Photo by Francisco Silva in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The top kids furniture stores in Toronto offer innovative and stylish options for the little humans in your life. With special consideration given to durability and practicality, these retailers carry an array of options that remain child-friendly without sacrificing aesthetics.

Here are my picks for the top kids furniture stores in Toronto.

Ella+Elliot
The high-end store beloved by parents with an eye for modern design is on the pricey side, but hard to resist. Your tot probably doesn't need a $500 high chair, but it sure is pretty!

Pottery Barn Kids
Carrying their own exclusive line, Pottery Barn Kids offers good quality furniture in classic styles. Their selection of kids seating is especially fun and they offer personalization on select pieces including the popular Anywhere Chairs.

Moms to be...and More
With super friendly and knowledgeable staff, the always-busy Leaside store carries a well-curated selection of top brands. Their furniture lines balance style and quality at a reasonable price point.

Ikea
With options from simple, to modern, to classic, to fun, Ikea is a go-to for many parents looking to furnish on a budget. Their extendable beds - that grow as your child does - means your little one will have a bed that fits, from toddler to teen.

BB Buggy
BB Buggy carries stylish and innovative lines like Oeuf and Stokke. While some say the customer service is lacking, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better selection of quality kids gear downtown.

Li'l Niblets
The north Toronto shop carries two high quality furniture brands: Natart, made in Quebec, and Newport Cottages, out of California. Both are made-to-order with Newport offering 40 different finishes - anything from hot pink to royal blue, even gold!

Gautier
Designed and manufactured in France, the high-quality and eco-friendly furniture at Gauthier is made for small spaces. One of their top sellers is the Compact bed, which is essentially a bedroom in one: bed, dresser, additional storage, and play nook.

Advice from a Caterpillar
The high-end boutique - where you can get a 3D swim suit from Stella McCartney Kids, complete with 3D glasses! - carries a handful of select pieces. If you're thinking about kids-sized Tolix chair or a crib from Danish line Leander, add this Summerhill shop to your visit list.

The Bunk House
Formerly located on Avenue Road and now on Tycos Drive, the Bunk House has been in business for over 50 years and is an institution of sorts in north Toronto. Whether traditional or modern, their bunk beds are high-quality and wonderfully functional: stairs that double as drawers, a pullout trundle bed for sleepovers, or bunks that un-stack into two singles.

Mother Hubbards
Canadian company Mother Hubbard's manufactures and sells their own line of bedroom sets from one location. With a selection of colours and hardware to choose from, you can by a whole collection or mix and match pieces as your family grows.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for kids furniture stores in the comments.

Photo by Ella+Elliott via Facebook.

Cities like Toronto love to make friends. The idea of sister cities began in Europe after the second world war as a way to repair the relationships shattered by the conflict. People from twinned towns were encouraged to contact each other, meet, and learn about each other.

These days cities link up for more mundane reasons: usually to boost economic interests. It's for that reason Toronto has various twin cities, some under the heading "partnership" and others as "friendship."

Toronto has entered into "friendship" agreements with five cities: Ho Chi Minh City, Kiev, Warsaw, Quito in Ecuador, and Sagamihara in Japan. Unlike partnerships, these relationships are initiated by members of the community and endorsed by city council. Toronto's friendship with Warsaw dates back to 1990. Sagamihara and Kiev were added in 1991 and Quito and Ho Chi Minh City in 2006.

Not all friendships last. Partnerships and twinning agreements between Toronto and Amsterdam, Barcelona, New York City, Indianapolis, Sao Paulo, the Greek city of Thessaloniki, and Volgograd in Russia have lapsed over the last 30 years.

Interestingly, our city's relationship with Indianapolis used to involve an annual sporting event called the Peace Games. First held in 1973, amateur athletes would travel between the cities each year and billet with local families. The event ended in 2004.

Here's a look at the current roster of Toronto "partnership" cities.

Chongqing, China
Toronto's longest standing partnership is with Chongqing (previously Chungking) in China. Mayor Art Eggleton signed an formal accord between the two cities on March 27, 1986 as part of an official visit by Toronto businessmen and government officials.

With Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Tianjin, it's one of China's National Central Cities and home to more than 31.4 million people, that's more than 10 times Toronto's population.

Chongqing doesn't look much like Toronto. Located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, Chongqing is a major industrial and tourism centre. Asia's largest aluminum plant and the 200 km Three Gorges national park are located there.

The area's massive collection of 7th century religious rock carvings is a designated World Heritage Site. Around the same time Toronto formalized its partnership with Chongqing, Ontario signed a similar agreement with the Chinese province of Jiangsu.

Frankfurt, Germany
Also initiated under Mayor Art Eggleton, Toronto's "economic and friendship" partnership with Frankfurt was formalized shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The historic German and European financial centre is home to the headquarters of the European Central Bank and a strange CN Tower-like structure called the Europaturm. Like Toronto, Frankfurt has an extensive tram network.

Frankfurt is also home to one of the world's largest railway stations (Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof), airports, and highway interchanges (Frankfurter Kreuz) in the world. Currently, the city is the only one in Europe to be partnered with Toronto. An early partnership with Amsterdam has since been dissolved and Lisbon was rejected as a possible candidate in 2006.

Chicago, USA
America's second and Canada's number one city have been friends and rivals for years. The official relationship was forged on July 19, 1991 under, you guessed it, Mayor Art Eggleton. At the signing ceremony, Eggleton said the deal was "the most noteworthy exchange between Chicago and Toronto since George Bell joined the Cubs."

The arrangement was proposed by Chicago mayor Richard Daley because, as he suggested, the two cities are both internationally recognized cultural, commercial, and transportation hubs on the shores of the Great Lakes. In 1991 Globe and Mail columnist Robert MacLeod reported the starkly different crime stats.

That year, the homicide rate in Chicago was 24.8 per 100,000 residents versus 2.7 in Toronto. In 2013, Toronto officially surpassed its American sister in terms of population.

Milan, Italy
Toronto's newest twin city, added in 2003, is another major European centre. It's also a major design and fashion capital, home to the Italian stock exchange (the Borsa Italiana) and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the world's oldest shopping mall. It was completed in 1887, 102 years before the Eaton Centre.

The deal was signed by Mel Lastman on June 30, 2003, as part of a week long junket organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce. Speaking at the time, Councillor Doug Holyday said he supported closer ties with the city, but criticized the cost of the trip. "[City officials have] taken several trips to Europe and Asia over the past six years, and I've seen very few benefits."

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

Rita Heine, Kiefer, Christopher, Roberto Taddeo/Flickr Creative Commons.

Franchise opportunities in Toronto are filled with homegrown success stories, including local restaurants intent on mass expansions. For would-be entrepreneurs looking for turn-key concepts with proven track records (as well as, some mighty ambitious noobs), here are my picks for 10 of Toronto's newest restaurant chains that are accepting inquiries from potential franchise owners.

Gourmet Gringos
What began as a taco truck has blossomed into a thriving brick and mortar business with five locations including one Bathurst at St. Clair, one in the Beaches, and another in Aurora. Franchise opportunities are available for would-be restaurateurs looking to open express concepts and fast casual eateries with seating.

San Francesco Foods
The stalwart on Clinton and CNE vendor has been in business since 1954, but has recently made strides to expand with recently launched outposts on Queen West, one in Bradford and another coming soon to Barrie.

The Chickery
The fast food chicken shop founded in part by David Adjey has aggressive plans for expansion with five new locations coming to the downtown and international outposts set to open in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Famous Laffa
The Middle Eastern takeout counter currently boasts one corporate location and is on the cusp of opening its first franchised location. Best known for its taboon baked flatbreads, kebobs and falafels is looking to open additional locations across the GTA.

Me Va Me
Another home-grown Middle Eastern eatery specializing in taboon-baked laffa stuffed with shawarma or mixed meats. Me Va Me already boasts multiple locations in Thornhill, as well as recently opened express concepts downtown, in North York and soon-to-open in Markham.

Taccorito
The Mexican eatery is in the process of opening its first two locations, one on Sherbourne and the other due to open on Church St. this spring. If you're unfazed by this yet-to-be tested taco and burrito concept, then this might just be the right opportunity to get in early.

Levetto
Franchise inquiries are welcome from those looking to join this rapidly grown chain of fast casual Italian eateries. The dust has hardly settled around locations in Liberty Village, Vaughan, Waterloo and Baden, while we'll continue to see Levetto grown in Toronto with a second downtown location in the works in Little Italy.

Big Smoke Burger
This chain of burger outlets started out in 2007 and has already earned recognition as a household name. Ten Ontario locations are already in operation while Big Smoke also boasts international outposts in the States, as well as, one in the Kuwait with more on the way.

Smokes Weinerie
Smoke's may have built its business on poutine, but now the rapidly expanding purveyor is branching out into hot dog territory. The first Toronto Weinerie is already in the works at College and Spadina, while another location is coming to Oshawa and a handful of locations are already operational in Nova Scotia.

b Espresso Bar
The coffee shop celebrated ten years and business in 2014, and the coffee business is booming at two locations in the Queen & Richmond Centre, and in The Royal Conservatory of Music.

Want did I miss? What made-in-Toronto restaurants would you want to franchise?

Photo of Me Va Me Express by Jesse Milns

The top Toronto podcasts are dominated with shows devoted to laughs, Canadiana, films and sex. We're in the age of podcasts with more and more people not only listening but also making their own shows.

Podcasts like Serial, a This American Life spin off, are dominating international charts for the most listened-to programs in history. This list of Toronto podcasts includes an eclectic line-up ranging from shows devoted to our sagging hockey team to those dedicated to chatting about periods.

Here are the top Toronto podcasts as voted by readers of this site.

The Steve Dangle Podcast
The Steve Dangle Podcast is the brainchild of a hockey blogger who can't stop writing and posting about his favourite sport. The die-hard Leafs fan has been making YouTube videos and talking hockey in the blogosphere since 2007. His podcast is an extension of his brand, all hockey, all the time.

Taggard and Torrens radio Show
The Taggart and Torrens podcast, with Jeremy Taggart and Jonathan Torrens promises to throttle you with Canadianity. So if you're in need of a strong dose of Canadiana tune in to hear these affable guys chit chat about Canadian trivia, maple syrup shots, hockey, and favourite Canadian kid shows.

That's How I Remember It
In this podcast the Nice Guys, Michael Mongiardi, Sharjil Rassol, John Richardson, and Raul Delgado, all Toronto-based improv artists, recreate the plots of popular films to the best of their recollection. The episodes are always filled with wacky fun as the guys loosely follow the plot of iconic films like The Wizard of Oz. Expect much laughter to ensue.

Canadaland
Jesse Brown's Canadaland, the podcast that has dominated mainstream news headlines because it helped break the Jian Ghomeshi story, is number four on our list. Brown, who's building his profile as a media-watchdog uses the show as a platform to expose the mainstream media's blunders and shortcomings. Canadaland is essential listening for any news, media or political junkie.

Sex & The Single Parent
Sex and the Single Parent is a podcast about the struggles and rewards of being a single parent. Precious Chong and Melissa Story - two single moms and comedians - share their irreverent take on topics like the stigma of having multiple kids with different fathers to why having a family can be the best muse a comedian can have. The show also features interviews with other comedians, musicians and personalities who happen to be single parents.

The Dew Over
The Dew Over is a podcast that wants to right the wrongs of movie and pop culture history. Jamie Dew hosts the show, and rounds up his friends and colleagues to talk about creating a new canon of movies by reviewing the winners and losers of past Academy Awards. This is the podcast for anyone who wants to geek out on cinema history.

ReHash
ReHash is a show where comedians talk about why they tweet, when they tweet, where they tweet and how drunk they were when they tweeted that thing you saw. The host is comedian Matt O'Brien who riffs about his week on social media from the latest Instagram pics to posts on Facebook.

See You Next Wednesday
See You Next Wednesday is a film and pop culture podcast hosted by Greg LeGros, Casey Lyons and Dan Gorman. The comedic show jokes around about the latest hits to hit theatres every Wednesday just in time to prepare you for your weekly film needs.

The Crimson Wave
The Crimson Wave is a podcast hosted by a kick-ass female comedy duo that's dedicated to one of the most cringe-worthy topics for male chauvinists, menstruation. This weekly podcast hosted by feminist besties Natalie Norman and Jess Beaulieu is dedicated exclusively to stories and conversations about a woman's period. If you ever wanted to know how to get your red-wings this is the show for you.

Dungeons and Dragons Under the Influence
As the name suggests, this is a podcast about the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons. The concept is simple, a bunch of guys play the game while getting drunk. The popularity of the show is proof that if you do something you love, like minded geeks will find you.

What's missing from the list? Add your favourite Toronto podcasts to the comments.

Follow Sima Sahar Zerehi on Twitter @SimaSaharZerehi.

This weekend brings the return of The Artist Project, a contemporary art fair that allows artists to sell their work directly to visitors without a gallery or agent middlemen. While in theory the idea seems great for individual artists, be aware that the size of the fair means that there's plenty of forgettable work alongside the gems on display.

A notable exception to this is the Untapped Emerging Artists section, which is a smaller juried competition that features some of the fair's best work. The massive fair can make you feel like you're lost in an Ikea marketplace, but if you wade through the high heeled traffic, there's lots to engage with here.

These are my picks for 5 artists not to miss at this year's Artist Project.

Colleen McCarten
Head down to the "Untapped Emerging Artists" section and you will find these beautiful subtle plays on texture, structure, and shadow by Colleen McCarten (booth U-18). Using fabric and neatly woven into paper with a bit of paint, she creates these monochromatic op-art inspired pieces that have this feeling of brooding folk mysticism.

Dainesha Nugent-Palache
Dainesha Nugent-Palache's staged portraits (U-7) in urban living situations feel like snapshots of a deadpan woman lost in a dystopian Toronto. She exaggerates certain stereotypical representations of femininity that seems to be a friendly nod to Renee Cox's feminist work but with less anger and more pastiche.

Megahan Farbridge
Meghan Farbridge's small, delicate drawings and watercolours (426) have this sweet, teen-dreamy feel complete with innocence and a slight psychedelia. A current ESA student, she is still very young but shows a lot of potential at this early point in her creative development. The colourful "Dream of Tongues" was one of my highlights from the entire fair.

Peter Chan
Peter Chan's (418) misty, meditative paintings feel like long, friendly hugs in oil paint. Inspired by Bernini's sculpture Ecstasy of St Teresa, the faces or figures with hands around them that he paints feel intimate but not invasive. The execution and colour scheme he uses have an eerie glow to them that reminds a bit of Kris Knight, but feels more naïve in a good way.

George Boyer
With so much over-stylized, glossy, uber varnished works at the fair, it was a breath of fresh air to see George Boyer's (134) relaxed, contemplative landscapes. Not every artist needs to be avant-garde, and his work definitely feels familiar, but it remains intriguing. His "Vista Dome," taken while on the Trans Canada Railway, feels nostalgic without being overdone -- think Canadian-realism without the cheesy cottage feel.

The Artist Project runs from Feb 19-22 at the Better Living Centre at the Exhibition place. For more information go to theartistproject.com

Correction: An earlier version of this post implied that the Artist Project is not a juried art fair when in fact it is. The erroneous copy has been updated.

Writing by Irene Dongas / Photos by Natta Summerky

The lead image features Hoda Zarbaf's "Vaginal Rapture"

Recently opened in the space previously occupied by Lady Toronto Exclusives on Roncesvalles, this shop offers a range of elevated sports apparel meant to bridge the gap between athletic wear and casual attire. You'll also find yoga mats and natural health and beauty products.

Read my review of Ardith in the fashion section.

The best bridesmaids dresses in Toronto are found in a variety of stores, many of which do not specialize exclusively in traditional bridesmaids gowns. From famous Canadian designers like Kimberley Newport-Mimran and her Pink Tartan brand, to smaller custom shops like Champagne and Cupcakes, Toronto provides bridal parties with a broad and varied selection of places to shop for evening wear.

Here are the best stores for bridesmaid dresses in Toronto.

See also:The best bridal stores in Toronto

Grabb and Hangry are two Toronto apps that let you pre-order and pay from restaurants. The apps are designed with the busy and urban dweller in mind, the kind of person that wants to grab their food quickly without wasting any time in lines or for the kitchen to prepare their order.

Let's take a closer look.

Grabb
Grabb allows you to pre-order as well as pre-pay for meals. The app is easy to use, you choose your restaurant, browse the menu, order and pay. The app also gives you real-time updates to let you know when your order has been received by the restaurant and is ready for pick up.

Currently Grabb allows you to order from only 14 Toronto restaurants including a number of Hero Certified Burgers locations, Market Street Catch and Fresh Off The Boat.

Hangry
Hangry is another app that allows you to click, order and pay for your take-out orders. Like Grabb the app allows you to select a restaurant from a list, or from a map, order off the provided menu and pay. Currently Hangry is partnered with 19 restaurants including The One That Got Away, California Sandwiches and Ben and Izzy's Deli. However, a few of their listed restaurants are marked as coming soon.

Both Grabb and Hangry are similar and as relatively new apps offer a small selection of restaurants to choose from. However, Hangry has a few additional features lacking in Grabb. As a repeat customer with Hangry you can use the apps reordering feature that allows you to get your last order with a few quick clicks. Hangry also allows customers to fully customize their order, a feature that doesn't appear to be available on Grabb.

One feature only available on Grabb is the listing of each restaurant's expected wait times. This is a handy tool for busy customers who can pick a place based on the fastest service.

Which app gets to become Toronto's go-to take-out food tool will likely be determined by which startup succeeds in partnering up with the best and largest number of restaurants.

Have you used either Hangry or Grabb yet? Let us know what you think of these apps in the comments.

Follow Sima Sahar Zerehi on Twitter @SimaSaharZerehi.

Finally Toronto gets a dog hotel fit for the most pampered of pooches. Urbandog, a fitness and spa facility for your pet, is opening a second location this March designed to be a concept resort for dogs.

Park9, located just minutes from Pearson airport, offers resort style boarding for dogs. Your best friend will spend his or her vacation in loft style accommodations with an indoor pool and playgrounds, and an outdoor splash park.

This is not the kind of place that crates Fido. Pet parents get their choice of having their dog sleep in a shared lounge or in a private room. For around $200-a-night your furry companion can even stay in a poolside suite.

In addition to the outdoor pool, which is chemical-free, the 14,000-square-foot facility includes a playground, elevated orthopedic beds, filtered water, aromatherapy, and spa treatments. Yup, your dog will get better care than most people.

Oh and no need to install your own nanny-cam, the facility offers live webcams so you can keep track of your pet from afar. The live feeds can be accessed from your computer or mobile phone from 8am to 4pm every day of the week.

If the facility seems too nice to pass up, but you're not scheduled to take a trip, you can always book your pet for their playcare service. Your dog can be dropped off for the day while you work or run errands, like get a manicure or buy a yacht.

Cat lovers need not fear, a separate wing is also available for cats.

Photo by g026r in the blogTO Flickr pool.

What do you get when you marry Chinese and French baking techniques? As it happens, interesting takes on macarons, cupcakes, and milk bottles. If the rising popularity of this bakery is any indication, this is a match made in heaven.

Read my review of Sweet Note Desserts in the bakeries section.

On November 13, 1919, a couple of hundred protesters gathered on the steps of City Hall to air their discontent with the city's compulsory vaccination program. Since 1914, Toronto had been allowed by the province to vaccinate school children against smallpox in the event of an outbreak, with or without the permission of parents.

The organizers of the rally, the Toronto branch of the Anti-Vaccination League, had been active for at least 20 years prior to the event. Their notices first appeared in the classified sections of newspapers alongside ads for "pretty, wealthy Canadian girls" looking for husbands and gypsy astrologists.

Some notices advocated for homeopathic vaccinations. "Homeopathic practice is admitted to be very efficient in curing every form of disease, while their medicines are the antithesis of the crude drugs used by [then-Toronto Medical Officer of Health] Dr. Sheard and co.," a reader wrote to the editor of the Toronto Daily Star in October, 1901.

The smallpox vaccine was first developed in the late 16th century by English doctor Edward Jenner. In 1796, the rural physician tested reports that dairy workers had become immune to smallpox after suffering from cowpox, a similar but considerably less lethal disease. By injecting humans with live cowpox, Jenner was able to trigger an immune response that protected the patient against smallpox, one of the great killers of the time.

Jenner also coined the term vaccine from the Latin word "vacca" for cow.

In the early 1900s, the Anti-Vaccination League stoked fear of immunization by conjuring images of unsanitary animals and horrific side effects. One mother claimed her blind son, who was told by doctors he might recover, had had his hopes dashed following immunization.

In 1919, shortly after the end of the first world war, the anti-vaccination movement returned to the scene following an epidemic of smallpox that resulted in 2,800 infections. As a result, Dr. Charles Sheard, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health that year, ordered children receive compulsory shots, much to the League's disgust.

"Vaccination is simply the old scientific absurdity of using disease to fight disease," J. W. Nimmo from the League told a meeting in Earlscourt. Dr. Henry Becker, a prominent homeopathic doctor, claimed vaccines were "made from the grease taken from the heels of horses, from swine pox, and even from dead bodies." This was untrue,Toronto's vaccines were produced at Connaught Laboratories near Steeles and Dufferin from specially kept cows.

Among the most prominent opponents to compulsory vaccination were Mayor Thomas Church and Controller Sam McBride. After being told a similar immunization policy in Germany had still resulted in thousands of smallpox deaths, McBride said it was "a pity they weren't all vaccinated. We should have fought them with vaccine points instead of bayonets."

Dr. Sheard said opposition to compulsory vaccination was "absurd" and "puerile."

Nevertheless, the protestors on the steps of City Hall that November urged aldermen to "stop the slaughter of innocents."

The city eventually acquiesced and ended compulsory vaccination, but not before the 1919 outbreak had been largely contained.

Today, parents are still allowed to opt out of vaccinations.

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives

Free events in Toronto this week include a ton of screenings from documentaries to animated shorts to feature films, because we're all at the point where we need to sit still and pretend we're somewhere far, far away from the blinding frozen tundra our city has become. There will be a chance to check out Toronto's soon-to-be newest venue on Bloor, and then don't miss this free and very important lunchtime seminar from FLAP Canada on Thursday.

Here's how to make it through February without jacuzzi access in Toronto this week.

1. Paris is Burning 25th Anniversary Screening and Panel (February 24, Northrop Frye Hall, Room NF0003 )
The U of T LGBTQ Film Series will host a screening of Paris is Burning on Tuesday to celebrate the birthday of the monumental documentary on the queer scene in NYC of olde from voguing to HIV. A panel will follow.

2. Nordic Nights presents: The Punk Syndrome (February 24, Ryerson University School of Image Arts)
On Tuesday get to know Finnish punk band Pertti Kurikan nimipäivät through this documentary screening. Who? "The members of our band are four middle-aged, mentally handicapped men. The music is, of course, Finnish punk." - Sami Helle, Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät.

3. By Any Means (February 25, Videofag)
In Kensington Market on Wednesday catch By Any Means, a collection of ground breaking animated works by female animators curated by Emily Pelstring and Lesley Marshall. It's PWYC, so avoid the temptation to put frozen coins in your mouth by donating them to the gallery.

4. 4 Day Pop Up Market at D-Beatstro (Feb 26 - March 1, D-Beatstro)
A market can be a lousy place to hang out when you're broke - but this one is special. From Thursday February 26th - Sunday March 1st you can check out D-Beatstro, a new DIY venue and vegan cafe opening soon in the old Bike Pirates space. Read more here.

5. Free movies at TIFF (February 27-28, TIFF)
TIFF can be your cozy hideout this weekend. On Friday, see the world premiere of Patricia Rozema's Women Who Act, and on Saturday see Canadian Screen Awards faves Mommy and Maps to the Stars.

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 (Tuesday - 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.

Paris is Burning has moved from Robarts Library to the Northrop Frye Hall, Room NF0003

Lead image: Paris is Burning

Office rental and coworking spaces in Toronto help small, growing businesses, entrepreneurs and lonely freelancers find a place to get their work done. Laptops, smart phones, wifi, and teleconferencing were supposed to free us from office spaces. No luck.

As a follow up to our previous post on the top shared office space options in Toronto, here's a look at some of the top new coworking spaces and short-term (and fully furnished) office rental options now available in Toronto.

iQ Office Suites
The second iQ Office Suites is located at the corner of Queen and University in the historic Bank of Canada building. Like their first location in the picturesque Dineen building, this is a central location easily accessible by transit. At iQ you can get a private office, a dedicated desk or even a virtual office in addition to access to meeting spaces and coworking and event spaces. As a member you also get special promotions and/or privileges from Cineplex, GoodLife Fitness and Steam Whistle to name a few.

BrightLane
BrightLane has taken up a historic brick and beam building on King West. BrightLane also offers a variety of choices to small businesses and freelancers from a private enclosed office to a dedicated coworking desk. With flexible plans like a month-to-month membership you get access to a variety of meeting rooms, printers and scanners, bike storage, even craft beer and afternoon treats. The space is pet friendly and has a rooftop terrace with BBQ for when winter ends.

East Room
East Room is a boutique style coworking space in Riverside, just down the street from Merchants of Green. The East Room promises a curated membership of like-minded people from arts, tech and design industries. The idea is to create a place that allows you to share ideas or to even collaborate on projects. There are two forms of membership: you can be a resident, or club member. As a resident you get a desk with storage and printing, and unlimited conference room time. As a club member you get no desk and have limited access to conference rooms.

Workhaus
Located across the street from St. Lawrence Market, Workhaus offers Toronto startups the advantage of using its iconic 100 Front St. E. address. In addition to an office, this location offers small businesses access to spaces for hosting corporate events, seminars, shows and social gatherings. Wokhaus also offers the option of virtual office, event space rentals as well as the option of getting a private office, a dedicated desk or a hot desk which means you can have access to their lounge or loft work on a first-come first-serve basis.

The Fueling station
The Fueling station, located in Liberty Village, dubs itself as a service station for entrepreneurs. The founders use their own experience as entrepreneurs as a selling point, promising to share their knowledge, skills and experience with members. This space also offers private office rentals, dedicated desks, shared tables and a virtual office option. With membership you get access to a receptionist, boardrooms, a shared kitchen and rooftop patio.

WorkplaceTO
WorkplaceTO at Bay and Adelaide exudes a corporate vibe with access to a traditional corporate style reception area and offices. With membership you get access to printers, copiers and scanners, refreshments as well as mail and package services. WorkplaceTO also offers support such as helping you connect your computer or devices to their network and equipment.

Workplace One
Workplace One has three Toronto-based locations including this large facility on King St. near Liberty Village. They offer dedicated office space from short to long-term rentals. In addition to the office space you also get access to a copier, printer, scanner and fax services, conference rooms and the full use of the kitchen and coffee bar.

Station 477
Station 477 is a creative studio space that relies on members to run activities, and provide workshops and services. The space is also available for rent during business hours. Located close to Richmond W. and Spadina the space has wifi, and a full kitchen and dining area. They also have a workshop room for rent at an hourly rate.

Riverdale Hub / The Social Gardner
Riverdale Hub is a green workspace founded by a grassroots women's organization, and re-imagined as an environmentally sustainable space that promotes community economic development through social enterprises, transformative art and community-based revitalization projects. They're also connected to The Social Gardener restaurant and cafe. You can get a hot desk, private desk, or a private office. With their hub share membership, you get wifi, office cleaning, reception and admin support, photocopier and fax, and meeting room access. .

Project OWL
Project Spaces has opened a new location called Project OWL on Queen West. Their other space Project RHINO was first opened on King West. Both locations offer office spaces as well as lounges and kitchen spaces, but the OWL has a cafe and even a private shower. Project OWL offers various kinds of membership including a dedicated desk, lounge membership or a virtual office.

What's missing from the list? Add your suggestions for the top new co-working spaces in Toronto to the comments.

Follow Sima Sahar Zerehi on Twitter @SimaSaharZerehi.

The top paint stores in Toronto carry a range of brands, as well as the necessary supplies like brushes, primer, and tarps. Since painting involves both technical aspects - what type of product for which job - as well as artistic ones - what colours work with the space - knowledgeable staff is a must.

Remember to factor in time when budgeting for the project: a cheaper paint usually means having to do several coats, but if you splurge on a more expensive brand, you may be able to save hours of work.

Here are my picks for the top paint stores in Toronto.

Farrow and Ball, 1054 Yonge St.
This old English brand - which is said to adorn the Queen's own walls - has been a long-time favourite of high-end designers and renovators alike. While some question whether the big price tag (approx. $100 per gallon) is worth it, there's no denying they offer a high-quality product with an impressive selection of colours.

Terminal Décor, 1554 Dundas St. West
The family-run interior design store has a solid, no-fuss paint department downstairs. Frequented by local contractors, Benjamin Moore is their top-seller. Ask for Marina, she runs the place and is as experienced as she is friendly, and look out for Lucky, the in-house black cat.

Maple Paints and Wallpaper, 635 St. Clair Avenue West
This Wychwood store carries Para Paints and Benjamin Moore in addition to other less well known brands, as well as wallpaper and paint supplies. The friendly staff are particularly proud of their custom colour match services.

Metro Hardware, 72 Martin Ross Avenue
Frequented by professional house painters in the know, this no frills store often has excellent discounts. With knowledgeable staff and a full-range of related supplies, it's a good place to start if you're budget-conscious and doing a big job.

The Zero Point, 209 Queen St. East
Specializing in eco-friendly building products, The Zero Point attracts customers who are environmentally conscious and/or with chemical sensitivities alike. If you're looking for a high quality yet non-toxic and environmentally sustainable choice, they have a few paint lines to choose from including their top seller AFM Safecoat.

Homestead House, 95 Niagara St.
Home of milk paint, an organic, biodegradable, and zero VOC product that doesn't sacrifice in quality and can be used for virtually any surface. The store is in the process of moving to a new location, opening in Etobicoke this spring, but in the meantime, you can still browse their selection of natural, eco-friendly paints online.

Pro Glo Paints, 943 Queen St. East
Owned and operated by the DeLellis family for 25 years, Pro Glo Paints has three locations across the GTA. They offer full kitchen refinishing services and the Queen E. store is frequented by film and television scene departments.

West Toronto Paint & Wallpaper, 2975 Dundas St. West
The Junction business has been around since 1909 and is currently located in the historic James Hall building at the corner of Dundas and Pacific Avenue. While Benjamin Moore continues to be their top seller, West Toronto Paints also has an expanding collection of wallpaper. They offer in-home consultations and many of their staff have an artistic background.

Paint Store, 107 Baldwin St.
Started in 1929 by an Eastern European immigrant, Paint Store has been family owned for three generations. Selling popular brands like Benjamin Moore, CIL, and Aura, the store has supplied paint for many of the hospitals and hotels in the area. The friendly shop gets much of its business through word of mouth and has many loyal customers, including a few who have been shopping there for 35 years!

Paint Depot, 914 Queen St. East
With 20-odd years at their Leslieville location and a new store on O'Connor, which is popular with tradespeople, Paint Depot looks to carry brands with quality and value rolled into one. They have larger painted canvasses on display allowing you to get a real sense of the colour and texture, rather than trying to work-off a small sample.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for top paint stores in the comments.

The top new restaurants in Chinatown range from popular bar-types spaces serving a mix of Chinese and fusion snacks to bubble teahouses with colourful drinks and cheap eats. These places are injecting new blood and a few new ideas among the old guard in Chinatown.

Here are my picks for the top new restaurants in Chinatown.

People's Eatery
People's Eatery, formerly an unassuming spot in Chinatown, was given a full makeover last year thanks to the folks behind 416 Snack Bar. The bar and kitchen are open till 2 am and, similarly to 416, you get umami-rich snacking, stiff cocktails, and brusque mid-meal seat shuffling.

Stay Cafeteria
First time owners Tao Zhang and Jianing Hu definitely brought something new to Chinatown. Here they showcase playful food with Asian influences, all the time keeping things accessible and affordable. Expect unexpected pairings like Teriyaki eel baked with mozzarella cheese on rice topped with Japanese sea sedge and white sesame ($10).

Anne's Magic Kitchen
While the decor is relatively modern the food is traditional Chinese at Anne's Magic Kitchen on Dundas east of Spadina. Open only a few months, this place is developing a reputation for its well-prepared dishes and generous portions. Try the braised beef noddle soup made with fresh homemade noodles made in house.

Taste of Yunnan
Taste of Yunnan is all about ancient recipes and culinary wisdom from the south-west region of China. Located on Dundas just off Spadina, the perks are definitely the prices with tons of options under $7.

Easy Drink Easy Go
Easy Drink Easy Go is a Taiwanese-based bubble tea joint. This is the second Toronto location of this franchise (the other one is near Yonge and Finch.) In addition to drinks like their signature Hokkaido Milk Tea ($5.20), you can also sample their snack size food items like their South East Asian-style curry beef rice.

What's missing from the list? Add your suggestions for the top new restaurants in Chinatown to the comments.

Photo of Stay Cafeteria by Jesse Milns

Photo by Ryan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto art fans and historians can attend a talk by British artist Giles Round on Bloor. Read all about the Mercer Union event here. Toronto Men's Fashion Week is giving it another go from now until March 3. Could be drama, but I predict beards. Then some sad news for already blue post Pedro emo fans: unfortunately the Toronto David Bazan Living Room Show is already sold out. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Fashion: Toronto Men's Fashion Week (444 Yonge)
• Art: Artist talk: Giles Round (Mercer Union)
• Food: In The Land of Sea And Honey Dinner (Beast)
• Games: Tarantino Trivia (Beaver)
• Comedy: Tough Love Improv (Social Capital Theatre)

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

Lead Image - Mic Carter, L'Uomo Strano

The top home audio stores in Toronto cater to discerning clientele with top brands, knowledgeable staff, and excellent customer service. They know you have golden ears that require the lowest noise-floors and best signal-to-noise ratios money can buy. But, hey, if you'd rather jam a Q-tip into your cochlea, then listen to music from an iPod dock.

Here are my picks for the top home audio stores in Toronto.

Audio Oasis
A Leslieville institution, Audio Oasis not only offers top-quality new and used audio equipment, but they design and manufacture their own renowned line of amplifiers and components, Audio Zone. Known for finding the best solution to suit any budget, they offer friendly advice to neophytes and audiophiles alike.

Planet of Sound
Servicing the west-end of Queen, Planet of Sound maybe one of the friendliest audio-shops in Toronto. They're known for helping their clientele see through the marketing hype and technical specs to make the best purchase to suit their needs and fit their budget.

Bay Bloor Radio
In business for 70 years, Bay Bloor Radio is less a place for true audiophiles, catering instead more to mainstream consumer electronics. They've stayed on top of technological trends, while retaining their family business commitment to excellent customer service.

Audio One
For the less budget-conscious, Audio One offers top-of-the-line speakers, components, and accessories. They'll also do customized installations of home theatre systems, audio-video systems for venues and businesses, and full home-automation systems.

Ring Audio
Classic, vintage stereo gear-heads know their equipment is irreplaceable. Nick and Ted at Ring Audio are the city's experts when it comes to maintenance and repair of your treasured tube-amps, eq's and turntables. They also stock the best in vintage analogue components and accessories.

What's missing from the list? Add your favourite Toronto audio stores to the comments.

Photo of Planet of Sound by Ryan Bolton