Toronto is a great place for a variety of concerts, with a number of bands always making sure to make a pit stop here on their tours. But for those looking for a bit more of a routine, many of the city's venues also offer weekly music series that show off lots of local and international talent. From bluegrass nights to indie showcases, here's a rundown of some of Toronto's best weekly shows.

Elvis Mondays at the Drake Hotel
Elvis Monday is the city's longest running indie showcase. For 27 years now, the weekly showcase has hosted a number of local and international acts including Billy Talent, Peaches, Blind Melon and even Beck. Best part? It's free!

Crosswires at the Garrison
After Wavelength ended its weekly series in 2010 - it continues on as a monthly series at various venues across the city - cofounder Doc Pickles decided to continue the weekly tradition with his new series entitled Crosswires. Launched late last year, Pickles now hosts these pay-what-you-can shows every Sunday at the Garrison, where Wavelength left off. "For me, Sunday night is where the action is, and after a respectful two year hiatus the time is ripe to devote my surplus attention to the finest night of the week," Pickles wrote in a blog post when he announced the new series. "When the devoted indie weirdoes and noisy experimentalists of our community are free to pursue their experiments in sound and community."

Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite at the Horseshoe Tavern
In the late 90s, Toronto's legendary Horseshoe Tavern joined forces with 102.1 The Edge to create Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite series. Instead of charging for shows by up-and-coming acts and dealing with potentially small turnouts, this Tuesday series offers no cover and bills packed with local and international acts. Acts such as Spoon, Kathleen Edwards, Thrush Hermit and The Strokes have played Nu Music Night.

TGIF Friday Jazz Series at Lula Lounge
Friday nights at Lula Lounge offer a full evening of entertainment. For $49, you can receive a three-course meal along with a show from a TGIF Friday Jazz Series featured artist. And if that wasn't enough, dance lessons and live salsa will take place after the jazz series.

High Lonesome Wednesdays at the Silver Dollar
The Silver Dollar is home to High Lonesome Wednesdays, a weekly bluegrass series which has been taking place at the famed venue for 15 years now. Buy yourself some cheap beer, soak up the atmosphere and imagine you're sitting somewhere in Appalachia.

Weekly showcases at The Rex
The venue that guarantees the best weekly jazz series is the famed Rex Jazz & Blues Bar. Every night of the week hosts a different weekly series, from U of T Jazz Ensembles every Monday to performances from Hogtown Syncopators every Friday and Danny Marks and Friends every Saturday, The Rex always has a steady rotation of great jazz acts every month.

Weekly showcases at the Tranzac
One of Toronto's underrated live music venues — and a busier place than you might think given its off-the-main-drag location — the Tranzac hosts two weekly showcases: Open Mic Mondays and Bluegrass Thursdays. Both nights guarantee a laid-back evening in an intimate venue.

Photo by Alisdair Jones in the blogTO Flickr pool

About a year ago, this city was treated to stunning portrait of itself via Ryan Emond's masterful timelapse sequence, Toronto Tempo. In the interim we've seen similar films pop-up, but nothing that was quite so captivating or, quite frankly, beautiful. Well, today it looks like that might have changed with the release of City Rising, a gorgeous sequence of Toronto images, many of which were shot from the dizzying heights of our tallest buildings.

"With City Rising I wanted to bring others up to this perspective," explains Tom Ryaboi (who, I should note, shoots for blogTO on occasion). And while many of us have seen our fair share of rooftopping photos over the last couple years, there's something more intriguing and unfamiliar when they become animated. The city comes to life, as it were.

Here we get a sense of how quickly the weather changes, how constant the flow of traffic is, and how gorgeous Toronto looks from 50+ storeys high. But it's the little details that make the whole thing for me: the smouldering cumulous clouds that bubble up around the one minute mark, the morse code-like light patterns just before two minutes, and the people pacing in their apartments while your eye is drawn to the Rogers Centre roof, which does this little tap to conclude its closing sequence.

This is Toronto at its prettiest. Enjoy!

City Rising from Tom Ryaboi on Vimeo.

Meet Haechi, the cheerful little mascot of Seoul, South Korea. The yellow and brown cartoon creature was launched (or born) in May 2009 at a time when the local government felt the city lacked a defining image. Thus the critter now appears on official "documents, promotional materials, mugs, cars, badges and business cards." Haechi gives "dreams and hopes" to its citizens (apparently) even if it does look a bit like Peter Griffin in its formal representation.

Lots of other cities have mascots. So too do the Olympics and just about every major sports team. Japan's local leaders in particular seem to specialize in creating bonkers civic characters, from a lobster-human hybrid in Oshamanbe to the city of Sasebo's giant sailor burger. So, just for fun, what if Toronto got itself a mascot to unite and entertain us all in this time of transit battles and division at city hall? What should it look like? What should we call it?

Here are a few quick ideas:

Carlton the Condo

Carl (to his friends) is tall and shiny and represents the recent vertical development in the city. He's young, hip, and a modern representation of the way people are increasingly living in the city. His name is also a complete rip off of the Maple Leaf's Carlton the Bear.

Stephanie the Streetcar

Stephanie embodies that classic icon of Toronto, the streetcar. I considered a sidekick/nemesis for Stephanie called Allen the Auto just so the pair could spend every public event blocking each-other and fighting. Also, I have no idea how to make a person fit inside a streetcar costume - maybe some kind of two-person suit?

Larry the Lake

This one's a bit of a cop out. Basically just bucket of lake water with a happy face drawn on the front. A willing city hall intern could chauffeur Larry around and make sure there are no spills. Great for these thrifty times!

Now over to you. Here is a selection of your suggestions from Twitter this morning. Add more ideas in the comments section.

Photo: Seoul Metropolitan Government

The best burger in Toronto starts with the barebones essentials of a quality (read: fresh) beef patty and a soft bun, but from there, the possibilities are endless. From fried eggs, to an almost criminal amount of bacon, to a smorgasbord of cheeses, these Toronto burger joints go above and beyond the call of duty to bring you more than just a sad sprig of lettuce and squirt of ketchup. One thing's for sure: you can't forget to bring your appetite (or a napkin).

Here is the list of the best burgers in Toronto.

See also:

The best old school burgers in Toronto
The best turkey burgers in Toronto
The best veggie burgers in Toronto
The best cheeseburgers in Toronto
The best fries in Toronto
The best onion rings in Toronto
The best hot dogs in Toronto

Photo by Chris Smith in the blogTO Flickr pool

CYCLING | Toronto Bike Awards
It's been a good week for cyclists with the announcement of the Queens Quay East bike lane and tonight, the biking enthusiasm continues with the Toronto Bike Awards. Honouring local businesses and individuals who champion the biking cause in Toronto, the awards will celebrate their achievements with awards, contests, art and a silent auction. Lemon Bucket Orchestra will perform and all proceeds from the evening will go to Bikes Without Borders. Admission is reduced to $5 for Cycle Toronto and BIXI members.
The Horseshoe Tavern (370 Queen Street West) 7PM $10

ART | Yonge Lawrence Village 2012 Artwalk
Art walks are all the rage these days and every BIA is getting in on the action. Beginning today, the Yonge Lawrence Village BIA is putting on an Artwalk that spans across 50 shops and businesses along Yonge Street, including The Friendly Butcher, Notion Style, Papermarche and The Coop. Professional and amateur artists will set up shop inside participating storefronts and showcasing their work, whether it be paintings, sculpture or photography. For those who prefer lectures over walks, check out the ART DECONSTRUCTED series, which delves into the methodology of the creative process and art appreciation. The artwalk runs daily until November 1st.
Yonge Lawrence Village (Yonge Street at Lawrence Avenue) 11AM Free

LECTURE | unearthed: A Cultural History of the Zombie
Here is something that will make you regret your university major: Andrea Subissati is an academic who specializes in the sociology of zombies. Zombies and their roots as social outcasts in Haitian mythology are the topic of unearthed, a lecture tracing the cultural history of the post-apocalyptic monsters of cinema from slavery to modern day mythology. We have a feeling this one will sell out fast--register online at theblackmuseum.com.
The Projection Booth (1035 Gerrard Street East) 8PM $12 advanced, $15 at the door

THEATRE | The Beaver Den: A Canadian Musical
It's like "You Can't Do That On Television" meets Robin Sparkles in stage musical form in The Beaver Den, a musical surrounding the cast of a Canadian children's entertainment show that is under the threat of corporate takeover. Set in 1999, the cast is secluded in their Northern Ontario shooting location, filming outdated content when they learn it is up to them to save the show. A clever piece of theatre that will remind you of the TVO shows you consumed as a child, The Beaver Den is about as accurately Canadian as you can get. Tickets are available on Ticketwise.
Lower Ossington Theatre (100 Ossington Avenue) 8PM $18

FILM | Recoil: A Strange Hour in Budapest Canadian Premiere
A documentary created by Depeche Mode's Alan Wilder and directed by Attila Herkó, Recoil: A Strange Hour in Budapest goes behind-the-scenes in a Hungarian concert hall in December 2010 when Wilder and the members of Recoil present a concert that is part music, all art installation. The show toured for a year across 52 cities as part of the Selected Events tour and tonight, The Projection Booth's new Metro cinema hosts the Canadian premiere of the film. An after party with music by DJ Lazarus will follow the screening. Enjoy the loudness.
Projection Booth Metro (677 Bloor Street West) 9PM $9 advanced, $10 at the door

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR RADAR:

• Fracture: South Sudan's Independence
• KOOPDEKOUR Pop-Up Shop
• Omhouse + ARMY GIRLS @ Holy Oak
• Medallions Album Release Party
• EstDocs Documentary Film Festival

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

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.

Photo by Dan Cronin^ in the blogTO Flickr pool

Local residents and private interest groups had a chance to speak on the proposed Toronto casino at City Hall last night. The majority spoke out against the project, citing social problems and the general gaudiness of gambling facilities, but reps from Canadian Gaming Association and Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation were also in attendance. For some reason, I can't shake the idea that casino lobbyists look like Rich Uncle Pennybags from the Monopoly board game.

Former mayor Mel Lastman says Rob Ford's troubles make the furniture store owner "look like a genius." Speaking at a store opening in Brampton, Lastman told the Toronto Sun that Ford "can't be that stubborn and run a city." High praise indeed.

The man accused of setting the fire that destroyed the former Empress Hotel at Yonge and Gould last year has admitted being responsible for destroying the 125-year-old building. Police are continuing to investigate the crime, possibly to determine whether someone paid Stewart Poirier to destroy the building.

Transit campaigners want to know how drivers would spend an extra 32 minutes a day, the amount of time the already long Toronto commute is expected to grow without new transit lines. It's an interesting way of re-framing the benefits of new subway and light rail for road users but do you think it will work?

Another week, another ranking. According to The Star, Toronto came third behind New York and London in a list of the top 27 cities to live and work. Does that sound right to you? Last year Toronto came second but was dragged south by a poor airport-downtown connection.

An 103-year-old mansion near Casa Loma looks to be in dire straits after Toronto and East York Community Council voted to approve its demolition. The old Nielson mansion at 72 Wells Hill Avenue, once owned by a member of the famous ice cream family, is set to be replaced by a new home.

In other demolition news, residents gathered at a school near Yonge and Eglinton last night to weigh in on the possible sale and demolition of Postal Station "K", a building located on the historic former site of Montgomery's Tavern, a key location in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837.

Finally, if you've got time this morning, here's a short 1953 documentary from the National Film Board about the residents of Oak Street in Toronto, home to "verminous walls, unhealthy rooms ... juvenile delinquency, drunkenness and broken marriages," getting access to a new housing development, Regent Park.

MOUSE FOOD:

• Flaming TTC bus: Quick-thinking driver gets passengers safely off bus [The Star]
• Unions endorse Toronto casino [Globe and Mail]
• Nighttime police patrols spur tension in Jamestown [CBC]

Photo: "R0020616" by Trevor_Hughes in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The Pomegranate Film Festival is not, alas, a festival dedicated to extolling the virtues of that tempting fruit through film. However, it does promise a crop of films as lush, juicy and irresistible as the fruit it's named after.

Established in 2006 by the Toronto chapter of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, the Pomegranate Film Festival describes itself as a "unique community event celebrating Armenian-inspired film." This year's festival runs from October 18 - 21, and serves up a selection of succulent cinema (...I couldn't help it.)

The festival spotlights Armenian talent in film internationally, thus, this year's line-up also includes Disney Pixar's Brave, which was directed by Armenian director Katherine Sarafian, as well as internationally-known talent in Armenian films, such as the Jamie Kennedy-starring film, Lost and Found in Armenia.

With a mix of feature length movies and short films - and even a music video for System of A Down's "Occupied Tears", by Armenian frontman Serj Tankian - this festival has plenty to offer everyone. Here are my top 5 picks.

Lost and Found in Armenia (2012)
What's worse than a bad breakup? Going on vacation to forget about said breakup only to be accused of spying. This is the premise of Lost and Found in Armenia, a comedy about American tourist Bill (Jamie Kennedy), who heads to Turkey to forget about his recent heartache, only to wind up in all kinds of trouble in a small Armenian village where he is accused of being a Turkish spy. However, he also meets a beautiful Armenian girl (Angela Sarafyan) who helps him escape his misfortune. So I guess breakups aren't all bad, then, right? Right? (...crickets...) This festival marks the film's world premiere, and the screening is followed by a Q+A with star Jamie Kennedy.
Screens: Sunday, Oct 21, 9.15 pm, Hamazkayin Theatre

Azad (2012)
A joint Armenian-French production, Azad is the story of a young Armenian artist determined to tell his grandfather's story of surviving the Armenian genocide through a graphic novel. However, when Mina, a young Kurdish woman, moves into the house he shares with friends, he is forced to confront his beliefs and deeply rooted anger. Through their turbulent relationship, both individuals come to terms with deep revelations about their worldviews and themselves. "Azad" means freedom in both Armenian and Kurdish, and this is a core theme in what looks like a gripping, dramatic feature. This is the film's North American premiere and the screening is followed by a Q+A with director Nicolas Tackian and actress Alexandra Bienvenu, who plays Mina.
Screens: Sunday Oct 21, 7pm, Hamazkayin Theatre

The Seventh (2012)
A comedy of errors, this juicy short is a tale of romance in Paris...but not quite the one that was planned. Maria arrives in Paris from a small town in Italy, with a package for Emilio from his aunt. However, the wily matchmaking aunt has sent homemade cookies with Maria merely as a pretext for their meeting. But things go off the rails when Maria arrives at the wrong restaurant for her rendezvous...and meets Silvio instead.
Screens: Sunday, Oct 21, 5.15 pm, Hamazkayin Theatre

Hellvetica (2012)
This short is one of the first films kicking off the festival on Thursday, Oct 18, and it promises to be a real hellraiser. One of Canada's contributions to the festival, Hellvetica is a comedy about a struggling writer who is tasked with writing a tale of terror. When the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur, however, things start to get interesting in this disturbingly funny short. Hellvetica was recently selected for Montréal ComicCon and the LA Short Film Festival, and the director will be present following this screening.
Screens: Thursday, October 18, 9pm, Hamazkayin Theatre

A Monster in Paris (2012)
Oh, Paris. You can't seem to get enough of monsters falling for beautiful women, can you? A Monster in Paris is a 3D animated film set in Paris in 1910 - the Golden Age of lurrrrv - and centres on a monster who lives in a garden, and his love for a beautiful young singer named Lucille. I guess all the bell towers were taken.
Screens: Saturday, Oct 20, 11am, Hamazkayin Theatre

Writing by Gesilayefa Azorbo. Film still from Lost and Found in Armenia

Truffles. White chocolate and avocado cheesecake. A chocolate spa hand treatment. Sweet dreams are made of this. When the Toronto Chocolate Festival kicks off this Saturday and runs for 23 decadent days until November 4, we Torontonians are invited to dream, discover and devour all things chocolate.

In its seventh year, founder and executive producer Joey Cee created the festival, because it was the only food group focus that was not being spotlighted in Toronto. "Over the years, we've had some great chocolaty fun," he says.

Cee, whose favourite type of chocolate includes 70% dark and milk chocolate, says that Toronto is a fairly young city internationally when it comes to chocolate consumption and production. "We have some great chocolatiers and chocolate stylists but lag behind as a vibrant chocolate community, which is what the festival is trying to change."

To tantalize my sweet tooth, Cee gives me a bite by bite preview of this year's festival. Here are five highlights.

Chocolicious
Think Winterlicious and Summerlicious but even sweeter. During the festival, around 20 chocolatiers and pastry shops throughout the GTA will have once-a-year offers and samplings, including The Golden Apple Confectionery in Liberty Village, M. Thompson Chocolate and Patisserie La Cigogne. Coupons for offers, such as a free truffle with a $5 minimum purchase at Odile Chocolat can be downloaded on the festival website.

The Chocolate Ball Gala
Who needs glass slippers when you have chocolate? "The theme for this year's Chocolate Ball is Cocoa Cabaret and will feature the Toronto All Star Big Band and Sisters of Swing," says Cee. The Hall's rotunda will have a variety of chocolate and dessert stations as well as the popular savoury stations. "(The galas) are well known around the world, in particular for introducing chocolate-infused savoury food," says Cee. "Chefs Massimo Capra and Jonathan Gushue were two of the first famous chefs to launch this idea at the very first Chocolate Ball. Many other chocolate events around the world are now following our lead." Some intriguing examples have included chocolate-infused chicken wings and pork; chocolate pasta; chocolate hazelnut soup with goat cheese relish. Too risqué? Try the white chocolate and avocado cheesecake.

ChocElite: Murder Mystery Dinner
Here's a sweet way to die. "This year's dinner will be incorporated into the current show at Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre with a slight alteration, making it a Death By Chocolate murder mystery," says Cee. There'll be celebrities too. Although they have yet to be announced, past ChocElite guests have included comedian Colin Mochrie and actresses Debra McGrath and Camilla Scott.

Toronto Luxury Chocolate Show
"The Toronto Luxury Chocolate Show is a boutique-style show showcasing some of the best chocolatiers the GTA has to offer," says Cee. Guest can indulge in offerings and samples from vendors, attend chocolate-making demo sessions, learn about the double threat of wine and chocolate pairings, or get high in a chocolate eating contest. Want a chocolate hand treatment? Check out the Chocolate Spa. A new education component - A Taste of Chocolate History: From Mayan to Modern - traces the history of the world's top chocolate makers, including Lindt and Hershey's. "You can sample products starting with the Mayan way of making chocolate," says Cee.

Chocolate Bowl 9-1-1 Relay
Police officers, parademics or firefighters compete in all-out chocolate warfare. "The 9-1-1 Chocolate Relay is a lot of fun and messy," says Cee. "Teams of 5 compete in a relay with ten different things they have to devour, like a Häagen-Dazs, a cheesecake you eat with hands behind your back, or chocolate balls you eat with chopsticks." The Relay is part of the aforementioned Chocolate Show and is included with show admission. Last year's Chocolate Bowl went to the firefighters. Will they turn up the heat once again? "They all do a great job and come to the tables with great enthusiasm," Cee says diplomatically.

This Week in Film rounds up noteworthy new releases in theatres, as well as key DVD / Blu-Ray releases, festivals, and other cinema-related events happening in Toronto.

IN THEATRES

The Imposter (Varsity)

Bart Layton's true story doc concerns the 1994 disappearance of a San Antonio boy named Nicholas Barclay. Three years later, he was found in Spain of all places, where he was recovered by his sister, who verified his identity and brought him back to his family in Texas. Not much more should be known going in, but things get hairy when someone gets suspicious of whether or not this is actually the same boy. The Imposter, employing Errol Morris-esque dramatic reenactments to brilliant and maddening effect, tackles the theme of 'deception' from every way you possibly can in 95 minutes, and is just about the most terrifying documentary of the last decade that isn't about climate change.

Antiviral (Varsity, Scotiabank)

Celebrity obsession is an interesting topic, per se. David Cronenberg's son making a film about it is, too, even if most of us didn't know he existed until this film was announced to appear at Cannes six months ago. But things have a way of working better on paper, and such is the case for this straight-to-video horror film, a genre that can often work when it isn't devoid of any fun whatsoever. First film problems and whatnot aside, I also do not get why a director would ever want to do the exact same thing his/her parent does. Brandon Cronenberg's contribution to the apparently hereditary brand of body horror is a stilted clinicality, and his film goes to great lengths to prove that that doesn't work.

Nobody Walks (TIFF Bell Lightbox)

First the good news: Nobody Walks was co-written by Girls writer/director/star Lena Dunham (Here ends the good news). Ry Russo-Young's new film is every bit the American indie film that the Sundance Film Festival churns out year after year, thereby giving American indie films their shaky reputation. At its heart a very commercial film, Nobody Walks pretends to be as precocious yet naive as its central character Martine does. The 23 year-old 'arty' filmmaker needs a sound component for her awful black and white video about insects, and she's going to inadvertently screw up every person's life that she comes into contact with until she gets it. There's also something about learning Italian that somehow almost leads to rape, and I still don't know how or why that happened. Anyone know when the new Antonio Campos, Alex Ross Perry, or Joe Swanberg films are opening in Toronto?

Also in theatres this week:

• Argo (Varsity, Scotiabank)
• Here Comes the Boom (Carlton, Cineplex Yonge & Dundas)
• Herman's House (Bloor Hot Docs Cinema)
• Keep the Lights On (TIFF Bell Lightbox)
• Seven Psychopaths (Carlton, Scotiabank)
• Sinister (Carlton)
• Stories We Tell (Varsity)

IN REP CINEMA

For recommendations on what to catch at Toronto's rep cinemas this week, check out This Week in Rep Cinema.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Early Monthly Segments: Helga Fanderl (Monday, October 15 at 8pm; Gladstone Art Bar)

"German-born filmmaker Helga Fanderl has been making Super-8 films since the mid 1980s. Silent, short, and edited in-camera, her films reflect the lightness and spontaneity of the small-gauge medium and camera. 'With the Super-8 camera I can react very quickly: the eye against the viewfinder, the camera close to the body, perceiving and filming simultaneously.' Working in both black-and-white and color, the intensive poetic works (none is over three minutes) reveal a surprising and sensitive view of the environment: patterns of light above tall trees or gray skyscrapers, shimmying leaves and falling green apples, flying baskets full of silver sardines shown in rapid succession." $5 at the door.

FILM FESTIVALS

imagineNATIVE (October 17-21)
The imagineNATIVE Film and Media Festival has evolved into one of Toronto's premiere art events and is an important platform for both emerging and established Indigenous filmmakers, media artists and curators. Each year, their film programming brings dozens of short and feature-length to Toronto screens for the first and often (unfortunately) last time. Two highlights from this year are Toomelah, which premiered at Cannes in 2011, and The Lesser Blessed, the very well-reviewed Anita Doron film that premiered at TIFF last September. All regular screenings are $7 and free for students and seniors if the screening is before 6pm. Go here to purchase your tickets in advance.

DVD & BLU-RAY

• Blood from a Stone [DVD]
• Chernobyl Diaries [BLU-RAY]
• Dark Horse [BLU-RAY]
• Don't Answer the Phone [DVD]
• Exorcism [BLU-RAY]
• Female Vampire [BLU-RAY]
• Gone in 60 Seconds [BLU-RAY]
• Letter from an Unknown Woman [BLU-RAY]
• Madagascar 3 [BLU-RAY]
• Moonrise Kingdom [BLU-RAY]
• Neil Young Journeys [BLU-RAY]
• [REC]³ Génesis [BLU-RAY]
• Red Lights [BLU-RAY]
• The Santa Clause [BLU-RAY]
• The Santa Clause 2 [BLU-RAY]
• The Slender Thread [BLU-RAY]
• The Sterile Cuckoo [BLU-RAY]
• Terror Train [BLU-RAY]
• That's My Boy [BLU-RAY]
• Three Secrets [BLU-RAY]
• Up Tight! [BLU-RAY]
• War Witch (Rebelle) [DVD]

With a chef from the former Liberty Belle Bistro, a barista from Bulldog Coffee, and a couple of owners that have been all over the food Toronto industry map, this new cafe plans to unite solid espresso with unconventional lunchtime options (to come) and evening gastronomic entertainment. For now, cafe-goers can enjoy its commitment to perfecting conventional coffee standards, while taking in a supreme view of the College Street action.

Read my profile of Voodoo Child in the cafes section.

The St. Clements is supposed to be about old and new, stainless steel and stained glass, and — oh, and, uh, a $5,000 deposit. A Sonterlan Corporation project in association with Brad J. Lamb Realty, The St. Clements is a new condo project set inside (and beside) the historic St. Clement's Church on Jones Avenue in Leslieville. The church itself will house 18 (mostly two-storey) condo lofts, with a (to-be-constructed) modern building right beside with room for another 22. Gothic and new, and connected by a two-storey glass bridge — like a fairy tale, isn't it? Here's a closer look at The St. Clements.

SPECS

Address: 173 Jones Ave

Exterior: Heritage church and modern addition

Number of floors: 4

Number of units: 40 (18 in the church, 22 in the addition)

Unit sizes (in square feet): 613 - 1339

Ceiling height: Up to 9'

Price range $342,900 - $790,900

Parking: $29,000 (For units 775 sq. ft. or larger)

Locker: $3,500

Maintenance: $0.52/ sf

Maintenance fees exclude: Hydro and water

Architect: Turner Fleischer

Amenities: N/A

Expected occupancy: June 2014

THE GOOD

On the one hand, it's nice to see a century-old Leslieville landmark preserved in such a way that it will garner daily admiration (if only from its inhabitants, but nevermind). On the other hand, I wouldn't exactly call another condo project (especially in Toronto's fatigued real estate market) terribly romantic. But hey — at least it's not a Tim Hortons! Sorry Allenby Theatre. And despite the inevitable naysayers, I still think it is pretty cool to be able to own a piece of a historic Toronto property. And yes, in case you were wondering, the Kool-Aid at the sales centre launch was delicious, thanks.

The suites themselves boast a rarity in terms of Toronto new builds: actual space. While some other hilarious projects will have suites as small as 278 square feet (those guys at Concert Properties sure are jokers), St. Clements lofts start at a very reasonable 613 square feet. And the prices aren't too bad either (keeping in mind that the project officially launched less than 24 hours ago, and probably will rise). Depending on the unit, of course, you could be looking at paying somewhere around $560 to $600 per square foot, which isn't too bad considering the cost of some of the other condos on the market.

The area, too, seems the perfect example of still-growing-but-not-done. A little further south and you'll find yourself in the terribly trendy part of Leslieville that comes with prices that reflect the terribly trendy. And a little further north, you're in Gerrard Square Mall territory, which is probably a ways away from a significant urban upgrade (some like to call it "gentrification" ...whatever). Here you're bound to catch the waves from lower Leslieville without paying the literal prices. In terms of transportation, there's the Jones Avenue bus and Gerrard Streetcar a step away, plus Queen Street not more than a 10-minute walk. And while there's not a whole lot in terms of shopping or eats on Jones Avenue proper (it'll come), there's still more than enough close by.

THE BAD

Time to get real, unfortunately. While the St. Clements Church does provide a lovely-looking shell, that's all it is. A shell. All suites — including those in the church — will have 9' smooth ceilings. Yes, the stunning wood cladding of that pitched roof interior will be covered to make room for flat ceilings and hanging Home Depot pendants. You're pretty much getting a conventional modern condo with an extraordinary exterior. But inside, it's all the same. And lest we forget the 22 units that aren't even in the church itself, what do you call those? Heritage by association? I'm not sure. But it does strike me as significantly less awesome (a realtor term, I'm sure) to live in an "inspired contemporary building" beside a heritage property than actually inside a heritage property.

Many of the units, too, come with a few significant limitations. For one, most of the "heritage loft" suites (read: the ones in the church) have only a French balcony, if a balcony at all. The reason is obvious, of course, but it's nevertheless a limitation for those who can't imagine a summer without an excess of meals made on the barbeque. The "modern lofts" on the other hand, all offer balconies or garden patios, but many of the bedrooms (as laid out in current plans) are positioned without windows. Apparently, sliding doors are supposed to suffice instead. I'm not amused.

THE VERDICT

Depends largely on what you've vowed to never do inside a church.

What do you think? Would you live here? Add your comments to the thread below.

Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board

This go-to spot for comics and related paraphernalia has been a go-to spot on Queen West for years. Now, it's moved into the Yonge and Dundas area, into a location that's letting it dust off all the merchandise that's been sitting in its basement, and properly display the wealth of comics, toys and games it has to offer.

Read my profile of the Silver Snail (Yonge St.) in the books section.

Sometimes riding the TTC can feel a spirit-crushing chore, especially when it's rush hour and standing room only on the bus, streetcar or subway. Time it right though and the vehicle's your oyster. Seats galore. The question is where do you sit given the choice; where gives the best view?

A recent Reddit post shows one person's candidate for the worst spot on the TTC, the wheel-arch seats of a city bus. Considerably higher than all the other seats, the wheel-arch position makes anyone feel exposed and sort of dorky. As another Redditor says, it's sort of like a highchair for adults.

My personal favourite is the front seat of an eastbound Bloor-Danforth train. Not only do you get a driver's-eye perspective of the tunnels and stations, but between Castle Frank and Broadview the view opens up into an expansive panorama of the Don Valley and bridge structure. You can also see the random piles of garbage tucked in the pylons and entrance to Broadview station on the way past. Bonus.

Sadly, the front-facing seats are no longer available on the latest Toronto Rocket subway trains. It won't be long before me and countless children lose our spot forever.

So, continuing the debate from Reddit, we're asking if you have a best or worst seat? Maybe it's the back of the bus or one of the single seats at the side of the streetcar. Here are some of the responses on Twitter.

Photo: "Empty Seat" by The Bexxx in the blogTO Flickr pool.

One thing we do quite well in Toronto is talking about transit funding and expansion. Building new infrastructure? Well, that's another story. The latest conversation piece comes courtesy of former mayoral candidate and Women's Post publisher Sarah Thomson, who's calling for a 1% increase in sales tax to fund long-term transit development. Alternately called Unlock the Gridlock or the 1% Solution, the accompanying website appears a bit short on specifics as far as future projects go, though the Star has the campaign pushing for a Downtown Relief Line, which seems logical from my perspective.

The bigger issue is whether or not the simplicity of this idea will have any legs. The Fords are already on record against any special taxes to fund transit, but GTA residents show at least some support for the idea. Perhaps a dedicated campaign will actually change a few minds about the idea in general? It'll be a challenge to raise the funds to make this idea visible enough to make difference, but Thomson is well connected, and that should help get the ball rolling at a very minimum.

Have your say.

Photo by Tony Lea in the blogTO Flickr pool

Photo by Neil Ta in the blogTO Flickr pool

A development group is preparing to unveil plans for a casino in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, according to the Globe and Mail. The complex, which involves adding three towers to the property, would include a gambling hall and hotel as well as office and residential units. Numerous other gambling groups are also mulling proposals.

TTC chair Karen Stintz doesn't think much of a plan by Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak to hand over Toronto's subways to Metrolinx. In a post on her website, Stintz derided the PCs for selecting the best parts of the TTC without proposing any ways to pay for new transit. She did say, however, that a full merger would be worth talking about.

Google StreetView is now in Toronto Zoo and Yonge-Dundas Square but not, weirdly, several parts of the city's regular street grid. Though Google unveiled a massive worldwide update to its ground-level coverage, including a ski resort in Banff and the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, it left out parts of Etobicoke, Scarborough, and the area south of Greenwood and Danforth.

Should e-bikes be allowed to use Toronto's bike lanes and trails? A group of riders told the city's public works and infrastructure committee yesterday that riders feel don't feel safe in regular traffic and want equal access to the bikeway network. Right now, e-bikes and all other powered vehicles are banned from bike lanes.

The City of Toronto will air a bi-weekly television show on Rogers TV Cable starting October 16. Called "City Insider," the program will air "stories about City programs and services, new initiatives, events and the people that make up the Toronto Public Service." What, no table-thumping Rob Ford rhetoric?

IN OTHER NEWS:

• Anti-Islam pastor Terry Jones barred from entering Canada, debate goes on [Globe and Mail]
• Police Chief Bill Blair again warns of 'significant staff reductions' [National Post]
• Mystery Toronto woman may have Halifax connection [CBC]

Photo: "DSC_9379" by alexduncanphoto in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Over the course of his lifetime, Jean Cocteau explored the limits of representation, and the meaning of words and gesture through a variety of different mediums, stage and screen chief among them. While he may only feature briefly in the Electric Theatre Company's Tear the Curtain!, the production takes up his questioning of the nature of artistic expression on stage and on celluloid.

It's an ambitious and towering work by Jonathon Young and Kevin Kerr that probes deep into both the creation and reception of artistic experience. While a juggernaut of philosophical questioning weighs heavily on the plot, there's a burning intellectual spirit here that's so rarely seen in the theatre. At times brilliant and at times overdone, this is a play heavily wound up in exciting ideas.

Alex Braithewaite (Young) is a theatre critic in a city with two warring factions: those who produce theatre, and those in the business of making pictures. After a sublime moment watching actress Mila Brook (Laura Mennell) on stage, Alex falls down the rabbit hole as it were, and produces a controversial manifesto about the Stanley Theatre and its attempts at true theatrical presence.

The plot takes a lot of energy to follow, with its allusions to Peter Brook's The Empty Space and Antonin Artaud's The Theatre of Cruelty, but it doesn't take a knowledge of theatre history to appreciate the play's questioning of the nature of representation. We're in the theatre after all; what better place to interrogate its potential.

Still, the first act falls into a rut halfway through, due to too many loose threads and no guiding hand. The show-stopping highlight, literally show-stopping, is a metatheatrical minute when the artifice dissolves and the play fortifies its connection to the assembled house. Like in Alex's manifesto, this is the white gap in the text—
a step towards full presence.

Throughout, director Kim Collier and production designer David Roberts blend film with live performance. They comes as close as possible to a hybrid of forms. The "potent images" that are particularly striking are the ones where the moving and live images blend together. It's the image-driven design that we've come to associate with the Electric Theatre Company, and it's wholly fitting for this piece.

Young does a valiant job portraying such a complex and fragmented protagonist, and Dawn Petten as Alex's secretary Mavis is a firm anchor. We perceive the shifts in storyline through her trustful eyes.

The film noir setting lends itself to this type of mystery. Tear the Curtain!, like the talkies of the time, challenges audiences to perceive reality differently, but it's more of a thinkie than anything else.

—

Tear the Curtain!, written by Jonathon Young and Kevin Kerr and directed by Kim Collier, runs at the Bluma Appel Theatre until October 20.

This week would have marked the start of the 2012-2013 NHL season. But now the lockout is officially leaving holes in the schedules and hearts of hockey fans. Fear not, there are still plenty of ways to get a hockey fix. Here's the essential NHL lockout survival guide.

Other Hockey Leagues
Just because there isn't an NHL season doesn't mean there won't be any hockey in the city. While the Leafs are the focal point of the city it will be their AHL affiliate's turn to be in the limelight, at least as long as the lockout continues. The Marlies are coming off a deep playoff run last year while their big brothers were sitting out the playoffs yet again. The good news is the Marlies have kept much of the same roster that got them to the Calder Cup final last year. The Marlies will be icing four players who would have been on the Leafs lineup this year including goaltender Ben Scrivens, forward Nazem Kadri and defencemen Jake Gardiner and Korbinian Holzer.

If you're in the mood for junior hockey and aren't feeling up for the commute to Mississauga to take in OHL hockey (go Steelheads!), there's always the university circuit. With three universities within the city limits offering both men and women's high calibre hockey you can forge allegiances with the U of T Varsity Blues, York Lions or Ryerson Rams and you'll save a pretty penny. Bonus: take in some heavily renovated hockey history with the Rams games at Maple Leaf Gardens this year.

Play Hockey
If and when the lockout extends into the winter you may as well divert your attention from watching hockey to actually playing it. When the time comes there are some great locations to play shinny around Toronto. The city maintains 51 outdoor rinks, some of which are more hospitable to hockey players than others. The real gems are at Christie Pitts, Alexandra Park and Dufferin Grove.

For more organized and less weather dependant hockey there's a handful of rec leagues around the city looking for players. One popular league is the Downtown Men and Women's hockey league (DMHL). This league is based within the city core playing most games at Ricoh Coliseum, De La Salle arena and St. Mike's arena. There's also the Adult Safe Hockey League (ASHL) which lives up to its name as being a more fun and less competitive option, games are held at Canlan Ice Sports in North York.

Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is making it a little easier to cope during the lockout without making a huge dent in your wallet. They are offering free admission to kids 13 & under on days when the Leafs would have played a home game in October. The Hall will also be hosting an induction ceremony on November 10th honouring this year's inductees - Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, Adam Oates and Pavel Bure.

A Legends Classic game will take place on Sunday November 11th at 2pm at the ACC. The two teams made up of ex-players will be captained by Bryan Trottier and some unknown ex-Leaf, Doug Gilmour. As part of the induction weekend the HHOF will also be honouring the 40th anniversary of the '72 Summit Series with a fan forum hosted by Ron Ellis from 1:30 PM-4:30PM. On Monday the inductions will take place at 7:30 from the Allen Lambert Galleria.

Sports Bars
If the NHL Lockout diet of square meals and minimal cold ones, you may be inclined to visit one of Toronto's sure to be quiet hockey-centric bars. And if you're still in the mood to provide Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment with a few dollars during the lockout, you'll want to make sure you visit Real Sports located just outside the ACC. If you're less than enthralled at feeding the MLSE machine, here are some of Toronto's best sports bars not affiliated with the Leafs.

Other Sports (they do exist)
Sometimes it's hard to believe, especially in this city, that there are any other sports than hockey. Somewhere between the Leafs, Raptors, Blue Jays and Argos the Toronto Rock gets lost. The Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) are tied for the league's most championships with 6 and have played in a record-setting five-straight championship games. Unlike other Toronto sports teams, namely all of them, the Rock actually wins every once in a while. The Rock play their home opener at the ACC on January 19th tickets range from $15-$68.

Sports Card and Memorabilia Expo
When you're hurting for hockey it might be a good idea to get out of the house and commiserate with other super fans at the Sports Card expo. This expo is like Comic Con for sports fans. With over 900 vendors it will give you the chance to get decked out in time for hockey...next year? Autographs will be provided by ex-players like Phil Esposito, Mats Sundin and Pavel Bure. November 9, 10, 11 at the International Centre. Tickets: $12.00/Day Pass $25.00/Weekend Pass

If none of these suggestions are to your liking, I suggest putting the Mighty Ducks series on a loop until hockey resumes. Oh right, and the Raptors? Think about it.

Writing by Matt Stephen / Photo by James DiBianco

The photos of the week collect each of the editor-selected photos of the day into one post for a contest to be decided by our readers. Sponsored by Posterjack, the photographer whose image receives the most votes will be awarded with a voucher code for a 24"x36" poster print of their work.

All the rules and fine-print can be found in the original announcement post on the blogTO Flickr page. One thing to add, however, is that the voting period ends at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, after which the winner will be contacted with the good news (We're still in the process of contacting past winners).

For those photographers whose images are featured below, please feel free to give us a little information about your shot — i.e. where and when it was taken — in the comments section. Who knows? Maybe your description will sway voters in your favour!

Lead photo by Neil Ta

2.
Photo by Chris Smith

3.
Photo by cookedphotos

4.
Photo by Patrick Biller

5.
Photo by Proletar1at

6.
Photo by Jonathan Castellino

7.
Photo by Mr. Mark