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The top 10 food events in Toronto for spring 2016

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food events torontoThe top food events in Toronto for spring 2016 will give you lots to do and eat this season. From night markets and film screenings, to ticketed dinners and festivals, it shouldn't be too hard to keep busy as the weather warms up.

Here are my picks for the top food events in Toronto this spring.

Riverside Winefest
The Riverside BIA presents a wine tour in its own backyard from March 29 to April 3. Wineries and growers from Prince Edward Country, Niagara and Lake Erie North Shore will showcase their wares at nearly two dozen participating restaurants and retailers.

Toronto Food + Drink Market
From April 8 to 10, the Enercare Centre will be home to this food, wine and hospitality event that'll offer tutored tastings, demos, a food truck alley and an abundance of sampling opportunities.

Curryfest
Spicy foods will heat things up at the Aga Khan Museum on Saturday, April 9. General admission is $10 and includes free access to the museum after hours (6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.), not to mention the chance to taste dishes from Rickshaw Bar, Pai, Bombay Street Food Co. and more.

Songkran
Party like it's 2559 and ring in the Thai New Year at Nana. The restaurant will hold three sessions on Sunday, April 10, as well as one more on the evening of Monday, April 11. Tickets are $40 and include all-you-can-eat food, and of course, the annual water fight!

TIFF Food On Film
There's still time to catch a food-centric film screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox with notable guest speakers. Join Chris Ying as he talks about Diner on April 27, while Andy Ricker discusses The Empire of Scents on May 18.

Alexandria
Via Vai hosts this special evening on Wednesday, April 27, meant to transport diners back to the glamorous courts of Cleopatra and the Ptolemaic dynasty. The menu from chef Joe Friday is priced at $70 per person, including gratuity and wine, and will feature a feast inspired by the foods consumed by the last rulers of ancient Egypt.

Asia Food Fest
More than 60 Asian restaurants from across Toronto and the GTA are participating in this 'Licious-like prix-fixe promotion happening between April 29 and May 15. Look forward to set menus priced between $10 and $45 per person at restaurants including KaKa All You Can Eat, Kingyo Izakaya, Jatajuk and many more.

Gluten Free Garage
Toronto's pop-up marketplace devoted to gluten-free eating kicks off Celiac Awareness Month on May 1 at Artscape Wychwood Barns. Billed as a one-stop shopping and sampling event, expect to find 65-plus exhibitors, guest speakers, food trucks and beer and cider tastings. Tickets are on sale now for $11.50.

Toronto Taste
Now in its 26th year, this gala fundraiser for Second Harvest Food Rescue Programs will return to Corus Quay on Sunday, June 12. Tickets are on sale now ($260 including a $125 charitable tax receipt).

The Stop Night Market
The fifth annual fundraiser in support of The Stop Community Food Centre is returning to Sterling Road for an all-inclusive night of eating on Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15. Participating vendors have yet to be announced, but expect details to be released mid-April. Tickets will go on sale mid-May.

Photo of the Stop Night Market by Natta Summerky.


Why tribute dance parties are big in Toronto right now

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tribute dance party torontoJustin Bieber went from being loathed to loved in Toronto, so much so that Studio Bar on Dundas West recently spent three nights in a row hosting dance parties dedicated to the Stratford-born star. But it's not only Bieber fever that's spreading through Toronto, tribute dance parties are also catching on.

"I think that these parties are kind of refreshing," says Studio Bar owner Alex Ottens.

Studio Bar, with Ottawa-based promoters C & J Presents, held Toronto's first Bey Bey All Night party on September 11, 2015. That brought the BeyHive out to the venue, and now Studio Bar hosts pop-music themed dance parties on the regular.

That said, Ottens admits that he and C & J didn't invent them. In fact, Toronto's Queen of Esther Madonna Video Dance Party, along with DJ/VJ doctor BAGGIE's Prince, Jackson family and Lady Gaga-themed parties, have been happening in the city for years.

But why are these parties picking up more steam now? Perhaps it's part of our quest for nostalgia - we're all trying to harken back to childhood. That's why items like adult colouring books and weekends away at adult sleepover camps are so prevalent right now. And what can transport you back to your pre-teen days faster than dancing around to your favourite pop star?

The Gladstone Hotel regularly holds these parties too. Unsurprisingly, its recent Spice Girls Vs. Everybody night was packed and nearly sold out. Revellers dressed up like Posh, Sporty, Scary, Ginger and Baby lined up in the lobby and spilled out onto Queen Street as they waited for the 1990s-style social to start.

According to Justin Maguire, the Gladstone's director of partnerships and product development, he started the hotel's vs. Everybody series on December 4 with a Justin Bieber event (naturally).

He tells me that he was inspired by the Peace Collective. "Toronto has such a unique identity, and that Us vs.Them mentality (without the aggro) was something we wanted to carry into these parties," he says via email.

That mentality will go full throttle this weekend at a series of Taylor Swift-themed events at Adelaide Hall, including one called Bad Blood, a Taylor Swift vs. Kanye West dance party.

Whether Torontonians are looking to dance their adult-related troubles away, or are just looking to have a fun night out, these dance parties don't seem to be going anywhere. In fact, if you miss this weekend's Swiftian fest, you can catch another one at Studio Bar on April 22. Get your squad ready now.

Photo via Beyonce's Facebook page.

Win tickets to Wayhome 2016

10 signs you were a Toronto movie buff in the 1990s

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toronto movie theatres 1990sThe 1990s witnessed the rise of the multiplex in Toronto and the death of a whole lot of smaller movie theatres in Toronto. Still, those who loved film at the time were able to soak up the experience of screenings at places like the Uptown and Runnymede Theatres. This was a time when local video stores and cinema architecture was almost taken for granted, and now much if it is fading away.

Here are 10 signs you were a Toronto movie buff in the 1990s.

1. You loved the palatial Uptown Theatre, one of the last truly magnificent large scale and functional cinemas in the city, and went to the early Midnight Madness series held there as part of TIFF.

2. You remember when TIFF was called the "Festival of Festivals" and was centred in Yorkville and the four-screen Cumberland Theatre. It was much smaller back then, but there seemed to be more reverence for film culture during this period of the fest.

3. You spent hours upon hours in the balcony at the Bloor Cinema, where you could get away with smoking cigarettes (and drinking from a flask, of course), but at the expense of the sound quality offered downstairs.

4. You hated the rec room-sized theatres, but you begrudgingly caught at least a few flicks at the Eaton Centre Cineplex, though the crowds of high school kids on Toonie Tuesdays were almost too much to bear.

5. Membership at places like Suspect Video, the Film Buff, and Queen Video was virtually mandatory, and at the time you couldn't fathom a world without these places, which were a part of your weekly routine.

6. You watched films at the Eglinton and Capitol theatres before they became upscale event venues. Ditto for the York, which acted as an event space before eventually being claimed by condos.

7. You remember Yonge and St. Clair (or more specifically Heath) as a movie destination anchored by the Hollywood and the Hyland theatres, where Famous Players and Cineplex duked it out side by side.

8. For you, the Runnymede Theatre wasn't a Chapters location or the nicest Shopper's Drugmart in the city, but instead a gorgeous place to watch a movie. You didn't need pre-film entertainment because you could marvel at the architectural details.

9.The Plaza Theatre at Yonge and Bloor might have been a rather utilitarian cinema, but its centrally located 1000+ seats meant that you ended up watching a lot of movies here.

10. At one point or another, you chatted with John Porter about film at the original location of CineCycle at the back of 317 Spadina Ave.

Share your memories in the comments.

Photo of the Uptown Theatre's sign being removed in 2006 by Chris Barker.

The Best Steak Tartare in Toronto

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Steak Tartare TorontoThe best steak tartare in Toronto is a true-blue carnivore's delight found at bistros, steakhouses and upscale dining rooms. While plenty of kitchens are happy to adhere to the iconic formula of raw meat with capers and shallots, a dash of Worcestershire or a dollop of dijon, there's many willing to add creative spins, adapting the recipe to represent Toronto's diverse tastes.

Here is the best steak tartare in Toronto.

Now you can feel sorry for Dufferin Mall with a sweater

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suffering mallDufferin Mall is one of the city's most beloved shopping centres, but not for its good looks or coveted roster of stores - the exact opposite in fact (need proof? Check out the @dufferinmallofficial). Well, good news: you can now pay homage to the mecca of all things kitsch with goods from Likely General.

The merch, designed by WAWA Designs, features everyone's favourite autocorrect blunder: "Suffering Mall" (which some would suggest accurately describes the state of the place). T-shirts and sweaters are available at the Roncy shop, but you can also pick up pins and totes online.

Photo by WAWA Designs.

Tim Burton-themed art show on now in Toronto

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Tim Burton TorontoTim Burton fans might be partial to Halloween, but starting today - on Easter Monday - everyone can celebrate both holidays with a new all-women art exhibition dedicated to the American filmmaker.

Yes, the Gladstone Hotel is currently playing host to a show called A Tribute to Tim Burton. It'll feature work from more than 25 local female animators and illustrators.

Organizer and curator Tammy Semen has been running themed exhibitions featuring Toronto animators for the past number of years. Previous incarnations have centred around figures such as Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson. And this isn't the first Tim Burton exhibition to pop up in Toronto; back in 2010, TIFF held a massive one at the Lightbox.

This Tim Burton show, however, starts today and will run until April 14 - if you want to see it, you'll have to move quickly. When you visit, head to the hotel's second floor gallery. And don't forget to say Beetlejuice's name three times.

Lead image by Hyein Lee.

The top 8 events to see Toronto's future creative stars

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grad shows torontoWhile university students everywhere are gearing up to write exams, art students from some of Toronto's top post-secondary art programs are preparing to showcase their work in the biggest shows of their university careers. This is the chance for professors, students, industry-professionals and the public to check out upcoming young Toronto talent.

Here are 8 graduate art student events to check out in Toronto this spring.

Seneca Arts Festival 2016 (multiple locations)
The Seneca Arts Festival is comprised of 11 different events showcasing students work from a variety of programs. Starting with a voices speech competition on March 30 and ending with a celebration on May 18, all events are free and open to the public. Events range across all art platforms including fashion, documentary film, design and theatre performances.

Mass Exodus 2016 (341 Yonge Street)
Mass Exodus is the Ryerson School of Fashion's year-end event. The event is comprised of two events: the runway show, which presents fourth-year design students' final collections and the exhibit, which presents fourth-year fashion communication students' final creative projects. The exhibit opens April 9th and three shows run April 10th.

2016 Sheridan Illustration Graduate Show (99 Sudbury Street)
The Sheridan Illustration Graduate Show will run on April 14 and 15 to showcase a collection of images from a broad landscape of illustration from the graduation illustration students.

META XVI: Ryerson New Media Exhibition (66 Gerrard Street East)
Ryerson New Media's graduating class will hold their annual exhibition on April 14 to 16. Their pieces combine contemporary art practices with technological innovation. The pieces range from sound art, video installations, net art and augmented reality and all focus on user-interaction.

Visual and Digital Arts Graduate Exhibition (21 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr.)
This exhibit, running from April 18 to May 5, is completely created, promoted and installed by Humber's Visual and Digital Arts graduating class. The showcased pieces will feature a variety of fine art, design and private-sector industries.

The Intermission (British Columbia Rd)
The Intermission is the annual student-organized show by the graduating class of the York/Sheridan Program in Design. There will be a free show open to the public in the evening on April 19 where you can see the work and meet the students behind the designs.

GradEx 101 (100 McCaul Street)
In its 101st year, GradEx will be a five-day exhibition (May 4-8) across the OCAD University campus. Over 900 young artists and designers will showcase their work, including thesis work by graduating students. Over 18 different programs' work will be representing including photography, material art & design, printmaking, illustration and environmental design.

Maximum Exposure 2016 (122 Bond Street)
The Ryerson School of Image Arts' annual end-of-year exhibit will be held on May 5. This will be the shows 21st year and will highlight the thesis projects produced by graduating photography students, as well as display work from over 150 film and photography undergraduate students in the Image Arts program

What did I miss? Add your most anticipated art grad-student events in the comments.

Photo of Gradex via OcadU


Today in Toronto: Riverside Winefest, Love Life Book Launch, True Stories Told Live, Restorations, Party Girl

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Lego and LagersToday in Toronto trek to the east side to get a little boozy at the Riverside Winefest. The fest will boast wine tasting at local shops, prix fixe dinners and live music shows. If you think the west is best, hit up the Gladstone to embrace your inner child with some lego and lagers, instead.

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 of Lego & Lagers at the Gladstone by Krystle Merrow.

This Week on DineSafe: Ali Baba's, Kadbanu, Kathmandu, Stratus, Landmark Seafood Cuisine

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dinesafeThis week on DineSafe was not a great week for fans of Middle Eastern cuisines. While there were no closures, Landmark Seafood Cusine and Ali Baba's both racked up a high number of infractions. Moreover, Kathmandu, Kadbanu and Kabsa Mandi all made the list with conditional passes.

Here are the rest of this week's offenders on DineSafe.

Ali Baba's (768 Dundas Street West)
Inspected on: March 23, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated. Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Kadbanu (771 Dundas Street West)
Inspected on: March 23, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Kabsa Mandi (1008 Danforth Avenue)
Inspected on: March 23, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Kathmandu (12 Cumberland Street)
Inspected on: March 21, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Landmark Seafood Cuisine (3601 Victoria Park Avenue)
Inspected on: March 22, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 1, Significant: 5, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Stratus (79 Wellington Street West)
Inspected on: March 22, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Tierra Azteca (1115 Bloor Street West)
Inspected on: March 21, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, 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.

House of the week: 175 Haddington Avenue

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175 Haddington Avenue175 Haddington Avenue is a newly built four bedroom on the market for $3,300,000. It's a designer home with an eye-popping angular glass facade and a deep yard worthy of an outdoor pool and hot tub. Located just off of Avenue Road south of the 401, the 3,500 square foot space utilizes eco-conscious materials and a green roof with solar panels.

175 Haddington AvenueThe main floor has a few standout features. First, the floating fishbone staircase is both funky and disorienting, and the fire-engine red kitchen framed by a glass garage door adds pizzazz to what could have been a bland cookie-cutter interior.

175 Haddington AvenueLike other properties in North Toronto, the lot is spacious at 44 x 130 feet. Still, real estate doesn't come cheap closer to the 'burbs. Houses are selling well over the million dollar mark and anything else is a frightening fixer-upper or knock-down.

175 Haddington AvenueSPECS

175 Haddington AvenueNOTABLE FEATURES

  • Approx. 3,500 square feet
  • Skylights & fireplace
  • Fishbone staircase
  • Heated floors
  • Glass garage patio door
  • Green roof with solar panels

175 Haddington AvenueGOOD FORA large family. The Bedford Park neighbourhood is family-friendly with a school and playground across the street. With four plus bedrooms, there's plenty of room to fill the home with children and/or feline pets.

175 Haddington AvenueMOVE ON IF

You want a quaint post-war bungalow. There are still a handful of smaller homes lining the street but not for long -- most properties have been rebuilt into monster houses, attached to multi-million dollar price tags.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
175 Haddington Avenue175 Haddington Avenue175 Haddington Avenue175 Haddington Avenue175 Haddington Avenue175 Haddington Avenue175 Haddington Avenue175 Haddington AvenueLike this modern dwelling? Have your say in the comments.

Thanks to Bosley Real Estate Ltd, Brokerage for sponsoring our House of the Week. All content and editorial selected and written by blogTO.

Sound Academy teases reopening after massive renos

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sound academy torontoSound Academy, Toronto's oft-derided lakeside music venue, is currently undergoing an extreme makeover. And rightly so, considering the space left much to be to be desired.

"The building was old, it was not laid out properly," says Ink Entertainment's Charles Khabouth in a new Sound Academy promo video. His company bought the Cherry Street complex a few years back.

Now, he and his team are renovating it. Earlier reports indicated that Studio Munge would be designing the massive venue, which would include multiple bars, a concert hall and a discreet backstage club.

But when will it be ready?


It now looks like you'll be able to check out the updated space in just a couple of months because Brand New's headlining a pair of shows there on June 9 and 10. AWOLNATION (along with Death From Above 1979) will also be dropping by on June 19. Yes, this vibe may not have been what I was expecting from new Sound Academy, but I'm totally okay with it.

Monthly music festival returns to the Toronto Islands

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electric island 2016Even though Bestival has abandoned the Toronto Islands for Woodbine Park this year, it'll still be easy to catch live music a short ferry ride away. This afternoon, Electric Island, the city's annual EDM festival series, announced it's returning to Hanlan's Point on May 23 and will be hosting a number of shows up until the first weekend of September.

This year we'll see heavy-hitters like Sven Väth and Jamie Jones take the stage, so get excited.

Here's the full lineup:

  • Âme
  • Apollonia
  • andhim
  • Ben Klock VS Marcel Dettmann
  • Bicep
  • Black Coffee
  • Dixon
  • DJ Tennis
  • Fatima Yamaha
  • Get Real: Green Velvet & Claude VonStroke
  • Gui Boratto
  • Guy Gerber
  • Guy J
  • Jamie Jones
  • Job Jobse
  • Justin Martin
  • Loco Dice
  • Nicole Moudaber
  • Nitin
  • Paul Kalkbrenner
  • Sven Väth
  • Tale of Us
  • Aaron Santos VS Cosmic JD
  • Alberto Jossue
  • Borzoo
  • Brian Johnson
  • Butrous
  • Dirty Dale
  • Jamie Kidd
  • Jeff Button
  • Jonathan Rosa
  • Members Only
  • Nature of Music
  • Koki
  • Simon Jain
  • Sean Miller

Electic Island dates for 2016 include May 23, July 1, August 1, September 4-5. GA Early Bird season passes are already on sale and will run you $149.99+HST (or $179.99+HST if you want your ferry ride included).

Photo via Electric Island on Facebook.

Toronto designer creates a nap hammock for your office

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SchnapHave you ever had the urge to nod off at work? Since most Toronto offices don't come equipped with nap rooms, one OCAD University graphic design student has a solution: office appropriate hammocks.

Aqil Anindhityo Raharjo, who's in second year, created his Schnap hammocks as part of a school project. As he tells Mashable, he often saw students pulling all-nighters at OCAD - his classmates were his inspiration.

office hammockThe Schnap looks easy to use (and it's beautifully designed): you simply hang it up under your desk and then climb on in for some much-needed shut eye.

So far, the Schnap's not available for purchase, but Aqil's working to bring it to market.

Schnap hammocksPhotos via @qlrt on Instagram.

The top 6 outdoor art fairs in Toronto for spring 2016

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outdoor art fairs torontoHow better to celebrate the beginning of nice weather than to get outdoors and take in some locally-made art. Add in some food trucks and live music and these outdoor art fairs are a great way to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring.

Here's a round-up of outdoor art fairs in Toronto this spring.

Artfest Toronto at the Distillery (55 Mill Street)
Artfest will be returning for its 10th year in the Distillery from May 21 to 23. You can have your pick of painting, photography, sculpture from some of Canada's top artists and even take in some live music.

Christie Pits 4th Annual Arts Crawl (750 Bloor Street West)
Venture over to Christie Pits on May 29 for local art, food, drinks and live music. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. over 60 artists will have their work on display.

Kensington Market Art Fair (77 Nassau Street)
This curated fair will run as part of PS Kensington on May 29 and feature a range of professional and student produced artwork. It will continue on the last Sunday of every month until the fall.

Riverdale Art Walk (870 Queen Street East)
The Riverdale Art Walk will be back for its 18th year showcasing art on June 4 and 5. Expect to find both established and emerging artists' work ranging from photography to mixed media.

4th Annual Liberty Village Art Crawl (71 East Liberty Street)
For the fourth year in a row, Liberty Village will showcase local artists and designers. Stop by on June 11 to find original home decor, fashion, jewelry, photography and furniture. There will be food trucks and DJs as well.

Beaches Arts & Crafts Show (2075 Queen Street East)
The annual Beaches craft show is back for its 32nd year. On June 11 and 12, over 150 Canadian artists, artisans and designers will showcase their handmade goods ranging from fashion pieces to natural body care products.

Photo by PL Tam in the blogTO Flickr pool.


How to have dinner with random strangers in Toronto

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dinner with strangersIt's not always easy to meet new people in Toronto. That's why David King created Random Dinner, a soon-to-launch service that'll bring strangers together for nights filled with food, drinks and discussion.

"It's sort of like a response to networking events sucking and Tinder sucking and there not really being a great way to make random connections in the city," says King, 28. He hopes to hold his first Random Dinner this April. Each one will consist of six diners, plus a facilitator - most likely King - to keep conversation flowing. He's now talking to a few different restaurants to secure a location.

"It's not necessarily a dating thing and it's not necessarily a business thing," says King. "It's like, how do you actually meet new, interesting people and actually connect with them?"

King posted about Random Dinner on a number of social forums, including on large, public Facebook groups. So far, around 150 people have signed up to get more information about his newfangled project. He estimates most of them are between the ages of 25 to 35. And, many of them seem to be in the creative fields.

While many Toronto newcomers are interested, King notes that Random Dinner is also popular with long-time Torontonians who are looking to expand their circle of friends with like-minded individuals.

"The one sort of common denominator with all of the people that have signed up," he says, "is that they're interested in meeting new people."

Photo of Rasa by Jesse Milns.

MOCCA unveils new name and details about future site

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museum of contemporary art torontoPretty much everything will be different when the MOCCA opens at its new home on Sterling Rd. in roughly a year's time, including its name. The rebrand was announced at press conference this morning attended by Mayor John Tory and a host of important players in the Toronto arts community.

What used to be called MOCCA will now go by the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto_Canada, or "The Museum" for short. It's not a major alteration, but it does signal that the well established Toronto art institution is rethinking its identity ahead of the move to the Junction Triangle (or Lower Junction as some of the Museum's press materials would have it).

The new Museum is much bigger than originally thought, and the new vision is as ambitious as the plans for its new home, which will cover five floors of the Tower Automotive Building. That's 55,000 square feet, more than double the anticipated size of the new art space.

It doesn't end there, though. In addition to its occupation of the historical building, by 2020 the Museum will acquire 75,000 square feet in a new development on the same site. The modern space will include exhibition space, research space, workshop and meeting rooms, as well as studio space for artists in residence.

museum of contemporary art torontoIn short, the Museum of Contemporary Art has designs on being an internationally recognized art institution -- one that's known as much for the way that it operates as the shows that it hosts. A new digital archive is in the works, there's talk of keeping the Museum open as late as midnight, and visitors will be henceforth considered "activators."

CEO Chantal Pontbriand's new vision for MOCA (see, you can still kinda say it the same way) is as both an agora and a nexus, terms that respectively suggest spaces where democracy is worked out and ideas are exchanged. Live performance will be a major component of this, but so too will the very notion that the Museum will be much more than an exhibition space.

Phase one, which is due to open in what is now being referred to as the Auto BLDG on May 2nd, 2017 will feature a bookstore, cafe and open auditorium as well as a patio space to overlook a new urban plaza that's being built as part of the redevelopment of the current site. This is to be a place of gathering and networking that goes beyond what's hung on the walls.

museum of contemporary art torontoThe second and third floors will function as more traditional exhibition spaces, though there will now be a vault where the Museum's growing collection can be stored on site. The fourth floor is known as "the Squat" and will be part library, part lounge. Again, the idea is to bring bodies together and foster the exchange of ideas.

Both the fourth and fifth floors feature glorious views of the city, which befits their role as work and discussion spaces. There's also a rehearsal room on the top level in addition to office space for staff. These two floors won't draw tourists, but they will help to ensure that MOCA serves as a full time arts hub.

Tourists will, however, be quite important. With all this extra space and an ambitious new vision, the Museum of Contemporary Art will need to dramatically increase the numbers of visitors it attracts. Where the Queen St. location of MOCCA drew 40,000 a year, the goal is to bring in 400,000 annually by 2020.

By that time, the southern tip of the Junction Triangle might just be the most exciting neighbourhood in Toronto.

Lead photo courtesy of Leo Burnett. Subsequent photos by Hector Vasquez.

Toronto is getting a Japanese sandwich shop

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teara labIn Toronto, it's perfectly normal to line up for Japanese cheesecakes and matcha-infused treats. And now, our city's about to get another Japanese-inspired concept eatery thanks to Teara Lab, which is opening soon at 181 College St. - it's replacing the Burrito Planet across from the University of Toronto.

Teara Lab is billing itself as a fast casual restaurant. It'll serve up sandwiches filled with a variety of toppings, including roast beef with wasabi mayo and seaweed.

While details about this space seem sparse (for now), you can check out Teara Lab's Instagram for photos of cheesy-looking toasted sandwiches.

Photo via @tearalab on Instagram.

The Old Laurel is vacating former Rancho Relaxo space

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Old Laurel TorontoWhen Toronto restaurant and music venue Rancho Relaxo shut down last year, The Old Laurel opened up in its place. Now, however, the restaurant and bar is leaving 300 College St.

Although co-owner Davy Love says The Old Laurel isn't disappearing for good. Instead, he plans to open up another location elsewhere in the city. This new iteration will have a similar menu, but Love hopes to find a smaller, more pub-like space.

Love, who previously ran The Bristol, owned The Old Laurel with Rancho Relaxo's Donnie Blais. The two are parting ways, but Love tells us that Blais plans to stay on College Street and will open up a student-focused restaurant with a new name.

The Old Laurel will serve its last pint and plate of Scotch eggs this Sunday.

Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Today in Toronto: Young Fathers, Seinfeld Art Show, PotterProv, WWE Trivia Night, Urban Carnival

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today in torontoToday in Toronto celebrate Easter a little late at 401 Richmond. It's hosting an "Easter Art Hunt" where you can win original artworks by finding hidden pictures around the gallery. If that's not your thing head to Disgraceland for a Seinfeld-themed art show, instead.

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.

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