Check out their site for more details.

Photo via Weber Grill Academy.

The top new gyms in Toronto further prove that we are a city that's ready to take our fitness to another level. The facilities on this list provide a variety of classes, some great monthly membership fees, and overall, just great opportunities to get you huffin' and puffin'. Better make sure to keep up with those New Year's resolutions.

Here are my picks for the top new gyms in Toronto for 2014.

Fit Factory Fitness
Fit Factory Fitness at King and Spadina will whip you into shape with their drill sergeant style boot camps. With an open concept layout of 7000 sq. ft. you'll be able to drop and do 20 without the worry of bumping into a fellow fitness rat.

Hourglass Workout
Hourglass Workout, with its flagship location on Queen West, is a fitness studio catered mainly to women who want to get fit. With their boot camp style classes, you'll use a variety of different equipment to break a sweat.

Rocket Cycle
When you want to get in on a workout that celebrities are trying, spinning is definitely it. Rocket Cycle, located on St. Clair West at Christie, is clean and inviting, with some serious state-of-the-art bikes that will sure to get your blood (and legs) pumping.

Big Hit Studios
Combining fun with cardio, Big Hit Studio at 66 Sudbury St., is one of the coolest places in the city to take kickboxing. With a Body Opponent Bag (B.O.B) as your sparring partner, you're free to throw your toughest kicks and punches without fear of getting struck back.

Striation 6

This membership-free gym located at Yonge and Davisville allows you to pay for classes/equipment usage as you go - great for those who never know when they'll get a chance to squeeze a workout in. Drop in for some group isometric training or a bouncy Kangoo class, or feel free to go nuts on their numerous pieces of weight equipment.



Argon Crossfit


Located right downtown on Richmond St., Argon Crossfit offers a no bells-or-whistles facility - just a great space to get your workout out on. Owner Michael Cheung's love of Crossfit will shine through as he shows you the ropes (literally, there are ropes) and teaches one of the classes or goes one-on-one for a personal training session. 



The Monkey Vault


Perhaps one of the more unique places to open this year, Monkey Vault in the Stockyards District has 10,000 sq. ft. of space to let you run, jump, swing and climb to your heart's desire. The parkour style training that goes on here is not only fun, but super effective - basically, they just want to get you moving!.

Generate Fitness


This light-filled, eco-conscious fitness studio aims to help the environment while getting you fit. Generate Fitness in Bloordale Village, offer classes in yoga, HIIT, barre and more. They also have a variety of weight and cardio machines - but here's the kicker: their bikes and ellipticals generate the power to run the studio as you use them. Pretty cool, huh?



Barre3


Combining yoga, Pilates and the ballet barre, Barre3 is Toronto's newest ballet inspired workout. Located in the fashionable King West area, this workout contains their signature three-step system to give you a total body workout and the lean dancer's body you've always wanted.



Primal MMA


With a mixture of MMA style classes including BJJ, kickboxing, and wrestling, Primal MMA (on the lower level of Primal Movement) in Leslieville will certainly make you break a sweat. Here you can join in on a group class, or get a personal training session from one of their qualified and diverse coaches.

Did I miss any? Leave your favourite gyms that opened in 2014 in the comments.

Photo of Big Hit Studios by Jesse Milns.

The rapid suburban expansion of Toronto in the decades that followed the second world war brought many new and modern concepts to the city. Don Mills became the Toronto's first and the continent's largest planned housing development in 1952, increasing auto ownership led to the construction of the Gardiner, Don Valley Parkway, and 401, and car-orientated strip plazas popped up in the heart of numerous suburban communities.

News came yesterday that Toronto's first strip plaza is set for redevelopment as a denser vision for Eglinton Avenue is dreamed thanks to the Crosstown LRT. These plazas are not the most beautiful feature of the city's built landscape, but they're far more interesting than we sometimes give them credit for.

Here's what suburban strip malls used to look like in Toronto.

Another view of the glorious (and sadly deceased) Yonge Finch Plaza in 1972. That dairy bar is inside a Wimpy's Charcoal House.

Bloordale Service Centre in 1963. As the city archives note, the building survives as part of Bloordale Plaza at Burnhamthorpe and The West Mall.

Evan's Shopping Centre at Kipling Avenue and the Queensway in 1956, when it was a little over a year old.

A Grand Union Food at an unidentified plaza.

Soon-to-be demolished Parkwoods Plaza on York Mills Rd. The Dominion eventually gave way to a Food Basics.

A Steinbergs, possibly at Thorncliffe Plaza on Overlead Blvd.

Humbertown Mall at Royal York and Dundas as it appeared in September 1961, complete with an S. S. Kresge store. Today the anchor tenants is Loblaws.

Another view of Humbertown Mall.

More Humbertown.

Richview Plaza off Eglinton in Etobicoke. The main tenant is a Rexall Pharma Plus.

Thorncrest Plaza at Islington and Rathburn around 1956.

A fresh looking Cloverdale Mall.

Shopping plaza on the west side of Jane, north of Lawrence. The centre is still home to a branch of RBC.

The same Jane St. plaza. The Diamond Bar B-Q Restaurant is now The Red Room Restaurant - All Day Breakfast $6.99. The unit occupied by the dry cleaners offering one hour "Martinizing" is also still being used for its original purpose.

Weston Plaza near Weston and Church in 1971.

More Weston Plaza.

Worth Building Plaza on Bathurst at Lawrence.

See also:
What malls used to look like in Toronto

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives

Nothing screams depressing Toronto winter than an empty lifeguard station set before a frozen lake. The mental picture of it makes me shiver. A new design competition put together by RAW Design, Ferris + Associates, and Curio aims to change this by transforming these desolate structures into public art installations.

Earlier today, four finalists were announced in the Winter Stations international design competition. The theme the designers had to work with was, fittingly, "warmth." Each of the finalists work dramatically brighten up what are otherwise sad structures when the winter arrives. The four installations will be built in the eastern Beaches between February 13-16 and stay up until March 20. An additional design by Ryerson students will also be installed.

The winning designs are pasted below. I'd suggest taking a look at the long list of entries, though. There are a ton of fun designs in here, including a few I'm surprised didn't make the cut. In any case, this is a great public art initiative and something that Toronto should have more of.

Driftwood Throne, DM_Studio (London)

Hot Box, Michaela MacLeod and Nicholas Croft (Toronto)

Sling Swing, WMB Studio (London/Liverpool)

Snowcone, Diana Koncan and Lily Jeon (Ryerson, Toronto)

What do you think? Let us know your favourite design in the comments.

The lead image depicts Wing Back by Tim Olson (New Hampshire)

If brevity is the soul of wit, then Twitter is made for comedy. Fortunately, Toronto is flush with funny people who make a point of consistently throwing out 140 character punchlines and making the most of their micro-blogs. They also write and act for television, perform in sketch troupes and work the stand-up circuit. If you could use a daily dose of funny, follow these accounts and be prepared to actually laugh-out-loud.

Here are my picks for the top 10 Toronto comedians to follow on Twitter.

Steph Tolev@StephTolev
Steph Tolev was nominated for two Canadian Comedy Awards in 2014 - one for her sketch duo, Ladystache, and another for Best Female Stand-Up. Her Twitter feed is a stream of shameless personal sharing.

Just tripped a kid on the bus and it's the first time I've smiled all day

— Steph Tolev (@StephTolev) December 21, 2014

Chris Locke@chrislockefun
Chris Locke got the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Male Stand-Up in 2014. He hosts a weekly podcast called Utopia To Me, and his album, The World Is Embarrassing is available on iTunes. His Twitter leans towards the philosophical - a mix of unanswered questions, musings about his cat, and personal reflection.

When you start a sketch troupe you're like, "should we wear ties?"

— Chris Locke (@chrislockefun) October 26, 2014

Matt O'Brien@matt_obrien
Matt O'Brien has been hosting a late-night talk show on the TTC since 2013, and hosts the ReHash Podcast on iTunes where comedians talk about their Twitter habits (great idea). He was nominated for Best Breakout Artist at the Canadian Comedy Awards last year. Have a towel handy while tracing his timeline because whatever you're drinking will probably come out your nose.

"Let's get down to Jizzness"- porno board meeting

— Matt O'Brien (@matt_obrien) January 10, 2015

Anne T. Donahue@annetdonadue
Anne T. Donahue is a comedian, music editor for Rookie Mag, and writes/has written for every website on the internet. If you like, you may also subscribe to her newsletter. Follow her Twitter feed as she lampoons pop-culture better than any late-night host living or dead.

Just once I'd like to see a Coach bag with Craig T Nelson's face on it.

— Anne T. Donahue (@annetdonahue) January 8, 2015

Rebecca Kohler@becca_kohler
Rebecca Kohler has been a featured stand-up from coast-to-coast and consistently ranks amongst the best in Toronto. She got a 2014 Canadian Comedy Award nomination for Best Female Stand-Up, and she recently penned this very honest review of Bill Cosby's performance in Hamilton. Her Twitter feed combines biting sarcasm with charming self-deprecation.

Hi lone older man auditing this Body Fit class through the window.

— Rebecca Kohler (@becca_kohler) December 20, 2014

Mark Little@markmarklittle
Originally from the west coast, Mark Little moved to Halifax in 2006 where he was voted Best Comic four years running. He's a founding member of sketch troupe Picnicface, and stars in the CTV digital series Space Riders. He now splits his time between Toronto and L.A. while splitting sides on Twitter.

Just watched a Where Are They Now about Chamillionaire. Turns out he's just been hiding in front of a millionaire the last few years.

— Mark Little (@markmarklittle) December 2, 2014

Jon Blair@okjonblair
Jon Blair is one half of WILDCATS creating sketches for YouTube, and is a regular fixture at Rapp Battelz. He currently splits his time between Toronto and Halifax where he writes for This Hour Has 22 Minutes. I've learned all this by obsessively stalking his Twitter timeline, and so should you.

why wasn't die hard called Police Navidad

— Jon Blair (@okjonblair) December 24, 2014

Pat Thornton@patthornton
Writer, actor, stand-up and sketch comedian Pat Thornton is currently a cast member on CityTV's Sunnyside. His epic series of tweets about Toronto construction got some attention this summer, otherwise he's often retweeting Mario Lopez.

The most humane way to kill a cow is soft punches over a long weekend.

— Pat Thornton (@patthornton) December 12, 2014

Monica Heisey@monicaheisey
Monica Heisey's is a writer who's work has appeared in Vice, Gawker, noisey and many more. She'll be releasing her first book, I Can't Believe It's Not Better this Spring. Her pensive, self-reflective tweets are comedy gold.

dance like lots of ppl are watching but you have to save the school & 1st prize in this competition is exactly the amount of money you need

— monica heisey (@monicaheisey) January 2, 2015

Sara Hennessey@sara_hennessey
Sara Hennessey got the 2013 Canadian Comedy Award for Best Female Stand-Up comic, and she's also been nominated for her web series, Goodbye Sara Hennessey; and the short film, Secret Clubhouse. She's a member of Laugh Sabbath and one-half of the duo, Terrific Women.

Great news. Apparently It's still meditating even if you're just visualizing loaded-potato-skins.

— Sara Hennessey (@sara_hennessey) November 20, 2014

Who did I miss? Let us know your favourite Toronto comedians on Twitter in the comments.

Two scions of the family behind long-running design store Elte have poured their family's 40 years of furniture-industry know-how into this brand-new, 40,000 square foot shop in the Castlefield Design District. Targeted squarely at younger, cooler Toronto residents with condos to furnish, the store comes packed wall-to-wall with a wide selection that features plenty of colourful, unusual finds from around the world, as well as some clever designs for small spaces.

Read my profile of Elte Market in the design section.

Toronto music fans can let out a collective sigh of relief today, as the Silver Dollar Room has officially received heritage designation from the city. While that doesn't guarantee its permanent existence, it certainly makes it much, much more difficult to demolish, a fate that it's been threatened with since June 2013.

The bar was built in 1958 as a cocktail lounge for the Hotel Waverly, the adjacent building which has not been deemed worthy of designation. It's reputation as breeding ground for blues musicians dates back to the 1970s, a legacy which heritage staff believed was worthy of protection. City council agreed.

The Silver Dollar continues to be an incubator for local bands, and contrary to what some have argued, the loss of the building (even if the bar returned in a new structure) would have been a terrible shame.

Congratulations, Toronto. You got this one right.

Photo by Dominic Bugatto

The top ski and snowboard shops in Toronto carry everything you need for a weekly jaunt to Blue Mountain or any other ski hill around the city. Despite our lack of a mountainous geography, Toronto has long had a love affair with skiing, a fact which is reflected in the diversity of the retail scene. The increasing popularity of snowboarding has only furthered the variety on offer such that we are now spoiled for options.

Here are my picks for the top ski and snowboard stores in Toronto.

Sign of the Skier
A Toronto retail institution since the 1960s, the shop is best known as that place that sells skis and patio furniture, a seemingly strange combination but one that works perfectly given its location between North Toronto and Lawrence Park. The store is packed in the winter with folks stocking up on mostly high end offerings from brands like Atomic, Head, Rosignol, and Salomon. Its snowboard offerings have greatly increased over the last decade.

Skis and Bikes
The sprawling Don Mills location is as well stocked, one-stop type of place for all of one's downhill skiing/snowboarding needs. Staff tend to be well versed in the nuances of boot fit and ski tuning, and the selection of brands is about as diverse as you'll find in Toronto.

Mountain Equipment Co-op
MEC makes this list for all the cross country skiers out there. Not a place for downhill fans as far as hard goods go, the wide selection of outerwear is, however, handy for skiers of all types. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable.

Sanction
Sanction is a snowboard speciality shop (at least in the winter) with brands on offer from Arbor, Capita, GNU, Dinosaurs Will Die, and LibTech. These guys know their stuff, and will get your board tuned to your liking should you so need. Naturally, there is a hefty supply of outerwear as well as casual clothing.

Sporting Life
Sporting Life has long been a go-to for skis and ski-related outerwear. It retains its high-priced reputation, but I've always found Sporting Life a great place to snag close-out models of everything from skis to tennis rackets. The clothing options are dizzying.

Bikes and Boards
This sister shop to Sporting Life puts the attention on snowboards with a strong selection of Burton, Gnu, LibTech, Ride, and Union. What the store does best, however, is in offering a huge selection of clothing and accessories to choose from.

So Hip It Hurts
Those looking for a boutique shopping experience when buying a snowboard will want to check out this Toronto institution. The selection is not as wide as some of the larger shops on this list, but the expertise and passion on display here is unrivalled.

Salomon
If you're a fan of Salomon skies, this is the store for you. Part of a growing trend of brand-specific sports stores, what the shop lacks in diversity, it makes up for comprehensiveness.

Boardsports
An excellent place for snowboarders (and windsurfers), this shop near Yonge and Davisville is staffed by experts. Brands include Burton, Arbor, K2, and Ride. The clothing an accessory selection is plentiful.

Kenmark Snowsports
You'll have to leave Toronto to pay a visit to Kenmark, but for those located in the north end of the city, the Richmond Hill store is a good option for both skiers and snowboards. The kids selection is worthy of note.

What did I miss? Add your favourite stores in the comments.

Photo from Boardsports

There's an app for that and it's designed in Toronto. Increasingly companies in Toronto are developing apps making it easy to travel around the city, stay in shape, dine out and enjoy a date night.

Here are five made-in-Toronto apps created in the last 12 months that stood out the most.

Toronto Cycling (Android, iPhone)
An app for cyclists developed by the City of Toronto to improve cycling around the city. Cyclists can track their trips including the route and the length of the trip, the average speeds by pressing start before the trip starts and pressing stop when it ends. This data is sent anonymously to improve the infrastructure in Toronto.

Gata Hub (Android, iPhone)
Need a cab? Use this app. Partnered with several licenced Ontario taxi companies, the goal of this app is to provide safer travelling across the city. Companies will contact the user directly or use the app that provides the travel time of the taxi's arrival. Users can pay with a credit card, cash or taxi charge slips.

Tab (Android, iPhone)
Tab is a mobile payment app for restaurants. Enjoy your meal without the hassle of waiting to pay your bill. Download the app, create an account and select the restaurant. The receipt for your meal is emailed to you. For dining out with friends, you can use the app to split the bill by adding them to your tab. You can also use the app to tip.

DateNight (Android, iPhone)
Going out? Need a sitter? For the busy parents who need a date night, use this app to book a date, contact your babysitter or find a local sitter. You'll have one in ten minutes, with several interviews lined up, leaving you free for the night. Babysitters can also sign up to find job opportunities.

Quick Fit (iPhone)
Exercising made easy. Get in shape at your convenience. The 7-minute full body workout includes 12 exercises for 30 seconds, with a 10 second breaks in between. HD videos featuring certified professionals show you how to perform the exercises, with voice-overs providing prompts. Track your body weight, view progress, set and achieve goals.

What new apps did I miss? Add them to the comments.

Did you know blogTO has apps too? Download our main app for iPhones and iPads (Android coming soon), our Bars, Pubs and Late Night Eats app, our Toronto Patio Guide app and our app to help you find Toronto Food Trucks.

Writing by Samina Sultana.

This creaky-floored mansion at 239 Russell Hill Road is listed at $3,250,000 for its "majesty of yesteryear" (see brokerbabble). The three-storey house is 5,200 square feet, and situated in the South Hill neighbourhood where other nearby properties have either been knocked down or restored their original 1920s façade. The Tudor-style home has been maintained over time, keeping its classic architecture like the grand wood staircase and intricate moldings while updating the bathrooms and kitchen.

The home could use a few upgrades and prospective buyers should walk with caution over the rickety second floor balcony. Still, a far cheaper reno than the $16,800,000 fixer-upper we featured last week.

The $3 million asking price is not unusual for the elite location near Casa Loma where similar properties often sell for even more. A nearby renovated property with a swimming pool and driveway was recently listed for $3,399,000, and sold just under asking. Living next to a castle and the Spadina House, the post-war museum with its confusing Spa-deenah pronunciation, doesn't come cheap. Let's have a closer look, shall we?

SPECS

• Address: 239 Russell Hill Road
• Price: $3,250,000
• Lot Size: 65x180
• Bedrooms: 6+1
• Bathrooms: 7
• Parking: 4
• Taxes: $19,770.68
• Walk Score: 69

NOTABLE FEATURES

• 5,200 square feet
• Cathedral ceilings
• Bay windows
• Multiple fireplaces

GOOD FOR

A romantic who dreams of living in a castle (or at least near one). Other mansions on the street have better curb appeal but this one scores points for its classic charm and ambience.

MOVE ON IF

You're looking for an open concept layout and radiant heat is not your style. Like many older houses, this one has a love affair with rooms. The main floor is separated into smaller rooms with a living room, dining room, library and office. There's even seven bathrooms in the home with two in the basement.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
Think it will sell for asking? Have your say in the comments.

Read other posts in this series via our House of the Week Pinterest board.

Thanks to Bosley Real Estate for sponsoring our House of the Week.