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Macaron Day in Toronto a sweet success

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Macaron DayMany of the best macarons in Toronto were free yesterday to celebrate Macaron Day. Led by La Bamboche for the second year, 18 patisseries around the core and the GTA - including spots in Richmond Hill, High Park and Victoria Park - gave one free macaron to customers who said the magic words. No purchases were necessary, and 25% of the day's macaron proceeds were donated to Red Door Family Shelter. Nadege Patisserie, the shop that first brought Macaron Day to Toronto three years ago, celebrated separately, with 50% of proceeds going to Meal Exchange and no free giveaways.

Macarons are most easily described as an almond meringue sandwich with filling, and Toronto is one of the best places in the world to sample this confection. Although some connoisseurs believe in the one true macaron - the original Laduree from Paris, macarons evolved when they were brought to Italy, and they continue to evolve as recipes change hands.

Now, what makes the "best" macaron is a matter of personal preference in a mind-boggling array of factors - the style (French vs. Italian), the size, the thickness of the feet (i.e., the rim), the ratio of cookie-to-filling, the texture of the cookie, the type of filling, the flavour, and even the consistency of a particular patisserie. Luckily, Toronto offers plenty of variety.

This year, Nadège doubled their flavour offerings to include limited-production specialties, such as Whiskey-Chocolate and Champagne from the holidays. They also created new flavours, such as Chili-Cherry, Olive Oil and Camembert. The Chili-Cherry had a vengeful depth, the sweetness from the cherry-chocolate subsiding for the heat of the chili to kick in. The Camembert was surprisingly nuanced, the cheese flavour prominent without being overwhelming.

Many of the patisseries participating in the giveaway also had special flavours. Rahier made Raspberry-Rose-Lychee, a combination of flavours called "ispahan" made famous by Pierre Hermé, a fitting tribute to the originator of Macaron Day. The raspberry jelly inside the rose and lychee ganache was unique amongst the day's offerings.

The Sweet Escape offered Popcorn, in a shell that was crunchy like its namesake, and Le Dolci, which is a patisserie that also offers confectionary classes, created Honey-Lemon from Canadian wildflower honey. I think the sweetness of the honey would have been better balanced and less cloying with more lemon curd, like the ones offered at Patisserie 27. Patisserie 27 had a very textured cookie, and a strong Japanese influence, represented in its Yuzu (a citrus fruit) flavour with a yellow-and-green coloured shell like a yin-yang.

Macaron Day TorontoLa Bamboche and Daniel et Daniel both offered only Red Velvet. The cream cheese filling was a ganache in the former, and butter cream in the latter. I preferred the consistency of the ganache as it felt more like cream cheese; however, at Moroco Chocolat, I appreciated how the airiness of the butter cream filling complimented its Creme Brule and Sesame.

The Wedding Cake Shoppe and Bobbette & Belle were similar in size and both had a delicate cookie. Petite Thuet had the thickest macaron, while Ma Maison's was bigger, but more flat.

Ma Maison's Sea Salt Caramel was a standout in the ubiquity of Salted Caramels, which was also the only option offered at Butter Avenue. Butter Avenue and Ruelo both had a harder cookie, while the cookie at La Cignogne had the strongest taste of almond which permeated through all its flavours.

Like last year, there were places that ran out of macarons before closing. Yorkville Espresso was completely cleared out before 6pm, and Patachou had a sparse selection for purchase. Frangipane only prepared a hundred macarons, and the ones left for purchase were disappointingly stale.

If you missed out yesterday, keep your eyes out for next year! In the mean time, there are still so many patisseries with macarons waiting to be discovered. I'd like to go to J'Adore Cakes Co. next, as I ran out of time. Have you found your best macaron yet?


90 looks from Joe Fresh and Mackage at Fashion Week

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Joe Fresh Toronto Fashion WeekJoe Fresh fall/winter 2013 somehow managed to combine style elements from three muses that would otherwise steer very clear of one another: an anarchist punk, a preppy private school kid, and a 50's sailor (plus his wife). Meanwhile, Mackage upped the ante with a custom-built shiny black runway and ominous nightclub beats playing in the background; models strutted fiercely down the aisle - many of them dressed in leather head-to-toe.

Check out and rate the collections from both Joe Fresh and Mackage in our Style section.

Toronto Restaurant Openings: Bar Isabel, The Rude Boy, Church Bistro, Darwin Bistro & Bar, Dr Laffa

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Bar Isabel TorontoToronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest restaurant openings and closings in Toronto and also gives a preview at some of the places coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

OPEN NOW

  • Ex-Black Hoof chef, Grant van Gameren's Bar Isabel, a Spanish themed tavern is slated to officially open tomorrow night, Friday March 22nd in former site of Grappa at 797 College Street.
  • Newly opened, The Rude Boy (397 Roncesvalles Ave.) is serving up locavore-friendly menu of burgers and sandwiches from dinner-time to midnight (bar's open until 2), seven days a week. Lunch and brunch menus to come in the weeks to follow.
  • Darwin Bistro & Bar has yet to launch its website but quietly opened its doors last week for dinner time service from 5:30 to 10:30pm. On the menu, French influenced fare.
  • Church Bistro has replaced the Church St. Diner, celebrating it's grand opening last week at 555 Church Street. Internationally inspired, daytime, dinner-time and cocktail menus are already on offer.
  • Newly opened Asada Mexican Grill is offering fast casual dining at 809 St. Clair West. The menu features a selection of tacos, burritos and tortas customized counter-side with fillings and toppings.
  • Popular middle-eastern restaurant, Dr Laffa has opened a second outpost at 3023 Bathurst Street (south of Lawrence). Check the website over the next few weeks though, as both locations will likely close over Passover.

COMING SOON

  • Enzo Pizza Bar looks like its gearing up to open in the coming weeks at at 646 Queen Street West.
  • Grillies is slated to open the doors at 2632 Danforth Avenue the first week of April to offer a fastfood menu of burgers, burritos and tacos.
  • Sam's Philly Steaks is moving into the Church in Dundas area with signs indicating their impending arrival at 213 Church Street.
  • New bar and kitchen, The Wren is still working toward opening at 1382 Danforth Avenue with plans to introduce a menu of southern and southwestern-inspired comfort foods in the next month or so.

CLOSING

  • Richmond Hill's fondue themed restaurant the Melting Pot (a US chain) has shuttered its doors less than a year after opening.

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

20 photos of iconic Toronto landmarks on Instagram

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Massey HallWhile a cult of photography purists still denigrate the retro-filter craze brought on by the ubiquity of Instagram and other such apps, for certain subject matter this processed-look just works really well. Case in point: iconic architecture and landmarks. Perhaps it's because we're already over-exposed to such images, but quirky, saturated takes on things like the Gooderham (Flatiron) Building, OCAD, and the Eaton Centre (to name but a few) are reminiscent of cheesy postcards: you wouldn't call them art, but they're fun to look at.

With that in mind, we asked our Instagram followers to upload their favourite photos of Toronto icons and landmarks with the tag #iconicTO. The result is a huge gallery of shots, of which the 20 below are some of the best. Add yours to the pool and we'll can update the post with more photos.

Nathan Phillips SquarePhoto by stilez

Commerce Courtstilez

Subway TorontoPhoto by aryehd

Toronto Buildingsaryehd

AGO TorontoPhoto by detroitburbanite

OCAD TorontoPhoto by stardchiu

Brookfield Place TorontoPhoto by wambamthankyoucam

Honest Ed's TorontoPhoto by cohengilad

Flatiron Building TorontoPhoto by blogTO

Postal TorontoPhoto by jeaniehm

Food Building CNEjeaniehm

Old City Hall TorontoPhoto by jasonfitzzz

Massey HallPhoto by toddhaskins

CN TowerPhoto by gabrielaghisi

Royal Bank Building Torontogabrielaghisi

ROM TorontoPhoto by alesndrs

Queen's Park TorontoPhoto by jamieconamore

Redpath Sugar TorontoPhoto by moremelessyou

Eaton Centre TorontoPhoto by dflack

St. Lawrence Market TorontoPhoto by jenna778

The great Toronto coffee drink challenge: Nutella latte

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Black Canary's Nutella latteThere are more ways to get your coffee fix than with the usual menu of lattes, espressos and cappucinos, and sometimes you want a bit of luxury with your caffeination. Black Canary on Sherbourne by King has one answer to this question, with a drink that marries coffee to what's probably one of childhood's spreadable joys.

CONCEPT
Black Canary co-owner Luthie Lampa was handed down the idea of nutella-laced coffees by the owner of Bisogno Espresso Bar, the cafe that formerly occupied the premises. The concept is simple - a dollop of Nutella dissolved in a shot of espresso and offered with either a little milk (the Nutellacino) or a lot (the Nutella latte.)

They also offer a Nutella hot chocolate for anyone who either doesn't like coffee or has become jaded with mere chocolate.

SCORE: 6/10

A spoonful of Nutella

EXECUTION
Lampa explains that she can't make the Nutella latte with just any coffee bean - a light roast will be overpowered by the nutty sweetness of the Nutella and end up with a fruitier finish, so she prefers their Rufino Sure Shot dark roast.

The process is pretty basic - a cup is warmed up with hot water before a big spoonful of Nutella is added, then it's over to the espresso machine to pull a shot. A half a minute or so of gentle stirring mixes most, but not all, of the nutella into the hot espresso, after which customers are offered - and even encouraged - to revisit their younger selves and lick the spoon.

"Some people get shy with licking the spoon," Lampa tells me.

Steamed milk is poured on top and given the customary flourish of foam art, and the Nutella latte is done.

SCORE: 7/10

Stirring in the espresso

VALUE
Nutella was originally developed by the Ferrero chocolate company of Piedmont as a way of making a chocolate product when quality cocoa was scarce in postwar Italy. Hazelnuts were abundant in the region, and poor locals had used them for years to to make a little chocolate go a long way. So Black Canary's luxurious coffee drink has its origins in scarcity and poverty.

(North American Nutella is also produced at a factory in Brantford, Ontario, so you're buying local with every jar.)

The Nutella latte is priced at $4.50 for the regular size and $5.25 for the large, while the Nutellacino is $4.00 and $4.75, respectively. (The Nutella hot chocolate is a comparative bargain at $3.75.)

Adding the foam art

The amazing thing about Black Canary's Nutella latte is that Nutella isn't the up front taste. What you get instead is a sweet, nutty (no surprise there) latte that needs no sugar, and which ends with a smooth, pleasant chocolatey finish. It's cheap luxury, but only a real sweet tooth could probably make their way through the large size.

SCORE: 8/10

TOTAL SCORE: 21/30

Thanks to the New Listerine UltraClean for sponsoring our coffee-fueled adventures.

See all posts in this series via our Toronto Coffee Drinks Challenge Pinterest board

Have a suggestion for a unique coffee drink that should be part of this challenge? Send your tips to editors [at] blogto [dotcom]

How the Darcys went from catastrophe to indie stardom

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The DarcysWhile you won't find them listed anywhere on the Canadian Music Week schedule, there's a good chance that one of Toronto's most promising up-and-coming bands, The Darcys, will play a show tonight (hint: "The Great Hall" would be a good place to look for them). When the band takes the stage, they'll do so with a catalogue of excellent songs, the support of one of the country's most prestigious independent labels, and an upcoming album that promises to bring them even more attention.

So the Darcys find themselves in a good place, though it wasn't so long ago that the band's future was cloudy. Here's the story of how the Darcys went from near collapse to being the toast of Toronto's indie music scene in three short years.

In 2010, the Darcys then lead-singer Kirby Best left the band only days prior to their CMW showcase at the El Mocambo. I ask Jason Couse, the band's former backup singer and current lead-singer, how the group reacted to Best's departure: "Leading up to that show, people were telling us we were screwed. But we then realized that we cared about this project too much to let it go and, whether it was a good idea or not, we decided to keep pushing." That decision led to the four remaining members of band — Wes Marskell, David Hurlow, Michael Le Riche, and the aforementioned Couse — spending several frantic nights reworking their material to accommodate having one less musician in the group, and while tempers flared, they managed to meet their CMW obligation.

In hindsight, however, the difficult week leading up to their show at the El Mo proved to be a blessing in disguise. "I think that [Best leaving] turned out to be one of the best things that could have happened to us," Marskell explains. "We became really close friends because of it, and it also made us willing and able to work through things that came up later down the line that became publicized and were difficult for us internally." In a sense, the band had reached an inflection point, and the experience of picking up the pieces after Best's departure helped them with future crises. It's a good thing, too, because, as Marskell mentions, 2010 proved to be an especially difficult year for the band.

In the span of less than a year, the Darcys were held up at knife point, almost hit by a semi-truck, and had most of their gear stolen. That said, according to Marskell, what the band went through in those moments could not compare to the emotional turmoil everyone in the band felt trying to finish and release their self-titled record after several setbacks. "Obviously that stuff is hard on you as a person, because you feel like it's a matter of life and death, but as soon as you come out of them alive, you keep going. The harder parts of 2010 were going through a number of mixes with our record, and feeling like it wasn't good enough to put out."

The DarcysThankfully, some of the doubt and darkness that plagued the band during the initial recording of their self-titled album was lifted when, at the behest of producer Murray Lightburn, Dave Schiffman signed onto the project to help mix the record. Schiffman, who has helped mix albums for bands like Weezer and Rage Against the Machine, is someone that both Couse and Marskell credit with helping to create a version of the album they finally felt was good enough to release. Around the same time, the band signed to venerated local label Arts and Crafts.

But even when the record was finally released and major music publications across Canada started to publish overwhelmingly positive reviews, Marskell says he still had his doubts as to whether the band had managed to release anything of value. Listening to him talk about it, though, you get a sense that self-doubt is what drives the band: "I always feel like what we're doing could be better, and that motivates us to work three times as hard to make things work."

It was during the trials of the recording process that the group decided to position the album as the first part of an ongoing trilogy. The second part of that trilogy, an imaginative interpretation of Steely Dan's seminal album Aja, was recored over the course of the summer and fall of 2010 at the band's Junction Triangle apartment. As an outsider looking in, it seems at least somewhat bizarre that the band decided to cover Steely Dan, but in Marskell's estimation, one of the more important reasons is that Darcys might not have survived without Aja. "We had finished our self-titled record, which was in limbo, and we needed something to keep us going. If we didn't have Aja, I don't think the band would have necessarily gone on had we just sat around; we would have probably become comfortable with our day jobs and moved on."

The challenge of deconstructing and recreating such a complex record also helped inform the song writing process of LP3, the as of yet unnamed follow-up to the self-titled album and Aja. "On a very basic level, it informed our new record with new sounds. I also think there's a weirdness and creativity in Aja that maybe wasn't there in our first album," explains the drummer. "Initially, Jason and I broke down every song on Aja to essentially a piano song. It allowed us to see what beautiful, intelligent songs they were at their core and how dressed up they became later. And what we wanted to do with this record was write songs that broke down to piano pieces as well."

The DarcysThe band now finds itself in knee deep in process of working on LP3. The addition of producer Tom McFall (not to mention to return of Dave Schiffman) has, in the band's estimation, helped them write some of their best songs to date. Still, that hasn't meant that the recording of LP3 has been easy affair. It wouldn't be a Darcys recording session without some type of hardship.

In that respect, Couse describes a particularly revealing scene. During one of the band's more productive days at the studio, the group had managed to turn an initial idea into a complete song, but there was a problem. After repeat listens, both the band and producer realized that the song didn't sound right. What made that realization worse was that everyone only came to it at 6 in morning.

At that point, Couse says that he laid down on the studio's control room floor and told McFall that he was ready to give up. McFall wasn't having any of that, however, and he told the singer to "plug in his Rhodes." According to Couse, McFall even went so far as to prop up him up on his chair as he had one final go at the song's melody. And while much of the material the band recorded that day was scrapped, the melody that Couse played for McFall in that sleep-deprived haze would form the basis of "Horses Fell," one of several songs that's set to make up LP3.

Fans of the Darcys will have to wait until later this year to hear the entirety of LP3, but there's a good chance that the band will play "Horses Fell" at future shows, perhaps even at a show that may or may not be happening at 1am tonight. For their part, the band is excited for fans to hear what they've been working on for the past several months. If what they told me about their upcoming album is true, then the best is yet to come.

If you can't make it out tonight, you can also catch the Darcys at Arts & Crafts' Field Trip Festival this summer.

Photos by Dylan Leeder

New in Toronto real estate: Imperial Plaza

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Imperial Plaza CondoThe Imperial Plaza is basically a fabulous modern "castle" at Yonge and St.Clair. As such, it is reserved for those who have been blessed several times over by Pluto, god of dollas. This property, once destined to be Toronto's new City Hall, is building its personality on a foundation of exclusivity, but perhaps taking it a little too far. Oddly, the development is keeping the number of units on the D.L., but you can check Imperial Plaza out in detail here.

2013321-ip-pent-dining.jpgSPECS

Address: 111 Saint Clair Ave. West
Floors: 23
Total number of units: N/A
Elevators: Multiple; some suites have private access
Types of units: One bedroom, one bedroom plus den, two bedroom, two bedroom plus den, loft spaces
Unit sizes (in square feet): 565-7,225
Ceiling heights: 10' to 20'
Prices from (available units): $459,900
Maintenance fees: $0.44 to $0.66
Developer: Camrost-Felcorp
Amenities/building features: Fitness centre, pool complex, his and hers steam rooms, aerobics studio, yoga studio, two screening rooms, two squash courts, sound studios, golf simulator.

Imperial Plaza TorontoTHE GOOD

Imperial's amenities leave little to be desired. The fitness facility alone is 10,000 square feet and features specialty studios for aerobics (how do you make enough money to live here if you're still technically living in the eighties? I don't know), yoga, and pilates. There is a pool, a hot tub running into a lap pool, a golf simulator. Basically, all of the special things to make those with more money than brains feel warm and fuzzy.

Also, recycling is cool, and that's what is happening here. The Imperial Oil building opened its doors in 1957, and much of its interior will remain intact. Some of the features that will live on include bronzed window casements and a marble and granite lobby with gold mosaic inlay tiles. Combine stunning details like these with floor-to-ceiling windows and layer the amenities on top, and there's not much to complain about. There's also a wide variety of choice when it comes to the type of suite on offer: floors 8 and 9 feature only loft spaces, there are private residences on the top floors, and the rest of the building is comprised of more "regular" condos.

Imperial Plaza TorontoTHE BAD

Don't look now, but there's talk of some other impending developments possibly obstructing some of Imperial's gorgeous views. Imperial Plaza 2 on the south west side and the re-development of the church on the south east side, to be exact. While this could be a real concern for some, others say the views will remain unclouded.

More problematically, in some suites there are bedrooms, washrooms and dens without windows. Correct me if I'm wrong, but a lack of windows tends to make a space feel more like a cell than an apartment with a price tag of at least half a million dollars.

Imperial Plaza TorontoTHE VERDICT

If you're a fan of Midtown's vibe and can snag a suite whose bedrooms have windows, this property doesn't seem like a horrible choice, all things considered.

Imperial Plaza TorontoImperial Plaza TorontoWhat do you think? Would you live here? Add your comments to the thread below.

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

Eaton Centre


Morning Brew: Federal cash could fund relief line, Ford gives an awkward speech, lobbying changes abandoned, elephants could fly, and Toronto critters have babies

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toronto aura$14 billion of federal money earmarked for new infrastructure in the latest budget could help pay for the Downtown Relief Line. The Building Canada Fund, which will be topped up over the course of its life, also includes $4 billion for projects of "national significance." Karen Stintz is hoping roughly a third of cash for the new line could come from the feds. Does this give you hope the line could get built soon?

Rob Ford "pounded" out an "awkward and embarrassing" pro-casino speech to a gathering of Orthodox rabbis this week, despite being asked to attend to learn about the Toronto Eruv, a group that helps people on the Jewish Sabbath. Ford was "disheveled," according to coun. Joe Mihevc, and threatened to run against anyone who opposed a casino at the next election. Yikes.

Lobbying at city hall won't be reined in to business hours. The mayor's executive committee voted yesterday to defer advice from the lobbyist registrar indefinitely. Linda Gehrke said lobbying on topics from the Toronto casino to the Pusateri's valet area should take place between 8 to 6 p.m and only at community meetings. Was shelving the suggestions the right call?

A TTC operator has opened subway doors in a tunnel for the second time in a week. The incident during rush hour yesterday morning happened between King and Union stations while the train was stopped at a red light. The Commission is blaming the incident, which led to a 9-minute delay, on a trainee error.

Also in TTC, two fare collectors are facing charges over stolen money. It's alleged Krishna Rajkumar and Paul Vardy took customer's money without depositing it in the fare box.

The ROM has a startling new exhibit - 2,400 dead birds killed by flying into Toronto buildings. The fowl display was organized by Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) and shows crumpled examples of 91 different species. The group says around a million birds die each year after after colliding with buildings in the city.

Bob Barker is hoping Toronto Zoo's aging elephants can be flown to California on a military C-17 aircraft rather than taking the journey by road. The city is in talks with the Department of National Defence to hire a plane, at Barker's expense. Toka, Thika and Iringa will move to the PAWS sanctuary by the end of June. Make sense?

Finally, baby squirrels, owls, raccoons, and possums are being born and hatched all over the city now winter is drawing to a close. Sadly, every spring about 2,000 orphaned animals are taken in by the Toronto Wildlife Centre at Downsview. Things are quiet now, but staff told the Toronto Star "the floodgates will open" soon.

IN BRIEF:

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

Image: "aura rising ii" by ronnie.yip/blogTO Flickr pool.

Contest: Win free passes to Hot Docs 20

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Hot Docs 20Celebrate Hot Docs' Anniversary with Hot Docs 20! Anniversary celebrations are underway, as the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival prepares for its 20th Festival! In recognition of this milestone they're launching the Hot Docs 20 series (running from March 24 - April 24), which showcases 20 of the best documentaries from around the world including award-winning films and audience favourites from past Hot Docs Festivals.

Sound good? Read on for how to get your hands on a pass.

THE PRIZE

10 lucky readers will receive a pass to Hot Docs 20 (Pass prices are $55 regular and $32 for Bloor Hot Docs Cinema members).

HOW TO WIN

To win, just answer the following question: Name three films showing as part of the Hot Docs 20 series?

The first 10 correct commenters win the tickets. Please make sure to include a valid email address in the comment form "Email Address" field so that we can contact you if you're a winner.

FINE PRINT

You must be a Toronto-area resident to win. Only one comment and answer per person. If you include multiple answers or post multiple comments you will be disqualified, and the winner must pick up their own tickets.

The photos of the week: March 16-22

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

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

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

Lead photo by Photo by Acid_Punk

2.
Eaton CentrePhoto by -Jacques

3.
Old Don JailPhoto by ~EvidencE~.

4.
Gooderham Building TorontoPhoto by PJMixer

5.
Toronto trafficPhoto by Neil Ta

6.
graffiti torontoPhoto by chris cachia

7.
Stompin' Tom ConnorsPhoto by Jeremy Gilbert


Toronto Food Events: Earth, Wine, Fire Dinner, Lucky Gnocchi Day, Edible Sagas, TIFF Food on Film, TUM

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Toronto Food EventsToronto 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. Starting this week, you can find us here every Friday morning.

THIS WEEK

  • Gilead Wine Bar (4 Gilead Place) hosts an evening of small plates, cocktails and wine tonight, Friday, March 22nd from 6 to 10pm. Reservations are not required.
  • The Rusholme Park Supper Club presents Nowruz - Persian New Year by Shayma Saadat and Bahareh Hosseini at The Depanneur (1033 College Street), on Saturday, March 23rd at 7:30pm. Tickets are $40 for this feast of family heirloom dishes starring ingredients like saffron, almonds and pistachios.
  • Rosewood Estates Winery and Earth (2448 Bloor West) celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday, March 23rd from 6:30 to 10pm with a candlelit winemaker dinner. Tickets for this Earth, Wine, Fire Dinner are $99 for the canapé reception and 5-course tasting menu with wine pairings.
  • Group of 7 Chefs present a French Bistro Dinner at Mogette (581 Mount Pleasant Road) on Monday, March 25th from 6:30pm. Tickets are $75 and include a canapé and cocktail reception followed by 5-course tasting menu.
  • Caplansky's (356 College Street) leads the Second Seder on Tuesday, March 26th. The deli will host two seatings at 5pm and 8pm and serve up a traditional 7-course Passover meal for $49.
  • Reserve a seat at this month's Lucky Gnocchi Day at Piola (1165 Queen Street West) on Friday, March 29th. All you can eat plates at only $15 letting you sample all 7 sauces.

UPCOMING

  • Death Row Meals presents A Cut Above, a butchery and pasta making seminar lead by Jeremy Losier (Dolce Lucano) and Nick Manzone (Campagnolo, Buca) on Monday, April 15th at 7pm. Demonstrations will cover breaking down a side of pork, sausage making 101 and pasta making from scratch. Dinner is included, as is take-home portions of the sausages and pasta prepared that night. Tickets are $60 and available online now.
  • Icelandic Canadian Club of Toronto (ICCT) presents Thorrablot 2013: Edible Sagas on Saturday April 13th at the Estonian Club of Toronto (958 Broadview Avenue). The cash bar opens at 6pm and dinner follows at 7pm with an Icelandic Canadian buffet featuring delicacies like Hangikjöt: (smoked lamb), Rullapylsa (rolled, spiced lamb flank), Gravlax (cured salmon) and an array of traditional desserts. Tickets are $55 for non ICCT members.
  • Single tickets ($35) are available now for Food on Film: David Chang on Eat Drink Man Woman presented in part of the ongoing TIFF Bell Lightbox subscription series. Momofuku's chef and founder will be present to discuss the film after the viewing on Wednesday, April 3rd at 6:30pm
  • Tickets go on sale today, Friday, March 22nd for the next Toronto Underground Market happening on Saturday April 6th.

OTHER NEWS

Send tips for upcoming food events to liora@blogto.com

Photo from a previous TUM event by Ksenija Hotic Photography

These sidewalk stamps date the ground under your feet

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toronto sidewalk stampObservant shoe gazers will note the ubiquitous square slabs of public sidewalk in Toronto are dotted with small stamps bearing a name and date. The older ones have often been worn into faint sunken relief by the erosion of millions of shoes - new ones tend to stand out on patches of light cement.

From the city's point of view, the practice of impressing names into the cement is mostly about quality control, but keeping an eye to the ground for the earliest date makes for a fun game too.

toronto sidewalk stampAccording to engineering and construction services, new stamps must follow strict set of rules regarding size and placement. As the diagram above shows, the name of the contractor must arch over the date and be bound within a rounded rectangle border. The stamp must be 22.5 x 13 cms and placed at either end of the installation or every 10 pieces, whichever is less.

Rules weren't as strict in the past. A quick scan of the nearest pedestrian walkway will yield stamps from different decades and in a range of styles. The oldest I know of is at Greenwood subway station (shown) and dates from 1946. Some bear the simple descriptor "city" for sidewalk laid by Toronto's own works department. Most sidewalk work is contracted out, however.

Keep an eye out next time you're on the street.

Have you seen an older stamp? Upload a photo and share the link below.

MORE IMAGES:

toronto sidewalk stamptoronto sidewalk stamptoronto sidewalk stamp

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

Image: Chris Bateman

That time when the Toothbrush family came to life

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Toothbrush FamilyIn the 1980s and 90s, waking up too early for your favourite cartoon lineup was a surreal experience. Local stations signed on the air around 5:00am then played time-killers which both counted towards their Cancon requirements and kept the seats warm until they began broadcasting the proper blue chip stuff like The Littles, The Smurfs, or Muppet Babies during the coveted 8:00am slot.

This dawn zone of programming is how many kids first stumbled upon anarchic oddity The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, or The 20 Minute Workout, or the most boring cartoon in the history of the medium, The Wonderful Stories of Professor Kitzel. One show that remained a cornerstone of interstitial filling throughout the decade, and beyond, was The Toothbrush Family - created by an Australian, paid for by Americans, and animated and voiced in Toronto.

The Toothbrush Family started life as a series of spoken word LPs created by Australian children's author Marcia Hatfield, who came up with the concept as a way to make the mundane act of brushing more palatable to her then 5-year old son, who had recently thrown away his toothbrush out of sheer boredom. "I wrote a story about a magic moonbeam that came into our bathroom at night when our family was asleep. When it touched our toothbrush holder our toothbrushes came alive, climbed down to the floor and played with whatever toys my three children had left there after bath time" explains Hatfield. This fantasy story re-engaged her children with their toothbrushes as it suddenly became a fun activity, instead of the daily dull chore it had once been. Hatfield knew she was on to something.

In 1974, an illustrated book of The Toothbrush Family was published in Australia by legendary animators Hanna-Barbera, which later afforded Hatfield the opportunity to meet Bill Hanna in LA, who in turn introduced her to the executive producer for children's programming at CBS (LA - what a place!). Fortuitously, the morning he was to meet Hatfield, the unnamed executive had argued with his young son about the importance of brushing, and was very open to the idea of a program which exalted the virtue of toothbrushes. At the time, CBS' flagship morning children's show was Captain Kangaroo, a variety program not unlike Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, in which animated shorts played a crucial role.

At the time, Canada was very well known and respected globally in the field of cartoon animation, thanks to a large crop of local talent including the husband and wife team of Al Guest and Jean Mathieson, who had risen to fame in the 1960s with their work on that unforgettable mash up of tripped-out Sci-Fi psychedelia, Rocket Robin Hood, yet another scary filler known well to early risers.

Guest and Mathieson had formed Rainbow Animation studios in Toronto, and had several early successes including the creation of animated sequences for The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, native Inuit cartoon Ukaliq, and The Undersea Adventures of Captain Nemo which had established their relationship with CBS. When The Toothbrush Family was commissioned, Rainbow was charged with bringing them to life, with original creator Marcia Hatfield on board to pen the scripts.

Probably the most lasting memory of The Toothbrush Family was the Toothbrush song. Hatfield had become concerned while writing the Toothbrush Family scripts that no technical information had been included, and so she paid a visit to the Dental Health Education and Research Foundation in Sydney, Australia, who not only Ok'd the scripts but also gave her permission to use their newly composed Toothbrush song in every episode, sung to the tune of "Three Blind Mice:"

"Brush your teeth, round and round,
Circles small: Gums and all.
A small soft toothbrush the round and round way.
Will keep your gums healthy and stop tooth decay.
So clean very carefully two times a day.
Go round and round... round and round"

The stories told in The Toothbrush family ran roughly 4 minutes and featured star toothbrushes Tess, father Tom, the kids - Tina and Toby, and Gramps. Other bathroom items appeared - Flash Fluoride, the toothpaste, Hot Rod Harry the electric toothbrush, Cecily Comb, Bertie Brush, Nev Nailbrush, Susie Sponge, and Shaggy Dog who represented the scruff of worn and out-dated toothbrushes. Their adventures were usually contained in the bathroom, however on a rare occasion they ventured into the outside world.

Sharp-eared viewers might recognize two very familiar local talents giving voices to the characters: Billie Mae Richards and Len Carlson. Richards is best remembered as the vox of Rudolph in the Rankin-Bass Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, that stop motion classic which gets trotted out every season, and also Tender-Heart Bear from Nelvana's The Care Bears.

Carlson was an industry veteran who voice-acted in 1000s of cartoon episodes, sometime voicing multiple characters per show in things like The Racoons (where he was loveable Bert Racoon) to Rocket Robin Hood, Spider-Man, Garbage Pail Kids, Swamp Thing, Droids, C.O.P.S and Beetlejuice, Cyberchase, and Beyblade to name but a few. He was also the voice of Kraft Foods and provided the unforgettable "Ho Ho Ho" of the Green Giant.

While The Toothbrush Family won acclaim as a segment on Captain Kangaroo in the US (Kangaroo Producer Joel Kosofsky claimed "the Toothbrush Family segment was probably the most significant part of the program in terms of viewer recognition and response"), in Canada it was equally beloved, airing daily on the CBC, then Global, then YTV before finally falling out of syndication sometime in the 1990s. Because the episodes were only 4 minutes, they would often run between shows and so you might have caught between 5 and 10 per day, every day, for almost 15 years, accounting for some very vivid memories.

Could the Family be priming for a return in 2013? According to Hatfield, The Toothbrush Family's global popularity exists because "no matter what the country, no matter what the culture, all children grow teeth and frequently don't understand the importance of why they have to brush their teeth twice daily. It becomes a boring daily chore, so anything that makes that chore interesting is a good thing. I'm sure the new Toothbrush Family will work the same way." You can visit Hatfield's Toothbrush Family Facebook page to support their return here. And don't forget to "Brush your teeth... round and round"



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

New Great Hall eatery does brunch & late night eats

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Great Hall RestaurantPaying homage to the history of The Great Hall, this newly opened restaurant hopes to attract a mixed crowd looking for a comfortable destination and reliable plates. Multiple menus debut everything from day-round eggs bennies to late night snacks and unique bar offerings like $12 cocktails and shareable beer formats.

Read my profile of The Samuel J. Moore in the restaurants section.


56 looks from Soia & Kyo and VAWK at Fashion Week

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Toronto Fashion WeekDay Four of World Mastercard Fashion Week was unpleasantly blustery and cold for those rushing down to David Pecaut Square in their fashion best. The weather proved suitable however to the collections taking the runway, chalk full of winter whites, fur, suede, shearling and wool galore.

View and rate the collections from Soia & Kyo and VAWK in our Style section.

Sutherland's new film tells story of Jamaican deportees

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Home Again MovieSudz Sutherland's new film Home Again champions the cause of deportees from the Jamaican diaspora, in a harrowing and often violent look at the unintended consequences of existing Western immigration policies.

In Home Again, which had its world premiere at TIFF 2012, three very different people - Dunstan from New York (played by Lyriq Bent), Everton from England (Stephan James) and Marva (Tatyana Ali) from Toronto - find themselves fighting for survival when they each run afoul of the law for minor offenses and find themselves sent back to Jamaica, their country of birth, with little more than an entry document and their own wits to start over a new life.

Deported from the countries they've called home all their lives, and facing a culture that is more foreign than familiar, each of their stories weave in disparate threads as they encounter hostility, predatory distant relatives, and homelessness, not to mention the anger and stigma from native Jamaicans at their deportee status. As the story builds, they cross paths unknowingly with each other several times before their fates are thrown together as events building up throughout the film come to an explosive head.

Home Again questions and challenges ideas of what 'home' is, and lays open the ongoing consequences of policy changes made between 1999 and 2001 in Canada, the United States, and the UK, that mandated deportation for any foreign-born person convicted of a criminal offense. It's a timely film in light of the recently passed Bill C-43 (Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals Act), but according to Sutherland, the film's director and co-writer alongside his wife and creative partner, Jennifer Holness, the story has been a long time in the making.

Here's my Q&A with Sutherland about his latest film.

Where did the story come from?

I work in partnership with Jen Holness, because she's my co-writer (and my wife, mother of my children). And so we were sitting round the table reading the newspaper and read this article, and it was actually about a friend of hers. She grew up with him, he'd come to Canada as a kid, single digits, he was like six, and for whatever reason when he grew up he ran afoul of the law - you know, fell into the wrong crowd, blah-blah-blah, and then he was deported.

And then ten years later, after he was deported, he was subsequently killed. And so we thought, that's kind of crazy. He's as Canadian as you or I, but then he was deported back to Jamaica, which was an island he really didn't know. He'd never been back since he left. So this was basically his obituary.

So that led us to do some research, and found that a lot of these people who get deported, from the Jamaican diaspora anyways, end up dead, and so the idea is that it could actually be a death sentence. So we thought, that ain't right. So we said, let's go down, ask some questions and do some interviews to see what's actually going on, down on the ground in Jamaica, in Kingston.

Because basically, all the deportees go to Kingston, which is the big city. And so going down, let's just say what's happening in Jamaica, they have basically around 35,000 deportees, and the actual prison population in Jamaica that are incarcerated is only around 5,000. So then you have a situation. You have a situation.

So we wanted to look at that, because a lot of times deportees end up as murder statistics. They end up as part of the homeless population. So this is what we wanted to look at. So we interviewed over 40 deportees (this is back in 2005) and got their stories on video. And we were talking to them, like, how did you end up here, and so we were talking to people from the Jamaican diaspora, which is the US, UK and Canada, and we were talking to mostly guys, and for some of these guys it was like staring into a mirror.

Some of these guys grew up in Scarborough, just like me, and they talk about, you know, Fairview Mall and the Eaton Centre. One guy said he was a Sunshine Boy. And so I was like, these references are completely Canadian. You guys are completely Canadianized - and they are Canadian.

I was like, wow, you're down here and you're completely lost. So we thought that was an interesting thing to talk about, what was "home"? So we began to fashion a script based on these interviews, and over time talked to people here, in the UK, in the US, and also in Jamaica. We felt that we wanted to make something that had more than one character, to tell more than one facet of the story.

With the stories you seem to have covered every aspect. You had Marva who was deported because of the drug involvement, and then someone like Everton - it was just a petty thing that got him deported from England. Bringing it back to Bill C-43, do you feel that it will be things like that (small crimes) that are raising the risk of people being sent to a place that really isn't home for them?

I think a lot of people are being swept up in this large net. Like you talk about Bill C-43, the threshold's been lowered from two years, for some defenses, to six months. This is going to take up a lot more people. And it's going to be interesting to see how people react to this because it's just going to multiply the amount of deportations when you lower the threshold like that. We're in the middle of something that's just going to magnify this misery, because there are people who get left behind, and families get ripped apart. So I think that it's almost like you're catching tuna fish and there are dolphins in the net.

And a lot of people - even the Canadian Bar Association and all that - they're saying that there are problems with this bill. We had no idea this bill that was coming out. It was just a strange accident of timing, and so we just want to raise awareness of the deportation issue - not just Jamaica, but all over the world, because we've got kids on the streets in Saigon and kids on the streets in Mumbai. The deported don't know a lick of Urdu or a lick of Thai, you know, and they're on the streets.

Home Again opens today, March 22, at Cineplex Odeon Yonge and Dundas (10 Dundas Street E)

Brunch is back at the Black Hoof (and it's still superb)

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Brunch Black HoofThere were more than a few unhappy campers when the Hoof Cafe closed up in 2010 (ultimately to be replaced by Cocktail Bar) at 923 Dundas West. There is, however, a happy ending for those who like their brunch with off-cuts. The Cafe has returned across the street as "a permanent pop-up" in Raw Bar, Jen Agg's seafood-focused space adjacent to the Black Hoof — and the food is as good as ever.

Read my review of Hoof Cafe at Raw Bar in the restaurants section.

Street Style: 60 unique looks from Toronto Fashion Week

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Street Style Toronto Fashion WeekIf nothing else, the tents (and the vicinity around them) at David Pecault Square during Toronto Fashion Week are one of the best bets all year to snag photos of a good range of outfits - some on trend, some outlandish, but all certainly stylish in one way or the other.

Check out all of the looks in our Style section.

Weekend events in Toronto: March 22-24, 2013

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Toronto events Earth HourWeekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this March 22-24, 2013.

Earth Hour
As everyone on the planet unplugs, so do musicians performing at the Roncesvalles Village Earth Hour concert. Celebrating the electricity-free hour, CBC host Garvia Bailey welcomes the Roncesvalles community to listen to acoustic sets by musicians Andrew Huang, Lucas Stagg Band and Liam Titcomb as well as a performance by the Etobicoke School of the Arts show choir SPLASH. Supporting the Earth Hour cause, attendees are encourage to bring their own lantern or light source to light up the streets without relying on the planet.
Roncesvalles Village (Wright Avenue at Roncesvalles Avenue), March 23, 2013, 8PM Free

Lights Out with Mill Street Brewery
Brewers are even getting in on the Earth Hour action--Mill Street Brew Pub will turn off the lights for an hour-long candlelit event this Saturday in observance of Earth Hour. The 60-minute dark spell will also constitute the launch of Pint for the Planet, in which 50 cents from each sale of Mill Street pints sold at participating venues across Canada will go toward Earth Day Canada until April 22nd. Swing by the flagship location in the Distillery District for a pint in the dark with strangers.
Mill Street Brew Pub (21 Tank House Lane), March 23, 2013, 8:30PM Free

MARKET

Parkdale Yard Sale
36 Chambers Collective is spring-cleaning and that means a yard sale for all of Parkdale to peruse. Welcoming other local businesses like Goodfellas Gallery and Noble Street Antiques, the sale will feature the goods priced to sell (and trust us, there will be a lot of worthwhile art pieces and antiques going for much less than they should). Outsiders are welcome to rent space at the sale for $25 (tables not provided). The event is free but get ready to do some bargaining.
1266 Queen Street West, March 24, 2013, Free

MUSIC

CMW Crawl with Papermaps and Tin Star Orphans
An independently organized Canadian Music Week party crawl is happening this Saturday night with shows by Papermaps and Tin Star Orphans. Beginning at 11PM at Rancho Relaxo with a show by Papermaps, the crowd will hang out for just over two hours before heading around the corner to El Mocambo, where Tin Star Orphans will play a 1:30AM set. Tickets are available through the CMW website at a price of $10 per show.
Rancho Relaxo (300 College Street) and El Mocambo (464 Spadina Avenue), March 23, 2013, 11PM $10

For additional CMW picks, check out our festival preview.

And for more music listings, check out our This Week in Music, March Concerts.

Toronto EventsFILM

Toronto Music Video Fest
Toronto Music Video Fest wraps up all the year's best new music videos in one Friday night at temple. Projecting videos inside a Bathurst Street temple, TMVF focuses on the best in artistic concept and quality from international and local musicians. Get yourself a music education and a $4 Amsterdam beer while watching the year's best in audio visuals.
918 Bathurst Centre (918 Bathurst Street), March 22, 2013, 8PM $10

Hot Docs 20
Hot Docs is 20 years old and to celebrate it's coming-of-age, the festival will be showing 20 documentaries over the next month in the lead up to this year's festival. Beginning this weekend with films like Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media and Chasing Ice, there will be several screenings of multiple films each week until the 20th on April 24th, an audience choice. Each screening is $11 but passes are available for $55.
Bloor Hot Docs Cinema (506 Bloor Street West), March 24-April 24, 2013, screening times vary, $11

For more film listings, check out our This Week in Film post.

COMEDY

Degrassi Junior High Edition: True Stories, Made Up Plays
True Stories, Made Up Plays usually involves people telling their embarrassing, heartwrenching or most ridiculous stories while improv artists pantomime them in the funniest of ways. This Friday night, however, TS/MUP is heading in a different direction. Storytellers will tell the stories of their favourite moments from Degrassi Junior High while the Degrassi Junior High Players improv team reenacts the scenes. Considering how ridiculous the storylines of DJH were, this ought to be uproariously funny. (Special request from this blogger: the one where Wheels ran away to Port Hope and showed us the danger in hitchhiking.)
Rustic Owl (993 Bloor Street West), March 22, 2013, Free

For more comedy listings, check out our This Week in Comedy post.

ART

10th Toronto Timeraiser
Timeraising is a community-focused art show fueling sales of pieces with participation. A silent auction in which bidders offer volunteer hours in exchange for their "purchase," Timeraiser generates sales for artists while giving back to the community. Toronto's tenth event using this methodologytakes place this Friday evening at Artscape Wychwood Barns with a goal of raising 10,000 volunteer hours and supporting 30 non-profit organizations. The cost of admission goes directly to the participating artists and you'll only have to work for what you bid on!
Artscape Wychwood Barns (76 Wychwood Avenue), March 22, 2013, 7PM $20

ChocolateFOOD

Chocolate Making Workshop
Whether you're a budding chocolatier or just have a serious sweet tooth, Hart House is hosting a Chocolate Making Workshop with Chocolate Tales. Learning how to create your own chocolate from the bean, this hands-on workshop will create offer participants instruction on how to create Belgian chocolate, truffles, molded chocolates, fondant and more with the help of expert instructors. The course costs $82 but if you register through Hart House's eventbrite page, you can get 45% with the code COCOA2013.
Hart House (7 Hart House Circle), March 23, 2013, 3PM $82

For more food listings, check out our weekly Toronto Food Events post.

FASHION

Rigorous Mess Vintage Pop-Up Shop
Vintage shop Rigorous Mess is cleaning out their stock by hosting a pop-up shop at 451 Christie all weekend long. Offering 40% off winter clothing and showcasing jewelry by NATIONAL & re:claim, this tiny vintage boutique is pricing everything to sell. Food, art and music will all be a part of the event, which is open Saturday and Sunday from noon until early evening. Clean up their store by adding more of a mess to your own.
451 Christie Street, March 23-24, 2013, 12PM Free

Thomas Bálint Fall 13
With modern takes on classic style, designer Thomas Bálint premieres its Fall 2013 collection at Toronto Fashion Week this Friday night. Open to the public, this show will feature the newest designs available in the Queen West boutique by lead designer Michael Thomas Bálint. To confirm attendance to the show, e-mail thomasbalint@thecollections.ca. Seating is limited so once the tent reaches capacity, there will be a $25 charge to enter.
World MasterCard Toronto Fashion Week, David Pecault Square (221 King Street West), March 22, 2013, 5PM $25

For more fashion listings, check out our This Week in Fashion post.

THEATRE

Gwen Powers
When an charming and intelligent teenager with sex appeal exercises her powers of persuasian on her young teacher who is struggling to become an adult, power dynamics shift and trouble follows. In Zachary Florence's Gwen Powers, relationship boundaries and authorities will be called into question as Sofia Banzhaf and Jonah Hundert portray Gwen Powers and her teacher, Jeff. The play opens this Friday night for a two-week engagement. Tickets are available through the Theatre Passe Muraille box office.
Theatre Passe Muraille (16 Ryerson Avenue), March 22-April 6, 2013, 7:30PM $25 general, $15 artist/student

For more theatre listings, check out our This Week in Theatre post.

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

Lead photo by ~EvidencE~ in the blogTO Flickr pool

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