January was exactly a photogenic month in terms of winter scenes this year, but with the generally temperate weather, the city's photographers were able to get out and snap away without their fingers falling off. As such, there was plenty of picturesque evidence of their activities posted to the blogTO Flickr pool, from street scenes to skylines to secret rooftop hockey rinks.
These are the photos of the month for January 2016.
After a brief stint in Toronto, the Vancouver-based coffee chain Caffe Artigiano shut down last month. According to a Landlord's Distress Warrant posted to its front door at 67 Yonge Street, the cafe owed more than $20,000.
While Caffe Artigiano couldn't seem to pick up steam here, it's quite popular on the west coast, especially for its Spanish, or condensed milk, lattes.
Its Toronto cafe had ample seating room but evidently couldn't carve out a large enough following among caffeine seekers in the Financial District.
Aside from the McDonald's, Starbucks and Tim Hortons that dominate this stretch of Yonge there was fierce competition from nearby indie cafes including Sam James, Clockwork and Dineen.
Will you miss Caffe Artigiano? Let us know in the comments.
Toronto never tires of imagining new schemes to redevelop the Gardiner Expressway, which is why it's at least somewhat troubling that the official plans for the elevated highway are so underwhelming. Given that the city is already contemplating spending billions of dollars on the aging bit of infrastructure, you might hope that a bolder vision be in place.
It's not as if there aren't some stunning and attainable options on the table. City staff recently considered five proposals for the future of the expressway, one of which goes by the name "Green Gardiner." It's an idea hatched by architect Cal Brook, one which calls for a section of the highway to be built above the existing rail corridor between Cherry and Jarvis streets.
Above this hypothetically stacked freeway would be a 1.1 kilometre linear park, an idea that has been tossed around in one form or another for decades. The difference here is that the plan doesn't seem so outlandish. It's a bold idea, to be sure, but it doesn't exactly come from left field.
According to Brook, the benefits are myriad. Not only would the consolidation of the rail lands and the highway free up land for development (and thus revenue opportunities), but it would allow the city to turn the eastern section of Lake Shore Boulevard into a waterfront street worthy of its name.
The proposal was not recommended for immediate consideration by city council on account of exorbitant costs and uncertainty surrounding the approvals process when building above the railway. For his part, Brook disputes the figures city staff pegged his proposal to come it at.
So, while he fights to have his vision reconsidered, we can sit back and dream of what might have been.
Renderings via Brook McIlroy
A popular Toronto pizzeria is offering something new: a food shop where their staple pizzeria ingredients are for sale. Offering panini to eat in or take out, espresso, sweets, and authentic Italian ingredients, this new spot is the latest place to go for traditional Italian cuisine.
Read my review of Via Mercanti Food Shop in the grocery section.
Later this month, 70 vendors and wedding professionals will take over Artscape Wychwood Barns for a creative expo. Here you'll find Pinterest-worthy bridal accessories like flower crowns and paper flowers, plus more goods and services by Toronto's top creative wedding planners and designers. Want to go? You're in luck since we're giving away tickets.
Get all the contest details here.
The best delis in Toronto (Jewish-style delis, that is) uphold time-honoured traditions and family recipes for the perfect pastrami, corned beef and Montreal-style smoked meats. These are the places where you'll find big bowls of soul-soothing matzah ball soup and smoked meat sandwiches so big you'll have to stretch your jaw just to get it in your mouth.
Here are the best delis in Toronto.
Are you happy with Toronto's public transit system? Apparently, lots of people are. That's because according to a TTC news release, it reached a customer satisfaction milestone in 2015 with an all-time high of 81 percent.
This continues a trend that's arisen over the last few years.
There are numerous reasons for increased rider satisfaction, though the reduction of delays is typically one of the chief factors. Towards that end, delay minutes on Line 1 (Yonge-University-Spadina) were down 25 percent last year (in comparison to 2014). Delay minutes across the entire TTC network, meanwhile, were down 13 percent.
Earlier today, Mayor John Tory announced that by 2019, the TTC is hoping to reduce delays by 50 percent. To do this, the city is looking to invest more in transit. Last year, it added $95 million to the TTC's budget. And as 680 News reports, the city's 2016 budget proposes to invest $50 million more.
Last year, the TTC added two more trains on Lines 1 and 2 during off-peak hours. For 2016, riders can expect to see more late night trains on Line 1. The transit commission is also working to improve service during off-peak hours while also beefing up its blue night and express bus routes.
Are you happy with the TTC? Let us know in the comments.
Photo by tapesonthefloor in the blogTO Flickr pool.
Today in Toronto The Boss is hitting the Air Canada Centre. As expected, tickets sold out in a flash so you'll have to turn to Craigslist or StubHub to snag a pair. If you prefer Bill Murray to Bruce Springsteen, head to The Royal Cinema to catch back-to-back screenings of Groundhog Day.
For more events, click on over to our events section.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events section.
Photo by Jo Lopez from the Bruce Springsteen Facebook page.
There are no closures to report on DineSafe this week, though it seems unlucky for Perfect Chinese Restaurant to be headed into the Chinese New Year with a yellow card on its door.
See which other establishments got yellow carded on DineSafe this week.
CORRECTION NOTICE: Our DineSafe round-up on December 15 mistakenly identified the What A Bagel location at 130 Spadina Avenue instead of 421 Spadina Road. The infractions did occur at the 421 Spadina Road location as detailed here. We apologize for this error.
Big Sushi (388 Bloor Street West)
Inspected on: January 26, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.
Niche (626 Queen Street West)
Inspected on: January 26, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 4)
Crucial infractions include: N/A
Lingan Cream House (3341 Markham Road)
Inspected on: January 27, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Significant: 4, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated. Operator fail to maintain hazardous foods at 60C (140F) or hotter.
Perfect Chinese Restaurant (4386 Sheppard Avenue East)
Inspected on: January 27, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 1, Significant: 5, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Employee fail to wash hands when required. Fail to protect food from contamination or adulteration.
The Standard (667 College Street)
Inspected on: January 28, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 1, Significant: 5)
Crucial infractions include: N/A
FV Foods (280 Wilson Avenue)
Inspected on: January 28, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 5, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.
Note: The above businesses each received infractions from DineSafe as originally reported on the DineSafe site. This does not imply that any of these businesses have not subsequently corrected the issue and received a passing grade by DineSafe inspectors. For the latest status for each of the mentioned businesses, including details on any subsequent inspections, please be sure to check the DineSafe site.
This contemporary three-storey semi is south of College in the Little Italy neighbourhood. The three-bedroom at 208A Markham Street was built in 2013 by GH3 Architects, alongside an identical property. It's listed for just shy of $1.6 million.
The gentrified area has been transformed in recent years. It now features an abundance of architect-designed houses and stellar new shops along Dundas West, likely shocking grandma in her old stomping grounds. Streets like this one and the neighbouring Palmerston Avenue offers luxury condo-alternatives with backyards and detached garages.
The interior boasts an open layout, 10-foot ceilings, large windows and a deep lot extending 128 feet. The bedrooms are spacious, including a second-floor master and ensuite. The upper level features two additional bedrooms and a walkout terrace.
SPECS
NOTABLE FEATURES
GOOD FOR
Urbanites who want a brand-new, move-in-ready home. The property is fitting for those who don't want the hassle of an aging 100-year-old house. With new electrical, roof and plumbing, along with rear parking, everything's in good working order - at least for now.
MOVE ON IF
You like subways more than streetcars. In this locale, you're on the streetcar line (a 24-hour streetcar line) so you can't really complain. But somedays it's more convenient to head underground, especially if it's cold outside and your streetcar still lacks a Presto machine.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
What do you think of this modern dwelling on Markham? Tell us in the comments.
Toronto has no shortage of lunch offerings but this new spot is worth adding to the repertoire. Find sandwiches, salads, soup, smoothies as well as a delicious line-up of pastries.
Read my profile of XO Bisous in the restaurants section.
World Nutella Day is Saturday, February 6 and in Toronto, the best ways to celebrate obviously involve consuming copious amounts of sweet, sweet chocolate-hazelnut bliss. While a tub and a spoon will suffice, there's plenty of Toronto cafes, bakeries and pizzerias with plans to spread their love of everything Nutella.
Here's where to find an abundance of baked goods, pizzas, lattes and the occasional give-away in celebration of Nutella Day in Toronto.
Nutella Cafe
The devoted Nutella Cafe inside the Sobeys Urban Fresh at CityPlace will be a hub of Nutella-centric celebrations. Expect to find a wide variety of pastries, buttery croissants, made-to-order crepes and more.
The Rolling Pin
The bakery at Yonge and Lawrence is pulling out all the stops for Nutella Day and serving up a crazy amount of cocoa-hazelnut-themed desserts. Look forward to banana-Nutella spring rolls as well as doughnuts, cupcakes, bars, cookies and pies.
SanRemo Bakery
The Italian bakery on Royal York celebrates Nutella Day with an assortment of baked goods and lattes. Expect to find the bakeshop stocked with Nutella doughnuts, croissants, pudding cakes and more.
Sleepy Baker
The Beach(es) bakery will be offering 15 Nutella-filled foods for the occasion including Nutella lasagna, Nutella fries, and Nutella-dipped strawberry cupcakes. Additionally, there are free gifts from Nutella with purchase and gift basket giveaways to the 30th and 60th customers through the doors.
CocoaLatte
The gelato bar and cafe on St. Clair will be offering up an array of Nutella-spiked specialties including crepes, waffles, cookies, gelato, croissants and lattes.
G For Gelato
The gelato bar, cafe and pizzeria at Jarvis and Adelaide is set to celebrate Nutella Day with huge Nutella brownies, Nutella gelato, milkshakes, lattes and a sweet take on pizza.
Cafe Con Leche
The cafe in the Junction Triangle will be serving up Nutella lattes as usual plus handing out free Nutella cookie sandwiches featuring two Nutella cookies with hazelnut chocolate smooshed in between.
A3 Napoli
The friggitoria in Little Italy is adding a Nutella special to the menu for the day. Stop in for a Batt (long-fried pizza) filled with sweet ricotta and Nutella.
Tripl3 Baked
The bakery in Markham is putting together an indulgent Nutella menu that'll include a Nutella sandwich cupcake, Nutella-stuffed cookies, Ferraro Roche cupcakes and more.
The Big Cannoli
Get your Nutella fix at this Italian bakery in Woodbridge where the fried Nutella bombe and fried Nutella croissant are menu staples.
Share how you plan to celebrate Nutella Day in the comments.
Photo of the Nutella Cafe by Jesse Milns.
Toronto's unofficial mascot was spotted on the TTC earlier today, to the surprise, amusement and chagrin of morning commuters. The raccoon was seen lurking around the subway platform sniffing at people's feet before boarding the train at Spadina station.
As reported by CP24, trains were briefly delayed before our furry bandit-eyed friend disappeared into the subway tunnel. It's unclear how the raccoon got into the station.
This morning's adventure is just the latest quirky raccoon sighting Toronto has witnessed in recent history. In December, someone took a video of a raccoon stealing a donut from a local bakery. Last summer, a raccoon was spotted climbing a crane at a local construction site. And who can forget the infamous #DeadRaccoonTO.
Brief delay at Spadina, southbound due to a raccoon aboard the train! @TTCnoticespic.twitter.com/Q3yPzLU5iK
— Heather Leach (@heatherlleach) February 2, 2016
Sightings of animals on subway cars are rare but also nothing new. In 2010 this pigeon captivated commuters as it took a ride on the subway and exited the car at its desired stop.
Of course, it's too early to tell whether this latest raccoon will join the pantheon of Toronto's most famous animals.
Photo by Tatyana Marayeva on Twitter.
Drake is continuing his world domination by adding Super Bowl pitchman to his resume. Today, T-Mobile dropped its newest commercial, which features our resident 6 God recreating his famed Hotline Bling video.
The 30-second clip features him showing off some classic Drake dance moves before being harangued by phone company execs for lyric changes. We also get to see him flex his acting chops, reminding us fondly of his time on Degrassi.
2016 hasn't been too shabby for Toronto's golden boy thus far; he now has his own colouring book, tied the Hot Rap Songs chart record with Hotline Bling, released the first single off Views From The 6 and now this. If the recent rumours of his summer tour are true, it can only go up from here.
What do you think of the commercial? Add your thoughts in the comments.
January in Toronto is a bit of a slow month for restaurant openings, but you're in luck if you like noodles, tacos or dumplings.
Here are my picks for the top restaurants that opened in Toronto last month.
Ufficio
The Italian restaurant on Dundas West is making waves with its pescetarian menu featuring a bounty of fish and veg dishes. The opening menu features a grilled octopus with coponata, burrata with pickled beets and a spaghetti carbonara that substitutes bacon with smoked mackerel.
Rione XI
This new Italian restaurant channels the cucinas of the Ghetto di Roma, the Jewish district in Rome known for its patio tables populated with vino and the famous carciofi alla giudia. Find the new restaurant on St. Clair serving the addictive deep fried artichoke specialty accompanied by a menu of pizza, pasta and salumi boards.
Cafeteria
The newest addition to the Playa Cabana family of restaurants is this all-day eatery on College Street. Don't go here expecting tacos - although they do have some on the menu. Instead, expect more refined Mexican fare such as pulpo ceviche and crab salad.
MeNami
Willowdale gained a traditional Sanuki udon house this month from the same folks behind Han Ba Tang. The menu makes thick, chewy noodles its niche and offers over a dozen different preparations including oven-baked with shrimps, scallops and bacon, or curried with shrimp tempura.
The Peasant Table
The new gastropub in Leslieville taps into old-world recipes that span the Alps to the Adriatic Sea for a menu featuring rustic fare at brunch, lunch and dinner. Menu highlights include grilled octopus, smoked swordfish crudo and Wagyu beef carpaccio as well as ample vegetarian options.
XO Bisous
The patisserie and cafe on Adelaide Street East is newly opened and serving up a sweet selection featuring profiteroles and cookies, fast breakfasts and complete lunches. Find yogurt parfaits and chocolate chia seed puddings available in the mornings, while lunch comprises sandwiches, soup and fresh salads.
My Little Dumplings
Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, this purveyor of international dumpling styles has set up shop in Leslieville. Fill up on a cross-cultural selection of dumplings ranging from gnocchi to bao.
True True
Formerly One Pizza, this restaurant on King East is still serving pizza but is sporting a new menu, new name, and new look.
Coo Cafe Bread or Rice
January was the first full month in business for this cozy Bloorcourt eatery that offers a novel approach to satisfying comfort food cravings. Whether you're hankering for a big bowl of rice or a sloppy sandwich, Coo has you covered.
Barnsteiner's
Flatbreads and panini, salads and seafood selections, and big meat and potato entrees are all on the menu at this Yonge and St. Clair restaurant from the same folks behind the Corner House.
Photo of Ufficio by Jesse Milns.
What's the deal with the Seinfeld Pop-up Bar - Opening Party that's been popping on everyone's newsfeeds? Well, unlike other popular Toronto-area Facebook events, this one looks like it might be legitimate.
"The inspiration was really my group of friends and our collective love for Seinfeld," says co-organizer Mackenzie Keast via email. He helps coordinate NXT City Night events and also runs the online-based Break-Up Shop with his brother.
While Keast and his team haven't decided on an exact location just yet, he tells me that it's going to be near Dufferin and Dundas - an area that's already home to The Lockhart, Toronto's famous Harry Potter-inspired bar.
Keast knows that Seinfeld still resonates today. "I think in Toronto," he says, "We tend to have a lot of the same neurotic habits that make Seinfeldian life what it is, so we can relate a lot. We thought hey, let's give people the opportunity to immerse themselves in that experience a little bit more and have fun."
Naturally, this pop-up will resemble Monk's Cafe. But good luck getting table on opening night (July 15). So far, nearly 4,500 individuals have RSVP-ed on the Facebook event, while more than 10,000 say they're "interested" in attending.
Start getting excited for summer 2016.
Remember when Toronto shoe lovers went gaga for the Christian Louboutin exhibition at the Design Exchange? It looks like Louboutin's coming back, permanently.
According to Retail Insider, luxury shoe brand Christian Louboutin is opening its first freestanding Canadian store in the old La Presse location at 99 Yorkville Avenue.
As Retail Insider notes, the two-floor, 2,625 square-foot store is slated to open within the next few months.
If you can't wait until the spring, you can already grab red-soled shoes at high-end Toronto retailers such as Holt Renfrew, Davids and some Hudson's Bay locations.
Photo via @louboutinworld.
The stars just keep on coming. Following recent announcements that Sting and Snoop Dogg will be gracing Toronto later this month as part of NBA All-Star Weekend, MLSE has announced that Usher and Gwen Stefani will also be paying Hogtown a visit.
The duo will be performing at the Friday Night True North VIP Experience - that new top secret entertainment hub at the Roundhouse - on February 12 to kick off the NBA All-Star Weekend.
If you're hoping to grab tickets, they're still available but don't come cheap; the concert will set you back $1750.
Would you fork out that kind of coin to see Usher and Gwen Stefani? Let us know in the comments.
The Cantina by Campbell's started dishing out piping hot bowls of free soup at around 11:30 a.m. today, much to the delight of hungry Torontonians.
Found at 501 Queen West, this pop-up resembles a trendy new cafe thanks to its white-washed exposed brick walls, wooden tables and retro soup cans. Decor aside, the focus here is on the soup - everyone who walks through the door gets to sample four jazzed-up Campbell's recipes, which chef Matt Pettit (of Rock Lobster fame) created just for this event.
When I visit, I head to the back and get four samples - spicy vegetarian ramen, roasted beer can cream of chicken, creamy black bean tomato taco and Thai chicken and rice khao soi. They all come served in individual cups on a cafeteria-style tray.
Chef Pettit uses different Campbell's products as a base for each soup and elevates them with ingredients such as coconut milk (for the khao soi) and crispy chicken skin, which he places on top of the spicy beer can cream of chicken soup.
Though, these crispy chicken skins aren't the only toppings available - there's an entire garnish bar where you can customize your mini soup bowls.
Pettit recommend crispy egg noodles for the khai soi and nori, bamboo shoots and hard-boiled egg for the vegetarian ramen. There's also chili lime crema and crispy tortilla strips for the creamy tomato as well as cilantro and chives.
The creamy black bean tomato taco soup is especially nostalgic because it's made with Campbell's creamy tomato soup; however, I like the vegetarian ramen the best - I think I'll actually make this one at home.
While each soup cup may seem small, when eaten together, they make a nice light meal. And this should come in handy for those who live and work nearby, especially since it's open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. But, it's only sticking around until February 21.
Photos by Hector Vasquez.
The curtains might be set to draw on the Humber Cinema as developer Plazacorp has announced its intentions to build a 14-storey condo tower on the site of the movie theatre at Bloor and Jane streets. One of the original Odeon theatres in Toronto, the Humber opened in 1948.
The proposed development is still in its earliest stages with a community meeting scheduled at the cinema on Monday, February 8 to discuss plans for the site. City staff have yet to review what Plazacorp has in mind for the Humber, which means the development will also be subject to a lengthy approvals process.
Despite closing due to poor attendance in 2003, a major restoration effort in 2011 brought back some of the cinema's former glory. It's unclear at present if any of the existing theatre would be retained as part of redevelopment plans.
Photo by Marcus Mitanis in the blogTO Flickr pool.
