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Toronto Restaurant Openings: Kanpai Snack Bar, Corktown Kitchen, Cocina Economica, Nightowl

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

OPEN NOW

  • Kanpai Snack Bar, a new Cabbagetown joint serving up authentic Taiwanese street food with hand-crafted cocktails, is ready to open any day now at 252 Carlton St.
  • Cafe Novo, the organic and fair-trade coffee house has moved from Bloor West Village and is now open at its new home is at 254 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market.
  • Newly opened, Soi Thai Street Food is serving up satay skewers and Gung Lui Suan in its casual dining room at 651 College St.
  • Cocina Economica, the new east-side offshoot in the Playa Cabana family, opens April 30 at 114 Berkeley St. in Corktown.
    • RECENTLY REVIEWED

      OPENING SOON

      • Corktown Kitchen is super close to opening at 354 King St. East. Expect spicy chili wings in bourbon sauce, smoked pork belly and desserts by pastry chef Steve Song.
      • Mabel's Bakery, home to homestyle baked goods, prepared foods, ready-made meals and artisan breads, is opening a third outpost at 746 St. Clair West this June.
      • Nightowl Toronto, a new two storey restaurant, bar and arcade is in the works at 647 College St., the address formerly occupied by the Grotto.
      • Lucky Bastard is opening at 596 College St., the high turnover address that sometimes feels like a revolving door of restaurants.
      • Crate Resto Bar is opening in the old Rakia Bar space in Leslieville.

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

      Photo of Playa Cabana Hacienda by Jesse Milns


Fran's offering 1940s pricing to celebrate 75th birthday

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Frans birthday TorontoRemember the '40s? You may not even remember your last late-night dining adventure but Fran's will recall the decade this May as they celebrate 75 years of serving pie, burgers, and shakes to Toronto diners.

Fran's celebration plans for their big birthday event at Yonge and Front include retro austerity measures that will have you digging out your hair rollers: the original Fran's menu is coming back for one afternoon only - including the 1940s pricing that came with it.

What's on that historic menu? The ".25 cent Banquet Burger, .20 cent Tall Stack o' Pancakes and, of course, we couldn't forget the .15 cent slice of apple pie." Yeah, 25 cents. That's a burger for the price of one candy at 7-11.

The retro menu birthday bash runs at 33 Yonge St. on May 8 from 11am - 3pm. Show up early to avoid disappointment.

Photo by John Carvalho in the blogTO flickr pool.

Now you can buy booze & wine from the LCBO online

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lcbo grocery gatewayAs the the sale of beer in grocery stores gets closer and closer, here's a sweetener for those who prefer to buy their food online. LCBO products are coming to Grocery Gateway. Those ordering $45 worth of food will also be able to snag a bottle of wine or whisky as of today.

Grocery Gateway already delivers Steam Whistle products, but this is significantly better in terms of selection. The LCBO will have its own section of the store online with an array of booze wine and beer, with a strong focus on Ontario producers where possible.

There is a catch, of course. Each alcoholic item ordered is subject to a $1.50 charge up to $10. That's not such a big deal if you're drinking Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but will likely sting if you're ordering multiple bottles of cheaper stuff. Still, this is progress. Drink it up.

New restaurant is also a brewery and live music venue

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Burdock TorontoBloordale's newest tenant stands to impress across the board: the Montreal-inspired restaurant boasts an impressive beer menu, a sizable space for regular live concerts, and a soon-to launch microbrewery, not to mention a slick interior design.

Read my profile of Burdock in the restaurants section.

Late night arcade and bar is coming to Little Italy

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barcade torontoLittle Italy is soon to have its very own late night hang out. Nightowl Toronto is currently in the works at 647 College St., taking up the former address of the Grotto Lounge.

While you can't tell from the street, the two storey space is currently undergoing renovations as owner Braden Rubinoff strips off the fake cave aesthetic and restores the natural brick.

Drawing inspiration from 7 West and Barcade, Nightowl plans to pimp itself out with old school carnival-type games like skee ball and basketball and may host dance parties. It will join other recreation oriented establishments in the neighbourhood including Snakes & Lagers, and the newly opened Track & Field.

The menu is still a work in progress, but the concept is to serve food flights that will take the current trend of small plates to the next level by offering the chance to sample varied dishes on a theme all at once.

Nightowl is expected to open in June, but it won't operate around the clock at first. While 24/7 is in the cards, expect the bar to be open until at least last call as it gets its feet wet.

Photo of Barcade

Craft beer and indie coffee coming to Union Station

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UP Express loungeAs if a 25-minute direct trip to Pearson isn't attractive enough, Metrolinx has announced that the new UP Express lounge will be home to amenities like free Wi-Fi, boarding pass kiosks, and retailers such as Mill St. Brewery, Balzac's, and The Drake General Store.

"The UP Express will transform the way people travel to and from the airport and make it easier to experience everything that the province and the city have to offer," says Kathy Haley, President of UP Express in a press release. "Our flagship station will be the first place to showcase the unique brands and products that you can find in Toronto.

Located on the second level of the station, guests waiting to board the train to Toronto Pearson International Airport (or those waiting for arrivals) will be able to buy a beer, coffee and light fare while eyeing arrival and departure statuses on flight boards.

This is big news for anyone familiar with the dismal offerings at Union Station (no offense to Cinnabon.) Perhaps the best part is that you don't need to be bound for Pearson to access the lounge. Just note that while your coffee will be welcome on the UP Express, you'll have to to chug your beer before boarding.

Hockey arena could be coming to the Port Lands

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port lands arena torontoThe Port Lands might get a hockey arena, but it won't be on the site of the Hearn Generating Station. PortsToronto announced today that it will dedicate 75,000 square feet of space at the foot of Cherry Street for the construction of two-pad indoor arena.

No developer has been tapped to build the sports complex as of yet, but PortsToronto hopes to have the structure built in three years. This is by no means a certainty given that the property is federally owned, but a site plan application is already in the works in the hopes of avoiding red tape along the way.

There's been talk of an arena in the Port Lands for some time, but this is this latest proposal avoids the pitfalls associated with redeveloping the Hearn site, which is fraught with complications. A number of things still need to fall into place, but sometime in the next five years, Cherry Street should boast a shiny new arena.

Condo of the week: 1 Scott Street

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1 Scott StreetThis two bedroom, two bathroom unit at 1 Scott Street is on the market for $649,900. Located in the "London On The Esplanade" condos, the two-tower development was built in 2009 and contains a mix of lofts, high-end suites and London-style flats.

While some may chuckle at the condo's oddball name, the building was named for the pub-laden area, and the luxury sub-penthouse suite would serve as a really great shag pad. The unit features an open concept layout with floor-to-ceiling windows, a small balcony, parking and locker.

1 Scott Street TorontoThe condo amenities are sweet (rooftop pool, aerobics room, theatre), but the true benefits derive from the neighbourhood itself. St. Lawrence Market is the downtown destination for meat, cheese and seafood and with a massive redevelopment in the works, expect additional market-traffic to the area.

1 Scott StreetThere's a new strip of restaurants along Market Street and lots of beer markets, coffee shops and the Distillery District nearby. London is calling, even if the building overlooks The Old Spaghetti Factory. Take a look at what a $650K condo looks like on the Esplanade.

1 Scott StreetSPECS

  • Address: 3104, 1 Scott Street
  • Price: $649,900
  • Square feet: 1,000
  • Bedrooms: 2
  • Bathrooms: 2
  • Parking: 1
  • Taxes: $3,373
  • Maintenance fee: $542.56/monthly
  • Walk Score: 99

1 Scott StreetNOTABLE FEATURES

  • Modern kitchen
  • Windows with motorized blinds
  • Rooftop swimming pool and terrace
  • Underground parking
  • Storage locker in building

1 Scott StreetGOOD FOR

The building's on-site executive concierge is there to serve you. Score discounts on theatre and sports tickets and the concierge can make dinner reservations on your behalf. Might as well take advantage of your monthly fees.

1 Scott StreetMOVE ON IF

You have a fear of heights. The unit is located on the 31st floor and while some may love the killer view, acrophobics might want to steer clear of the private balcony and rooftop amenities.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

1 Scott Street1 Scott Street1 Scott Street1 Scott StreetThanks to Zoocasa for sponsoring our Condo of the Week. To find your dream condo visit Zoocasa.com


Road closures in Toronto: April 25-26

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toronto road closuresRoad closures in Toronto for the weekend of April 25 and 26 rounds up the key transportation shut-downs affecting the city, including street and TTC closures.

KEY ROAD CLOSURES IN TORONTO

Don Valley Parkway: Gardiner--401. The Don Valley Parkway, from the Gardiner Expressway to Highway 401, will be closed for spring maintenance from 8 p.m. on Friday April 24 until 6 a.m. on Sunday, April 26.

Lake Shore Blvd. W., York St., University Ave., Armoury St. Rolling road closures between 12:45 and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 26 to accommodate the Khalsa Day Parade. The procession will start at the Better Living Centre on the CNE Grounds, travel east on Lake Shore Blvd. to York St., head north on York St. and University Ave. to Armoury St. before dispersing in Nathan Phillips Square.

TTC CLOSURES

Line 3: Kennedy--McCowan.There will be no train service running on Line 3 on the weekend of April 25-26 while the TTC replaces 366 metres of track, installs new communication cables, and tests the power supplies. Replacement buses will be stopping at all stations.

ONGOING CLOSURES

College and Spadina. From April 6 to April 27, 2015, the entire intersection of College Street and Spadina Avenue will be closed to through traffic during streetcar track replacement work. Pedestrian access to businesses and sidewalks within construction areas will be maintained. Cyclists are encouraged to dismount and walk through the intersection. As a result:

506 Carlton: Streetcars diverting between Ossington Avenue and Bay Street. Effective April 6 to April 27, 2015.

510 Spadina: Streetcars replaced by buses. Effective March 29 to May 9, 2015.

Over and above the special closures this weekend, construction projects across Toronto result in numerous other road restrictions across the city. For a comprehensive list of such closures, you can consult the official map maintained by the City of Toronto (also available as a PDF.)

Toronto gets a cider named after the 501 Queen streetcar

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queen street 501 ciderThere's a new way to show your hometown pride in Toronto -- drinking! The Brickworks Ciderhouse is set to release its Queen Street 501 just in time for summer sipping. While drinking this cider on the streetcar is not necessarily advised (lest something like this reoccur), should you decide to don a Leafs jersey, pop some Drake on your iPod, and sip away, you might just experience the most quintessential Toronto moment possible.

Speaking of Toronto, I'm going to be annoying and point out that the photo the Ciderhouse has used for its flyer depicts an old PCC streetcar travelling along Carlton and not Queen (that's Maple Leaf Gardens in the background), but it's a minor nitpick given that we're getting a new craft cider to enjoy.

The launch party for the new offering will be held on one of the TTC's vintage streetcars between 7:30pm and 11:30pm on the 28th, though curiously it will begin at Betty's, which would typically be reached by travelling along the King 504. Oh well. It still sounds fun.

The top weekend events in Toronto: April 24 - 26 2015

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weekend events torontoWeekend events in Toronto abound, whether you plan to cram a Hot Docs flick into every available slot of time, dance the night away, drink and be merry, engage with civic politics and punk, or all of the above.

Here are my picks for the top events happening in Toronto April 24-26, 2015.

Toronto's Festival of Beer Spring Session (April 24-25, Sherbourne Common)
A two-day spring teaser for Toronto's Festival of Beer, the "Spring Session" this year will bring 20+ brewers to Sherbourne Common. $30 gets you in the door with five drink tokens and the opportunity to see Lowell on Friday and JJ and the Pillars on Saturday--plus you get a mug! BJ

FILM

Hot Docs (April 23 - May 3)
North America's largest documentary film festival is back, and as always there are way too many films to chose from, especially since many of these docs are otherwise hard to find. From the political to the eclectic, find this year's program online here, and see our preview of must-sees here.

Studio Ghibli Double Bill (April 25, Smiling Buddha)
Your dreams are coming true: watch : Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke for free on College Street. There's an all-you-can-eat lunch at 4pm ($13, but AYCE), or $3 popcorn for those sticking to the budget. Get there early or you may miss the animated adventures - according to Facebook, almost 5,000 people plan to cram into the tiny bar.

LIVE MUSIC

Princess Century (April 24, The Garrison)
Drummer / producer / DJ Maya Postepski isn't only a present and past member of some of Toronto's most well known acts including Austra. She performs solo as strange and wonderful electronic artist Princess Century. Also on the bill are A Dream, A Coast and NYSSA.

DIANETICS IV (April 24, Unit 2, 163 Sterling Rd)
If you're looking for a strong dose of something different, definitely don't miss this edition of Dianetics' noise, dance, VHS, and drone featuring Fog Spirits and much more.

Blimp Rock "Sophomore Slump" Album Release Party (April 25, Dakota Tavern)
Patience is low for bands that sounds like Pavement, but Blimp Rock's PR campaign for listenable Sophomore Slump actually made me laugh. The band are selling office supplies to fund a music fest on a blimp over Lake Ontario complete with "nautical food vendors." Yeah. The quirky release show will include a power point presentation.

PUNK (& ETC) POLITICS

Music City Town Hall Meeting (April 25, The Garrison)
If you're at all embedded in the city's music scene, you've likely been curious all this "Music City" and Austin alliance stuff. April's public Music City Town Hall Meeting will let you not only hear more, but help shape the fledgling initiative. City officials including music sector development officer Mike Tanner will be in attendance.

FASHION & DESIGN

FAT (April 21-25, Daniels Spectrum)
Toronto Arts & Fashion Week is the studded-leather jacket wearing French bulldog to Toronto Fashion Week's coiffed poodle. FAT's catwalks and photos ops aim to walk the cutting edge of fashion and art.

DANCE PARTY

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. BB

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. BB

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. BB

DANCE

Eifman St. Petersburg Ballet Presents: Anna Karenina (April 23-25, Sony Centre)
St. Petersburg's Eifman Ballet is in town with a contemporary take on Tolstoy's classic Anna Karenina. If you're not gripping tickets yet, I'd advise moving (/pirouetting?) quickly.

PARTY

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

COMEDY

Kids in the Hall (April 23-26, Danforth Music Hall)
Kids in the Hall will begin their newest tour with not one, not two, not three, but four live gigs in Toronto. New and classic sketches will be performed by Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson.

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

Contributions by Shazia Khan, Ben Boles, Liora Ipsum, Ben Johnson, Sima Sahar, Zerehi.

Photo by Jesse Milns

The Toronto Raptors get a new playoff tribute video

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raptors videoThe Raptors are in tough right now, trailing the Washington Wizards two games to none in their first round playoff series. The team and the city could use a pick me up heading into their opponent's court for game three. Enter Peter Jackson, who pays tribute to the team's playoff appearance with a track and video called We The North.

It's not quite as hype-inducing as last year's official video of the same name, but it'll probably help you get pumped for Friday's game. Don't give up on the Dinos yet.

Pumped up yet? Is this video enough to send good karma to help DeRozan and co. take down the Wiz?

Downtown Crossroads

Toronto Food Events: Eat for Tibet Food Fest, Feswick's Freestyle, Gin-A-Palooza, The Stop's Night Market

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

THIS WEEK

  • ChocoSol (1131 St. Clair Ave.) hosts a tasting, talk and tour on Saturday, April 25 in sessions starting at 12:30pm, 2pm and 3:30pm. Admission is $20 in advance or $25 at the door (cash only) and includes an engaging bean-to-bar chocolate talk, tour of the production facilities, and sampling of the goods.
  • The Eat for Tibet Food Festival is on from 11am to 7pm on Sunday, April 26 at 216 Close Ave. in Little Tibet, a.k.a Parkdale. Participating restaurants include Loga's Corner, Norling, Himalayan Kitchen, Shangrila, Om Restaurant and Tsampa Cafe.
  • Thoroughbred (304 Richmond St. West) has launched a new Sunday series dubbed Low Tea, a twist on brunch featuring tea, cocktails, a la carte menu items and the option to pre-order tiered platters of pastries. Reservations are recommended.
  • Alexandra Feswick of The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St. West) is launching a summer dinner series called Feswick's Freestyle featuring chef collaborations in a casual communal dining experience. The first installment is Canned Opening + Bottle Poppin' on April 28 at 7pm with Charlotte Langley and will showcase delectable canned dishes - like clams in ocean water, vegetable confit, sausage pot and duck confit + cassoulet - alongside fresh salads and side dishes in a prix fixe for $45 including two brown-bagged beverages. Seating is limited and reservations are required. A la carte options available too.
  • Gin-A-Palooza, a citywide Gincentric event will see 10 of Toronto's top Gin brands featured at 10 cocktail venues over the two weeks between April 29 and May 12. Pick up a G-PASS at participating venues like Linwood Essentials, Montauk and Little Sister (to name just a few) to navigate through 30 Gin-A-Palooza cocktails.

UPCOMING

  • The next Burger Brawl in support of Action Against Hunger takes place on Wednesday May, 20 at 10pm. The kitchen showdown will see Chefs Dennis Tay face off against Eric Wood. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
  • The Stop's Night Market returns and this year the fundraising event has switched venues from the Honest Ed's parking lot to the vacant lot at 181 Sterling Rd. in the Junction Triangle. Taking place over two nights on Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17, each night bills an entirely different lineup of chef food carts. Tickets go on sale at noon on Wednesday, May 13.

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

Photo by Natta Summerky

That time when Ontario Place was first rate amusement

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ontario place retroAny kid who spent time in Toronto during the 1970s, 80s and 90s surely fostered blissful, orange-soaked memories at Children's Village in Ontario Place. Long before Nanny statism and irresistible digital toys sapped the Joie de Vivre out of growing up, it was a place to go and have real fun - skinned knees, rope burnt hands and purple bruises were all worn with pride.

Designed by Eric McMillan after he argued the original design of Ontario Place didn't have enough appeal to young people, Children's Village opened in July of 1972 and quickly became the most popular destination within the park.

ontario place retroWith such daring delights as the "Punching Bag Forest," "King of the Mountain," "Snake Tube Crawl" and the world's very first known Ball pit (here called "Ball Crawl"), McMillan's work influenced play parks around the world (including Sesame Place and Parc de la Villette), and he became known as "the father of soft play."

As noted by Nathan Storring at Urban Space Gallery: "children could test their skills in front of their parents and peers. Unlike amusement rides, which offer entertainment to be passively consumed, the Village relied on children's own drives to run and scream, to build things and knock them over, to perform and safely flirt with danger."

One year later the success of Children's Village allowed McMillan to extend it with the creation of the Water Play area. "Water was the element of play: dams, fountains, rivers, bicycle cannons, taps, water cannon towers, spray bridges, hand pumps, tap tunnels. We also built a giant child dryer to make the parents feel safe" Macmillan recalls on his website.

ontario place retroRetrontario.com recently unearthed several reels of Super8 home movies which were shot in and around Children's Village in the mid-1970s. They illustrate the story of Children's Village better than words ever will.

ontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retroontario place retro

In 2002, Children's Village was unceremoniously stripped and replaced by junior midway rides, the sort of low-grade, greasy hot dog garbage you see in grocery store parking lots during Summer time. Even worse was the fact that directly across the street was the CNE, where kids could ride at least medium-grade crappy rides. To be fair, all of Ontario Place's once majestic attractions suffered during this period.

Will the new Ontario Place, set to open in 2017, ever recapture that unbridled spirit of fun offered up by the original Children's Village?

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


How's the BBQ at the new Buster Rhino's in Toronto?

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Buster Rhinos TorontoBarbecue is back at the old address of Phil's Original BBQ on College St. Now an offshoot of the Whitby and Oshawa chain Buster Rhino's, the competition-grade BBQ joint is serving up delicious smoked ribs, wings, and all the fixin's.

Read my profile of Buster Rhino's in the restaurants section

Leafs look for their own Drake to get fans excited again

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drake toronto maple leafsStarted from the top and now we're here? That could be a lyric about the Toronto Maple Leafs, a franchise once at the top of the NHL heap prior to expansion and then mired in years of futility that culminated in one of the team's worst seasons on record.

Do the Leafs need Drake to help them with PR and fan excitement as the team enters a rebuilding phase that management assures will not be rushed?

"We have talked about what high-profile stake-holders we can engage for the Maple Leafs to help us through this rough stretch of road here," Dave Hopkinson, chief commercial officer for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment told the Canadian Press. "And we're working on that plan now."

Hopkinson confessed that the hockey team's dismal season has staff worried about the ever-resilient Maple Leafs brand. "I'll tell you there's a bunch of us down here that are losing sleep about it," he said in summing up the state of affairs in Leafland.

You can't just find another Drake, of course. Perhaps someone like Wayne Gretzky could fulfill a role like this, but one doubts he'd be interested in such a figurehead position. Just, please, please, please, no one from Nickleback, ok?

What do you think? Would the Toronto Maple Leafs benefit from a celebrity ambassador?

Photo via the NHL

30 looks from Massive Party 2015 at the AGO

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massive party 2015Massive Party returned to the AGO with the theme Hotbed for 2015. About 2,000 revelers descended on Toronto's preeminent art gallery for an open bar, hors d'oeuvres and to flaunt their latest party looks.

Check out all the looks in our style section.

The top 10 shows at the Contact Photography Fest 2015

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Contact Toronto 2015The top shows at this year's Contact Photography Festival mark its 20th anniversary. In the past two decades, the festival has grown into the largest photography event in the world.

With over 1,500 Canadian and international photographers exhibiting at more than 175 venues, Contact takes over the whole city, filling galleries and businesses and turning building facades and billboards into open-air galleries.

Here are my picks for the top shows at Contact 2015.

PRIMARY EXHIBITIONS
Primary exhibitions are large institutional exhibitions with an international reach curated by senior curators. These works are the cream of the crop of photography.

ContactMark Ruwedel&Scott Conarroe (Ryerson Image Centre, April 29 to June 28)
This collaboration with the Ryerson Image Centre showcases the landscape photography of Mark Ruwedel, the winner of the 2014 Scotiabank Photography Award. His haunting images feature traces of human activity, left like imprinted scars, on desolate landscapes from the western territories of the United States and Canada.

Contact Toronto 2015Part Picture (MOCCA, May 1-31)
This collaboration between curator, artists, and writer Chris Wiley and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art features the works of 13 artists who are reacting to the rise of the ubiquitous, dematerialized digital images. Their work borrows from painting and sculpture to create hybrid pieces that are only part photographs.

Contact Toronto 2015Watchers, Seekers, Keepers - Vanley Burke (BAND Gallery, April 30 to May 31)
Vanley Burke's iconic images of '70s and '80s black Britain at BAND strike as both timely and tragic in the time of movements such as #BlackLivesMatter: images of crowds gathering for African Liberation Day can't help but remind us of the streets Ferguson. This is a show about legacy, history, and African diaspora.

PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS
The public installations at Contact take photography out of galleries and bring it into the public domain - decorating billboards and building facades across the city.

Contact Toronto 2015Best Beach - Sarah Anne Johnson (Westin Harbour Castle, May 1-December 3)
At 140x40' Sarah Anne Johnson's "Best Beach" on the side of the Westin Harbour Castle, will be the largest mural in Toronto's history. The piece is a photographic composite of Toronto Island's south shore enhanced with colour digitally and by hand. Her work evokes how our feelings and experiences filter the way we see certain vistas.

Contact Toronto 2015Edouard - Edouard LeBouthillier (Union Station Vitrines at VIA Rail Concourse, May 1-31)
A must-see show for local history buffs, this exhibit is based on polaroids of '70s and '80s Toronto taken by amateur photographer Edouard LeBouthillier. The collection was found by the Archive of Modern Conflict Toronto in 2000 curbside in the Annex. Images are meticulously labeled with time, date, name and location.

Jihyun Jung - Demolition Site (MOCCA Courtyard & Alcove, April 24 - August 31)
Korean artist Jihyun Jung's installation of a demolition will be mounted in the MOCCA Courtyard just before the gallery is destroyed to make room for new condos. Jung's large-scale mural depicts a dismantled apartment, speaking to the violence and carnage of urban development.

Contact Toronto 2015Flat Death - Sara Cwynar (Billboards on Lansdowne Ave, May 1 - 31)
These public installations will number among the easiest to catch (Lansdowne at Dundas West and College) for west enders. Represented by Cooper Cole, Cwyar's Encyclopedia of Kitsch is one of my favourite possessions, and these large scale photographs of 3D collages will continue her search for meaning in outmoded ephemera. AJ

FEATURED EXHIBITIONS
These exhibitions take place in large galleries across the city and represent juried selections of some of the best works from around the world.

contact photo festival Looking for Marshall McLuhan in Afghanistan - Rita Leistner (Dylan Ellis Gallery, April 15 - May 13)
Rita Leistner works with master printer Bob Carnie to create these painterly three-colour prints of photographs taken on an iPhone and edited with the Hipstamatic app during a military embed in Afghanistan. The images speak to the tension between high-tech and low-tech in both photography and warfare.

OPEN EXHIBITIONS
These non-juried exhibitions are extremely important to Contact's community building efforts and speak to the festival's commitment to keep connected to its grass roots history. They can be hit or miss, but they're worth the risk.

Toronto System - Shawn Micallef (Coolearth Architecture inc, May 1 - 31)
Known mostly as a writer, Shawn Micallef may be best described as a biographer of Toronto. His photography explores the city from the expert vantage point of someone who knows our streets like the back of his hand.

Contact Toronto 2015Photographing the World, One Torontonian at a Time - Colin Boyd Shafer (Daniels Spectrum, May 1 - June 28)
This exhibit is akin to the popular Humans of New York project, chronicling the photos as well as personal stories of the people featured. What sets Colin Boyd Shafer's project apart is his focus on the stories and images of immigrants living in Toronto.

BONUS

Sally Mann In Conversation with Paul Roth (Ryerson University - May 22)
As part of Contact's Public Programs, acclaimed American photographer and Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship winner Sally Mann will discuss her new memoir Hold Still, a personal history that reads like a novel. Bonus: go home with a free, signed copy of her book.

What Contact shows are you hoping to catch this year? Share your suggestions in the comments below.

Images: Lucas Blalock, Same Kinds of Arguments, 2014, Courtesy of the Artist and Ramiken Crucible, New York; Vanley Burke, Siffa Sound System, Handsworth Park, 1983, Courtesy of the artist; Sarah Anne Johnson, Best Beach (detail), 2015, Courtesy of Stephen Bulger Gallery, Toronto and Julie Saul Gallery, New York; Image courtesy of Archive of Modern Conflict Toronto; Michael Barker, Untitled (from the series The Lab), 2013; Scott Conarroe, Works Yard; Colin Boyd Shafer, Melvyn (Born in Botswana) holding a photograph of his late brother, 2014; Sara Cwynar, Contemporary Floral Arrangement 5 (A Compact Mass), 2014, Courtesy of the artist and Cooper Cole Gallery; Sara Cwynar, Man and Space (Books 2), 2013, Courtesy of the artist and Cooper Cole Gallery

With contributions by Aubrey Jax.

Follow Sima Sahar Zerehi on Twitter @SimaSaharZerehi

High Park's fave coffee shop relocates to Kensington

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cafe novo kensington market torontoAfter five years in High Park, a rent hike sent a beloved local cafe packing. Looks like their loss is Kensington's gain - though the neighbourhood is already packed with cafes, the owners are certain there's plenty of room for airy, quiet atmosphere and tried-and-true coffee and snacks.

Read my profile of the new Cafe Novo in the cafes section.

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