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10 upstart fashion brands in Toronto for spring 2015

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fashion brands torontoNew fashion brands in Toronto aren't terribly hard to come by. We're a city made up of creative entrepreneurs in all respects, and while we're most often known for being a destination for food trends, Toronto's name in the fashion and retail scene is constantly growing as more and more new clothing brands emerge onto the scene each year. Keep an eye out at your favourite local boutiques, they're often the best for showcasing Toronto's up-and-coming clothing must haves.

Here are my picks for the top upstart fashion brands in Toronto for 2015.

Iris Denim
The perfect denim pants are no longer a myth now that Iris Denim is around. They craft classic, dark blue denim jeans - inspired by Joan Jett - and are currently available at Silver Falls Vintage on Ossington.

Luxette Lingerie
Female-positive lingerie is a growing trend across North America, and here in Toronto, we have enough boutiques dedicated to undergarments that fostering the growth of local lingerie designers isn't a problem. Luxette Lingerie mixes traditional, modest styles with flirty silhouettes to cater to today's modern woman.

Against the Grain Sunglasses
Against the Grain sunglasses are Toronto's eco-friendly alternative to our beloved $5 sets from Kensington. Each pair is ethically made from 100% bamboo and comes with the reassurance of wearing something that supports the preservation of Canada's forests and wildlife.

Taessa Chorny
Jumpsuits are a necessity for any busy woman's wardrobe, something that Taessa Chorny kept in mind when creating her own fashion label. Her minimalist and youthful designs are made of luscious fabrics that you won't be afraid to live in all year long.

alljackedup
In what appears to be inspired by the gender-neutral clothing trend, alljackedup is redefining gendered dress codes with a line of bowties. The queer-friendly accessories line dresses people and dogs alike in popular prints like plaid, chevron, and polka dot.

Jordan de Ruiter
A graduate from George Brown's fashion design program, Jordan de Ruiter's clothing line is chock full of feminine dresses that are ideal for long summer days spent touring Toronto's neighbourhoods or for that first hint of spring weather. Her designs often use playful silhouettes and varying brightly-coloured and bold patterns.

Leilanni
Leilanni's super-dreamy women's swimwear line, available in varying shapes and sizes, comes with a side of art appreciation. A graduate of OCAD, creative director Leilanni Todd uses prints made by emerging artists around the world in each of her designs. The latest collection includes artwork from RCADE, the Toronto-based artist responsible for designing the signs and lettering for some of the city's most popular bars and restaurants.

Blanc de Noir
Blanc de Noir's accessories exude a kind of edgy minimalism, where basic necessities like scarves, leather bags and shoes are designed to live within the city's harsh landscape. While many of their items are only available in black, they've managed to show that an "all-black, all-the-time" mentality can have personality while being 100% practical. (They're currently Kickstarting their new shoe line.)

Iccha Jewelry
Designer Joti Gill uses a variety of techniques to create her jewelry, which show a unique combination of Indian influences and modern design. Between hand carving, repurposing vintage jewelry, and using digital technology to bring her designs to life, Gill's vision always produces a one-of-a-kind piece.

Halfwits
Since ultra-comfy sporty apparel appears to be sticking around for another season, streetwear clothing has become a serious must for many Torontonians interested in urban fashion. Halfwits is another welcome brand of hip-hop- and skate-inspired threads, created for the sake of looking fresh while still being perfectly low-maintenance.

Did I miss any? Leave your picks for upstart Toronto fashion designers in the comments.

Photo via Leilanni.


The top 10 concerts in Toronto for spring 2015

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toronto concerts spring 2015The top spring concerts in Toronto will bring together a healthy mix of regularly recurring faves and long awaited returns. The impending festival season deluge gives us a ton right off the bat with Canadian Music Week, Field Trip and NXNE to name a few (see our full list of spring festivals here), but even without them, the city's set to bustle with must-see headliners.

Reunion tours for cult favourites continue to be a hot ticket, and this spring we'll see both shoegaze icons Ride and emo pioneers Knapsack offer anticipated returns. In news of bands I thought were doing a reunion tour but have actually just been around this whole time, both The Muffs and Pennywise are also set to visit. Arcade Fire's Win Butler and MCR's Gerard Way will shake off their band identities for local solo debuts.

Pop music fans, look forward to Jessie J and The Script; metalheads, gear up for Big Business and Mitochondrion. If you're looking for a cross between those two genres, that's weird, but Babymetal a) exists and b) are coming, so you're in luck. Speaking of weird, spring's schedule additionally includes curious co-headliners like Fall Out Boy with Wiz Khalifa and Dashboard Confessional with Third Eye Blind (get out the hankies). Also look forward to Constantines, Manic Street Preachers, Saukrates, OK Go and Limblifter (good thing the weather's finally cooperating for all this).

Unfortunately, Iggy Azalea had to cancel her big tour - I know, sad stuff. But wipe your tears, because these 10 upcoming shows will surely help fill that void.

Here are my picks for the top concerts in Toronto this spring.

Shad (March 27, Massey Hall)
The newly anointed host of CBC's Q now has a lot of eyes on him for obvious reasons, so his upcoming show is sure to be an even larger draw than expected. It's is part of Massey Hall's live concert series, which offers cheap tickets and a filmed recording that's later broadcast online.

Belle and Sebastian (April 1, Massey Hall)
Though they chose The Great Hall as the setting for one of their most recent music videos, Belle and Sebastian decided to spend their next foray into town at Massey Hall, this time for a full-fledged concert in honour of new album Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance (yes, Massey will be a popular choice this season; take advantage, since time with the prestigious space is a bit limited).

The Decemberists with Alvvays (March 30, Massey Hall)
The literary folk stylings of The Decemberists are also set to fill the air at - you guessed it - Massey Hall this month, and as a little source of pride, they've handpicked the Toronto-based "it" kids Alvvays to kick off shows across their whole North American tour.

Decibel Tour (April 8, Phoenix)
Metal magazine Decibel returns with its fourth annual tour featuring some of the biggest modern names of the genre. This time 'round, catch the reunited (again) Swedish death metallers At the Gates, hardcore innovators Converge, old-school doom crew Pallbearer, and the crushing riffs of Vallenfyre.

Screaming Females (April 10, Silver Dollar)
New Jersey trio Screaming Females have kind of sneakily become one of the best rock bands around over their decade-long existence, helmed by frontwoman Marissa Paternoste's raucous screams (band name is apt) and mind-blowing guitar solos. This cheapy gig at the Silver Dollar, on the heels of new album Rose Mountain, is a very economical way to get your face melted on a Friday night.

Earl Sweatshirt (April 14, Opera House)
Odd Future member Earl Sweatshirt's had a lot of bad luck with tours, having to cancel past ones due to pneumonia and exhaustion, but it looks like he's mended enough for an extensive upcoming North American/UK jaunt. The "Not Redy 2 Leave" tour brings the rapper to the Opera House with openers Vince Staples and Remy Banks.

Sufjan Stevens (April 29, Massey Hall)
After years of quirky experimentation with electronic collabs and film soundtracking, it appears that Sufjan Stevens is ready to settle back into the folky stuff with new LP Carrie and Lowell. Exciting for fans is another rarity, a sweeping North American tour where his theatrical performance style and swell of live instrumentation can be witnessed in person.

Melt-Banana (May 17, Lee's Palace)
Japanese grind innovators Melt-Banana are still touring strong off the strength of 2013's Fetch and are planning another stop at Toronto's Lee's Palace. If it's anything like their last visit, expect core duo Yasuko Onuki and Ichirou Agata to play a spastic, deafening set all on their own, save for the drum machine.

Lana Del Rey (June 3, Molson Amphitheatre)
Gorgeous sad sack Lana Del Rey is embarking on her first official concert tour in support of last year's Ultraviolence, and in her classic quirky fashion, managed to add some weirdness by making Courtney Love her opener. Sadly, us Torontonians will be deprived of their cosmic chemistry since Love's not on the latter half of the tour, but that just means Lana fans (looking at you, Aubrey Jax) get more face time with the oft-controversial crooner.

Rush (June 17 and 19, Air Canada Centre)
One of Canada's biggest musical exports is ending the spring (and their career, maybe) with a bang. Rush's 2015 tour is reported to be their last, so do everything you can to squeeze your way in to the ACC to catch the legendary rockers play one last time. Maybe.

See also

The top 10 music festivals in Toronto for spring 2015
The top 10 dance music festivals in Toronto for 2015

What did I miss? Leave the random concerts you're going to that are way better than all of these in the comments.

Photo of Melt Banana by Bryan Parker

Massive family photo planned for Toronto music scene

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Toronto music photoAs City Hall carries on being No Fun Toronto while blindly aspiring to emulate Austin or whatever, Toronto's grassroots music community carries on independently. One example is an upcoming project that emulates Art Kane's iconic photograph A Great Day in Harlem, featuring 57 jazz musicians posing on the steps of a New York brownstone.

On August 23rd at a yet to be disclosed location, each and every member of Toronto's vast music community is invited to take part in a huge family photo titled Class of 2015. No family is without dysfunction and it won't be a shock if some musicians resolutely stand a few bodies apart, but even to cynics, the community and historically driven concept should induce the warm fuzzies.

People Put Out Productions' Joel French is calling for Toronto's "artists, producers, engineers, promoters, contributors, etc" to attend a Facebook event for the photoshoot and spread the word far and wide before August.

There will, of course, be Facebook-tagging post photoshoot, and more ambitiously there's chatter online about a Canada-wide photo book. Just a thought - a framed glossy print that commemorates the details of the diverse faces that make Toronto one of the world's best cities for music might serve to remind the Music City office where their interests need to lie.

Will you fight for the right to stand next to Doom Tickler in the Toronto Class of 2015 photo?* Let us know in the comments.

*The correct answer is no, I will be standing on both sides of Doom Tickler.

Photo by Art Kane

Toronto Restaurant Openings: Tich, Pancer's Original Deli, The Craft, Alo Restaurant, Reunion Island Coffee

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toronto restaurant openingsToronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest restaurant openings and closings in Toronto and also gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

OPEN NOW

  • The recently-announced new location of North of Brooklyn Pizzeria is now up and running inside Get Well at 1181 Dundas St. West.
  • Tich, a new modern Indian restaurant, is now open at 2314 Lakeshore West in Mimico.
  • Moe Pancer's Deli had been in decline long before calling it quits earlier this year - a slide that began in 2010, when the business was sold. Now the deli is to reopen as Pancer's Original Deli, under the ownership from the same family that started it all in 1957, and at the same location at 3856 Bathurst St.
  • Kiwi-inspired bake house Wisey's Pies opens its second location at 43 Roncesvalles Ave. this Saturday, March 28.

RECENTLY REVIEWED

OPENING SOON

  • The Craft, a new brasserie boasting over 100 beers on draught, is coming soon to 107 Atlantic Ave. in Liberty Village.
  • Alo Restaurant, a new third-floor restaurant from chef Patrick Kriss (Acadia), is soon to open at 163 Spadina Ave.
  • Reunion Island Coffee has announced the impending arrival of its first cafe at 385 Roncesvalles.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to liora@blogto.com

Photo via Tich on Facebook.

The top 5 ways to celebrate Earth Hour 2015 in Toronto

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Earth Hour Toronto 2015Earth Hour events in Toronto are part of a worldwide celebration of community and environment that takes place on March 28 at 8:30pm, and this year the city seems poised to renew its efforts to ensure that the annual hour of darkness makes a real difference. Ever since 2009, when our city powered down the most -- bringing our energy consumption down by 15.5 percent -- we've been struggling to come anywhere close to that number.

Maybe this year will break the cycle. Whether you see it as an easy opportunity to go green, a rare chance to see the stars in the Toronto night sky or simply a great excuse to pass out early, Earth Hour is anything but a dull moment in our metropolis. Here's what's going down in the city on the night everything goes dark.

Lights Out with Mill Street
Beer lovers and tree huggers alike are flocking to their favourite local dives for this classic Earth Hour event hosted by Mill Street Brewery -- a series of candlelit parties held in bars across the city that celebrate community and the environment with craft beer and live acoustic performances by bands from Indie Week.

Free Astro Tour at U of T's Earth Science Centre
Earth Hour just got a bit nerdier. The University of Toronto is offering complimentary Astro Tours at its Earth Science Centre, an experience that will include planetarium shows, telescope observing, chances to chat one-on-one with astronomers and talks by Bryan Graensler, astronomer and author of Extreme Cosmos. Festivities start at 6:00 p.m.

Earth Hour Walk at Lambton House
Grab a flashlight, lantern or candle and head to the Lambton House on Old Dundas Street, for a walk along the valley and (if the ice permits) across the Humber River. The guided walk begins at 8:00 p.m. and will reconvene afterwards for hot spiced apple cider and some good, old-fashioned story-telling at the historic former inn.

The Beaches 3rd Annual Earth Hour Lights Out! Event
This one's for the romantics. From sunset to light-out, this annual gathering at Kew Gardens makes the most of the hour of darkness with live entertainment by the Muhtadi International Drummers and local artists AnimalKyngdom and Dale K. Kones, a guided drum circle, dancing, a Lights Out ceremony and draw prizes, all under the light of candles and paper lanterns.

Roncy Earth Hour Walk
Grab a torch of some kind and spend Earth Hour trekking from the Dundas & Roncesvalles Peace Garden to Grafton Park in honour of the businesses and homes who were good sports and snuffed out the lights.

BONUS

Candlelight dinner
A romantic candlelit meal is much less cliche when you're doing it for a good cause. The Royal York Hotel lights over a 1000 candles during Earth Hour, while Toula at the Westin Harbour Castle offers a three-course dinner 38 storeys high, where the view of an unlit Toronto is one of the best the best you'll find (especially while shovelling Ontario organic apple fritters into your mouth).

Writing by Amanda Storey.

Photo by Don Toye

Gigantic arts hub coming to the Toronto East Waterfront

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toronto daniels waterfrontThe old Guvernment and Kool Haus site on Queens Quay East is going to become a $700 million "city of the arts" by 2018, developers say. Daniels Corp., the company behind the TIFF Bell Lightbox and Daniels Spectrum in Regent Park, hopes the "Daniels Waterfront" will be an incubator for start-up businesses and artists, as well as a desirable place to live.

Announced this morning, the project will include 60,400 square metres of residential space, 26,000 sq. m. of office space, 25,000 sq. m. of retail on the site bounded by Queens Quay, Richardson, Jarvis, and Lake Shore Blvd. E. It will also include educational space for George Brown, OCAD U, and other arts-related organizations, including Artscape.

toronto daniels waterfrontFor non-residents, Sugar Beach North, an extension of the existing waterfront park with its neon pink umbrellas, will be built on the north side of Queens Quay, opposite the Redpath sugar refinery.

A second public space, called "The Yard" (above) will run east to west through the site. Ken Greenberg, the former director of urban design and architecture for the City of Toronto, hopes it will be like London's Brick Lane, presumably minus the graffiti.

toronto daniels waterfrontIn a rare appearance at a development unveiling, Mayor John Tory, fresh from his music industry trip to Austin, praised the design of Daniels Waterfront for meeting the city's plan for the neighbourhood, but said it wouldn't get special treatment at city hall.

"It is going to take precisely this kind of mixing together of the creative arts and of development, of education, of places to live, and places to work in one place to keep the city great," he said. "It is going to send a message to the rest of the world about what Toronto is."

Guvernment and Kool Haus closed for good in January, paving the way for construction on the now-prime waterfront site.

toronto daniels waterfrontPending approval from the city, Daniels Waterfront will be built in two phases. The first will develop the southernmost portion of the property into commercial, creative, and retail space (pictured at the top of the page.) Phase two, the residential component, will add a 48-storey residential tower and academic spaces (below.)

Daniels expects the project to be complete by the Spring of 2018.

What do you think?

toronto daniels waterfrontMORE IMAGES:

toronto daniels waterfrontThe view of the Phase One--commercial, creative, and retail space--from Jarvis St.

toronto daniels waterfrontKool Haus and Guvernment site today.

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

Images: Daniels, Chris Bateman/blogTO

The top weekend events in Toronto: March 27 - 29 2015

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toronto weekend eventsWeekend events in Toronto will go dark - or we hope they will. Saturday, March 28th at 8:30pm is Earth Hour, and it's about time we beat the 2009 record. (Read more about Earth hour events in the city here.) If you're hungry for bright lights, 15 Toronto bars have 4AM last call this week, and of course Shad will electrify the city this weekend.

Here are my picks for the top events happening in Toronto March 27-29, 2015.

Pabst Street Jam (March 28, Church St x Shuter St)
Ring in spring with a last hurrah to winter. This block party is centred around a snowboard rail that will witness some of Ontario's best strut their stuff amidst PBR and food trucks (yes, multiple cliches are at work here). Music will be supplied by Thugli and Rich Kidd. 19+ (PBR). DF

MUSIC

Shad (March 27, Massey Hall)
The newly anointed host of CBC's Q now has a lot of eyes on him for obvious reasons, so his upcoming show is sure to be an even larger draw than expected. It's is part of Massey Hall's live concert series, which offers cheap tickets and a filmed recording that's later broadcast online. SK

Toronto Downtown Record Show (March 29, 958 Broadview Ave)
'Tis the season to grip. On Sunday, head to the stacks set up in the east end to see the collections of over 50 vendors, or just listen to the sound of vinyl flipping, flipping, flipping.

2015 Prism Prize Awards Presentation & Top Ten Screening (March 29, TIFF)
The Prism video awards are open to the public for the first time ever. Will anyone go? I hope Odonis Odonis wins.

FOOD & DRINK

Society of Beer Drinking Ladies Bevy #0014 (March 28, TBA)
This increasingly popular ladies-only beer tasting is celebrating its 14th event this week. Only open to ticket-holding women at an as-yet-undisclosed-location, the event opens up to non-ticket holders and dudes at midnight and will feature beer brewed just for the occasion. BJ

Brewery Collectables Buy/Trade/Sell (March 28, Great Lakes Brewery)
At Great Lakes Brewery you can enter this collectible sale to buy beer memorabilia for your basement rec-room themed condo, or trade or sell your beer memorabilia for... other beer memorabilia. Or TTC fare. There will be pie and $5 GLB beer.

ART

Stephen Bulger Gallery 20th Anniversary (March 24 - April 25, Stephen Bulger)
Stephen Bulger's West Queen West gallery is turning 20, and the landscape in the neighbourhood's art scene has undergone at least a couple of fascinating waves of change in that time. The exhibit will include photographs from all 40 artists the gallery has hosted solo exhibition for, and many more.

XIAO GUO HUI.jpgXiao Guo Hui - Feast (March 28 - April 29, Christopher Cutts Gallery)
Toronto painter Xiao Guo Hui impressed us at Art Toronto last year, and this show at Christopher Cutts Gallery should be a deeper look into the Chinese born artist's creepy and contemporary takes on classical painting motifs. The opening is Saturdat afternoon from 2-6pm

Fab 5 Freddy for one-day Basquiat Symposium (March 28, AGO)
The AGO's Jean-Michel Basquiat is hosting a pretty huge event on Saturday at this panel/symposium. Hip hop's Feb 5 Freddy will be there, plus The Studio Museum's Thelma Gordon, writer Jordana Moore Saggese, artist and writer Karen Miranda Augstine, writer and performer Dalton Higgins, and many more.

PARTY & DANCE

Bassweek (March 20-29, various venues)
The fifth annual Bassweek returns to Toronto for five nights of drum'n'bass madness (and a sprinkling of other bass-related genres), with events at the Hoxton, the Phoenix, and Tota. The lineup is full of veterans and superstars of the genre, including Drumsound & Bassline Smith, DJ SS, Micki Finn, Metrik, Delta Heavy, and many more. BB

FILM

The 2015 Canadian Film Fest (March 25 - 28, The Royal)
Not every Canadian filmmaker can be a Xavier Dolan or David Cronenberg and have their films easily shown in theatres. Thankfully we have the good people at CFF to make sure a wide range of Canadian filmmakers get the chance to have their films -- usually low-budget features and shorts -- get the chance to be seen, enjoyed, and loved. AH

12th Annual Reel Artists Film Festival (Until March 28, TIFF)
Canadian Art's 12th Annual Reel Artists Film Festival is screening art-centric docs now at TIFF. This year's theme is risk taking artists in the vein of Ai Weiwei, Marina Abramovic, and Chris Ofili. It's on until Saturday.

I for Iran (TIFF, until April 3)
At TIFF, the I for Iran series, curated by Iranian filmmakers, is screening a can't-miss retrospective until until April 3rd. Films this weekend include Close-up and Hamoun.
Check out the programming here.

SHOPPING & LIFESTYLE

Fashion Week Fall and Winter (March 23 - 27, David Pecaut Square)
It's easy to forget Fashion Week, and hard to imagine wanting to check out designers' fall and winter wear just as the city begins to warm up. But the perfectly coiffed are at David Pecaut Square, and we'll be there to street style them. The cycle of life goes on. See our guide to doing Fashion Week without an invite here, and don't forget to stay out late.

Post Market (March 29, Great Hall)
The Post Market is back at the Great Hall with a huge lineup of vendors selling everything from vintage clothing to perfume to baked goods - see the list of vendors here.

Green Living Show (March 27-29, Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
You could get off the grid, or you could shell out for this show where, I assume, there will be new innovations in green detergent for show and sale. Unbleach the planet one cold wash at a time.

BOOKS

Old Book and Paper Show (March 29, Wychwood Barns)
If you missed the Antique Book Show and the PostcardShow, Wychwood Barns will combine some diamonds in the rough from both worlds. Hit up one of Toronto's best markets for old tomes, vintage ephemera, and oddities.

Shelf Life (March 19-29, Ryerson Artspace at the Gladstone)
Carbon Paper is about to pull off a huge undertaking: this super cool pop up library will feature a huge collection of all-Canadian publications and magazines, with a stacked schedule of events.

For more events this weekend click on over to our Events section. Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit it for free using this form.

Contributions by Shazia Khan, Ben Boles, Derek Flack, Ben Johnson

Photo by Jimmy Lu

Modern Japanese eatery is a true hidden gem

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le modern japanese cuisine torontoWant to get away from the lacklustre AYCE sushi dominating Markham's Japanese restaurants? You'll find your answer in a nondescript office plaza off Woodbine Ave., where this tucked-away spot offers a sophisticated atmosphere, elegant plating, and a menu that flavours subtle, defined flavours.

Read my review of Le Modern Japanese Cuisine in the restaurants section.


Game of Thrones pop up shop coming to Toronto

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game of thrones torontoDo you love warring clans, sniveling boy-kings, occasional gratuitous nudity, and dragons? Then start hoarding your bags of gold, because HBO is bringing a Game of Thrones-themed pop-up shop to Toronto to coincide with the launch of the show's fifth season.

From April 6 until April 17, the network will bring the world of Westeros to 277 Queen St. West. Among the merchandise fans can expect to find: Exclusive Season 5 T-shirt and tote bags, a hockey jersey (Canada!), pint glasses and beer steins, a 4D puzzle, character figurines, and a a 7" Iron Throne replica statue. To top it all off, you can even pose on a full-sized Iron Throne.

And if Game of Thrones isn't your bag, that's OK; HBO is bringing along some merch from its other shows, including Girls and Veep. Hopefully they'll have rolled out a line of Shoshanna-themed hairpieces by then.

Photo of HBO Shop in New York City via HBO.

This is what the new Drake Raptors gear looks like

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Drake raptors clothingThe official launch of the OVO-branded Raptors gear is scheduled for tomorrow at 11am, but it would seem that good old Drizzy didn't want to wait for the big reveal. A rather significant sneak peek of the new duds is on offer at Drake's website, which shows off examples of hoodies, shirts, jerseys, and hats in the now iconic black and gold OVO colour combo.

Made by Mitchell & Ness, the line looks pretty much exactly like what you'd expect out of a Drake/Raptors collaboration. There's plenty of OVO owls to be found on these clothes, but it's always clear that the gear is related to the basketball team. Is this the most Toronto-repping apparel around? Quite possibly. We'll have to wait until tomorrow for the info on pricing to become available. Have a look at more of the line below.

Drake Raptors clothingDrake Raptors clothingDrake Raptors clothingDrake Raptors clothingDrake Raptors clothingPhotos from the OVO website

Vote: 10 new Best Of categories

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voteToday we're opening up voting in our latest Best Of poll. Now you can have your say in 10 categories including AYCE sushi, Middle Eastern restaurants, waffles, churros, hotel bars, lounges, theatre production companies and more.

Take the best of poll here

Voting in the poll ends at 1:00pm this Sunday March 29th.

Leading Lines

Toronto Food Events: TIFF Food on Film, Baju Southern BBQ Feast, Burger Brawl, 2015 Almanac Dinner

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Champagne Burger Wednesdays TorontoToronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious events, festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.

THIS WEEK

  • Left Field Brewery (36 Wagstaff Dr.) hosts a pop-up from 5pm to 9pm tonight, Friday March 27.
  • Parts & Labour (1566 Queen St. West) and Charlie's Burgers are partnering to host Champagne Burger Wednesdays starting Wednesday, April 1. Look forward to burger combos and bubbly priced at $25.
  • The next instalment of TIFF's Food on Film series takes place at the Wednesday, April 1 at the Bell Lightbox (350 King St. West). James Beard Award-winning travel writer and culinary anthropologist Naomi Duguid will be present for a screening and discussion of the beloved documentary The Gleaners & I.

UPCOMING

  • Baju at the Monarch Tavern (12 Clinton St.), now helmed by pitmaster Jason Rees, hosts a Southern BBQ Feast on Tuesday, April 7 from 6:30pm. Expect a hand picked selection of menu highlights, plus a few off-menu surprises.
  • Burger Brawl, a series of midnight showdowns commence on Wednesday, April 15 at The Good Son (1096 Queen St. West). Doors open at 11pm for the inaugural battle, which will see the Good Son kitchen face off with Lisa Marie , followed by the headliner battle between Vittorio Colacitti (The Good Son) and Matt Basile. Admission is $15.
  • Pass The Table and ProvisionsTO present the 2015 Almanac Dinner on Monday, April 20 at The Burroughes Building (639 Queen St. West) starting at 6pm. This collaborative evening will pair six of Toronto chefs with six local farmers and six Ontario beverage producers. Tickets are $110 including all food, drinks, and a donation to The Stop Community Food Centre.

The top 10 parties in Toronto for spring 2015

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power ball 2015From pop-art inspired proms to garden parties fit for Great Gatsby, these spring flings will have you dressing to the nines and hobnobbing with Toronto's fashionistas. Just remember glitz and glam doesn't come cheap, you need serious cash for admission to these parties.

Here are my picks for the top spring parties in Toronto.

PROM X - March 28
This Douglas Coupland themed bash, hosted by the ROM's Young Patrons Circle, will be the museum's tenth and last prom. The pop explosion party is expected to draw about 1,000 members and guests all dressed up in playful and colourful formal wear inspired by avant-garde art. Fun plans include a scavenger hunt for Coupland and a live Lego installation. Hopefully, the event will blow your pre-internet brain.

The Affair - April 2
The 1920's are all the rage, so invest in a flapper and get ready to have a grand affair at a Queen W. venue transformed into a speakeasy from the prohibition era. This fundraiser for George Brown College Scholarships and The Covenant House homeless shelter will have live entertainment, music, games, a silent auction, and food. The Affair is all cloak and dagger with the exact location of the party a mystery until a week before the event. Let's hope it's an Affair to remember.

Betrayer's Banquet - April 17
Why settle for a run-of-the mill party when you can step into the unexpected. For an experiment into the bizarre book a spot at the Classical Theatre Project and Original Content London's North American premiere of The Betrayer's Banquet. This fancy dress dinner party with a 32-course banquet sets the stage for the iterated prisoner's dilemma, a famous classical game theory and economics roleplay.

Massive: Hotbed - April 23
The hottest spring party in town takes its cue from Basquiat's bold graffiti-inspired work. The AGO is bringing the musician/visual artist TALWST (né Curtis Santiago), to transform Massive into the 1980's avant-garde art scene in NYC. Hotbed will be defined by the the underground artists who are making their mark on the international stage. Come for the music of Drew Howard and Prince Innocence, then dance the night away to A Digital Needle.

Campfires & Cocktails: Mad for Plaid - April 24
If your idea of dressing up is putting on a Canadian tuxedo, Campfires and Cocktails might be your kind of formal. The plaid party is raising money to send youth from Toronto's priority neighborhoods to summer camp. You'll get the full-camp site experience with haute-camp cuisine, classic cocktails, Canadian craft brews, and an unmatched rooftop view of Toronto from The Bourroughes Building.

Power Ball: Appetite for Excess - June 4
This annual party, hosted by Power Plant and Max Mara fashion house, will walk a fine line between decadence and debauchery. Power Ball will be an extravaganza of art, music, fashion and food. Expect to see a performance by Jennifer Rubell known for her massive food pieces, supported by Bar Isabel and Bar Raval's Grant Van Gameren and Sam James of Sam James Coffee bar. Karen Kraven and Orest Tataryn will be other artists showcased, Parts & Labour is catering.

Scrubs in the City: Tokyo 2015 - June 4
This year's scrubs in the city benefit for SickKids will be inspired by all things Tokyo. The Evergreen Brick Works will be transformed with paper cranes, neon-lights, and food, fashion and entertainment plucked from the nightlife of Shibuya. The details for the party are still in the works but I'd be disappointed if Tokyo Police Club was not on the bill. Meanwhile, you have a few months to scout a kimono inspired dress and take in a saki soaked soiree.

Mad Hot Ballet: Lost in Venice - June 17
Inspired by Venice, the seductive city of the masquerade, Mad Hot Ballet takes you to an atmospheric dark evening of dance in support of The National Ballet of Canada. The event, co-chaired by MAC cosmetic's Frank Toskan begins with a performance of short works curated by Karen Kain. Afterwards dinner guests will be treated to meal prepared by Chef Sash Simpson of North 44 served on the stage alongside the company's ballet dancers.

Big Bang Bash - June 18
Luminato Festival's Big Bang Bash at the Hearn Generating Station will be an opportunity to mingle with some of the creative minds that make this festival a draw. The details for this year's event have yet to be released but this gala wants to carve out a niche as a unique artistic place among other fundraisers, so expect something creative.

Gatsby Garden Party - June 28
If you're the literary type eager to transport yourself to Gatsby's roaring twenties you might want to check out Spadina Museum's celebrated summer garden party. You can dress for the part and a chance to win a costume prize while playing croquet and listening to period music from the Maple Leaf Champion Jug Band. But be warned over 20,000 people have clicked attending on the events' Facebook page, hence the reason for listing this summer party on our spring list.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for the best spring parties in Toronto in the comments below.

Follow Sima Sahar Zerehi on Twitter @SimaSaharZerehi. Photo from Power Ball 2011.

The top 10 Toronto jingles of all time

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toronto jinglesThe hooks and melodies used in jingles for companies like Alarm Force, Fabricland, or Pizza Nova may seem simple and innocuous but that is their sly genius. Jinglism is the art of laying sonic eggs that will hopefully hatch some time later, and attach themselves to our brain regardless of pedigree. Over the years, Toronto has seen no shortage of auric aural jingles energetically engineered for maximum memorability.

The sign of a great jingle is usually its longevity in the public consciousness; however some of the best ones arrived then departed almost immediately, while others survived for a time before falling victim to corporate maneuvering, radical shifts in popular culture, or change for change's sake. Unfortunately none of this explains the continued omnipresence of "I'm Lovin' It".

"967-1111" (Pizza Pizza)
Unforgettable earworm alchemy crafted in the early '80s by Pat Withrow and jingle prodigy Mike McCurlie of MJM Media. Adored by Pizza Pizza founder, brain trust and CEO Michael Overs, this untouchable ditty was unceremoniously dumped by the chain after he passed away in 2010. Although replaced by a compositionally challenged, clunky melody only slightly blander than the product it's selling, the original remains a legend and the sole reason why everyone remembers their phone number. Hey, hey, hey!

"Radman Keeps it Cool" (The Radman)
Late '70s chain of Toronto radiator specialists took over the radio and TV airwaves with this reggae infused jingle by David Wilcox's band The Teddybears that kept it simple, and blissfully irie. They also had the best catch phrase ever "Radman - great place to take a leak"

"Life in the City Starts at the Centre" (The Eaton Centre)
Terry Bush may be best known for his theme song to TV's The Littlest Hobo (which remains an indelible slice of aural Canadiana) but he also created some of the best loved jingles of all time, including striking spots for Canada Dry, Commodore 64, and Ontario Place. This epic song was written for the opening of the Eaton Centre in 1977, and then riffed upon in their TV ads during the 1980s.

"Blacks is Photography" (Black's)
Long before smart phones made the process rather niche, Black's dominated the photo development scene thanks in no small part to their catchy jingles and Martin Short starring TV spots.

"Me & the Boys & our 50" (Labatt 50)
Perfectly capturing the Canadian mind-set of necking bottles at the Cottage with your buddies, "Me & The Boys & our 50" was written by Tommy Ambrose, another legendary local jinglist best known for his paean to Toronto "People City", theme song for Citytv in the early days. Ambrose also owned a popular bar in Toronto in the 1970s and 80s called Jingles, no less.



"Channel 47 Cable 4!" (CFMT)

Toronto broadcaster CFMT (now Omni) was always a Smörgåsbord of international flavour - catering to all nationalities and programming everything from soft-core Greek nudie flicks to ultra-violent Japanese fare like Lone Wolf and Cub (子連れ狼) alongside repeats of Full House and Murphy Brown. As Balkanized as their schedule was, the city united under the genius of their emotive and easy to mimic jingle.

"African Lion Safari" (African Lion Safari)
Mike McCurlie of MJM Media also created this melodic and exotic jingle in 1978 with writer Ed Roth. Still in rotation and only tweaked 3 times in 27 years, McCurlie credits the success of this and all his jingles to a catchy melody: "People don't walk around singing instrumentals, they walk around singing melodies. So you gotta keep that intact!"



"We've Got A Good Thing Going!" (TTC)

In the wake of the TTC's fiasco riddled 2015 existence, it is easy to knock this sincere ode from a kinder, gentler time when riding on the TTC was something to be celebrated as opposed to dreaded.

"I Wanna go to the Zoo Zoo Zoo" (Metro Zoo)
Terry Bush's gentle and folksy appeal to visit the Metro Toronto Zoo still heartily resonates nearly 40 years later, making it all the more bizarre this 1976 jingle was ever retired in the first place.

"Let's go to the Ex!" (Canadian National Exhibition)
Brainchild of Toronto's very own Don Draper-esque (m)ad man Jerry Goodis, "Let's Go to the Ex!" remains our city's rallying cry at the end of every dying summer. Goodis was not only the founding member of Canadian balladeers The Travellers, but also speech writer, communications counsellor and policy consultant for Pierre Elliott Trudeau. When he retired from politics and went into the advertising business his agency created such classics as Harvey's "Harvey's Makes Your Hamburger a Beautiful Thing," Speedy Muffler's "At Speedy You're a Somebody", Swiss Chalet's "Never So Good For So Little" and hundreds more.

Did I miss your favourite Toronto jingle? Please add your suggestions in the comments section.

Very special thanks to Terry Bush & Mike McCurlie

Retrontario plumbs the seedy depths of Toronto flea markets, flooded basements, thrift shops and garage sales, mining old VHS and Betamax tapes that less than often contain incredible moments of history that were accidentally recorded but somehow survived the ravages of time. You can find more amazing discoveries at www.retrontario.com.


Kops Records to expand to Danforth with third location

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Kops Records DanforthThe Danforth is about to get a new record shop. For Toronto crate diggers, the face will be familiar: Martin Koppel's Kops Records has been a local institution since 1976. In 2013, buoyed by vinyl's increasing popularity and an overflowing warehouse full of records, Kops' longtime Queen Street location expanded to a second spot in the Annex. Now, as son Andrew Koppel tells Danforth East, a third Kops location is set to open in at Coxwell and Danforth in late spring.

Koppel sites the neighbourhood as an area on the rise, with a strong sense of community. I might speculate he's also aware that while the Danforth isn't lacking a record shop, it will be nice to have another spot that has a phone number

Plans for the east end location include an emphasis on 7″ singles, and a warehouse in the back. Like their first two locations, I imagine the 1811 Danforth Kops' eclectic selection of handpicked used vinyl will be bolstered by intriguing antiques and memorabilia tracing the history of recorded music.

New condo hails "east core" neighbourhood in Toronto

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East United condoA team of developers is hoping their 21-storey condominium and a new neighbourhood name can inject new life into a forlorn section of Parliament St. Is "East Core" a thing? Not yet, but according to press materials related to this project, the idea is that one day it might be.

If given the green light, "East United," which initially surfaced in May 2014, would stretch between Berkeley to Parliament streets on a property currently occupied by a heritage-listed former stable and a row of century-old homes. It would also be among the first major residential developments in an area dominated by gas stations, vacant lots, and car dealerships.

toronto east unitedThe design imagines two distinct facades: one facing Parliament, the other on Berkeley. The Parliament side of the building would replace four century old former residential properties with a stylized, five-storey podium, stepoing up to a 21-storey residential tower.

On Berkeley, the residential component is staggered back from the street, leaving most of the 1906 brick (Mr.) Christie, Brown & Co. stables intact. The designs show a pedestrian laneway lined with townhomes on the south side of the property, connecting Berkeley and Parliament. Units within the main building will range from 32 to 130 square metres.

A rooftop patio with lounge seating, firepits, and an outdoor movie screen together with a yoga studio, event space, and "jam room" are among the bonus features developers SigNature Communities, Berkshire Axis Development, and Andiel Homes hope will lure buyers to the strip.

toronto east unitedHistorically quiet in terms of development, the middle portion of Parliament between Queen and King has been slowly heating up over the last 12 months.

Directly across the street on the site of the Sing Tao Daily offices, Great Gulf, the developer of the rapidly rising tower at the southeast corner of Yonge and Bloor, is planning a 23-storey residential block. The former home of Marty Millionaire and surrounding buildings are also up for grabs a little further north at Queen and Parliament.

The East United development is still subject to approval by the city. And the idea of an "East Core" neighbourhood is still subject to approval from, well, everyone. Let us know what you think in the comments.

toronto east unitedChris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Revamped Toronto nightclub does great pat-downs

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bloke torontoThis King West club recently received some upgrades, going from a nightclub and supper club to a full-blown party venue. It sticks to the usual entertainment district guidelines - loud music, bottle service, leather booths - though the staff and the crowd just might stand between you and a good time.

Read my profile of Bloke in the bars section.

The Best Late Night Chinese Food in Toronto

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chinese food torontoThe best late night Chinese food in Toronto is all about heaping amounts of good food at reasonable prices - something that the restaurants on this list deliver in spades. For cravings of crispy chicken, spring rolls, ginger beef and even the odd dim sum, these popular places ensure you'll never be found wanting when it comes to late night gluttony in this humble city of ours.

Here is where to find the best late night Chinese food in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Chinese Restaurants in Toronto
The Best Dumplings in Toronto
The Best Dim Sum in Toronto

Posted by Darren "DKLo" Susilo. He hangs out on the Twitter and his own mansion.

Canadian interior design hotspot gets a new home

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made king east torontoAfter nine years on Dundas West, this long-running decor shop is making a fresh start, moving to new digs on King East. Over the past decade, they've built up a solid product roster that features some of Canada's most cutting-edge makers and designers - a focus that brings a much-needed local touch to the area.

Read my profile of the King East location of MADE in the design section.

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