Quantcast
Channel: blogTO
Viewing all 47899 articles
Browse latest View live

Toronto not making it easy to own an electric car

0
0

Forward-thinking drivers in Toronto have begun to face a problem with their electric vehicles: where exactly can they charge them?

Right now there are designated charging stations around the city and in condo parking lots, but yesterday a resident called for more flexibility when it comes to residential charging options only to see her request refused by city council.

The East York resident apparently bought a new Tesla but applied to the city for permission to build a parking pad as she needs somewhere to charge it. Her request was denied.

Toronto lags behind other big cities when it comes to accommodating electric cars by making it a challenge to charge them for anyone who doesn't have a driveway.

The issue has been a concern for many since demand for electric cars in growing, and some have resorted to finding DIY solutions to compensate for the lack of charging stations.

There's some room for cautious optimism, though. At its last meeting, Toronto City Council voted to begin a pilot program that would test street charging stations in a variety of wards.

That's welcome news, but with interest in electric car ownership dramatically on the rise, the city will need to do more to accommodate these vehicles. 


Sears suppliers open giant warehouse outlet in Markham

0
0

Just when you thought Sears Canada was dead and gone, one of its former stores will be transformed into a mega liquidation outlet in Markham.

As Sears continues to close its doors, 25 former suppliers have banned together to open Bobby's Liquidation Outlet near Steeles Avenue and the 404. The mammoth store is 150,000 square feet and will be staffed by at least some former Sears employees. 

Sears Canada announced last month it would be closing all of its stores and going out of business after decades of serving the Canadian retail landscape.

Anyone who's still feeling the absence of the Sears stores can now peruse similar inventory at the new outlet, which is billed as a direct to the public warehouse sale. 

The grand opening takes place November 20, though the store has already quietly launched. With all the chaos that ensued at the Sears liquidation sales, it might be a good idea to get there early.  

Toronto now considered longshot for new Amazon headquarters

0
0

A total of 238 cities from 43 states and at least 6 provinces are currently vying for Amazon's affections in a race to be named the retailer's second North American home.

Called HQ2, the new Amazon campus is expected to bring billions of dollars (plus about 50,000 "high-paying jobs") into whichever city is chosen as the winner – and contenders have been going to great lengths to let the company know their love is true. That they're the one. That this relationship is meant to be.

It's like the bachelor, but less sad... unless you're Vancouver, which was just ranked 64th most likely to win out of 64 cities. Ouch.

Toronto placed 12th under the same ranking system, which was recently compiled by Sperling's Best Places using a comprehensive collection of data from industry predictions about Amazon's new headquarters.

Sperling's report on the ranking, released today, places Atlanta, Georgia square at the top of the list, followed by Boston and Chicago.

"Our thing is about location and place and how it matters, and it seems to matter more and more these days," said Bert Sperling to the Detroit Free Press abut his firm's ranking. "This is our meta-analysis, taking stock of everything that's out there."

Based on this report (and others like it from The New York Times, CNN, Reis and Moody's), it's unlikely that Toronto will be chosen as the home of HQ2.

"Trust us," reads the Sperling report. "It's going to be Atlanta."

This might be disappointing to some, but we should all take comfort in the fact that Toronto was one of the least thirsty-acting cities of the bunch.

Plus, we've already got a futuristic Google smart city on the way. No hard feelings, Atlanta.

Drake threatens to beat up misbehaving fan at concert

0
0

Drake's the type of dude to yell at someone in his own audience, mid-show, for disrespecting women.

Oh Aubrey, *sigh*... So chivalrous.

Toronto's very own 6ix God is making all the ladies swoon again today as video footage from an after-party during his Nov. 15 tour stop in Sydney circulates the web.

The video, uploaded to Instagram by a concertgoer just hours ago, initially shows Drake singing the part from 2015's Know Yourself in which he goes running through the Six with his woes.

A post shared by louisesukari (@louisesukari) on

All of the sudden, he calls for the music to stop and steps to the front of the stage.

"If you don't stop touching girls, I'mma come out there and f*ck you up," says the artist, waving his finger at an unseen person in the audience.

The crowd goes absolutely nuts as Drake moves the mic away from his face and continues yelling at the person, who was reportedly harassing women at the show.

"I got this close to Drake threatening to jump into the crowd and starting a fight with a guy grouping a women," reads the Instagram video's caption. 

"Violence against women, 6 God says no."

Toronto subway station now doubles as a comic book hero

0
0

Commuters noticed something different about Castle Frank Station recently when huge posters appeared featuring a comic book character who happens to share something rather important with the TTC stop. 

Posters featuring Marvel comic book character Frank Castle, a.k.a. the Punisher, have completely transformed the station with images of his likeness and large WANTED signs, finger print samples, and skulls adorning the tiles.

They're part of an advertising campaign for the upcoming Netflix show The Punisher, set to be released this Friday. Judging from the social media reaction, people seemed to appreciate the clever play on words more than anything.

Good puns, good puns 👌

A post shared by haCKER (@every_12_year_old) on

The character Frank Castle is one of the more violent characters in the Marvel universe, making the whole thing even better because of Castle Frank station's otherwise sleepy reputation.

Netflix has been making good use of slick advertisements on the TTC recently, with posters for Hawkins Power and Light cropping up as part of the campaign for the second season of Stranger Things.

A post shared by Carlos Weisz (@kineticform) on

While nothing will ever be as good as the Dairy Farmers of Canada ads, these do deserve kudos for shining a rare light on Castle Frank.

Cost of two bedroom rentals continues to soar in Toronto

0
0

The cost of renting a two bedroom apartment in Toronto is *gasp* still astronomicallyhigh, according to new data from Padmapper.

Month over month, it's not a terrible jump. The apartment hunting website puts the average price of a two bedroom rental unit at $2,440 this month, which marks an increase of just 0.4 per cent since October.

Compared against last year at this time, however, the numbers are a bit more alarming: two bedroom prices have risen 14.6 per cent in Toronto since November of 2016.

In October of last year, monthly rent on one of these units averaged just $1,760– cheaper than what you could get a one bedroom apartment for in the city right now.

Speaking of one bedrooms, which famously hit the $2,000 mark in September, there's actually a bit of good news to be found within Padmapper's most recent report.

The price of renting a one bedroom apartment in Toronto this month is actually down a full one per cent since last October.

At $1,920, an average one bedroom is still nearly 13 percent more expensive than it was last year at this time, but at least it's not climbing. For now. I won't hold my breath for this particular trend to continue. 

Rental of the week: 18 Saunders Avenue

0
0

While condo rentals have never been more popular in Toronto, some apartment hunters desire living spaces with more character. In a market with such low vacancy rates, units with historical charm are few and far between but not impossible to find if you have a healthy budget.

18 saunders avenue torontoTake this recently listed apartment at 18 Saunders Ave. in Parkdale, for example. It's about as far as you can get from the semi-finished soft loft spaces that you'll find throughout West Queen West, but it still boasts a modern kitchen and ton of space for a 1 + 1 bedroom.  

18 saunders avenue torontoThat space is most obvious in the form of a full scale dining room and a giant bedroom on the second floor, which is the highlight of the apartment. Its wood ceiling adds a ton of warmth to what might otherwise be a room that's too long and narrow. 

18 saunders avenue torontoThe most practical among us might want to see the upper floor divided into two smaller bedrooms, but the open nature of the space is what makes it special. A bedroom of this size in a rental is a luxury, which is the market that this apartment falls into. 

18 saunders avenue torontoSpecs
  • Address: 18 Saunders Ave.
  • Apartment type: In-house unit
  • Rent: $3,495
  • Furnished? Yes
  • Utilities: Included
  • Air conditioning? Yes
  • Bedrooms: 1 + 1
  • Bathrooms: 1
  • Parking: Yes
  • Laundry? In-suite
  • Outdoor space? Backyard
  • Pet friendly? Unspecified
  • Realtor: Kevin Killackey
18 saunders avenue torontoGood For

Someone who wants an apartment to brag about and entertain in. This unit is well equipped for both dinner parties and quiet nights by the fire. It's also great for someone who lacks the furnishing required to populate a big space. This one comes fully equipped.

18 saunders avenue torontoMove On If

You need a two bedroom apartment. At 1,000 square feet, there's lots of extra space for a single individual or a couple, but it won't work so well for those with kids or who like the idea of having a roommate. 

18 saunders avenue toronto18 saunders avenue toronto18 saunders avenue toronto18 saunders avenue toronto

Relief subway line takes a step forward in Toronto

0
0

Help is on the way for Toronto's overused downtown transit routes in the form of a new subway line running below Carlaw Avenue. 

I know you've heard that before. And I know the reliefline is still more than a decade away. That doesn't make it any less exciting to get new details about the massive subway expansion though, does it?

As Urban Toronto reports, the TTC has formally released an RFP (Request for Proposal) this week to find a consultant for the tunnel design of its Relief Line South, which will run between Queen and Pape according to the most-current plans.

downtown relief line

The approved alignment of the Relief Line South as indicated in pink. Image via the City of Toronto.

Whoever wins the contract will be tasked with completing a concept design report, preliminary design and engineering for the southern relief line's tunnels and associated facilities, a cost estimate, and a project delivery schedule, "to 30% design completion."

"It is expected that there will be five new Stations and modifications to three existing Stations (Pape, Queen and Osgoode Stations)," reads the TTC document, "as well as several associated facilities, to be developed to the preliminary design stage, under a separate Stations Contract."

This includes, but is not limited to Gerrard Station, Carlaw Station, Broadview Station, Sumach Station, and Sherbourne Station.

What's exciting here is not the idea of consultants competing for a TTC contract, but the fact that Toronto is finally moving forward with its relief line plans in a big and concrete way.

The RFP for the Relief Line South design work is scheduled to close next month, on Dec. 15. It's likely that the winning firm will then be announced and, hopefully, will begin working on the project.

As it stands, construction on the line is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2025 with an estimated completion date sometime in 2031. That's way too optimistic of a timeline, but the sooner the design is complete, the sooner the project can break ground. 


9 things to do in Toronto today

0
0

Today in Toronto the tallest Christmas Tree in all of Canada is unveiled and lit up, a gourmet food and wine expo commences, and a 2017 Polaris Prize nominee hits the stage at the Horseshoe Tavern.

Events you might want to check out:

Tree Lighting at the Eaton Centre (November 16 @ CF Toronto Eaton Centre)
Standing three-stories tall, the Christmas tree at the Eaton Centre is the largest in the country. CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! will preside over the lighting ceremony.
Reel Awareness Documentary Film Festival (November 16-18 @ Imagine Cinemas)
Back for its 12th year, Amnesty International Toronto brings compelling and worldly documentaries to Imagine Cinemas Carlton Theatre. There's an opening reception tonight at 6 p.m. before the screenings kick off at 7 p.m.
Toronto Christmas Market (November 16 - December 23 @ Distillery District)
Food and drinks vendors, carollers, elves, lights, and one of the city's largest Christmas trees all await inside the Distillery District's Christmas Market.
Kidlat Tahimik: Memories of Overdevelopment (November 16 @ TIFF Bell Lightbox)
The father of the Philippine New Wave cinema is being celebrated all weekend with free screenings of his features at TIFF. Tonight you can catch 2010's Memories of Overdevelopment.
Gourmet Food & Wine Expo Toronto (November 16-19 @ Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
Four days of wine producers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, and more showcasing their best and latest products. Bakers, butchers, ice cream outlets and more will be on site, too.
Lisa LeBlanc (November 16 @ Horseshoe Tavern)
2017 Polaris Prize nominee hits up the Horseshoe Tavern for one night to play songs from her latest record Why You Wanna Leave Runaway Queen.
Genuwine: Wine and R&B Party (November 16 @ The Boat)
Genuwine, the wine and R&B dance party taking London by storm has landed in Toronto. Expect awesome wines and back to back R&B, soul and hip hop classics.
12 Trees Gala (November 16 @ Gardiner Museum)
A luminous evening in celebration of this year’s 12 Trees exhibition, featuring an awe-inspiring light show, vibrant wine tasting, international food options, and more.
Galantis (November 16 @ REBEL)
Swedish electronic dance duo Galantis land in Toronto to play music from their 2017 release, The Aviary, with support by the Him.

Toronto Restaurant Openings: Extra Burger, Go Topoki, Suite 114, Daan Go, Dirty Bird

0
0

Toronto restaurant openings highlights the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now
Recently reviewed
Opening soon
Closed
Other News
  • Famed Montreal restaurant Au Pied de Cochon is hosting a Toronto pop up in a self-storage building on Eastern Ave. in December. Pre-orders for the limited selection of food items can already be made on their website.
  • Oakwood Hardware suffered a fire earlier this week, but hopes to reopen as soon as possible. 
  • The giant Nations grocery store opens today the Stockyards. Along with your standard supermarket offerings, there's also a food court that serves Chinese BBQ, sushi, burgers, and a lot more. 

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

Next year's Vans Warped Tour in Toronto will be its last

0
0

After 24 glorious years of moshing, wild antics, and raucous live music, Vans Warped Tour is calling it quits after next year.

The announcement was made yesterday that the much loved North American music festival will join more recent departures from the city's festival circuit, which only a few years ago looked like it was getting overcrowded.

A festival statement summarizes Warped Tour's storied history as one of the premier music festivals for rock bands and alternative acts, known for showcasing both international and local musicians and as the place where many artists in these genres today got their big break.

Loads of fans and artists have taken to social media to express their sadness over the end of an era.

Thankfully they have one last opportunity to relive their happy memories (and perhaps some regrets), as Warped Tour is stopping in Toronto for one last time on July 17.

No reason was cited for the decision, though 24 years is a remarkable run for an alternative music festival. You can bet the last hurrah will be a giant and nostalgic send-off.

Toronto wants to ban basement apartments from Airbnb

0
0

The City of Toronto wants to stop local homeowners from renting out their basements as vacation accommodations through Airbnb – which makes total sense from the perspective of someone who's lived in a basement apartment.

But it's not the lack of light or abundance of spiders that city councillors are taking up issue with. 

Rather, it's the idea that short-term rental units are choking the market for long-term apartment rentals in our increasingly populous city.

Read: If local homeowners keep renting out their secondary suites (such as basement apartments) to Airbnb vacationers, there won't be much available in terms of affordable housing for the people who actually live here.

"We have an entirely unhealthy vacancy rate in this city," said Deputy Mayor Ana Bailao yesterday to the city's planning and growth committee. "If you are a renter trying to find a place to live in this city, you are really having a bad experience. It's frustrating; it's desperate."

To help combat the problem, Bailao put forth a motion to ban homeowners from listing their secondary suites (units within a home that have their own entrance, bathroom and kitchen) on short-term rental websites such as Airbnb.

The committee voted unanimously to pass the motion during yesterday's meeting.

When Toronto's proposed short-term rental regulations go before city council for final approval next month, they will now include secondary suites in the same category as other apartments and houses that are not someone's principal residence.

If the rules are approved as they are right now, people in Toronto would be banned from renting out any property that they do not own and live in full-time for fewer than 28 days.

College strike to continue in Ontario as faculty reject offer

0
0

The drama continues as Ontario's college faulty and staff rejected an offer today that might have seen the end of the strike.

Union members met with college representatives to negotiate an offer, but ultimately they were unable to reach an agreement.

Last month, 12,000 faculty and staff across 24 Ontario colleges went on strike over wages and contract issues.

The proposed deal would have been a pay increase over four years and other incentives, but "language surrounding academic freedom" was noticeably absent from the proposal.

The union claims that it would fundamentally "erode faculty rights," and create an "unsustainable staffing model" in the long run.

The strike is now into week five and the tension has already culminated in a class-action lawsuit brought forth by 12 students seeking reimbursement for lost class time and fees.

There's no word yet on when negotiations will resume. 

Toronto is getting another new Fashion Santa

0
0

The sexiest mall Santa in Toronto (if not the entire world) is coming back to bless our timelines once again this year as retailers kick off the 2017 holiday season. Sort of.

'Fashion Santa,' the character, will be available for selfies at Yorkdale Mall on Saturday, Dec. 2, between noon and 6 p.m. 

Model Paul Mason, however, will not be there - and neither will Adam Martin, the model who was hired to replace Mason as Fashion Santa in 2016. That's right. Toronto has a new, new fashion Santa this year
Toronto Fashion Santa His name is Jack Foley and, like the men before him, he's a professional model with a really sweet beard.

"Meet the man of the season," wrote Yorkdale in a blog post announcing its 2017 Christmas campaign, which "celebrates the season in style."

Fashion Santa 2017 Shot by photographer Chris Nicholls and styled by Zeina Esmail, the ads feature "the jolly man himself suited-up in the season’s best from Harry Rosen, Hugo Boss, Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew, Moncler, Versace, Gucci, Prada and Jimmy Choo."

Fashion Santa 2017 also wears an Apple Watch. He is a very fancy Santa.

In fact, contrasted against Martin's "Edgy Santa" and Mason's "Lumbersexual Santa," it would almost make sense to call this year's rendition of the character "Bougie Santa." So I will.

Fashion Santa 2017 is Bougie Santa.

Fashion Santa 2017

Foley, along with his agency B&M Models, will be donating all of their fees for the campaign to SickKids Foundation, according to the mall's website.

Yorkdale will also be donating $1 to SickKids for every selfie shared using the hashtag #YorkdaleFashionSanta – just like it did for Mason's Santa campaign in 2015.

As of last year, the original Fashion Santa was still at odds with Yorkdale Mall over their use of the character and brand, which he claimed to be his intellectual property.

A post shared by Paul Mason (@paulmasonmodel) on

Mason did, however, appear on a Chinese TV show in February as Fashion Santa and continues to promote the brand on his personal social media channels. 

In September, the popular menswearmodel raised $2,445.00 for The Terry Fox Foundation by participating as Fashion Santa in its annual Terry Fox Run.

The more the merrier, we say. One can never have too many sources of holiday cheer.

Weekend events in Toronto November 17-19 2017

0
0

Santa Claus is coming to town this weekend in Toronto. Along with the annual parade, the Christmas Market is in full swing, and a handful of holiday lighting ceremonies are taking place across the city. Also on top is Long Winter, a Filipino market, and free films at TIFF.

Events you might want to check out:

Toronto Christmas Market (November 16 - December 23 @ Distillery District)
The Distillery District is transformed into a winter wonderland leading up to Christmas with food and drinks vendors, carollers, elves, lights, and one of the city's largest Christmas trees.
Long Winter (November 17 @ Tranzac Club)
Back for its sixth season, the Long Winter concert series returns with its beloved policies still in place: pay what you can tickets, all ages, all access.
Illuminite (November 18 @ Yonge-Dundas Square)
The 10 year anniversary of Toronto's tree lighting ceremony at the heart of downtown is sure to feature an impressive light show and over-the-top performances.
The Toronto Santa Claus Parade (November 19 @ Christie Pits, Toronto)
You know the holidays are right around the corner when jolly ol' St. Nick rolls through town. The annual Santa Claus Parade gets underway at 12:30 p.m. near Christie Pits before winding its way through the city.
Big Sound (November 17 @ The Great Hall)
A wrecking crew of 30 musicians and singers return to the Great Hall to perform just as many tunes as there are bodies at this celebration of all things mo town.
Seasons Christmas Market (November 17-19 @ International Center)
It’s a shopping extravaganza with over 300 exhibitors featuring everything for holiday decorating, entertaining and gifting. Get ready to shop till you drop!
Bloor-Yorkville Holiday Magic (November 18 @ Village of Yorkville Park)
This magical lighting ceremony at the Village of Yorkville Park will set the stage for holiday window displays, cheerful décor and festive lighting along tree-lined streets until the start of the new year.
Halo Halo Holiday Pop-Up (November 18-19 @ Second Level King West Pop Up)
Celebrate the holidays, Filipino-style. Shop a curated collection of Filipino brands and enjoy delicious eats from a Filipino snack bar.
Democracy Exchange (November 18-19 @ Ryerson University)
At this civic campaign and technology summit you'll find speakers, talks, workshops, training sessions and a whole lot of forward thinking political talk and networking.
Gourmet Food & Wine Expo Toronto (November 16-19 @ Metro Toronto Convention Centre)
Four days of wine producers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, and more showcasing their best and latest products. Bakers, butchers, ice cream outlets and more will be on site, too.
Food Trike Pop-Up (November 17 @ Left Field Brewery)
Manipura Doubles brings their trike full of Trinidadian delicacies to the brewery. Admission is free, just show up ready to indulge.
Lady Beer Fest (November 18 @ Peace and Cotton Warehouse)
The Society of Beer Drinking Ladies presents Canada's all ladies craft beer festival. Tickets include four drink tokens, a commemorative sample glass, and a "morning after" gift bag.
The Toronto Vegetarian Association Holiday Market (November 19 @ Artscape Wychwood Barns)
Over 30 local businesses are on site selling things like holiday treats, vegan holiday recipe books, and handmade gifts.
FNL: Mic Drop (November 17 @ Royal Ontario Museum)
Celebrate the history of hip hop at Friday Night Live at the ROM, with beats by One Hundred and Fifty Futures, Grump, and The Masterplan Show.
Duel Of The Decades: 80s vs 90s (November 17 @ The Rec Room)
The interactive dance party hosted at the Rec Room projects music videos from the 80s and 90s onto 50' screens and asks party goers to vote in real time on which decade reigns supreme.
Fete Chinoise (November 18 @ Shangri-La Hotel Toronto)
Get immersed in modern Chinese events and lifestyle in this showcase and gala, featuring thought-leaders in design & art, fashion, events, culinary, beauty, and photography.
Back In The Day (November 18 @ 783 College Street)
Revival Nightclub hosts its monthly tribute to old school hip hop, R&B, house, reggae and pop this Saturday with DJ Hedspin leading the charge.
Markus Schulz, Cosmic Gate, Jason Ross (November 17 @ REBEL)
American-German DJ and producers Markus Schulz headlines a night of trance and electronic dance music at Rebel.
Hoodie Allen (November 18 @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre)
The much-buzzed rapper is touring his latest album, Happy Camper, with one night in Toronto.
Mura Masa (November 18 @ Danforth Music Hall)
The British electronic producer and "Lovesick" singer flies in from the UK to give Toronto a taste of the sounds making waves across the world.
Poppy (November 18 @ Velvet Underground)
The American ambient music composer and internet girl is playing a rare live show in Toronto. Is she a human? An android? Swing by to find out.
Action Bronson (November 19 @ REBEL)
The American rapper and sometimes chef Action Bronson hits the stage in support of his 2017 release Blue Chips 7000.
Eye Buy Art Weekend Pop-Up (November 18-19 @ FCP Gallery)
Over 1500 square feet of award-winning photographs from some of Canada's most promising new artists. Take the art off your phone screen and onto your home's walls.
The Kawaii Cafe (November 18 @ Narwhal Art Projects)
The Kawaii Cafe showcases art, illustration, fashion and more inspired and influenced by the word "cute."
The Trinity Bellwoods Flea: Christmas Is Coming (November 19 @ The Great Hall)
Fifty vendors assemble under one roof at the historic Great Hall to take the hard work out of holiday shopping. Admission is free as always, and pets are welcome.
Toronto's First Asian Zine Fair (November 19 @ Tranzac Club)
This free zine fair was created to provide Asian artists a space to showcase their work and voice. In addition to amazing zines you'll find music and stand-up performances by local artists.
Bill Nye: Science Guy (November 17-23 @ Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema)
The beloved 1990s TV phenomenon Bill Nye the Science Guy educated and entertained a generation. Today he's back in the public eye debating those who reject science. It's all documented in this new film.
CineIran Film Festival (November 17-19 @ Art Gallery of Ontario)
CineIran Festival is an annual celebration of the best of contemporary Iranian cinema and brings acclaimed Iranian films to Toronto audiences
Perfumed Nightmare by Kidlat Tahimik (November 17 @ TIFF Bell Lightbox)
The father of the Philippine New Wave cinema is the star of TIFF this weekend, with free screenings of his movies happening every day. One worth catching is 1977's Perfumed Nightmare.

Ontario's most epic ice skating trail opens in a month

0
0

Folks from these parts like to talk about "winter wonderlands" a lot. It helps us cope with the cold, dark truth of living in Canada between October and March.

The Ice Skating Trail at Arrowhead Provincial Park in Muskoka is only one such place in Ontario, but it's the creme de la creme de la snow.

There really isn't a better term to describe the picturesque, tree-lined 1.3 km skating trail. It's not a winter wonderland, it's the winter wonderland – which is why it's so insanely busy now that word of its existence has spread online.

Set to open this year on Dec. 20 (weather permitting), the Arrowhead trail experience is like something straight out of a fairy tale.

Skaters who partake are surrounded by snow-covered evergreen trees on all sides and, at night, the trail is illuminated by hundreds of tiki torches.

These late skating sessions are called "Fire & Ice Nights," which should excite Game of Thrones fans (even though the trail has nothing to do with the George R.R. Martin series.) 

Arrowhead is almost a three-hour drive from Toronto, but plenty of people have made the trek specifically to experience the skating trail since it opened in 2012.

"Saturdays are the busiest days for the Ice Skating Trail, and it often reaches capacity," reads the attraction's website. "On the busiest Saturdays wait times into the park have reached up 30 mins, and worst case scenario vehicles have been turned away."

To avoid disappointment, the park recommends you visit midweek or on Sundays.

Toronto's biggest winter music festival is coming back

0
0

Need a Christmas gift for the EDM head in your life? How about a new-school rave that starts on Boxing Day?

Toronto's Solaris Music Festival is back again this year for the fifth time on December 26th and 27th at Polson Pier.

Zeds Dead and Steve Aoki are headlining, and this year's featured performers include Oliver Heldens, Parker, NGHTMRE, rickyxsan, Slushii, Bijou, Ookay and NVDES.

Solaris Festival 2017 will take place at Rebel again this year, just like it did in 2016. Before that, partiers had been flocking to the Enercare Centre for the annual fest.

I guess the wub wubs got to be too much for Fort York and Liberty Village. 

Tickets for the 19+ event start at $99.50 and will go on sale Nov. 21st at 10 a.m.

Condo of the week: Brewery Lofts

0
0

Toronto's home to plenty of loft spaces, but a handful tend to sweep up the lion's share of attention when it comes to architecture and design. The Candy Factory and Tip Top Lofts come to mind, but a building that I've always thought deserved more recognition is the Brewery Lofts

brewery lofts torontoDespite its name, the existing building's history is tied to its use as the CBC’s prop warehouse, a function it was built for in the 1950s. The building was converted to residential lofts in the late 1990s.

brewery lofts torontoSo while the units here are certainly hard lofts, you won't see exposed wood beams and other markers from turn of the century buildings. The most obvious industrial design elements on display are the soaring ceilings, the massive concrete columns, the warehouse-style windows.

brewery lofts torontoThis particular unit features and open concept living room, kitchen, and dining area, with two large bedrooms section off for privacy. It's almost difficult to choose which one is the master given their respective sizes, though the nicer en suite gives it away. 

brewery lofts torontoThere's not a ton of outdoor space here, but the balcony is suitable for intimate dinners and morning coffee in the summer. Come winter, aspiring home chefs can enjoy the luxury kitchen without feeling disconnecting from the living area.

brewery lofts torontoSpecs

Address: #403 - 90 Sumach St.
Price: $1,449,000
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Parking: 2
Walk Score: 94
Transit Score: 100
Maintenance Fees: $1,050.56
Listing agent: Ford Thurston
Listing ID: C3984914

brewery lofts torontoGood For

You want a loft space with some historical character but can't stand the thought of creaky wood floors. 

brewery lofts torontoMove On If

Your ideal home has lots of outdoor space for entertaining. This building isn't stacked with amenities, so the unit itself is the main selling point. 

brewery lofts torontobrewery lofts torontobrewery lofts torontobrewery lofts torontobrewery lofts torontobrewery lofts toronto

brewery lofts toronto

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

Toronto is set to get a massive art biennial

0
0

Toronto is poised to finally get its long-promised arts biennial. How very world class city of us.

Mayor John Tory himself will formally announce city's support tonight, which along with the economic backing of TD and the Ontario Trillium Foundation should put years of false starts and hurdle-jumping in the rear view window. Planning is already underway to host the massive event.

The large-scale public art exhibition is set to open in the fall of 2019, run for 90 days, and showcase anywhere from dozens to hundreds of artists.

Described on Tory's itinerary for today as a "cultural catalyst," the biennial is expected to "contribute to the arts infrastructure through creating stronger links between organizations, driving the collaborative agenda, developing talent" and "attracting new funding," among other things. 

If it's anything like the famous Venice Biennial, (or, as the Italians call it, the International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia) the event could grow to become a major tourist attraction.

Biennials (and triennials, for that matter) are hot this decade.

Toronto's might take some time to blow up, however. 

Venice's biennial was inaugurated in 1895. The city has since hosted 57 such installations throughout the city every two years, the last one running for more than six months.

The ROM is finally going to re-open its east entrance

0
0

The ROM has finally announced the official reopening of the historic Weston Entrance of the museum, which hasn't been in use for about a decade.

The 84-year old Queen's Park-facing entrance has undergone cosmetic changes and repairs courtesy of Hariri Pontarini Architects, which have restored the beautiful archway. 

Prior to the construction of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, this was a focal point for visitors to the museum, and the hope is that it will be again.

The new layout will include revamped limestone steps meant to encourage people to hang out and enjoy the view across Queen's Park. It'll also take some pressure of the Crystal entrance, which might be set for some changes of its own in the future. 

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for December 12, which is planned to draw lots of attention to the historic side of the building, which has roots back to 1914. After that, it'll be a shorter walk to get into the ROM from the subway, so the timing couldn't be better. 

Viewing all 47899 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images