The One Of A Kind Show showcases over 450 Canadian artisans, selling home decor, handmade jewellery, textiles, clothing, and everything in between. Many vendors return from year to year, but the spring 2015 edition saw 177 brand new artisans at the show, including recent grads from Sheridan and OCAD (who seem excited yet slightly anxious about showcasing their work to larger crowds).

The show lets you meet the maker of your clothing, pillow, candle or bow tie and get to know where the products and ideas come from. It's on now until March 29 at the Direct Energy Theatre.

Check out our top 25 finds from the spring One of a Kind show in this photo gallery.

Photo by Shane Fester in the blogTO Flickr pool

Anyone who's ever had to travel through the PATH can attest to the fact that it's a difficult place to get one's bearings, particularly the first few times you find yourself down there. I suspect the primary culprit for this is that it's challenging to conceptualize the entire system. There are so many twists and turns that it's simply too easy to lose one's sense of direction.

This new 3D map of the PATH by William Davis might make navigating Toronto's underground network a little bit easier. While there are existing maps and wayfinding signage throughout the system, it remains difficult to envision how everything connects down there.

It'll depend on how your brain works (and whether or not you've already mastered the PATH), but something about the 3D element helps me to visualize the various routes of the network and how they link up.

So if you still find yourself stumped by the PATH, this might offer a way to get a handle on the subterranean maze. Click here for a zoomable version of the map.

A brand-new New Orleans-themed eatery and bar is hoping to break their College St. address's unlucky streak with a magic formula: Heavily deep-fried NOLA favourites (including battered gator po'boys), an absinthe menu, and a lineup of live jazz and blues in an intimate setting. Sounds like a recipe for a pretty good party to me.

Read my profile of Fat City Blues in the restaurants section.

The top stores for cheap wedding dresses in Toronto are proof that you do not need to compromise style to keep your wedding on a tight budget. The dress is one of the most important wedding checklist items for the bride and choosing the perfect one can be stressful and expensive if you don't know where to look.

Fortunately, Toronto is full of great bridal stores that can help take the "ow" out of gown. From large bridal complexes to boutiques with a twist, a frugal bride can still look like a million bucks.

Here are the top stores for cheap wedding dresses in Toronto.

The Brides Project
The Brides' Project serves two very important purposes: to provide every bride with a dress within her budget, and to support cancer charities. The gowns are all donated both from previous brides and from salons, so you may just find last year's model at a great price ($100-1250, with $600 being the average). Dresses here are sold off the rack, so you are taking your dress home the same day you buy it.

Jolie Bridal
Located in the heart of Corso Italia, Jolie Bridal is a family-run business specializing in affordable wedding gowns. Their gowns begin at $150 and they are known for their intimate environment and ability to make a bride feel at home. They also do in-house alterations, which adds a level of ease to the dress buying experience.

Avenue 22 Bridal
This bridal shop, open in Toronto for more than 20 years, is set to reopen in shiny new digs in the Castlefield area this spring. They carry a range of brands, with Spanish designer Pronovias among the standouts; gowns start as low as $600 and go up to $3,000.

Original
"If you can imagine it, we have it," promise the staff at Original. With gowns beginning at $200 and a variety of over-the-top eveningwear for the non-traditional bride (including those hoping to get married in something bold and colourful), Original is a good choice for those looking for something...well, original.

Jean's Fashions
Not only does Jean's Fashions have a wide range of dresses beginning in the $200s, they also have a bridal gown rental service, with informal gowns renting for $140 and formal for $300. Renting is a great option for a bride who is looking to save some money and not have to worry about cleaning or preserving the gown once it is worn. They also offer accessory rentals and all alterations are done in-house.

Windfall Brides
This Etobicoke shop is actually a fundraising initiative by the charity Windfall, which provides clothing to people in homeless and emergency shelters. Wedding dresses donated by retailers and individuals alike, in a range of sizes from 2 to 24, can be found for as low as $200.

Bella's Brides
At this miniscule shop at Avenue and Wilson, you'll likely get helped out by owner Bella herself (head upstairs and be sure to take off your shoes when you get in). Prices for her surprisingly wide array of dresses go as low as $299, with most dresses ringing in at under $1500.

Best For Bride
This homegrown chain has North York and Mississauga locations, along with shops in Hamilton and Barrie. Wedding dresses typically start at about $1,000, with price tags going as low as $99 during clearance sales; they also offer rentals at roughly 50% discount off the retail price.

Cabaret Vintage
Cabaret is home to a long line up of fabulous vintage couture, including the Cabaret Collection a line of amazing bridal wear for a vintage inspired look. They carry styles from the 40's, 50's and 60's with amazing details and dramatic flair. They are designed and made in Toronto and prices range from $500-1000.

Ferre Sposa
Sitting closer to the middle of the pricing spectrum is this Bloordale bridal salon, which offers dresses as low as $1,000. Each spring, they offer even further discounts at their sample sale, where gowns get discounted by up to 90%.

With contributions from JH and Natalia Manzocco. Photo via Windfall Brides.

The top magicians and mentalists in Toronto are amongst the best in the world, though skeptics may not be aware of their existence. These masters of magic are sought after entertainers wowing audiences from TV and stage to corporate functions and special events. Whether they're using elaborate theatrics or a deck of cards, their specially honed skills can have you believing in the impossible.

On with the show - here are my picks for the top magicians in Toronto.

Bobby Motta
Mentalist Bobby Motta has received international acclaim from major media outlets and A-list celebrities. His live show demonstrates inexplicable feats of psychological acrobatics, and he's also a designer of mentalist and magic illusions, producing work for the likes of David Blaine and Criss Angel. His current stage show, Gray Matter plays Fridays and Saturdays at Dave & Busters in Vaughan.

Bill Abbott
In addition to being an internationally in-demand live and corporate performer, Bill Abbott is a well-regarded designer of magic tricks, kits, and effects. His client list reads like a who's who of corporate Canada and beyond. He was named Magician of the Year by the Canadian Association of Magicians, and you can catch his current act Every Trick in the Book at Dave & Busters in Vaughan alongside Motta.

Haim Goldenberg
Another internationally renowned mentalist based in Toronto, Haim Goldenberg has entertained corporate clients, international diplomats, and produced a season of critically acclaimed reality series GoldMind. Goldenberg is the first to dismiss the notion that he has any supernatural powers, and instead insists that anyone can do the things he does with the right combination of practice and persistence.

Mike D'Urzo
Magic Mike (sorry, couldn't resist) has won many event industry awards including Canadian Entertainer of the Year from the Canadian Special Events Industry Awards and the Performer of the Year title three times (2012 - 2014) from Festival & Events Ontario. He has headlined international tours, made numerous television appearances, and is one of the most in-demand corporate event performers in the country.

Yan Markson
Yan Markson grew up in the Russian circus and performance runs in his blood. He was a principle clown performer in Cirque Avaia and performs magic, mentalism and stand-up comedy. In this viral YouTube video, Markson demonstrates what we all love about magic - its ability to surprise and delight people of all ages. It's enough to warm the coldest skeptic's heart.

Who are your favourite magicians and mentalists in Toronto, and which cup is the tiny rabbit hiding under? Let us know in the comments.

Lead image: Haim Goldenberg

Everyone knows about the Queen Street line, Toronto's great (mostly) unbuilt subway. But not many know about the abandoned plan to extend the Yonge and University lines south to Queens Quay.

It started with Metro Centre, a joint proposal by Canadian Pacific and Canadian National railways to redevelop the sprawling tangle of surplus downtown sidings, marshalling yards, and roundhouses owned by both companies into a massive "city-within-a-city." At the time, it was the largest single improvement scheme ever conceived in North America, possibly the world.

Unveiled in 1967 in a lavish ceremony at the Royal York Hotel, the unprecedented $1 billion proposal called for almost 200 acres of new downtown offices, hotels, residential buildings, and commercial centres between Bathurst, Front, Yonge, and the lake shore.

There would be a skyscraping broadcast tower and maybe even a sports stadium. Central to Metro Centre was a new transit centre that would integrate GO, TTC, inter-city rail, bus, and airport shuttles to be built at York and Lake Shore Blvd.

The catch? 45-year-old Union Station would have to make way for a cluster of office buildings.

CP and CN hoped the TTC would extend the downtown subway loop south to the waterfront, adding three new stops at Front and York, Queens Quay and Bay, and Yonge and Esplanade. The southernmost station, to be built roughly where the Queens Quay ferry docks streetcar stop is today, would serve the new transit centre and surrounding offices and residences.

At the time, the TTC was pondering whether it could still afford to build an underground replacement for the Queen streetcar and complete a planned extension of the Yonge line from Eglinton to Finch--two expensive ventures in their own rights. Money was, as always, tight.

Instead of installing 1.5 kms of new tunnel and three new stations for $50 million, Toronto's transit agency pitched a greatly expanded Union subway station. Trains would enter on one of six parallel tracks located three levels beneath Front St. A shopping mall would be on the first underground level above a ticket hall and the subway platforms. At $29 million, the new Union would have been the largest and most expensive station ever built by the TTC, but still cheaper than the alternative.

In addition, a new intermediate capacity line running west to Ontario Place, Exhibition Place, and the Toronto Islands would serve the remainder of Metro Centre. One of the technologies considered by the TTC was the French-designed URBA monorail system, which promised to carry between 5 and 20 thousand passengers an hour on a cushion of air along an overhead guide-rail.

The city's planning department didn't like the idea, and neither did the Metro Centre developers. They said the 290-metre walk between the new GO and other transit facilities and the subway platforms--about twice the length of the walkway between the Bloor-Danforth and University line platforms at Spadina--would be prohibitively long and discourage changing between the two systems. And besides, the TTC proposal assumed Union Station would be preserved, something which Metro Centre was steadfastly against.

With the TTC and Metro Centre at loggerheads, the entire project began to look like it was at risk of falling apart. Still, the complex needed transit, and Metro Centre project executive Paul Pickett urged the two sides to resolve their differences. "It has been two years in the talking stage. Surely to goodness we can get the train on the rails and start it going," he said.

The question of how the TTC would service Metro Centre was still unanswered when the city and Metropolitan levels of government formally cleared the way for the demolition of Union Station after years of debate.

The public outcry and the impending loss of one of Toronto's most famous buildings was, to put it generously, muted. A protest meeting in April 1972 drew just 12 people.

Despite all the necessary permissions being granted, Metro Centre never managed to get off the ground. The so-called "reform" city council elected in 1972 was sceptical of large scale developments, and later attempts to reaffirm commitment to project were unsuccessful. In 1975, Ontario premier Bill Davis hammered the final nail in the project's coffin by confirming Union Station as the city's main transit hub for the coming decades.

Canadian Pacific and Canadian National cancelled Metro Centre that same year, eliminating the impetus for the subway and light rail projects. The broadcast tower component was the only piece ever built.

No decision was ever made on the subway.

40 years later, we're still waiting on new downtown transit.

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

Images: Collection of Canadian Realties Ltd., Toronto Telegram Archives, Dick Loek, ASC04395, ASC04396, ASC04397.

The top dance parties in Toronto this April grasp onto the best part of Toronto winters - how nuts everyone goes each spring. That energy usually translates to dance floors full of people overjoyed to no longer be wearing parkas. It's not quite warm enough for outdoor festivals yet, but people are starting to dress as if it were.

The closures of both the Guvernment and Sound Academy (the latter just for renovations) seem to have led to a surge of new partiers at smaller events lately, so you might want to start planning ahead and buying tickets in advance for the artists that really matter to you.

Here are my suggestions for the top dance parties to hit in Toronto this April.

XXYYXX (April 3, the Hoxton)
Florida electronic producer XXYYXX started getting attention for his hazy, deconstructed R&B when he was still too young to drink in Ontario, and now boasts a solid following for his idiosyncratic take on dreamy hip hop rhythms and futuristic breaks.10 pm, $20.

Jose Marquez (April 11, Remix Lounge)
Uma Nota and Solid Garage team up to bring Los Angeles soulful house producer/DJ Jose Marquez. Expect lots of organic Afro-Latin percussion, dubbed out vocals, and moody jazz chords. There will also be some live Brazilian samba, courtesy of Batucada Carioca. 10pm, $10.

Victor Calderone (April 24, Coda)
NYC house legend Victor Calderone was once best known for remixing people like Madonna and Sting, but in more recent years has reinvented his sound, and now favours darker techno flavours. Expect him to pound Coda's sound system hard for this extended set. 10 pm, $25.

Format: B (April 24, Ryze)

German DJ/production duo Format: B specialize in sleek, crisp tech-house and techno, and are as well known for their own productions as for the great records they put out on their label Formatik. 10 pm, $15.

AlienInFlux 20th Anniversary (April 25, Loft404 B Lounge)
Not many party promoters can say they've been throwing events for two decades, so Justin "AlienInFlux" Martins must be doing something right for his 20th anniversary party to sell out already. Of course, it helps having DJs like Gene Farris, Terrence Parker, Liquid Stranger, and Box Of Kittens on the bill too. 8 pm, $40.

What did I miss? Leave the dance parties you're most looking forward to in the comments.

See also

The top 10 parties in Toronto for spring 2015
The top 10 concerts in Toronto for spring 2015

Photo by Jeff Karpala

Nope, this isn't an early April Fool's Day joke: This morning, all Future Shop stores across Canada shut their doors abruptly, with employees informed of the closure as they arrived for work on Saturday morning. It's the latest shutdown in a brutal season for Canadian retailers that has claimed big-box stores (Target) and specialty retailers (Mexx, Jacob, and Smart Set) alike.

AM980 in London reports that a number of Future Shop's 131 locations across Canada will be rapidly converted into Best Buy stores (the chain was purchased by Best Buy in 2011 for $580 million), while the rest will be vacated.

The individual fates of Toronto's seven Future Shop stores (18 in total around the GTA) have not yet been confirmed. Nor is it known how many jobs will be lost across the country, or who - if anyone - can take over the leases of those massive retail spaces (on top of those already left empty by Target).

UPDATE: Details are trickling in about the closure, with the company confirming that 1,000 part-time jobs and 500 full-time jobs will be eliminated. Sixty-six Future Shop locations will be converted into Best Buy stores, while the remaining 65 are scheduled to close.

Meanwhile, employees are reporting that they'll be given severance pay and priority for new hiring, and all Future Shop products and services will be moved over to Best Buy. The company has confirmed they'll continue to honour existing gift cards and warranties as well.

Photo by William Mewes va the blogTO Flickr pool.

Photo by Lori Whelan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

You might have noticed something different at the former Rustic Owl cafe: An updated look, some new grilled sandwiches and salads, later opening hours, a slowly-expanding dinner menu. (Oh, yeah, and a new name.) They're still brewing up lattes and offering snacks, but if you're looking for something a little more substantial, this could be a great place to perch yourself.

Read my profile of Blackbird Bistro in the restaurants section.

No cover nights - the sweetest words in Toronto's nightlife vocabulary. Receive a free show invite and you feel like you've beat the system: won against the city, won against The Man.

I usually feel like I pay a $60 fee just to leave my house, so I'd often rather stay under cover than pay cover. If you're against the concept of a door charge or just saving up for sheets with a higher thread-count, this should help you out.

Here are my picks for the top no cover music nights in Toronto.

The Local
Every night of the week between 9pm and 11:45pm you can wander into The Local on Roncy and hear the sweet sounds of local roots music - bluegrass, acoustic blues, singer-songwriters and jug-bands. And while they may pass the jug around the crowd, you'll never be asked for a cover when you enter.

M Factor Mondays at The Old Nick
Every Monday, Elana Harte showcases some of the city's best up and coming songwriters at The Old Nick on the Danforth. March had a fairly stacked line-up featuring Angela Saini, and Candice Sand. It's the right way to start your week.

Shoeless Monday/Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
You know what's legendary? Two nights-a-week of live music without a pesky cover charge. With Shoeless Mondays, and Bookie's Nu Music Nite on Tuesdays, The Horseshoe has been breaking-in Toronto's on-the-rise rock bands for decades.

The Tickle Trunk Show at The Bovine Sex Club
Every last Wednesday of the month, your free and easy friends at the No Pants Society throw the Tickle Trunk Show. This party encourages you to dress up according to theme, but don't despair if you're thread-bare - they provide a tickle trunk full of costumes to share and wear.

Yaas at Bambi's
This party goes down on the second Thursday of the month, and it's fun. What do they play? They play fun. Reggae, dancehall, r&b, hip-hop, whatever.

Key Thursdays at Cabal
You want to shine your shoes and roll with the King West crew? I know you do. But you don't want to pay a cover, no-no not you. That's a song I just made up about going to Key Thursdays at Cabal.

Get Lo at Clinton's Tavern
You do not want to roll with the King West crew, no-no not you. Different song, same tune. Not a cover-song. Get Lo plays the hits from the aughts with no shame, and no cover. They made our list of top themed dance parties, and they'll make you shake it on the floor, instead of shaking you down at the door.

Byzantium Fridays and Saturdays
In the heart of the Village, Byzantium features dozens and dozens of classic and creative martinis; fine-dining by executive chef, Jerome Rivest, and on the weekends they feature hot, sweaty dance parties. What do they never feature? A door price above $0.

Git Down at The Junction City Music Hall
DJ's Splattermonkey and OH16 spin all-vinyl funk and soul on the second Saturday of every month. There may be other funk and soul parties in town, but this one wins points for being easy on the wallet.

Trucker Fridays/Maximum R&B at The Junction City Music Hall
Trucker Fridays combines DJ's and live bands with a country/roots/outlaw lean on the second Friday of the month. Maximum R&B follows a similar live band and DJ format on the last Saturday of the month but with soul, 60's Brit-pop, and of course r&b. Scroll through the JCMH listings and you'll find a ton of other no cover music nights, so check back often.

What did I miss? Share your favourite no cover music nights in the comments below.

The last three decades (ish) have brought profound change to Toronto. Downtown, once dominated by high-rise bank towers, has expanded beyond its old borders, sprouting countless new residential and commercial towers in the process. Forlorn industrial districts, cleaned up and repurposed, have become trendy places to live and shop, and familiar neighbourhoods have been subtly tweaked as stores and businesses start up and shut down.

Everyone knows Toronto has been undergoing profound transformation the last thirty years, but these photos help underscore that fact. Here's a look back at Toronto looked like in the mid to late 1980s, give or take a few years.

Bremner and Simcoe (above)
The downtown skyline from Bremner Blvd. and Simcoe St. circa. 1990. The view today is significantly different: The Crowne Plaza is now an InterContinental, the logo has changed on top of First Canadian Place, oh, and Simcoe Place, Delta Toronto, Bremner, and PwC Tower have taken over the skyline.

Richmond and John streets
The southwest corner of John and Richmond streets as wreckers clear the site for construction of the Rubik's cube-inspired Riocan Hall. Note the old Amsterdam brewery advert painted on the side of the building near the bottom of the frame. The parking lot near the top left is the future site of the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Dundas and Church streets
Those ramshackle stores are still at the southeast corner, but the tenants have changed. Amalfi indian restaurant is now Ethiopiques and the corner store has been taken over by Ali Baba's. Those kids are most likely in their mid-30s now, too.

Looking north on Kensington Ave.
The familiar Mona Lisa mural disguises the subtle changes that have occurred at this intersection over the last three decades: a branch of TD has taken over the former restaurant space, the Asian restaurant with the yellow sign has made way for Essence of Life Organics, even the venerable old European Quality Meat and Sausages has vanished.

Parliament St. and Lake Shore Blvd.
Toronto's downtown railway lands reached peak sprawl in the middle of the middle of the 20th century, but now that many of the former sidings and service tracks have been torn up it's easy to forget that Canadian Pacific freight trains used to pass right through the heart of the city. This track, pictured at Lake Shore Blvd. E. and Parliament St., used to follow Lake Shore to Leslie St., where it turned south into the Port Lands.

Liberty St. and Atlantic Ave.
East on Liberty St. at Atlantic Ave. when Liberty Village was still just the Inglis lands. Historically the area south of King St. west of Niagara St. was heavily industrial. For decades Toronto's central prison was located between Hanna and Strachan avenues among munitions, toy, and home appliance factories. That brick chimney still stands.

Looking south on Spadina near current day Bremner
The land on the left had been recently cleared of railway tracks and a roundhouse in anticipation of new development, including the Skydome and later CityPlace. Now, of course, the area has been completely transformed.

Yonge and College streets
Yonge and College in the last days of the old Presidents' Conference Committee streetcars. Introduced in the late 1930s, the PCCs were the workhorse of the Toronto Transit Commission's surface fleet. Close to 750 of the cream and maroon electric vehicles were in operation during the heyday of Toronto streetcars. For comparison, there are just 246 CLRV and ALRV streetcars on the road today. The last PCCs were retired in January 1996. The view today.

Yonge and Gould streets
Yonge and Gould when it was the nexus of the Toronto music universe. In this photo, Sam the Record Man and A&A Records, both now defunct, sit side by side. As you will no doubt recall, the Sam sign was the subject of a lengthy preservation battle that culminated in Ryerson paying the City of Toronto to set it up in Yonge-Dundas Square. The site is currently the home of the Ryerson Student Learning Centre.

Yonge and Price streets
Before becoming one of the fanciest liquor stores in the province, the gorgeous Beaux Arts Summerhill CPR Station was Union Station's underachieving little brother. It was only open for 14 years before the railway company pulled the plug and turned the property over for retail use in 1930. In this photo, prior to the LCBO takeover, the south face of the clock tower is missing. The view today.

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives

Wedding cakes in Toronto aren't in short supply if you know where to look. Brides have a wealth of talent to choose from when commissioning a wedding cake. These creative cake designers turn baking into an art form and their towering creations aren't just stunning focal points but delicious additions to any wedding.

Here are my picks for the top places to get wedding cakes in Toronto.

Bobbette & Belle
This bakery's two locations are highly reputed for making cakes as beautiful as they are delicious. Choose from nine flavours like red velvet or rich chocolate, combined with a choice of almost a dozen traditional Swiss meringue buttercream flavours like peanut butter or salted caramel. Signature tiered cake designs draw on fashion and textile designs featuring contemporary patterns, ombre gradients, embossed lace effects, and sugary adornments like flowers or ribbons.

Cake Opera Co.
Master cake designer Alexandria Pellegrino has closed her Eglinton West studio, but is set to relocate in 2015 to a new address on Queen St. West. Her extravagant original wedding cake designs are available for commission and are sure to be show-stoppers whether decorated in edible filigree, romantic motifs, or elegant architectural textures.

The Rolling Pin
Select from the current cake collection or custom-design your own intricate and original wedding cake from this boutique bakery at Yonge and Lawrence. Cakes can be created in almost a dozen flavours including chocolate, hazelnut and maple brown sugar, and frosted in flavours like wild blueberry, espresso or dulce de leche. Designs include cascading florals, ruffles, antique lace textures and satiny ribbons.

Bake Shoppe
Formerly known as the Wedding Cake Shoppe, this bakery on College boasts a whimsical portfolio of custom cakes. Choose from eight flavours of cake that range from classic vanilla to indulgent Snickerdoodle and pair with a selection of two dozen buttercreams and filling flavours like maple, spicy chai or green tea.

The Caketress
Lori Hutchinson is the Caketress (and a decorating instructor, and Food Network Star) and her stunning haute couture cake designs are available to be commissioned for wedding across the GTA. Her portfolio features towering bejeweled, gilded or sequin-covered cakes adorned with wafer flowers or geometric motifs. Ordering a year in advance is advised.

Bakerbots
The tiny bakeshop on Delaware north of Bloor designs cakes that range from traditional tiers to outrageous sculptures. Select from a lineup of nine cake flavours including almond, pistachio or chocolate banana layers decorated with buttercream, ganache, citrus curd or fruit preserves.

Le Dolci
Make your wedding cake dreams a reality with a custom order from this Dundas West bakery. They offer classic cake flavours like mocha, Belgian chocolate and lemon poppy seed, and even some gluten-free flavours.

Cakestar
Celebration cakes from this Etobicoke bakery see moist sponge cakes in flavours like vanilla, dark chocolate or red velvet layered with fillings like Nutella, hazelnut, or Amaretto. The fondant covered creations are sculptural works of art.

I Do Wedding Cakes
The midtown bakery offers a budget friendly collection of multi-tiered cakes that can be customized to any colour scheme, and will feed up to 215 guests for under $1,000. The current collection boasts dozens of chic designs covered in dazzling sparkles, sugary ribbons, flowers and gilded patterns.

Cakeluxe
This by-appointment-only cake boutique specializes in custom cakes inspired by fashion, architecture and nature. Custom, one-of-a-kind creations come in a dozen cake flavours including pink velvet, and can be paired with delectable pastry creams, rich ganache, or signature buttercream flavours like blood orange or black cherry.

Did I miss any? Leave your picks for wedding cake bakeries in the comments. Photo of Bobbette and Belle by Jesse Milns.

The top running events in Toronto this spring are a bumper crop of races with routes designed to tempt novices into embracing the sport or to help seasoned vets hone their skills after a winter on the dreadmill.

Spring's batch of races brings a wide range of options; straight up races go head to head with muddy obstacle courses, Amazing Race rip-offs and notably, a US import by way of the Nike Women's Run. There's really no better way to see the city then on foot-hibernation time is over.

Here are my top picks for spring running events in Toronto.

Harry's Spring Run Off - Saturday April 4
Harry is once again organizing his 8K or 5K (or 800m for kids) race through the beautiful paved paths of High Park. Harry decks out his runners with a souvenir shirt, hat, backpack and medal. It's almost like getting a full new wardrobe...of running gear. Participants who raise more than $300 have their fees refunded, and if you bring in over $1000, you get a gift card at the eponymous shop, all in the name of fighting prostate cancer.

Lovely Spring Run - Saturday, April 11
Don your finest ear muffs and rally your friends and family to cheer you on (or run with you) for this 5K run through Ontario Place. The Lovely Spring Run benefits mental wellness with proceeds supporting CAMH. Early birds who register before April 8th score a free T. Kids can join the fun with a 1K run, the rest will slug through a brisk lakeside 5K, with a free yoga session and massages post-race.

Yonge Street 10K - Sunday, April 19
This downhill race will steer you down Yonge until your euphoric finish at Fort York at Bathurst. Part of the Canadian Running Series, the Yonge Street 10K benefits Red Door Shelter, which assists families and children. If you hustle and raise over a hunny, your entry fee is refunded. Every runner scores a shirt they'll most likely not wear again, as well as the obligatory show off medal.

Bum Run - Sunday, April 26
While their logo looks like a pair of balls running, don't let that hold you back from joining the 4th annual Bum Run. This run raises important bum awareness (colorectal cancer), which is no joke. The map for this 5K weaves around Queen's Park for a strictly downtown route. There are prizes for the winners and medals for everyone.

Spring into Action for Diabetes - Saturday, May 2
Sugar sensitive sporty types (and their supporters) are set to take over Sunnybrook Park for their 10th annual "Spring into Action!" Walk or Run for Diabetes. The 5 or 10K (or 2K for youth) chip-timed run helps to provide funding for research as well as camps for kids struggling with the disease.

Fork in the Road 5K - Saturday, May
Set your sights just a pinch above the city to the rolling hills of Uxbridge for this unconventional race. The "choose your own adventure of runs," a wrong turn means you're either running up hill or adding a few extra kms to the route. Choose wisely and you'll enjoy a lovely 5K through a former Christmas tree farm. Funds raised go to Jumpstart, and early registration gets you a free T.

Goodlife Toronto Marathon - Sunday, May 3
This marquee marathon (or half, or 5K) starts off in North York and winds itself all the way down to Ontario Place. While most of the route is downhill, the first set of hills south of York Mills are a doozy. Expect well-wishers to line Yonge street, along with necessary pitstops for water, Gatorade and well, port o potties. Start training now, this competitive race is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.

Sporting Life 10K - Sunday, May 10
The second downhill 10K race of the season, this one begins near Yonge and Eglinton, turns at Richmond, and finishes at Fort York Blvd. Sponsored by New Balance, runners will score a slinky New Balance shirt and a finishing medal with an adorable kid in a canoe. Register early and score gift cards and other perks to motivate your fundraising. All proceeds go to Camp Ooch, giving kids with cancer a summer to remember.

Mud Hero - Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23
Shackled up Ontario Place is home to another run this spring, the 6KM Mud Hero run with over 20 muddy obstacles and a megawatt dance party after. Perhaps the club kids have moved west after the Guv finally closed? Tie your run in with a worthy and local charity, Mud Hero has chosen Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation or Camp Ooch as their go-to's. Chip-timed runners receive a medal, T and free photos.

Toronto Women's Half Marathon/5K - Sunday, May 24
The first of three running events, this GoodLife-sponsored run kicks off for either a frisky 5K or a heavy half marathon in and around Sunnybrook Park. The other two events will carry you through the summer and fall. Those running all three receive a fancy prize after completion. Money raised goes to the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO).

Rugged Maniac - Saturday, May 30
Chicopee Ski and Summer Resort in Kitchener will see thousands of 'maniacs' descend on their property for a massive mud party featuring 25 bizarre obstacles that you'll never have to encounter in your real life. The 5K course features a lengthy downhill waterslide, clambering over shipping containers and leaping through fire, so if pretending you are Jean Claude Van-Dam is your thing, this run is for you.

Color me Rad 5K - Saturday, May 30
This vibrant run was formerly hosted at Downsview Park, but so far this year they've only listed the location as Toronto, so fingers crossed this race makes a turn south and paints the town red (and blue, and green....). The 5K race is enormously successful with events all around North America. Volunteers pelt you with 'colour bombs' as you run. Wear white and leave looking like a tie-dyed hippy monstrosity.

Capital One Race for Kids - Saturday, June 6
This Amazing Race er, awesome run... themed event will take you and your designated teammates through downtown Toronto, and while it definitely is not geared towards hard core distance runners (you can opt to take TTC around this year), the 'checkpoint' puzzles add a dose of fun to the course.

Intact Insurance Furry Friends 5K - Sunday, June 7
East Enders with fuzzy friends will no doubt flock to Whitby for a frolicsome 5K around Lake Ontario. This run welcomes your dog to run alongside you (Bulldogs need not apply) or on your own if you want to feel the thrill of a small pack of (leashed) animals chasing you. Those that raise more than $200 score a free t-shirt. All money raised goes to support the Humane Society of Durham and Homeward Bound Rescue.

Nike Women's Run - Sunday, June 14
No doubt the most anticipated run of the season (at least for us gals), the Nike Women's run is set to take flight with a picturesque route through the Toronto Island's varying terrain, capturing the rugged beauty of the island with the city's growing towers as an uplifting backdrop. While it's designed for women, men can apply to join too - just bear in mind you'll be greatly outnumbered. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. The lottery for entry went live March 9th, so hopefully you had a leg up and already secured your spot.

What did I miss? Add more spring running events in the comments.

Writing by Libby Roach. / Photo by PLTam

Free events in Toronto this week might treat you better than the pranks that Wednesday brings. Jokes may be free, but every rubber spider has a price tag. You can also play brand new video games, combine your love of art and skateboarding, search for truth in film, and, best of all, hit strangers with large objects and get away with it.

Here's what to do to forget you live in a windowless cement bunker in Toronto this week.

Jet Fuel 23rd Birthday Party (April 1, Jet Fuel)
Amid all the disappointments (and reliefs) of April Fool's Day, you can rely on free beer at Jet Fuel on Parliament Street - they're celebrating the very serious 23rd anniversary of the opening of their doors. The event starts at 8pm, and if you arrive after the beer runs out you might just be an April Fool.

The Youth Are Revolting! (April 2, The Gladstone)
This skateboard art show and auction opens Thursday at the Gladstone, and includes decks and art by Juliana Neufeld, Sammy Rawal, Zanette Singh, Waybad,Maylee Todd, Ilana Van Zyl, Barbie's Basement Jewelry, Lukas Toane, Amanda B, Mary Tremonte. Syrus Marcus Ware, and many more. The show is up until April 12th.

5th Annual Level Up Showcase (April 2, Design Exchange)
Over 2,000 gamers and gawkers are expected at this year's showcase of student-designed video games at Design Exchange. Will the pug game be there? Someone please tell me.

Pillow Fight at City Hall (April 4, Nathan Phillips Square)
While Rob Ford was in power, the Nathan Phillips Square version of this mass pillow fight seemed suspiciously light hearted considering the foolishness going on inside. This year, may the feathers fly on more optimistic times - it looks to be bigger than ever.

Jean-Paul Kelly: A Minimal Difference (April 5, TIFF)
Here's an intriguing free screening at TIFF: a program of the work of Toronto documentary and journalism obsessed artist Jean-Paul Kelly. The truth is out there - but is it possible to reproduce?

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.

AGO 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).

Aga Khan Free Evening (Wednesday, Aga Khan Museum)
The brand new Aga Khan Museum for Islamic art has launched free Wednesdays from 4-8pm.

CINSSU's Free Friday Films (Fridays)
The Innis Town Hall is back with free movies every Friday. Follow the Cinema Studies Student Union or check out our event section.

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.

The top up and coming music video directors in Toronto are already used to working in the background. Though Toronto has been known for pumping out classic albums in virtually every genre, it's often the people working behind the artists that have the power to make or break them.

Just like an album cover, a music video is an essential visual accompaniment for a band's latest single. On the day of the 2015 Prism Prize - a rare chance for the spotlight to shine on music video artists - we take a look at some of Toronto's rising talents (including one nominee).

Here are my picks for the top up and coming music video directors from Toronto. 

Amanda Fotes
Music photographer and filmmaker Amanda Fotes cut her teeth in Toronto's music scene by shooting everyone from hardcore legends Fucked Up to PUP to Arcade Fire. As a director, Fotes uses minimalist set design, rhythmic cuts, and time-lapse shots to capture the raw energy emitted by Toronto's Greys for recent singles "Guy Picciotto," "Use Your Delusion," and "Adderall". Highlights include a Marshall cab being thrown off a roof in slow-motion.

Common Good
Equipped with a staff of directors and an animation studio just north of Trinity Bellwoods, Common Good is creating driving visuals whether creating monochromatic optical illusions or low-lit parties for OVO-affiliated electronic R&B duo Majid Jordan, watercoloured 2D animation for food manufacturer Pogo, or the action-packed, MMVA-winning video for Thugli's "Run This." From commercial to creative, Common Good creates beautiful art no matter the medium.

ZOJO
Equal parts Zosia Mackenzie and John O'Regan, the Roncesvalles Village based duo ZOJO come from different pasts. Mackenzie worked as a production designer, while O'Regan started as a musician (you'll know him as Diamond Rings). ZOJO's portfolio this far is limited, but promising. Their focus on contrasting effects in Hamilton rapper Motem's "Inner Sense" suits the vibe splendidly.

Liam MacRae
Sometimes, you can have the best of both worlds. Liam MacRae has both high-quality cinema and pixelated lo-fi ambiance down to a tee. After directing the aesthetically-pleasing debut video singles for PARTYNEXTDOOR and Danny Cesar ("Break from Toronto" and "Violet", respectively), MacRae was recruited a second time by PARTYNEXTDOOR for last summer's Drake-assisted anthem "Recognize." Because what's a Toronto come-up without Drake?

Paul Duck
Much like the GTA punk scene itself, Brampton, ON-native Paul Duck has been working his fingers to the bone but has yet to receive the credit he deserves. Duck is versatile and personal, focusing on building local acts from the ground up, whether he's directing pop-punk heartthrobs Like Pacific, metalcore legends Liferuiner, or r&b artist SEX TAPE.

JTrue
Hamilton's own JTrue (Jesse Truman) started filming hip-hop music videos for his friends at Westdale Secondary School. JTrue's stayed true to his hip-hop roots, shooting everyone from the up-and-coming Tre Mission, T.Y., and OB O'Brien to hip-hop legend Saukrates. With a good head on his shoulders and a hell of an eye, it's no wonder JTrue was enlisted as the new media manager for arts collective Culvert Music.

Colin Medley
Remember the 90s? Director/photographer Colin Medley signature use of soft lenses, thrift store camcorder noise, and wavy textures are a perfect match with acts like indie sweethearts Alvvays, Ben Cook's campy pop project Yacht Club, and previously mentioned Diamond Rings. But don't let the vibe fool you; Medley excels just as much using modern equipment, as demonstrated in his videos for Bry Webb's "Prove Me Wrong" and Spencer Burton's "Death of Gold."

Tristan C-M
Though his catalogue is small, Tristan C-M shows a lot of promise. Slowed movements and "Ken Burns"-style zooms are the pinnacle of his craft, and highlight the attentive colour correction and contrast in rapper Drew Howard's "Uncle Tona" and Clairmont the Second's "Flame Princess." Highlights include Nintendo 64 in the middle of a melted hockey rink and rolling down a one-way street in an EcoCab.

Chandler Levack
If I had to choose just one word to describe Chandler Levack's work, I wouldn't be able to pick between "innovative" and "impeccable." Minimalist titling, moody lighting, and projections interact with Valery Gore in her video for "With The Future." Her co-direction of PUP's "Guilt Trip" (nominated for this year's Prism Prize for Best Canadian Music Video) with fellow Toronto director Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux feels like an episode of Lost mixed with Stand By Me. They don't call us Hollywood North for nothing and Chandler Levack is holding the torch.

Lee Skinner
Hamilton's Lee Skinner loves Steel City. His edits feel undersaturated and seedy; surreal and rhythmic. His dedication to Hamilton aesthetic is evident in his portfolio, opting towork with acts from within the city limits like The Dirty Nil and Canadian Winter. His most moving piece of work is r&b artist Jessy Lanza's "Kathy Lee," which features the iconic Hamilton "dancing guy" Jed Lifeson in his natural habitat.

Who did I miss? Shout out to rising talents of Toronto music video directors in the comments.

Writing by L-SPEX

Lead image from Jessy Lanza - "Kathy Lee" (Lee Skinner)

Photo by John Cavacas in the blogTO Flickr pool

Today in Toronto watch the city's bartenders showdown at Made with Love's cocktail championship. No matter how you feel about the word "mixologist," there's no denying these barkeeps know their dainty craft. Check out the participating bartenders here and peek at our photo gallery from last year here. The literary folk stylings of The Decemberists will be paired with Toronto "it" kids Alvvays at Massey Hall. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Drink: Made with Love (Liberty Grand)
• Music: The Decemberists with Alvvays (Massey Hall)
• Games: Disney Trivia (Beaver)
• Art: Illustrator Carson Ellis signs Home (TCAF Shop)
• Comedy: Mixed Company (Comedy Bar)
• Lit: The Coach House Book Club (Coach House)

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

Contributions by Shazia Khan. Photo by Matt Forsythe.

Yorkville, 1968. Toronto's counter-cultural and musical heart is located northwest of Yonge and Bloor. Decades before the arrival of high-end boutiques and tony condos, folk music drifted from the crowded bars and coffee shops at night. At 130 Yorkville Ave., steps from the legendary Mynah Bird and Riverboat cafes, the first in what would become a nationwide chain of fast food franchises served up its inaugural sandwich. Mr. Submarine had officially surfaced.

Founded by friends Jack Levinson, a gym teacher, and Earl Linzon, an accounting clerk, with $1,600 start-up cash, the first restaurant was located on the ground floor of a converted Victorian home row house. In the front bay window, workers in crisp white shirts worked over trays of ingredients. Long-haired, shoeless young men lounged on the steps outside, despite a sign telling them not to.

"Giant submarine sandwiches," read a sign in the window.

The first Mr. Submarine menu was simple--just seven sandwich options: assorted cold cuts, Italian salami, ham, cheese, spiced loaf, or tuna. The "Super Sub," the store's largest offering that included double portions of meat and cheese, was $1.38.

"We only has a six-month lease," Linzon told the Globe and Mail in 1993. "We were hopeful, of course, but we really weren't looking at the concept as a long-term thing. Initially, I thought the whole thing might be a fad. We were looking to make some quick money and run."

The submarine sandwich--alternatively "hoagie," "hero," "zeppelin," "blimp," or "grinder," depending on the city--has its origins in the Italian neighbourhoods of New York, or maybe Philadelphia (it's a contentious issue.) In Toronto, early purveyors included Eddy's Tavern on Eglinton Ave., Moby Dick on Weston Rd., Bullwinkle's on Yonge, Manny's Delicatessen, and Nero's Heroes at Yonge and Gerrard.

Mr. Submarine was the best, according to Charles Oberdorf, a self-professed expert who in 1971 explained in great detail to the readers of the Globe and Mail how a real sub should be made. "All the other subs are frank imitations of the Mr. Submarine model," he wrote. (His full list of fastidious stipulations is at the bottom of the post.)

The 1960s and 1970s were a good time to launch a fast food franchise in Canada. With little to no competition from American brands, many well-known Canadian chains were founded in this period, including Tim Hortons, Pizza Pizza, and Second Cup.

The area around Avenue and Bloor was particularly fertile. Three famous Canadian restaurants found their footing within a short walk of the interection. The first Harvey's and Swiss Chalet franchise locations were launched side-by-side near St. George in the late 1960s.

Success for Levinson and Linzon was rapid. Mr. Submarine opened 12 more outlets over the next four years, including the first franchise location on Avenue Rd., north of Lawrence. The company offered a money back guarantee if a franchisee didn't make money within the first year.

Through the 1980s the company became a runaway success, claiming a marquee location in Yonge-Dundas Square and running national TV ads, many of which have been lovingly preserved by Retronario and blogTO's Ed Conroy. Early slogans included "Whole lotta lubbin' for you," "Love at first bite." and "Good lubbin'."

By 1993, Mr. Submarine had 300 outlets across the Canada. The average franchise location, of which there were 292, averaged an annual turnover of $320,000, minus a $15,000 fee payable to the parent organization, according to a Globe and Mail report.

Stiff competition from U.S. imports like Subway and Quiznos increased in the company's third decade, prompting an expansion of the historically small menu in the 1990s. Seven variations increased to 18, and salads and deserts were also offered for the first time. Company policy was to resit change, however.

"We're sticking with what has seen us through for more than two decades," president Earl Linzon said in 1993 as Mr. Submarine prepared to expand into the U.S. and double its number of locations. "Our motto here is 'keep it simple, stupid'--and it works."

That optimism was to be short lived. Arch rival Subway's grip on the sandwich market continued to tighten, and the long-successful Canadian company began to show signs of struggling. By 2005, there were around 2,000 Canadian Subway locations compared to about 500 Mr. Submarines, fueling speculation of a buyout by Country Style, even if CEO Jack Levinson insisted otherwise.

"We've never, ever been for sale. We've had suitors off and on for probably 34 years. We'll entertain offers if they're from reputable people ... we've never solicited," he told the Globe and Mail. Meanwhile industry analysts wondered how the company had allowed Subway to grow so fast. "They were the big guy. They owned the market and let it go," said Doug Fisher, president of Toronto consulting firm FHG International.

In 2011, Mr. Submarine was purchased by MTY Food Group, which by then also owned one-time suitor Country Style, for $23 million cash. The company officially shortened its name to Mr. Sub and now oversees around 300 locations, roughly the same number as in 1993.

Today, the company slogan pays homage to the strictly Canadian brand.

"Oh Canada, Oh Mr. Sub."

What makes a perfect submarine sandwich, by Charles Oberdorf.

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

Images: Toronto Telegram archives, Brian Willer, ASC00640.