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The Best Whisky Bars in Toronto

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whisky bars torontoThe best whisky bars in Toronto have been something of an unfashionable bunch recently, what with the resurgence in rum and the bourbon trend taking all the brown spirit headlines for the last couple of years. It doesn't help that Scotch whisky is one of the most expensive spirits in the world. That said, nothing really matches Scotch for complexity, so get thee to a whisky bar.

Here are the best whisky bars in Toronto.


The best and worst things about TIFF 2015

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tiff 2015TIFF is about more than just watching movies. It's also about all the other experiences - inside and out of auditoriums - you gather over the course of the festival. Much like any experience, some things will be good, and some will be bad.

Here are my impressions of this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

BEST

The Festival Goes Online
We're living in a Netflix world now, so it's encouraging to see TIFF offer streaming options for some of its short film programming via the Short Cuts Remix initiative. Yes, the ability to access feature films - not just shorts - would be nice, but Short Cuts Remix could prove to be an exciting step in that direction.

Extended Q&As
The appeal of Q&As is often undone by terrible audience questions. Which is why the extended sessions TIFF offered for select screenings, moderated by pros like Adam Nayman (Cinema Scope) and Amy Nicholson (L.A. Weekly), were a welcome reminder of the insightful possibilities of Q&As.

Sweet Jesus Soft Service Ice Cream
When you're spending many hours near the TIFF Bell Lightbox and Scotiabank theatres, nearby food becomes very important. Especially treats. Which is why Sweet Jesus opening was a sweet tooth Godsend. The amazing soft serve ice cream toppings were a delicious guilty pleasure that was impossible to resist.

The Princess Bride Live-Read
One of the hottest tickets at TIFF wasn't a movie, but the Jason Reitman organized live-read of The Princess Bride. Kudos to Reitman for going with the 40th Anniversary-appropriate film, given that Rob Reiner's classic fairy tale played an instrumental part in making the festival the colossus it is now.

The Continued Growth of Festival Street
It was great to see TIFF's Festival Street continue to grow in its second year. Especially great was how it inventively tied its musical performances to films appearing in the festival - whether it was Bruce Penninsula performing the score for the TIFF film Sleeping Giant, or the star of The Idol stepping on stage to perform as well.

WORST

The Cancellation of Amazing Grace and London Fields
It's not TIFF's fault legal issues hampered the possibility of showing the much anticipated Aretha Franklin doc, Amazing Grace, and the Martin Amis' adaptation, London Fields. Still, any movie - let alone two - being withdrawn from the festival is a major letdown.

The Primetime Programme
In theory, TIFF tapping into the current Golden Age of Television with a new program was a good idea. In practice, there's probably a good reason nobody wound up ever talking about it.

Scotiabank Theatre
Aside from ongoing frustrations with the shin-bruising reclining seats at Scotiabank Theatre, navigating in and out of it the labyrinthine maze of moving and standing bodies seemed somehow more chaotic than previous years.

What have been the best and worst parts of your TIFF experience this year? Let us know in the comments!

Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @alxhuls for all the latest on TIFF 15, including snap reviews.

Photo by Jesse Milns.

Toronto ranked 12th most expensive city in the world

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toronto expensiveWhile Torontonians are notorious for moaning about how expensive our city is, it seems our complaints actually quite valid, according to a newly released report by UBS.

The Swiss banks's 16th annual Prices and Earnings 2015 report ranks Toronto as the 12th most expensive city in the world, rent excluded. Montreal, behind us at number 15, is the only other Canadian location indexed. The bank bases its findings on the spending habits of a three person European family for a basket of 122 goods and services, all scaled to a standard currency: USD.

To put the report into perspective, UBS also looks at how long it would take for city-dwellers to buy certain products. The average Torontonian, for instance, would need to work for 15 minutes to grab a Big Mac and 37.2 hours for a bigger-ticket item, such as an 16GB iPhone 6.

UBS also ranks wage levels and the domestic purchasing power for each of the cities. Toronto is 15th in terms of wages (Montreal sits at number 11); for the latter measurement, Toronto is 19 (Montreal is 11th here too). Other high-ranking cities, such as Geneva and Zurich, also remain in nearly the same spots.

As Report on Business news editor Michael Babad writes in the Globe and Mail, it indicates that "residents of the priciest cities are generally faring well when it comes to what they earn, but that Toronto falls somewhat shy of the mark."

What do you think? Is Toronto just too darn expensive?

Photo by tomms

Toronto Food Events: Soupalicious, Lobstahpalooza, Wines of Portugal Urban BBQ, Garlic Festival

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Ukraine Festival 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

  • The Toronto Food & Wine Festival kicks off today, Friday, September 18, and runs until Sunday, September 30 at the Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Ave.). There will be a Tasting Pavilion featuring over 130 food, wine, and spirit exhibitors plus celebrity chef talks, demos, and more.
  • The Toronto Ukranian Fest takes over Bloor West Village this weekend from September 18 to 20. Look forward to live Ukrainian foods, a beverage garden, and more.
  • Roncesvalles' Polish Fest is also on this weekend on September 19 and 20, and will feature multiple stages, Polish song and dance goups, food vendors and merchants.
  • The 5th annual Toronto Garlic Festival is on this Sunday, September 20 at Wychwood Barns. Admission is $5 for the day of food vendors, cooking demos, presentations, and live music.

UPCOMING

  • Soupalicious will bring together 30+ restaurants, chefs and food/community agencies to ladle out soup samples on Sunday September 27 from noon - 3pm at Artscape Wychwood Barns (601 Christie St.). Advance tickets are $15, but if you bring your own spoon you'll be privy to extra samples.
  • Rock Lobster Food Co. & Matty's Seafood Brands host Lobstahpalooza at El Gordo's Food Market (214 Augusta Ave.) on Sunday, September 27 from 1pm to 8pm. Tickets are $50 for a lobster with all the fixin's including corn on the cob, potato salad and freshly baked roll plus two drink tickets.
  • Now in its fifth year, Canada's Baking & Sweets Show will take place at the Toronto Congress Centre (650 Dixon Rd.) Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27. One day admission is $20 while a three day pass is $40 for access to bake-offs, demos, and a showcase of exhibitors.
  • There's still time to enter our contest to win tickets to the Wines of Portugal Urban BBQ taking place on Sunday, September 27 from 1pm to 4pm at Big Crow (176 Dupont St.).

black creek pioneer villageThanks to Black Creek Pioneer Village for sponsoring this post.

What food events did I miss? Add them to the comments.

Poutini's is opening a mac and cheese restaurant

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bobbie sues torontoAs the cold weather sets in, your cravings for creamy comfort food will only increase. But you're in luck because Nicholas and Frederic Laliberté, the team behind Poutini's House of Poutine, are opening up a new mac-and-cheese-focused restaurant on Ossington next month.

Bobbie Sue's will feature a menu dedicated to this classic childhood dish. Protein-filled options, such as pulled pork mac-and-cheese and smoked chicken with blue cheese sauce, will feature meat smoked at the nearby Hawker Bar. Other creative variations include the curry in a hurry, with curried tuna and peas.

While Bobbie Sue's will act mainly as a takeout spot, there will be some seating inside. Initially, it'll stay open until midnight, but it may extend its hours. Soon, you may never have to make a tough food choice at the end of a long night; just get poutine and mac-and-cheese combined.

Will you try Bobbie Sue's? Let us know in the comments.

The top 20 new food trucks in Toronto for 2015

5 ways to kill a hangover near UofT

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hangover uoftIf you have a valid ID, hangovers will probably be a fairly regular occurrence over your university career. Chances are you'll have one or two bad experiences with a beer funnel, probably botch a keg stand, or at the very least try a questionable shot named after a dessert. That's all fun and games, but now you need to learn the ABC's of dealing with the aftermath.

Here's what to do around UofT if you enjoyed a few too many beverage the previous night.

Sneaky Dee's
As Winston Churchill once said, "If you're going through hell, keep going," and that's my best advice for curing a hangover. As most students are well aware, Sneaky Dee's has some of the cheapest drinks in the city. So grab a caesar or a pitcher of sangria and start on round two. A huge bonus, they also serve brunch on weekends, if you need your fill of grease and carbs.

Future Bakery
If you weren't drinking $3 bar rail at The Lab, your wallet will probably be looking a little empty after a night out. That's when Future's comes in handy. During the semester, you can order any all-day breakfast and get 20% off (providing you brought your student ID). There's nothing better than combatting a hangover with a massive plate of bacon and eggs, and this way you can do it on a budget.

The Athletic Centre
Leaving your bed after a night of hard partying is akin to taking a senior physics exam - it's rough. Even more difficult? Making the decision to don your gym gear and head to the Athletic Centre. But if you manage to make the pilgrimage, your body will be in much better shape than if you spent your day scarfing down half-toasted Eggos in bed.

Union Juice
Hit your hangover where it hurts with an immune-boosting beverage from Union Juice. Their "Mow My Lawn" blend, made with kale, spinach, green apple, and ginger, is packed with nutrients that will help diminish the ill effects of the booze you drank the night before.

Manic Coffee
If you made the questionable decision of going out the night before an 8am lecture (and who hasn't?), coffee is your saving grace. Manic serves up all the heavily caffeinated beverages you need to make it through those dreadful few hours of class. They also have house-made baked goods, if you need a little something extra to sustain yourself.

What did I miss? Add your go-to hangover spot to the comments.

A snapshot of King and John in the 1970s and 1980s

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toronto king streetIf you were to stand at the intersection of King and John 55 years ago, chances are you would spot a Canadian Pacific locomotive before you would find gourmet meal. In the early 1960s, the strip was a unglamourous collection of railway sidings and factories that, at its heart, boasted an Esso station with "the world's finest car wash."

The turning point for the neighbourhood came in 1962, when "Honest" Ed Mirvish bought the run down Royal Alexandra Theatre for $215,000 in cash. "My wife, Anne, and son, David, had always loved theatre," he wrote in 1993. "I had always loved a bargain. The Alex looked like something we could go together with."

In total, the family spent more than twice the purchase price of the theatre on renovations, and re-opened in 1963 with a production of Never Too Late, a comedy about a middle aged woman's accidental pregnancy that was later turned into a movie.

During the 60s and 70s, the Mirvish family came to dominate the north side of the street, west of Simcoe, buying up run down factories and warehouses, painting them white, and turning them into cheap and cheerful restaurants to feed the Alex's customers.

The Princess of Wales Theatre arrived in 1993 and, in 2010, the TIFF Lightbox completed King Street's transformation from industrial wasteland to Toronto's ritzy theatre district.

Here's look back at King and John during its formative years.

toronto king john streetFarb's Car Wash, the future site of the TIFF Lightbox, in October, 1982. Farb's was last owned by Leslie Reitman, father and grandfather to filmmakers Ivan and Jason Reitman. The family and the Daniels Corporation donated the land to TIFF in 2003 and the new building opened in 2010.

"I washed my '63 Chevy at the Farb's Car Wash many times," Dan Aykroyd told Ivan Reitman, who directed Ghostbusters, at a ceremony celebrating the naming of Reitman Square.

The Seaway Restaurant (pictured at the top of the page) was at the southwest corner of King and John in 1973. 10 years later, the building was boarded up. The name clearly caused confusion. "What is the Seaway restaurant doing at King and John?," a confused reader asked the Globe and Mail in 1956. The building has since lost is cyan accents and now hosts a Second Cup coffee shop.

toronto king john street"When we bought the Alex [in 1962,] the area was still dingy," Ed Mirvish recalled in 1993. "I knew it would turn off audiences, unless we tried to clean it up ... fortunately we were able to buy two blocks of factories and warehouses to the immediate west. We painted them white, crammed them with antiques, and turned them into restaurants that are almost always packed."

As historian Jamie Bradburn recalls, Mirvish's restaurant empire peaked in the 1970s with Old Ed's (seen here, which initially employed waiters over 65,) Ed's Folly, Ed's Italian, Ed's Seafood, and Most Honourable Ed's Chinese. The last of the bunch closed in 2000.

toronto king john streetEast on King at John in June, 1981. La Cantinetta restaurant in the Eclipse White Wear Building opened in 1973 and was apparently somewhat lacklustre early on. "The nine ... dinners read better than they taste. Service is efficient but lacking in sensitivity," critic Joanne Kates wrote in the Globe and Mail in 1975.

The name, which means "cellar," was borrowed from the name of a first floor restaurant in the Palazzo Antinoni in Firenze. The restaurant space is now home to a sports memorabilia store.

toronto king streetThe future site of the Princess of Wales Theatre in May, 1984. The theatre opened with a production of Miss Saigon on May 14, 1993, exactly 30 years after "Honest" Ed Mirvish reopened the Royal Alex and precisely 10 after his restoration of the Old Vic in London.

Initially, Mirvish planned to host the show in the empty lot. "I thought we could put a temporary theatre on it to stage the show, then pull it down when it ended," he wrote in 1993.

toronto john streetA bleak laneway scene southwest of King and John in 1984. The building on the right of the frame is at the southeast corner of the intersection. It was cleared a short time later for construction of Metro Hall. A condo building at 24 Mercer currently occupies the location where this photo was taken. In '84, it was a parking lot.

toronto king streetDu Verre Stained Glass stands next to the boarded up Seaway Restaurant in 1983. The former was opened in 1982 by Gina Lubin and it employed several freelance designers who produced original pieces of stained glass. Budding glass artists could also take lessons there. Du Verre had closed by the mid-1990s and the premises is now occupied by Pearl King.

toronto king streetEast on King towards downtown. The streetcar in this picture was given a blue and yellow livery in 1984 to celebrate Ontario's bicentennial (never mind that Upper Canada, the precursor to Ontario, wasn't formed until 1791 and the province itself wasn't established until 1867.)

Even the guts around the wheels were painted. The design on the side showed the Ontario parliament building and various figures. It said "Happy Birthday, Ontario" near the top.

toronto king streetRestaurant row on the south side of King some time between 1995 and 1998. Kit Kat (the one with the cow sticking out of it) opened in 1993 and Hey Lucy followed shortly after in 1995. Kit Kat owner Al Carbone told the Toronto Star he was the "unofficial mayor of the neighbourhood" in 1993 as part of a feature about the newfound popularity of King West.

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives (as marked.)


What's the most peaceful place in Toronto?

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peaceful torontoIt's hard to find a peaceful spot to reflect and unwind (Netflix aside) in Toronto. But, where do you go when you want to temporarily get away from it all? A lakefront trail? A hidden courtyard? Maybe you find your centre in an empty art gallery or museum?

While Toronto seems crowded and chaotic much of the time, there are plenty of urban oases dotted throughout our sprawling metropolis that let us forget we're situated in one of the largest cities in North America.

Some of the places that come to mind immediately are the Leslie Street Spit, the top of the Scarborough Bluffs, Ward's Island Beach, Crothers' Woods, Edwards Gardens, Ireland Park, the Rouge Valley, and Mount Pleasant Cemetery. But there are so many more little spots tucked away in this city, it seems like a group effort is required to put together a list.

We polled our Twitter followers and asked them about their favourite peaceful spots. Some, understandably, refused to give theirs up, but many others chimed in with suggestions. Here's what they had to say. Add your nominations in the comments.

Photo by Ilia Alshanetsky in the blogTO Flickr pool.

How greasy is the breakfast at Denny's?

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Dennys TorontoDenny's, the all American chain, is now a fixture at Bay and Dundas operating 24-hours a day and serving up a familiar menu of all day breakfasts, burgers, and country fried steaks. How does the food stack up?

Read my review of Denny's Toronto in the restaurants section.

Quota on beer sales at grocery stores has some flexibilty

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beer grocery store quotaDespite widespread reports that Ontario grocery stores would face a strict quota when selling beer -- 279 six packs daily -- the latest news is that retailers will be able to go over their daily cap so long as they're willing to pay the government a fee/penalty that represents 1 per cent of the cost of the beer.

What that means is that most (if not all) grocery stores licensed to sell beer will choose not to close off beer sales in a given day. Additional details related to beer sales in Ontario will be announced in early October, as the Liberals fine tune the initial revisions to provincial regulations.

The actual roll out date for beer in supermarkets is still not yet known, though we'll have to wait until 2018 for full scale implementation. As for wine sales, that picture is even less clear as complications related to international trade agreements have proved difficult to navigate. A report regarding wine in grocery stores is expected by the end of the year.

The top 5 fall getaways from Toronto

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fall getaways torontoFall getaways from Toronto are all about bright and bursting foliage. Few provinces offer better opportunities to view fall colours than Ontario, and most of the places on this list can be reached in a two hour drive or less from the city. My criteria in choosing these destinations is mostly scenic -- these spots are all perfect for witnessing fall's splendour.

Here are my picks for the top fall getaways from Toronto.

Algonquin Park
While the idea of travelling to Algonquin Park is nothing new, the park is at its most beautiful in the fall. You can rent a yurt for a weekend, try camping in less-than-balmy conditions, or embark on a hike to catch the fall colours in all their glory.

Elora Gorge
If you don't want to stray too far from home, Elora Gorge is one of your best bets for feeling "one with nature." There's plenty of hiking trails to conquer and it's home to one of the best waterfalls near Toronto. If nature's not your thing, opt to kick back at one of the many bed and breakfasts, they make for a nice escape from our skyrise-filled city.

The Blue Mountains
If you stay at the resort, you won't have a hard time finding things to do. With mountain biking, hiking, a high ropes course, and more on offer, you'll have no time to utter the phrase "I'm bored." For those who try to steer clear of resorts, travel to Collingwood or Meaford. Both areas feature sweeping views, and are perfect for cycling enthusiasts.

Haliburton Highlands
Quieter than Muskoka and much less busy, fall in the Haliburton Highlands is particularly peaceful and stunning. Find yourself a pad on AirBnB and forget your worries in a cabin or cottage. If you'd rather not spend your time enjoying a little R&R, both places have plenty of events on tap for the upcoming season. Check out what's on in Minden and Haliburton before booking.

Caledon
On the fence about going out of town? Try Caledon. It's close enough to the city that it can be a day trip or an overnight stay. The Forks of the Credit is the most popular destination, where you can hike the Bruce Trail, visit Cataract Falls, or do a little fishing. Accommodations-wise, Hockley Valley Resort and Millcroft Inn prove to be the top contenders.

What did I miss? Add your favourite fall getaways from Toronto in the comments.

Photo by Bert CR on Flickr.

Take a look inside Toronto's Harry Potter themed bar

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toronto harry potterIt's been around for less than two weeks but already Toronto's so-called Harry Potter themed bar has set the internet on fire. With subtle references to the beloved book series about a boy wizard hidden in plain sight, this small spot has been attracting Harry Potter superfans practically from day one.

Check out my profile of The Lockhart in the bars section.

The top 5 free events in Toronto: September 21-27 2015

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Free events torontoThe top free events in Toronto will have you soaking up the last few days of good weather outdoors. With a free movie in Fort York and a parade-festival hybrid at Trinity Bellwoods and Christie Pits, you'll be embracing the first few days of fall. If you can already feel the temperature dropping there's also a few indoor events on tap to keep you busy.

Here's how to be fiscally responsible this week.

The St. Royals (September 21)
The Drake Lounge is being taken over by The St. Royals this Monday for some quality live motown, funk, and soul music. If you can't make it out to the show, the venue will be hosting The Digs on Thursday evening for another cost-free concert.

NOW's Free Flick Mondays: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (September 21)
Whether you're in the market for a cheap date idea or are just jonesing for a movie night, this one's for you. Head to the Royal Cinema on Monday night for a free screening of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, courtesy of NOW. Plan to arrive a little earlier than usual as the first 100 guests will be treated to free popcorn.

The Power Plant Fall 2015 Opening Party (September 25)
The Power Plant is hosting an opening party this Friday and waving the cover charge. You'll be granted early access to the featured solo exhibits by Dora García, Carlos Amorales and Mark Lewis. There will also be a cash bar, if you feel like shelling out a few bucks for a drink.

TIFF in Your Park: The Sapphires (September 25)
The good people behind TIFF have spent the summer putting on free movie screenings in parks across the GTA, and (sadly) Friday is the final event of the season. So bring some snacks and a blanket and enjoy one more outdoor film before the weather takes a turn.

The David Suzuki Foundation's third annual Homegrown Park Crawl (September 27)
Though not actually a festival, this "crawl" has all the makings of a good one. Trinity Bellwoods (noon-2pm) and Christie Pits (3-6pm) will be filled with live music, activities, and more - all for free. If you have a couple bucks to spare, local restaurants will be serving cheap eats in the parks.

Have a free event you'd like to plug? Submit it to our Toronto events calendar using this form.

The 5 worst movies at TIFF 2015

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tiff 2015Not every movie at TIFF can be a cinematic masterpiece. Sometimes you see not just the best, but also the worst that movies have to offer. While, thankfully, this year I saw (almost) no truly terrible movies, there were still a few that found their way to the bottom of the heap.

Here are the five worst films I saw at TIFF 2015.

Beeba Boys
There's a lot to love about Beeba Boys. Most of all how refreshing it is to see a Sikh gangster film. It's just too bad nothing else about the movie is fresh. It seems more interested in marking off a checklist of gangster movie clichés than pursuing a more cohesive story. It does have a great Paul Gross cameo though.

Desierto
There's no doubt that this horror/chase movie version of a border crossing story is incredibly tense and smart in keeping its story and characters sketched thin to bring out the primal elements of the conflict. It's just that after a while, it ultimately succumbs to feeling a bit too one-note and has a final chase is *this* close to a comedy sketch.

The Final Girls
This movie gets a lot wrong: it wastes a clever premise, it fumbles a good start, it's inexplicably goreless. Worst of all, it violates Filmmaking 101 by never establishing rules about how its kids-enter-a-movie world works. The result is the filmmakers seem more intent on having fun than allowing for the audience to have fun too.

The Lobster
For a good while The Lobster is great: it's delightfully strange and darkly whimsical. But then it swerves about halfway through. The story and theme then just come to a halt, and the movie's deep-seeded meanness starts to wear you down.
That may be the point, but it's one that left me eyeing my watch for most of the second half.

My Internship in Canada
This possesses all the charm and sweetness you'd expect from a Canadian satire of our political system. And while it gets in some worthy jabs, it's too whimsical and gentle (so: Canadian) to be anything more than substantial than a Mr. Smith Goes to Washington episode of Corner Gas.

What were the worst movies you saw at TIFF this year? Share your picks in the comments.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @alxhuls for all the latest on TIFF 15.

Still from The Lobster.


The top 5 Canadian films at TIFF 2015

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tiff 20152015 was a strong year for Canadian films at TIFF. Not only did some of our established directors earn (or regain) their reputations, but up-and-coming directors proved they will be our future master filmmakers. This year, Canada did us proud at TIFF.

Here are my picks for the 5 best Canadian films I saw at TIFF 2015.

How Heavy This Hammer
Spending 75 minutes with an unlikeable, miserable man in a mid-life crisis (one he doesn't care to escape) may sound like tough cinema. But in Toronto director Kazik Radwanski's hands it's not only a tremendous character study, but proves to be a more universal snapshot of existential inertia, immaturity, and self-pity.

Hyena Road
Paul Gross' look at the Canadian military's presence in Afghanistan can be a little muddled at times in its intentions - is it anti-war or pro-troops, action movie or melodrama? But it's always immensely entertaining. It's also important. We need more stories about our troops, so thank goodness Hyena Road is a good one.

Into the Forest
Anchored by Evan Rachel Wood and Ellen Page's great performances, Into the Forest stands out as a rare post-apocalypse story that's not about survival and hope as instinct, but as choice. It may hit a few clichés, but Patricia Rozema's humane empathy for the characters and their choices (even bad ones) made this a lovely treat.

Remember
A welcome return for Atom Egoyan, Remember isn't just great as a low-key thriller, a geriatric Memento with dementia as a clever ticking time bomb device. Remember is especially powerful in how it uses its engaging entertainment to suggest a call for genocidal atrocities not to be forgotten as their remaining survivors are slowly disappearing.

Sleeping Giant
Andrew Cividino's Sleeping Giant isn't just one of the best Canadian filmmaker debuts in recent memory, it's one of the best Canadian films in the last few years. Like a cottage town 400 Blows, it is an achingly real coming-of-age story that feels both distinctly Canadian and yet profoundly universal.

What were the best Canadian films you saw at TIFF? Let us know in the comments.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @alxhuls for all the latest on TIFF 15.

Still photo of Remember.

The best & worst food festivals in Toronto this summer

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Toronto Food FestivalsFood festivals in Toronto can be hit or miss. Organizers need to fund venues, permits, signage and marketing requirements while attendees have to invest time and money to partake. When a food festival goes off without a hitch it can be a glorious experience but when it goes wrong you're left with hundreds if not thousands of hangry people all in one place.

Here are my picks for the best and worst food festivals in Toronto this summer.

WORST

Mac & Cheese Fest
Advertised as a free event and then relegated to the narrow outdoor passageways between shops, this festival suffered from a crush of overzealous macaroni lovers and the vendors just couldn't keep up. What's worse is they left a huge mess.

Vegan Fest
This meat-free event had all the makings of a great festival; Fort York promised a spacious and grassy venue, the threat of rain never materialized, and the food vendors were serving up some rather delicious and interesting edibles. Alas, the ticketed event was supposed to last until 7pm and then ran out of food halfway through which resulted in a lot of rightful grumbling.

Taste of Toronto
This international food fest boasts the biggest production value of any summer food festival. It erects pavilions and food stands with fully enclosed kitchens, it attracts high end restaurants who make it rain truffles, and it even boasts its own electronic currency. Sadly the exchange rate doesn't go too far, and plenty of attendees couldn't redeem the spare change without paying a service fee which left a sour taste.

Sweetery torontoMIDDLING

Sweetery
This dessert-centric food fest suffered the same pitfalls as so many other Toronto events; lineups and food shortages being the main complaints - not to mention that the selection lacked variety and many of the 22 participating vendors lacked experience dealing with crowds. Redeeming qualities included free admission and that some of the proceeds went to benefit SickKids.

Toronto Food Truck Festival
Festival goers felt this celebration of street food was more like a glorified food court. The idea of making this kind of event anything more than pit stop at meal-time seems ridiculous. At least admission was free.

TO Food Fest TorontoBEST

The Stop Night Market
Tickets priced at $111.30 might seem steep, but for the joy of ALL YOU CAN EAT feasting while supporting a good cause it's proved worthwhile. The cachet of this event is worth its salt, and this year over the course of two nights almost 100 of Toronto's top restaurants dished out some excellent eats. Best of all, it didn't feel like a feeding frenzy - it's more like a fun, fully catered party.

TO Food Fest
Free admission, indoor and outdoor sections, and the sheer variety of options made this food fest really fun. Among my awesome discoveries that day; Pomme de Terre's fried taro, Liko's barbecued pork skewers, and crepe cake from Baker Siu.

Roundhouse Craft Beer Fest
Okay, so this one wasn't marketed as a food festival but perhaps that's exactly why it was great. The main draw was the abundance of Ontario craft brewers all in one place, but then there was also an excellent selection of food trucks and vendors, lawn games, and live music which just made for an all around awesome day.

Pintxos TO
So many food fests make it impossible to taste a wide variety of goodies (and isn't that the point?) simply because each vendor makes their portions too big and too expensive. Not so at this festival of finger foods where attendees made the rounds nibbling on skewers of octopus and pork, morcilla on toast, and thin slices of iberico ham.

What did I miss? Add your best and worst food festival experiences in the comments.

TIFF 2015 award winners

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tiff award winnersTIFF 2015 award winners were announced today at the Bell Lightbox as considerable anticipation was swirling around the reveal of the first Platform Jury Prize and especially TIFF's top prize, the Grolsch People's Choice Award. While there were several buzzed about candidates - Spotlight, Room, The Martian, The Danish Girl - there was never a clear front-runner. Until Room emerged victorious.

Here is the full list of TIFF 2015 award winners.

People's Choice Award: Room

People's Choice Award Runner-Ups: Angry Indian Goddesses, Spotlight

People's Choice Documentary Award: Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

People's Choice Midnight Madness Award: Hardcore

Toronto Platform Prize: HURT

NETPAC Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere: The Whispering Star

The FIPRESCI Prize for Special Presentations: Desierto

The FIPRESCI Prize for Discovery: Eva Nová

Best Canadian Feature Film: Closet Monster

Best Canadian First Feature Film: Sleeping Giant

Best Canadian Short Film: Overpass

Best International Short Film: Maman(s)

Dropbox Discovery Programme Filmmakers Award:Black

As is custom, there will be a free screening of The Grolsch People's Choice Award Winner - Room - at Roy Thomson Hall at 8 PM tonight. Tickets are first-come, first-served.

Just opened restaurant serves up pan-Asian flavours

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rickshaw bar torontoThis new spot offers up tastes of South and Southeast Asia with paratha tacos and curries that don't skimp on flavour. With good veggie and vegan options and small plates that are meant for sharing, it's possible to try the entire menu here if you come with a group.

Read my profile of Rickshaw Bar in the restaurants section.

The 10 most anticipated Toronto restaurant openings for fall 2015

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toronto restaurant openingsThe restaurant scene in Toronto is due for an influx of new eateries this fall and the crop looks as promising as ever. The forecast calls for a season full of game meats, offal, ramen, mac n' cheese, and more comfort foods to indulge cold weather cravings.

Here are my picks for the 10 most anticipated Toronto restaurant openings for fall 2015.

Loka
This pop-up snack bar conceived by Chef Dave Mottershall is soon to open at 620 Queen St. West, (formerly Del Ray), after crushing his Kickstarter fundraising goal. Mottershall has already earned a reputation for turning out offal-y good dishes including hot-sauced chicken hearts, "crispy pig face", and "pig macks".

Bar Begonia
Anthony Rose is opening a Parisian bar this fall on Dupont, just down the street from his other wildly popular restaurants, Rose & Sons, Fat Pasha, Big Crow & Schmaltz. This will be his sixth restaurant and not only will it boast a beautiful front patio, but also a backyard outfitted for cocktail friendly recreational sports like bocce ball and tetherball.

Bobbie Sue's
Does the prospect of eating gourmet mac n' cheese out of a shack excite you? The folks behind Poutini's will make it a reality early next month at 162 Ossington Ave. at the corner of Foxley. Look forward to the all-time comfort food dressed up with smoked chicken and blue cheese sauce mac, or curry, tuna and peas.

Antler
Moving into This End Up's former address at 1454 Dundas St. West, Michael Hunter (ex-Reds Wine Tavern) is opening this restaurant with game and foraged finds on the menu.

Palinka Bar & Bisztro
Little Italy is soon to gain a new destination for modern Hungarian cuisine. The new restaurant is in the works at 585 College St. taking over the storefront which used to house Millefiori Florist.

Kiu
The team behind Ramen Isshin are expanding to Markham and opening at 169 Enterprise Blvd. The 140-seat restaurant is due to debut in October and will offer an upmarket omakase menu, cocktails and oysters.

Morimoto
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto is partnering with restaurant impresarios Charles Khabouth (INK) and Hanif Harji (Icon Legacy) to open his first Canadian restaurant in the coming months. The Japanese restaurant is going in at the Theatre Park building at 224 King Street West.

Ramen Kyouka
East side ramen lovers will soon have a noodle house to call their own. In time for colder weather, expect this new Japanese eatery to open at 2222 Queen St. East in the Beach(es).

Shameful Tiki Room
This Vancouver-based tiki bar is set to migrate eastward just as the weather turns cold. Opening in Parkdale at 1378 Queen St. West, expect vintage cocktails accompanied by curries, rum-braised ribs, and bamboo prawn skewers Bamboo Prawn skewers with Polynesian rice.

Indian Street Food Company
The newest incarnation of Amaya Indian Room (1701 Bayview Ave.) is due any time now. The revamped restaurant is expected to offer a menu of mid-priced small plates and snack foods plus biryanis and curries.

What did I miss? Add more anticipated openings to the comments.

Photo of Ramen Isshin.

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