One of Toronto's best-regarded digital design firms has shut down after its top talent was hired by Facebook. Teehan+Lax, the company responsible for the design of Medium, among other marquee projects, will be winding down current projects and closing down their Toronto offices in the wake of the talent-acquisition deal, which will see founders Jon Lax and Geoff Teehan and partner Dave Gillis moving to the Bay Area.

According to a post on the firm's site, the company began to entertain the possibility of an acquisition after the challenges of growing the firm began to conflict with the partners' desire to work on new projects and solve large-scale problems.

"The challenges that we will have at Facebook are challenges that interest us," the partners wrote. "They are primarily about making things that over a billion people will use ...all over the world. The opportunity to work on interesting and meaningful problems at such scale is very compelling."

According to TechCrunch, the deal will result in the loss of about 40 jobs.

Sushi is a staple of Toronto diets, as evidenced by the abundance of Japanese restaurants found citywide. It seems like every neighbourhood in the city has been graced with at least one stellar spot to get that fresh fish fix, whether your preference is for value-driven AYCE varieties or spurge-worthy omakase experiences.

Here are my picks for the top sushi in Toronto by neighbourhood.

See also:

The best cheap sushi restaurants in Toronto
The best AYCE sushi in Toronto
The best take-out sushi restaurants in Toronto
The best Japanese restaurants in Toronto
The best splurge sushi in Toronto

THE ANNEX
There's no shortage of sushi bars in this neighbourhood and while there's plenty of strong contenders, there's a reason why the line-up is always out the door at Sushi On Bloor. The extensive menu lists crowd favourites like big fat specialty rolls and freshly sliced fish laid over warm pressed rice.

BALDWIN VILLAGE
ND Sushi & Grill prides itself on serving fresh, authentic Japanese fare. Entrust the chef to prepare a multi-course feast or make selections a la carte an assortment of hand rolls, nigiri or sashimi.

THE BEACHES
When it comes to maki at Yumei Sushi, expect the unusual. The Japanese restaurant in The Beach(es) offers innovative rolls featuring delectable ingredients like fried chicken, lobster tempura, and kimchi.

BLOOR WEST VILLAGE
Yumi Japanese Restaurant is just one of many local sushi establishments in this 'hood. The menu boasts $10 lunch combos and unique makimono selections like the Green River Roll, comprising shrimp tempura, crab meat, caviar and avocado topped with wakame salad.

CHURCH WELLESLEY VILLAGE
The menu at Fushimi AYCE is more interesting than you'd expect from an all you can eat establishment. Selections like volcano rolls seem standard enough but hey come amped up with extra flourishes like the house honey wasabi sauce.

THE DANFORTH
An astounding assortment of sashimi, sushi and maki combos are the specialty at Double Sushi on the Danforth. The menu features standard selections along with unique offerings like the Arctic Roll with salmon, crab, avocado, tempura bits, eel sauce and spicy mayo.

DISTILLERY DISTRICT
Touhenboku may have earned its reputation for ramen, but at this new location in The Distillery, there's sushi on the menu too. Opt for chef's 14-piece omakase selection or enjoy a variety of novel rolls, like the tuna-scallop roll that's lightly torched and glazed with miso-sesame.

ETOBICOKE
The highly regarded Sushi Kaji on The Queensway doesn't offer an a la carte menu, nor do they serve Americanized Japanese foods like California rolls. Served omakase style, expect a superlative assortment of seafood specimens rolled out over multiple courses.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT
Ki is a high rolling sushi palace and sake bar befitting its Financial District address. Here, itamae creations showcase scrupulously sliced otoro (marbled tuna), king crab, and salmon roe along with a unique variety of makimono including hamachi and bacon rolls, or chilled rock lobster rolls.

HARBORD VILLAGE
Simplicity is key at Yasu, where each morsel is handcrafted and delicately brushed with nikiri soy to draw out the natural flavours of the sea. Served omakase style for a set price, diners are treated to an array of ankimo, bluefin toro, snow crab, uni, mackerel and more.

HARBOURFRONT
On Queens Quay, find Guirei Sushi, a Japanese restaurant that will satisfy cravings for your staple sushi bar items along with specialty rolls that riff on the the classics. Take the Salifornia roll for example, it starts with your standard California roll but with the addition of deep fried salmon and a sweet and tart tobiko ponzu sauce.

JUNCTION
LAN Sushi is a local favourite for its solid menu of standards that are easy on wallets. Expect thick-cut, plump pieces of glistening fish over mildly seasoned rice, and an ample selection of spicy rolls.

KING EAST
This neighbourhood is graced with two stellar, long-standing sushi restaurants and it's hard to play favourites. While long acclaimed Hiro Sushi is a close second, I'll give this one to Nami Sushi for its kimono-clad servers, elegant dining room (tatami room optional), and top-notch nigiri, including melt in your mouth toro.

LEASIDE
Maki Sushi offers set prices for those look for an AYCE experience, but that doesn't limit diners to just a portion of the menu. Order everything from sushi pizzas to special rolls, and more! You could even eat your weight in udon if you choose.

LESLIEVILLE
Sushi Marche isn't much more than a hole in the wall, but the strictly take-out operation has earned a loyal following for its lovely sushi presentations. Kamikaze rolls crafted with buttery salmon, cucumber, tempura flakes and pearls of briney roe are among the house favourites.

LIBERTY VILLAGE
Koja in Liberty village specializes in sushi and bibimbop, serving up fresh fish selection by the platter, or boat. While the menu lists all the staples you'd expect, some of the more unique offerings include rice-free maki rolls wrapped in rice paper, and signature house rolls like the Hawaiian rolls with pineapple, avocado, cucumber, asparagus and spicy salmon.

NORTH YORK
Katsura Japanese Restaurant is a refined Japanese eatery on York Mills outfitted with teppanyaki tables, private tatami rooms and a sushi bar. Priding themselves on serving the finest fresh fish and seafood flown in from Japan, expect luscious omakase assortment of sashimi, nigiri and rolls.

OSSINGTON
The eclectic Asian menu at Bazara offers novel maki rolls like spicy scallop, hamachi supreme, and rice-less rolls with unagi, crab and avocado.

QUEEN WEST
The fanciful creations at JaBistro include scrupulously crafted nigiri and oshuzushi blowtorched in aburi style and accented by fresh wasabi root, soy sauce, or kombu fush sauce glaze.

RONCESVALLES
Sushi Nomi is a cozy neighbourhood favourite where freshness takes top priority. The menu advertises a bounty of seafare like butterfish, red sea bream, amberjack and mackerel.

SCARBOROUGH
Succulent sea urchin and luscious tuna belly are among the top notch nigiri served up at Zen Japanese Restaurant. Other rare and interesting chef creations include the plum paste with shiso roll or stewed gourd shaving roll.

ST. CLAIR WEST
Devoted throngs congregate regularly at Nama Sushi for raw fish, tempura, bento boxes and other Japanese favourites. The spicy maki with minced fish is a must try.

YONGE & DUNDAS
Japango is an ever popular source for impeccably fresh raw fish, and it's menu lists deluxe set dinners and ample a la carte options. Highlights include indulgences like sea urchin and blue fin tuna served raw or aburi-style (lightly seared).

YONGE & EGLINTON
Echo Sushi is an above average AYCE establishment offering consistent, efficient service, and a great variety of dishes. Order off the checklist menu and get your money's worthy of specialty rolls, or throw in a couple extra bucks to order off the "B" side where fresh sashimi is unlimited.

YORKVILLE
Sushi lovers need not shell out a small fortune when dining at Sushi Inn. The menu lists set sushi and sashimi combos along with a standard range of rolls. The quality is as you'd expect from any shop in The Annex, but nothing sits around too long so it's guaranteed to be fresh.

What did I miss? Disagree with my selections in the comments.

Come Up to My Room has returned to the Gladstone Hotel for 2015 as part of Toronto Design Offsite. Though the Gladstone already boasts its share of permanent artistic content -- it's home to a series of artist-designed rooms, as well as the Ryerson Artspace -- CUTMR takes things to a new level, with Toronto artists and designers transforming the hotel's rooms and hallways into immersive, fantastical design installations.

Check out all the highlights from Come Up to My Room in this photo gallery.

">Photo by Lori Whelan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Every year Toronto Animal Services takes in about 4,000 sick or injured stray cats. The unfortunate homeless felines, some of which may have been living on the streets for years, are given a new lease on life by city veterinarians so that they might live to prowl another day.

Unfortunately for a lost moggy, getting rescued has consequences. "We can do whatever we need to do to the cat to get it ready for adoption," says Mary Lou Leiher from Toronto Animal Services. "That might include spaying and neutering, if it isn't already done. It also includes microchipping, vaccinating, all those things that somebody needs when they first get a cat to get them off on the right foot."

Cats that are born in the wild present a different problem. Once collected by the city, feral cats are spayed and neutered like their domesticated cousins, but most are released close to where they were found, provided they're not sick or starving. Vets take the tip of one of the cat's ears so it doesn't receive surgery twice.

So how do you tell the difference between a stray and a feral cat anyway? It's not easy, Leiher says, but the answer often comes when the animals are presented with a box.

"The biggest clue is that [feral cats] want to hide all the time. When we have a feral cat in the shelter we give it a special type of box that it can hide in," she says. Domesticated pets tend to come out after a few hours while feral cats will try and stay hidden, acting aggressively or defensively when approached.

Right now, the number of cats up for adoption is quite low. Multiple successful re-homing drives late last year saw the captive population drastically reduced. Even many of the black ones found new homes. "Black Dog Syndrome," which despite the name seems to apply to all dark creatures, often results in prospective pet parents opting for animals with light or patterned fur.

"It's an interesting phenomenon," Leiher says. "Although I don't think we have as much trouble in Toronto as maybe some other parts of Norther America, like in the States for example. I think it's just because maybe they don't stand out so much. When you look at a black cat that's in a stainless steel cage, it's hard to see it if there's a lighter coloured cat that pops a little bit more, that kids of thing."

Last year 3,600 cats found new homes or were transferred to other adoption agencies, like PetSmart and Pet Valu.

If you see a cat you suspect is a stray, the best advice is to leave it alone unless it appears sick or hurt. Oftentimes strays are better classified as neighbourhood cats, ones that are cared for and fed by multiple people.

"Absolutely the city needs to be called if that cat is in distress or sick in any way," Leiher says. "If people can take responsibility, if they think it's not owned by anybody, for ensuring that that cat gets spayed and neutered, that's what we want."

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

Image: enfys photography/blogTO Flickr pool.

You can't desire something if you don't know it exists. Case in point: you've probably been cruising along in life completely content using regular glass jars to store your food. But then, like a child who witnesses his reflection in a mirror and has his first intimation of a full-bodied identity, you encounter the smart jar, and (cue Drake) nothing was the same. All at once, you experience lack. Why, you ask, do I not possess the smart jar? My current containers just won't do.

One of those curious but admittedly intriguing products of the late capitalist push to improve everything, Neo is a Bluetooth-enabled jar that allows users to track the weight and nutritional content of food placed inside it. Designed by Madhuri Eunni for Toronto-based startup SKE Labs, the smart jar will also suggest recipes based on what else you have in your cupboards (sent to your phone or tablet) and keep track of best before dates.

In short, this jar is better than your jar. How does that make you feel?

The 1920s were big years for Toronto. After finally emerging from the ravages of the first world war, in which Canadian soldiers had distinguished themselves at Vimy and Passchendaele, the city began to grow upward and outward. New technology changed the way the city worked. Automatic telephone dialling was introduced, "talkie" pictures were in the cinemas, and the city got its first set of traffic lights.

It was also the decade the Toronto Transit Commission was established, the Ontario Temperance Act was repealed after more than a decade of prohibition, and a giant dirigible blimp visited the city. On Front St., Union Station and the Royal York Hotel were completed, the latter briefly becoming the city's tallest building.

Here's a look back at the Toronto of the 1920s in photos.

The Cyclorama building on Front St. in 1922. The strange cylindrical building near the intersection with York St. was designed to host 360 degree works of art. From a platform in the centre of the building, paying guests viewed scenes from famous battles and biblical events with elaborate painted backdrop and costumed actors in the foreground. The building later became a parking lot and was demolished in 1976.

Aerial view of Queen and Bay in 1923.

Yonge and Eglinton looking west in 1922.

Store covered in advertisements at the northwest corner of Bay and Adelaide in 1925.

Ice delivery cart in Parkdale, 1924.

Baseball in High Park circa. 1922.

Bathers in the Humber River in 1925. Bloor St. bridge in the background.

The city ferry "Bluebell" en route to the Toronto Island.

Kids playing with wheels on Chestnut St. in 1922.

CNE fireworks over the Toronto Bay.

The water crowded with bathers at Sunnyside. The amusement park opened near King, Queen, and Roncesvalles in 1922 and quickly became one of the city's most popular seasonal attractions.

The Sunnyside pool. Nicknamed the "Tank," the heated, filtered, and chlorinated 3 million litre pool--possibly one of the largest in the world--opened in the summer of 1925. Today, it's the Gus Ryder Pool.

The finalists and winner of the first Miss Toronto contest in 1926. Mrs. Jean Ford Tolmie, middle, took the prize that year. Ben Kayfetz, writing in The Globe and Mail in 1956, recalled "the beauty contests, after fading in popularity following on Mrs. Tolmie's victory, were revived later under the sponsorship of the Toronto Police Association. Though they did attain success they never afterwards approached the mass hysteria of the 1926 competition."

An organ grinder takes a break on Bay St. in 1922.

After 11 years of prohibition, the Ontario Temperance Act was officially repealed in 1927. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario was established that year to regulate the sale of liquor, beer, and wine in the province. Though many were in favour of loosening the rules, temperance advocates campaigned hard against the reintroduction of alcohol.

Another temperance poster from the mid-1920s.

Promotional poster for a stage show at the Regent.

A muddy Queens Quay West, looking west from Bay St. in 1927.

Ships gathered in the Toronto Harbour some time in the 1920s.

The downtown rail corridor looking west towards old Union Station and downtown.

Passengers mug for a photo on the platform of "old" Union Station.

Toronto's third Union Station was completed in 1927, a block west of the "old" Union Station. The jewel of the classical Beaux-Arts structure, which was designed by Ross & Macdonald, Hugh G. Jones of Montreal and John M. Lyle of Toronto, is the cavernous ticket hall. Look carefully at the cities inscribed near the roof--Sault Ste. Marie is spelled incorrectly.

The 22 Doric limestone columns outside the main entrance to the station. The entire facade of the building was recently given a deep clean that brought back the original lustre of the stone.

The Royal York Hotel approaching completion on Front St. in the late 1920s. The building, built by the Canadian Pacific Railway, was briefly the tallest in the city.

The Royal York Hotel approaching its final height.

Streetcars on the Bathurst route, which once serviced parts of Front St.

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives (as marked.) All others Toronto Public Library.

Toronto is home to scores of gifted furniture designers turning out carefully-crafted pieces, from the modern to the fantastical, but a new firm appears to have carved itself a clever niche. Launched last fall, Coolican & Company brands itself as the city's first small-batch contemporary furniture outfit

Where most Toronto-based furniture shops would either focus on making one-off custom pieces or larger-scale distribution, founder Peter Coolican writes via email, they believe themselves to be "the only makers in the city whose sole practice is producing limited run, modern, handmade furniture on speculation and available direct to consumer." Basically, it's higher quality than mass-production, but making several in one go - specifically, in editions of 12 - allows for a lower price over custom-built.

What that means for design lovers: Hand-built pieces with clean, gentle lines, made from Ontario-sourced black walnut and topped off with natural finishes. The first piece - the Palmerston stool - is on sale for $490, with 8 of 12 remaining. Check out a video of their workshop below.

There's a fledgling new chain of casual Italian eateries in Ontario and the first Toronto location is now open on Sudbury Street. The new place takes a more is more approach, offering vibrant salads, fresh extruded pastas and crispy-bottomed pizzas each generously dressed with heavy hand.

Read my profile of Levetto in the restaurant section.

Unusual fitness classes in Toronto employ some serious strategies to get their attendees to exercise: anything from former childhood activities (hula-hooping, trampolining), opportunities to get naked, and narcotics are fair game for an out-of-the-ordinary workout. Perhaps you're looking to fulfill a couple New Years resolutions by both working out and being more spontaneous, so here are your two birds, one stone.

Here are my picks for the top unusual fitness classes in Toronto.

Hula hooping
What was once reserved for childhood fun has become a full-blown exercise technique and dance phenomenon. At classes at Sugar Hoops, you can develop your core strength while sculpting the rest of your bod into a dancing machine. Yes, you too can become a busker in Kensington's parks over the summer months or, if you prefer, just burn mega calories while enjoying some nostalgic feels.

Megaformer
Studio Lagree, Toronto's only fitness gym that touts a regime lovingly referred to as "Pilates on crack," introduced the megaformer to the 416 in recent years. The workout involves using a modified Pilates reformer for cardio, strength- and core-building, all of which result in an exceptionally difficult-to-get-through-but-rewarding workout.

TRX
TRX is a suspension workout that relies on the weight of your body to accomplish strength-training, stretching, and endurance exercises. It requires some coordination, given that you're training to depend on ropes and holding your own weight, though you'll leave knowing you had a full-body workout that was worth the time and energy. Check it out at TRX Trainstation.

Suspension yoga
Known as flying yoga to some, suspension yoga uses slings attached to the participant's shoulders, hands, and feet. Each aerial movement requires serious core strength while helping you achieve a number of poses that elongate the spine and engage your muscles. Give it a try at Fly.

Naked yoga
At the appropriately named YogiBare classes, held in the Thompson Hotel and Glad Day Bookshop, Torontonians can strip down to whatever they like (undies only, bare top, nude) for body-happy yoga classes. YogiBare's philosophy fosters a healthy body image for all genders and their offerings encompass everything from yoga for the individual, couples yoga, and sex education.

Ganja yoga
An unsurprising trend: yoga plus pot (but BYOP, sorry). Bloor's The House of Yoga in Koreatown offers ganja yoga classes that include starting off the session with taking tokes in order to become more inhibited in poses and stimulate the parts of the brain that are most receptive to spiritual awakenings. The practice of smoking pot pre-class is optional, however, its influences might leave you feeling more inclined for deeper meditation.

Skyfitness/Skyrobics
Trampoline fitness is another odd phenomenon, where participants repeat standard aerobic moves - stretching and strength-building exercises - except while bouncing up and down on a trampoline. The trampoline is there to up the ante on each workout and guarantee that you have fun (obviously). Check out Skyzone for more details.

Twerkout
Yes, twerking is officially an exercise routine. At Flirty Girl Fitness, Nicki Minaj wannabes can thrust their junk in this booty-toning workout, designed to teach beginners the ins-and-outs of twerking it out while they work out.

Tabata
If you're looking for another high-intensity workout, Ferris360 at Yonge and Davisville offers Tabata, a.k.a. crazy interval training that follows a particular formula (20 seconds of training, 10 seconds of rest, repeat for allotted time). Most of the workout involves anything from running to tricep dips with weights and plank rows.

Indoor dragon boat
Why should your dragon boat training wind down just because it's prime hypothermia season? At Afterburn Fitness in Scarborough, you can climb into a dragon boat set into an indoor pool for all-year-round rowing practice.

Did I miss anything? Add your suggestions for Toronto's unusual fitness classes in the comments.

Photo of TRX Trainstation by Kat Rizza.

The Kodak lands at Black Creek and Eglinton are about to get a much-needed makeover as Metrolinx's Mount Dennis Station. The site is being redeveloped as an LRT station that will connect the TTC with the Eglinton Crosstown line and GO Transit's Kitchener line. But there's a possibility that even more's in store for the former Kodak grounds.

The sprawling, 48-acre complex has been in a sorry state for almost a decade. For 80 years the Kodak complex was a bustling production hub for photographic film and equipment. But since Kodak Canada filed for bankruptcy in 2012, it's turned into a derelict wasteland in desperate need of redevelopment.

Most of the original complex has been demolished save for, Building #9, the former employee's building on the south end of the site. In the past decade the four-storey concrete building has become a popular location for urban explorers and, ironically, photographers in search of an interesting backdrop.

Metrolinx bought the site from Kodak the same year the company called it quits. Now plans are underway to develop it as the western terminus of the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT as well as a train storage and maintenance facility.

Last year, Refocus our Kodak Lands, a campaign to encourage Metrolinx to include community facilities on the site gained some traction. But it's not yet clear what the final development will look like.

There's a possibility that in addition to Mount Dennis Station the new complex could be used for community development projects.

According to the latest available timetable the work on the Kodak lands will begin in late 2015.

What features would you like to see added to the Kodak lands plan?

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

Photo by Stephen Sokolov in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Photo by John O'Sullivan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Crisscrossed by rivers, ravines, and valleys, the terrain in around Toronto provided challenges for early bridge builders. One of the earliest river crossings was located on the Don River near the Necropolis cemetery. It was called Playter's Bridge and Elizabeth Simcoe, wife of Toronto founding father John Graves Simcoe, sketched it on birch bark in 1794. As far as can be told, it was little more than a tree trunk draped over the water with a simple handrail made out of smaller branches.

In the 120 years after Simcoe sketched wha was possibly the town's first bridge, the Don and Humber rivers and Garrison Creek (a not insubstantial flow that was once navigable by canoe) were all traversed by structures now demolished or, in two cases, almost completely buried.

Here are 5 lost Toronto bridges from Trinity-Bellwoods Park to the Humber River.

Crawford St. bridge over Garrison Creek
Not many people know it's possible to walk over a buried bridge in Trinity-Bellwoods Park. Located just south of Dundas, the Crawford Street Bridge was built in 1915 over the steep-sided ravine of Garrison Creek. Until it was all but erased from the downtown landscape, Garrison flowed southwest through the park to an outlet near Fort York.

With the heavily polluted Garrison Creek channeled into sewers, the ravine in Trinity-Bellwoods Park was filled in the 1960s using material excavated from construction of the Bloor-Danforth subway, much to the disappointment of tobogganers. The bridge was buried up to the road deck and its parapet removed, leaving almost no trace of what lies beneath save for a historical plaque.

Harbord St. bridge over Garrison Creek
Another lost piece of Garrison Creek infrastructure, the Harbord Street Bridge was buried like its neighbour to the south (see above.) Unlike the Crawford Street span, however, pieces of the Harbord bridge are still visible. The northern parapet, shown in the picture, pokes out beside the sidewalk past Bickford Park. The matching wall on the south side of the street has been removed.

The concrete bridge structure still carries the street over the lost ravine, though it's been 85 years since it last saw daylight.

Lawrence Ave. bridge over the Don
Before Lawrence Ave. became a major east-west arterial road, a small metal bridge carried the street's light traffic over the eastern branch of the Don River. Clues to old crossing are still easy to find. A short road called Old Lawrence Ave. descends into the river valley just east of the current bridge. A short walk along a paved footpath leads to a pair of orphaned concrete abutments on either side of the river.

Until construction of the Don Valley Parkway extensively reconfigured the valley landscape in the 1960s, this was the only crossing point for vehicles trying to cross the Don for some distance. The metal portion of the bridge was demolished during construction of the highway cloverleaf.

Queen St. bridge over the Don
There have been a total of three bridges over the Don River on Queen St. The first, a simple wood structure, was replaced by an ornate iron bridge in the 1800s. At the time, Queen St. crossed the Don from within in the valley, requiring a level crossing with the rail tracks at the western end. The second bridge (pictured) carried streetcar, auto, and pedestrian traffic and was distinguished by light standards at each corner.

In 1910, the second bridge was replaced by the high-level structure in use today. The steelwork was supplied by the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company of Darlington, England, the same company that built the Quebec Bridge over the St. Lawrence River, the Victoria Falls Railway Bridge over the Zambezi River between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Dundas St. bridge over the Humber
Numerous bridges carried Old Dundas St. across the Humber River at Lambton Mills. The most recent one was built in 1907 to designs by noted engineer Frank Barber on top of abutments that had been in place since 1880. The metal truss was removed in 1955 following Hurricane Hazel, though road traffic had already been diverted to the current a high-level concrete bridge to the north.

Only the supports at either side of the bridge remain. Both are visible from Old Dundas St. A flood control weir has since been constructed roughly where the structure was located. A little further upstream, another set of concrete abutments mark the old site of another lost Humber bridge, this one used by the Guelph Radial Line--a lost electric railway between Guelph and Toronto.

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives (as marked,) and Toronto Public Library, S 1-3076C

Folk music in Toronto is tied to the roots of many family trees. Growing up in a musical household is an expression that naturally applies to all the musicians on Toronto's folk music families. These parents, sons, daughters, siblings, nieces, and nephews have all inspired each other and been a part of Canadian folk history past and present - the Junos may want to take note here and add a Best Family Performance/Album to their awards.

Here are my picks for the top blood-related Toronto folk families.

The Whiteleys
Prolific can be used to describe any of the Whiteley family. Brothers Chris and Ken perform separately and as the Whiteley Brothers. Since 1965 and contributed to over 100 recordings, and played over 100 festival dates. Dan Whiteley (Chris' son) is a recognized mandolin musician. Jenny Whiteley (Chris' daughter / Dan's Brother) is a multiple Juno award winner and has performed with Dan with the musician Raffi. Ben Whiteley (Ken's son) plays double bass with Ken Whiteley and the Beulah Band, New Country Rehab, Basia Bulat, and the Good Lovelies.

The Good Family
The country-folk-bluegrass band The Good Family starts with brothers Bruce and Larry Good. They are two thirds of the Goods Brothers (Brian, twin of Bruce is the other). Add in Travis and Dallas Good both members of the Sadies. Also add Margaret Good (Bruce's wife and mother of Travis and Dallas). From there, add D'arcy Good (niece and cousin). Also, Sean Dean and Mike Belitsky (from the Sadies). Their album "The Good Family Album" sounds pretty good.

The Cashs
Peter Cash was an original member of the Skydiggers from 1987-1996, appearing on his brother's Andrew's Acoustic Meltdown show at the Spadina Hotel. The Skydiggers were often Andrew's backing band, though never writing together. Andrew was part of L'Etranger and Ursula. Both brothers eventually left their bands and in 1996 formed The Cash Brothers. Andrew currently is a NDP MP for the Davenport riding. Sam Cash (Andrew's son) fronts the roots-rock band Sam Cash & the Romantic dogs.

The Titcombs
Brent Titcomb's career goes back to 1965 when he was in the the folk-rock group 3's A Crowd before moving to Toronto. His 50 year career includes showcases at folk festivals, his own CBC show, and joining the band Lee Harvey Osmond. Liam Titcomb (son of Brent) was playing ukulele on stage at the age of 2. By 15 he was signed to Sony, and now at 23 he's an accomplished multi-instrumentalist signed to Nettwerk.

The Woodheads
David Woodhead is known for his fretless bass playing in concert, in studio, and throughout folk festivals. Indie-rock fans will remember brothers Airick and Daniel Woodhead (David's sons) from the band Spiral Beach and their Drake Hotel residency. Both play in Montreal's Doldroms. Daniel is also in the Toronto electro-folk-pop duo Moon King with Maddy Wilde (of Spiral Beach).

The Mills
It was Mitch Podolak who gave CBC producer Paul Mills the stage name "Curly Boy Stubbs" in 1974. Paul Mills currently operates the Millstream recording studio in Toronto, and plays in the Crabtree & Mills duo. Trevor Mills (Paul's son) is an accomplished musician who has relocated from Toronto to Barrie.

The Grays
Jerry Gray has had a 60-year music career. He was a founding member of the folk group the Travellers in 1953. The band became recognized for their Canadianized version of "This Land is Your Land." James Gray (Jerry's son) was best known for being the keyboardist for Blue Rodeo from 1992-2005. He passed away in 2013. Jerry and James had also played together at times in the band Jerry Gray and the Travellers in 2011.

The Timmins
Siblings Margo, Michael, and Peter make up 3/4 of Cowboy Junkies. Their first album was recorded appropriately enough in the family garage (Whites Off Earth Now!! 1986). They became internationally known for their mix of country, folk, and blues, as well as their cover of Sweet Jane (on The Trinity Session, 1988).

The Grunskys
Jack Grunsky's career dates back to 1966 when he was in the folk group Jack's Angels, in Vienna. He returned to Canada in the 70's and in the 80's began his long career in children's folk music. Jack has won two Junos for best children's album. His daughter Cosima Grunsky is a solo folk singer with three adult albums and three children's albums. Jack and Cosima often perform together.

The Celias
David Celia was a member of the bands Tarnished Gallahad and Roundhouse, before his solo career in 2002. Since then he's become known as an "astonishing" guitar player, and alt-folk songwriter. Brother Mike Celia has been called a "late bloomer" before his first show in 2005. His 2014 CD Falling Backwards is a mix of r&b, folk, roots, and blues.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for top folk related families in the comments.

Photo of Cowboy Junkies by Chris Buck

Free events in Toronto this week give you plenty of options even if you're too busy rushing off to work to take in the free art festival at Union Station. Villa itself, along with Design Offsite Festival, will dot Toronto will free art, performance, and design happenings, while Wavelength is starting their festival early with a pop up photo show, free music, and more. Add that to events for lovers of motown music and cult films, but not both at the same time, which is too bad, but we're broke so we won't complain.

Here are seven ways to have fun for free this week packaged as five, because you deserve a deal.

1. Villa Toronto (January 16-23, Union Station)
Over 20 galleries have taken over Union Station this week for a major contemporary art festival. Free events and parties will take place on site and around Toronto, where you'll see predictable sillyness like this kale-focused exhibit, but from stalls to screenings, most programming looks fascinating. Check out our full preview here.

2, Toronto Design Offsite Festival (January 19-25)
Each winter, design installations and unusual prototypes get rolled into public spaces for the Toronto Design Offsite Festival. Come Up to My Room at the Gladstone is not free, but many events are. Hit up the opening party at SMASH, check out our preview here, and learn more on their website.

3. Wavelength Pop-Up Gallery (Jan 22-Feb 15, Huntclub)
Wavelength Fest isn't until February, but their pop up gallery show at Huntclub opens up this weekend with a free opening party featuring Petra Glynt and Zoo Owl. Art, talks, parties, and shows will continue for weeks: the free Toronto Music Moment panel will be hosted on Saturday (full disclosure, I'll be on that causing trouble)

4. Motown Party on Ice (January 24, Harbourfront Centre)
Toronto's soul party has traveled around the world, and it's back home at the Harbourfront. Sean Caff Steve Rock and DJ Misty will play your favourite motown tracks at the dancefloor / rink.

5. Video Vengeance (January 25, KITCH Bar)
This free VHS cult screening series is back with Slumber Party Massacre, Rita Mae Brown's feminist spoof on slasher flix. Wear your coat over your PJs ps you'll regret it.

BONUS

6. Movie Night at the Garrison (January 21, The Garrison)
The Garrison wants to warm you up on Wednesdays this month with free cult movie screenings, drink specials, and snacks. Mexi-style popcorn is 3 bucks - $1 per person if you split it with three handy pals.

7. Good Enough Live Karaoke (Thursdays in January, The Garrison)
Is your singing voice sometimes meh, sometimes great, but mostly just good enough? Good Enough's live karaoke band will be at the Garrison every Thursday this month, and admission is free. Sing your heart out with a live, Buck-65-approved backup band January 15, 22 and 29.

Also check out these regular free events

Elvis Mondays (Mondays, The Drake)
Toronto's longest running indie showcase, William New's free show has put thousands of bands on stage. It's at the Drake Underground every Monday.

Free Nights at the Horseshoe (Monday/Tuesday, The Horseshoe)
The Legendary Horseshoe has a storied history, and hosts free indie rock shows in the early week with Shoeless Mondays and Dave Bookman's Nu Music Night on Tuesdays.

Free Evening (Wednesday, AGO)
The Art Gallery of Ontario's free evening runs from 6-8:30pm. It can be a little crowded, but sometimes the people watching is as good as the art (sometimes).

CINSSU's Free Friday Films (Fridays)
Though the Innis Town Hall is still under construction, you can follow the Cinema Studies Student Union for reliable Friday night movies and solid picks at Isabel Bader Theatre and/or Alumni Hall 100.

Canadian Opera Company (Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre)
September through to early June, catch free classical shows at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts "most Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon, and some Wednesdays at noon or 5:30 p.m."

MOCCA (Monday - Sunday)
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.

Have a free event you'd like to plug? Submit it using this form.

Photo of Petra Glynt by Jeff Karpala

Toronto's newest downtown hotel opened just before the holidays and is considered by many as one of the best new buildings to open in Toronto in 2014. But what's it like to spend the night there?

Read my review of the new Delta Toronto in the hotels section.

Live theatre venues in Toronto are sprouting up in unexpected nooks and crannies. With some of the city's most innovative projects being staged in converted storefronts, basements, and historic houses.

As the city's theatre scene grows with the development of spaces like The Theatre Centre, and festivals like SummerWork's Progress hitting the scene, more independent companies are establishing roots in Toronto. Many of these companies are connecting with audiences in small-unexpected neighbourhood spaces.

Here are my picks for the top under-the-radar live theatre venues in Toronto.

Storefront Theatre - 955 Bloor St. W.
This former drugstore-turned-performance space in Bloorcourt Village, is home to the Red One Theatre Collective. The space has become a hub for original programming including world premieres, live game shows, one-act festivals, even a roller disco. Look out for their innovative programs like Sing For Your Supper a cold reading series of new Canadian works.

Videofag - 187 Augusta Ave.
Videofag is a converted barbershop in Kensington Market that specializes in out-of-the-box cinema and live-art productions. Expect unconventional performances like drag queen, Pearle Harbour's quirky variety shows featuring comedians, burlesque dancers and more.

Sidemart Theatrical Grocery - 1362 Queen St. E.
This award-winning indie theatre company run by a group of Montreal transplants is housed in a former H&R Block on Queen Street East near Greenwood in Leslieville. The boutique storefront has been used as an intimate stage putting audiences smack in the centre of the action. No need for glasses, from these seats, you can almost feel the actors' breath on your face.

Aki Studio Theatre - 250-585 Dundas St. E.
Aki Studio Theatre is the home of the Native Earth Performance Centre, Canada's oldest professional Indigenous theatre company. The 120-seat black box theatre is part of the Daniels Spectrum arts and cultural centre in Regent Park. This is the place to see some of the best Indigenous, multicultural, and independent theatre in town including fu-Gen, Cahoots, and Obsidian.

The Coal Mine Theatre - 798 Danforth Ave.
The Coal Mine, is Danforth's newest storefront theatre venue located below a Magic Oven just east of Pape. With only 65 seats in the round, the basement space is ideal for small productions that break the divide between the audience and stage. This past season the space was home to Bob Kills Theatre's acclaimed indie show The Motherf**ker With the Hat, a favourite for a Dora Award.

The Theatre Machine - 376 Dufferin St.
The Theatre Machine is Parkdale's premier underground performance venue and home of The Unit 102 Actors Company and Sterling Studio Theatre. Currently the theatre is staging a limited run of Riel Paley's dark comedy Antiman. The show is about the life of Sky Matthew Riel Paley who was uprooted from Canada to the Caribbean as a baby.

Wynchwood Barns - 76 Wychwood Ave.
This historic TTC streetcar repair barns, in Toronto's St. Clair and Christie neighbourhood has been transformed into the Artscape Wychwood Barns. The 60,000 sq. ft. community centre brings together various arts and community organizations under one roof. Storytelling Toronto and Theatre Direct Canada both operate out of this space, offering family friendly, community-minded shows.

Aluna Theatre - 1 Wiltshire Ave. Unit 124
Aluna's Studio is a quaint 750 sq. foot studio in Carleton Village near Dupont and Lansdowne Ave. The company has a mission to address the misrepresentation and under-representation of cultural diversity on Canadian stages. Expect to see translated works and pieces based on international partnerships at this venue.

Fraser Studios - 76 Stafford St. Unit 101
Fraser Studios, now in the Trinity Bellwoods area, includes a numbers of small studio rooms, as well as a 50-person theatre showcasing indie theatre and screenings. Look for the Fraser Studios 2015 Indie theatre season kickoff party on Jan. 27 featuring Spiel Players, Rarely Pure, Fraser Players, and Cue6.

Red Sandcastle Theatre - 922 Queen St. E.
Red Sandcastle Theatre, in the heart of Leslieville, is a far cry from your traditional theatre. This converted vintage-looking storefront is home to community theatre projects and family-friendly summer camps.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for the top under-the-radar live theater venues in Toronto in the comments.

Follow Sima Sahar Zerehi on Twitter @SimaSaharZerehi. Photo of Bad Dog by Jesse Milns.

Toronto mapmaking wizard Willian Davis is back at it with a new series that offers a different way of looking at Toronto than via our typical ward or neighbourhood boundaries. Using hexagonal points to represent geographic distribution, the maps plot urban elements like addresses, TTC stops, schools, and parkland.

They're slick-looking from a design standpoint, but the holistic approach here might also prove a useful way to examine demographics and to plot out statistics without confining information to territories or boundaries. These maps only hint at such a possibility, but they're also fascinating in their own right if only because even the distribution patterns can be surprising.

The northerly hubs of TTC stops at top centre for one, but also the way in which our ravine system reduces the concentration of buildings/addresses across the city). Have a look at the maps, and let us know what interesting bits of information you spot.

Looks like Vita Sociale is Toronto's first high profile restaurant closure of the year. The remade Centro, with a more accessible menu and casual vibe, was shuttered earlier this month. A Landlord's Distress Warrant posted to the door and dated January 9th claims $348,964 in rent past due and immediate seizure of the property.

As of the time of this post there's been no update from owner Armando Mano. Their Twitter has been silent since mid-December and their Facebook page has been deleted.

Are you surprised about the shutdown? Will you miss Vita Sociale?

Photo by Libby Roach.

It looks like Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam's fear that iconic menswear store Stollerys would be hastily demolished was justified. According to multiple photos posted to social media this afternoon, workers have begun the process of knocking down the more than 80-year-old building ahead of an attempt to have it preserved.

It must be said, it's not clear at this stage what exactly the workers are doing, though photos show men in cherry pickers knocking out sections of wall along Bloor St. with metal bars, removing windows, and taking down awning that skirted the ground floor.

Cllr. Wong-Tam was concerned Stollerys and many of the surrounding buildings could be cleared and the site left vacant for several years due to a loophole in the provincial building code that allows the owners of commercial buildings to raze their properties practically at will.

No plan for redeveloping the site has been filed with the city.

The upscale menswear store opened at Yonge and Bloor 114 years ago, making it one of the city's oldest continually operating businesses. The store and other nearby buildings were bought last year by Mizrahi Developments, which, according to a Toronto Star interview with the owner, is planning to build a 75-storey condo tower called "The One" on the site.

A motion was passed at the last meeting of Toronto and East York Community Council asking the city's heritage staff to study the building with an view to having it protected.

Right now, it looks like they wont get the chance.

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

Lead image: Stephan Petar