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How does Toronto's bike infrastructure stack up?

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toronto bike infrastructureThe mere act of cycling in Toronto can seem like a crusade for freedom. We have a godzilla-esque mayor who erases existing infrastructure (read: Jarvis bike lanes) with what many cyclists would characterize as reckless abandon. In London, meanwhile, mayor Boris Johnson is happily skipping about building BIKE HIGHWAYS and talking about how said highways will act as a greening initiative and make for more community-oriented spaces. Hello, opposite-land.

And that's not the only city putting Toronto to shame. Everyone seems to have vague notions of how cruddy our cycling infrastructure is, so we decided to see how it actually stacks up in cities of (relatively) comparable size. And for a city of 2,791,140, we're not doing very wellfailing hard seriously shitting the bed. Other cities are actively trying to promote cycling. The same cannot be said for us. Behold, the numbers:

What's going on in London

Mayor Boris Johnson has decided to commit $1.5 billion to improve the city's bike infrastructure, including a 24-kilometre bike "superhighway," separated from traffic and connecting the west and east ends of the city. The highway is expected to be the longest of its kind in Europe.

Chicago

Toronto may have surpassed Chicago as the fourth-largest city in North America, but that city is still kicking our ass on the cycling front. Their Chicago Streets for Cycling Plan 2020 was developed by listening to what the people wanted, a virtually unheard of political tactic. It aims to install a 1038 km network of biking facilities, with the goal of "providing a bicycle accommodation within a half-mile of every Chicagoan." The first phase of the project, to be completed by 2015, already has a total of $40 million allocated to it. Thirty-two million of that has been provided by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program, and $8 million stems from local funds. Currently, the city has more than 273.6 km of on-street protected bike lanes.

New York City

New York City is the king of bike lanes. The New York Times calls the city a "cycling haven," though there is concern that the bike-love may dissipate with the crowning of a new mayor. In any case, under Bloomberg, the city has acquired no fewer than 410 km of bike lanes, and according to a poll by the Times, a full 66 per cent of New Yorkers think bike lanes are "a good idea."

Seattle

It probably seems obvious that Seattle would be a good city for cycling. And when citizens don't feel it's going their way, they get intense about it by creating their own protected bike lanes, as we've also seen the Urban Repair Squad do here.

But when cyclists aren't pushing the situation to action, the city seems to be making a reasonable attempt to enhance Seattle's cycling infrastructure on its own. In 2007, the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan was implemented. Since then, 207 km of on-street cycling infrastructure has been created, and the government has the two-fold goal of tripling the amount of cycling in the city by 2017, and reducing the rate of bicycle collisions by one third in the same time frame. At the plan's inception, it was expected to cost about $240 million in total.

(Seattle's population, for the record, stands at about 620,778).

Montreal

Montreal came in at number eight on the Copenhagenize Index. According to the index, "The city has had bicycle infrastructure since the mid-80s, which should embarrass other cities on that continent." And according to rock-solid expert source AskMen.com, Montreal is the fifth most bike-friendly city in the world. In terms of financing, Montreal isn't quite stacking up to its American counterparts. But it did spend $10 million last year on development projects and bike path revitalization.

In total, the city has about 107 km of on-street bike lanes, which makes for 27 km per 100,000 people.

Vancouver

Vancouver makes use of separated bike lanes, with proposals for more coming in all the time.

In 2010, Vancouver city council voted unanimously to spend $25 million over two years to build 55 km of new bike lanes over ten years. And bike trips in the city have apparently gone up by "150 per cent" over the past 15 years, and about 12 in 100 ventures in fitness-happy Vancouver are made via bike. Vancouver has 60 km of on-street bike lanes, which makes for 26 km per 100,000 people.

So, what's the deal in Toronto?

The topic of bike lanes has always been a controversial one in the fair land of Hogtown. Much mud-slinging has been done on the issue, with motorists becoming more and more claustrophobic in the face of ever-increasing traffic, and cyclists becoming more and more terrified of being killed (or at the very least doored) each time they hop on their two-wheeled steeds.

Though we do have separated lanes on Sherbourne and some others in the works, we don't have much to brag about. Denzil Minnan-Wong, chair of the public works committee, failed to respond to repeated requests for comment over the span of a couple of weeks. And it's safe to say none of us will live to see the day Mayor Rob Ford eschews the motor vehicle in favour of traversing merrily around on a bicycle. The undeniable truth is that we're backpedaling when it comes to cycling infrastructure.

By the end of 2011, the city had -3.2 km fewer bike lanes than it started with due to removals on Pharmacy and Birchmount. And the same thing happened in 2012, after the removal of the Jarvis lanes.

And now? The city can expect to see 14 km of bike lanes upgraded or added by 2014. And 2001's Bike Plan promised 495 km of bike lanes to be added by 2012. What did we get? 23 per cent of that promise, in the form of 112.9 km. That's 11 km per 100,000 people.

Jared Kolb wrote on Cycle Toronto's site last year that, "City Council continues to invest in a legacy of inaction."

"There are fewer kilometres of bike lanes today than there were in 2009," he told me last week over the phone. (In 2009, there were 91).

He says the 14 km that have been added are a start, and so are the proposals for lanes on Richmond and Adelaide. But we're nowhere near where we need to be, he said. Both Montreal and Vancouver have far more bike lanes per capita than Toronto, despite the considerable size-difference in our favour.

"As a city, we need to renew the conversation about how we do cycling on the street. We don't have safe infrastructure connecting to the core," Kolb says. He thinks it's possible, but would just require a reallocation of precious budget dollars.

Jennifer Keesmaat does say she wants cycling to become a viable means of transportation by giving drivers and bikers the space they need, and the latest figures show roughly a third of all downtown travel is made on foot or by bike. But will anything like transportation harmony ever come to fruition?

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Photo by Jared Krause


The top 10 shared office space options in Toronto

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Shared office space torontoShared office space options in Toronto have proliferated since our last post on the topic. And it's a good thing too. Working from home in one's pajamas can play a major role in spurring the onset of insanity. Like cats, we need a bit of human interaction in order to keep our heads screwed on properly. When you spend too much time alone, you start talking to yourself, and before you know it, you're the nuttiest person on the bus and you don't even notice.

Because of this widely-known factoid, office spaces dedicated to an atmosphere of co-working have been cropping up all over the city. Finally, an excuse to get out of bed, scrape the drool off your face, dust off the chip crumbs and go make some work-friends.

Now it's even easier to escape the confines of your home/local coffee shop and work from an office haven complete with exposed brick and long communal tables. Yes, you still have to work, but at least this way you won't spend most of the day meandering to and from the fridge and wondering if anything good to eat will ever magically appear. Most of the spaces offer a combination of private offices, dedicated desks and hot desks, which are shared by multiple people at different times.

Not only does this space-sharing model inspire the self-employed to put on a pair of jeans and actually leave the house: It also (in theory, at least) fosters some serious development and intermingling of ideas. Innovation, if you will. Here, a collection of lovely newfangled office spaces in Toronto:

IQ Office Space
Since it's home to the blogTO office we'd get some funny looks in the hallways is we didn't exert our bias and put this at the top of our list. But it deserves it. IQ Office occupies three floors of the historic Dineen building at Yonge and Temperance. The space provides private offices as well as dedicated desks, and there's group meeting space that fosters open discussion on the lower level. There are coffee and tea stations set up at various points throughout the space. IQ offers virtual office services as well. Prices for office and desk space range from $599 to $4,900 per month, depending on the size of the unit in question.

Centre for Social Innovation
CSI is known for hosting the beginnings of grassroots operations, countless interesting talks and community-oriented lunches. There are three locations: Spadina, the Annex, and Regent Park. The spaces are all large and light-filled, with warm brick and wood finishes, and they collectively house about 400 organizations. There are a range of rates available, depending on your needs. Rates start at $30 for access to the community, and they climb to $900 per month for a private office. There are lots of options in between, and all members are entitled to 24/7 access to the buildings' facilities. (Psst: they also offer a free introductory day so you can see if you actually like working in close proximity to other humans. Win.)

Workplace OneWorkplace One
Workplace One has a business focus, with the intent of encouraging entrepreneurs to help one another and share ideas. There are two locations, one at Queen and Bathurst, and one at King and Parliament. The buildings are equipped with WiFi and reception to greet clients. Each floor has fax services, a scanner and printer, a kitchen, and coffee stations. There's also a lounge and professional boardrooms for meetings and strategy development. Workplace One is a little pricier than some other co-working locations, with dedicated desks running about $565 per month. There are also $25 day passes for co-working in the lounge, though.

MaRs Commons
Where many of these spaces seem aimed at more overtly creative types, MaRs has an entrepreneurial bent. The space is tailored to those starting up new businesses, with advisory services and business courses, and workshops with experienced entrepreneurs. Workspace is financially accessible, too, with hot desks available for $25, part time space for $75-$175, and full time space for $325-$425.

Project:Rhino
Project:Rhino is snuggled into the heart of King West, at Bathurst St. Rates vary, but a slice of desk space can be had here for $250 per month. Or, if you don't want to actually show up to the office, they also offer virtual office services. Which basically means that you can make yourself seem like a legit human by having your shit mailed to the Rhino. Cool! Members also have access to a games room with Steam Whistle on tap, a gallery, and group meeting areas. Project:Rhino seems like a fun place to work, geared toward freelancers and startups. They make the time to play with new initiatives, like the monthly drinks and demos series. Those who join the community are also provided with 24-7 access, high speed internet, and colour laser printing.

Co-Work on Bloor
Located across from Christie Pits park, Co-Work on Bloor has the seemingly requisite exposed beams, brick and concrete. Costs are flexible, with a full-time monthly membership available for $325. Co-Work offers private, semi-private and open work spaces. Amenities include wireless connectivity and printing, coffee, and lots of shared meeting space. It's also possible to get an ADCC discount on your workspace.

ING Network Orange TorontoING Network Orange
Rates vary, but the drop-in rate is only $20 for the day, and 40 hours of desk space per month for $100. Apparently 100 per cent of that goes to charity, too. Perks of the space include wireless, projectors, teleconference, videoconference, and WebEx equipment, as well as whiteboards, colour printing, copying, scanning, faxing, networking events and educational seminars. There are both hot desks and group meeting rooms available.

Beach Business Hub
The Beach Business Hub, located just east of Queen and Woodbine, is somewhat less fancy than some of the other co-working locations in the city. It looks more like a traditional office, but then, I guess that's the point of these spaces, not aimlessly staring at the decor. (Or is it?) The space provides "the usual office equipment and access to shared meeting rooms. They don't yet have private offices on offer, but according to their website, that could change. Amenities include administrative services, I.T. support, and LCD projection rentals. Rates are comparable to other locations, with drop-ins available for $25 and private desks for $425 per month.

Camaraderie
Camaraderie is the Roncy neighbourhood's answer to the co-working scene. Located at Dundas and Roncesvalles, this space offers the classic office fixings, including a printer, scanner, shredder, internet access, boardroom access and coffee stations. "startup rooms can be had for $600 per month, with drop in rates at $25 per day. Most of the available space is in the form of shared work space and desks, but there are two private offices. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but 24 hour access is available as well.

Foundery
Foundery is a recently renovated, 2,000 square foot space at Dundas and Bathurst. It features high-speed wireless internet, printing and fax capabilities, a full kitchen and access to a private conference room. The office is home to a mixture of artists, entrepreneurs and freelancers. Rates range from $25 for one day to $2390 per month for the swankiest private office option.

BONUS SPACE!

S.O.W. Space
Because we couldn't leave out Scarborough, S.O.W. Space, or Study or Work Space, located at Ellesmere and McCowan, just might be the most student-friendly option of the bunch. Like other spaces, the rates vary, but on the whole they seem slightly lower than average. There's the standard $25 drop-in fee, and casual membership is $130, which buys you 60 hours of office space per month. Members get access to office amenities like white boards, fax, office phone, internet, coffee stations and free parking.

Or, you know. There's always eating cake in bed in your Power Ranger jammies.

What did we miss? Do you know of a great shared office space or co-working option in Toronto?

Spa Week brings cheap spa visits to Toronto

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spa week torontoSpa Week makes its way to Toronto starting Monday (running through April 21st), with a range of treatments available at some of Toronto's most luxurious spas and health centres. Think of Spa Week as an ultra-zen Groupon, only instead of a range of pricing, all 17 spas involved are offering their best treatments for a flat rate of $50 (tip not included).

With Mother's Day looming, I'll be scoring points with my mama over 60-minute essential oil massages at Lavender Day Spa at Yonge & Eglinton. Other enticing treatments being offered this week are the Oxygen Facial at Moksa Day Spa and the Dead Sea Scrub body treatment at Shizen Spa at the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

For more information and to book your own appointments (come on people, you deserve it) visit the Spa Week web site.

New East Coast-style burger joint comes to Market 707

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Market 707Market 707 is one of Toronto's best destinations for cheap eats, offering a variety of Indian, Asian, and Latin American options. The newest addition to the market is a burger joint that brings an east coast spin to fast food favourites — including a personal must-try in the form of Newfie poutine.

Read my review of Wiggle Room in the restaurants section.

The Best BBQ Restaurants in Toronto

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bbq restaurants torontoThe best BBQ restaurants in Toronto are temples of meat devoted to time-honoured cooking traditions. In Hogtown, a surge of new smokehouses have hardly matured but have zealously taken up the artform (or is it a sport?) with deep reverence to the legendary pits of the Southern states. What was once a catch-all category for anything covered in mesquite sauce is now yielding serious smoke-infused fare: dry, bark encrusted ribs, briskets with ribboned with fat and spoon-torn pork shoulders...I'm salivating at the thought.

Here's are the best BBQ restaurants in Toronto.

See also:

The Best BBQ Chicken in Toronto
The Best Ribs in Toronto

Weekend events in Toronto: April 12-14, 2013

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Sam Roberts BandWeekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this April 12-14, 2013.

LIFESTYLE

Green Living Show
North America's largest consumer show focused on solutions for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle returns to the Direct Energy Centre this Friday through Sunday. The Green Living Show highlights all things eco-friendly with green companies showcasing their products and services that are health and environmentally-conscious. Elements included this year are fashion shows, cooking demos, interactive displays, workshops and demos from the world's top globally conscious organizations. Not interested in being a consumer? Check out Swapsity's Swap Zone at the show for a way to trade your items for gently used products and clothing that you might need.
Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place (100 Princes' Boulevard), April 12-14, 2013, 10AM $16

POLITICS

Spur Festival
Spur is a festival to spark dialogue about current issues and politics amongst students and young adults through events, discussions panels and performances. Tonight, events like a panel discussion on the need for political satire with SNL alum Robin Duke, The Yes Men's Andy Bichlbaum of The Yes Men, and novelist Terry Fallis and a Bar Car cocktail reception at The Pilot Tavern. Not sure what event will spark your curiosity? Check out our top 5 picks for this year's Spur Festival.
Yorkville neighbourhood venues, April 11-14, 2013, Free-$30

MARKET

101 SUPERMarket
101 Markets gets super-sized with the launch of 101 SUPERMarket this Friday night. A month-long pop-up market headquartered at 1418 Dundas West, this super market will expand on the vendors typically featured at the monthly show with Canadian designers, artists, and vintage sellers setting up shop. Each day until May 12th, the Little Portugal storefront will transformed into a space to purchase locally-sourced foods and vintage goods while shopping for jewelry and handmade crafts. The market launches tonight at 7PM.
Magwood Boutique (1418 Dundas Street West), April 12-May 12, 2013, 7PM Free

Toronto Indie Arts Market
The Gladstone is getting in on the small indie market action by hosting the Toronto Indie Arts Market this Saturday with small press, music, arts & crafts, food and fashion vendors setting up shop in the hotel. The event is being held to promote local purchasing and give visibility to local artists, vendors and shops while raising money for FoodShare. Find one-of-a-kind pieces, kitschy items you never knew you wanted and more at this one-day only market. Kids under 12 get in free.
Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen Street West), April 13, 2013, 10:30AM $5

FASHION

Vintage Show TO
High-end vintage fashions will be on display at Artscape Wychwood Barns this Sunday morning for The Vintage Clothing & Textile Show. Featuring over 30 exhibitors from Ontario and Quebec, antique textiles and vintage clothing and accessories will be for sale. Now in its third year, the bi-annual show is one of the best markets to purchase quality vintage goods for reasonable costs. Children under 12 are free to enter.
Artscape Wychwood Barns (601 Christie Street), April 14, 2013, 10AM $8

Rigorous Mess Vintage Pop-Up Shop
Messy for six months and still going strong, Rigorous Mess hosts their monthly vintage pop-up shop at Creatures Creating this weekend. A collaborative sale and art show, Rigorous Mess will be offering large discounts on winter clothing and new springwear as well as photo prints and handmade goods. New guest vendors like Florence & Lovelle, Suture and National will be displaying their products. A cash bar will be open until midnight.
Creatures Creating Gallery (822 Dundas Street West), April 13, 2013, 12PM Free

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

GAMES

Sunday Bingo
This isn't your grandmother's bingo. 2nd Floor event venue becomes a King West bingo parlour this weekend with the launch of Sunday Bingo. A cheap way to nurse your Saturday hangover with gambling, food and more booze, this 19+ bingo session is the best remedy if you're feeling broke. Your first five bingo cards are just $5, giving you eternal hope that you'll win the pot.
2nd Floor (461 King Street West), April 14, 2013, 3PM Free

FILM

ReelWorld Film Festival
Toronto's culturally and racially diverse film festival has returned for its 14th year and will be well underway this weekend. With films by Dev Khanna, Scott Boyd and Priyankara Vittanachchi, this film festival launched by actress Tonya Lee Williams in 1999 has grown to include industry events, panels, an awards show and more. Overwhelmed by all that ReelWorld offers? Check out our rundown of 5 films to watch at this year's festival.
Famous Players Canada Square Cinemas 4 (2190 Yonge Street) April 10-14, 2013 5PM $11.30-$28.25

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

COMEDY

Monkey Toast
The talk show Monkey Toast returns to Comedy Bar this Saturday night, for an evening of improv. Hosted by Ron Tite, this week's guests include Matt Bastile (a.k.a. Fidel Gastro of "Rebel Without A Kitchen") and Ethan Cole, co-host of "The Project". The six usual suspects of the Monkey Toast players will assist in the cabaret as guests take the stage to satirize the talk show experience. Tickets will be available at the door.
Comedy Bar, Mainstage (945 Bloor Street West), April 13, 2013, 8PM $10

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

FOOD

Feast in the East 24: Nadja + Slim Twig + Young Mother + Wet Dreams
The monthly food and music series that takes over the east end happens this Saturday night at Polyhaus. This month's meal, prepared by Oyster Boy chef Deron Engbers, is a ramp risotto, served free with advanced ticket purchase. Nadja, Slim Twig, Young Mother and Wet Dreams will perform throughout the evening while an art installation by Meg Remy & Lulu Turnbull will be on display. The event is all ages with advance tickets available at Soundscapes, Circus Books & Music, The Film Buff and Grasshopper Records.
Polyhaus (388 Carlaw Avenue), April 13, 2013, 9PM $7 advance, $10 door

For more food listings, check out our This Week in Food post.

THEATRE

The Killdeer
The Killdeer once had its world premiere at Alumnae Theatre in 1960 and this Friday evening, the James Reaney play returns. The poet's first play, about a small Ontario town caught up in a murder trial, combines love and mystery in this Barbara Larose directed version. Tickets are available through Alumnae's website. Broke? Check out the pay-what-you-can performances each Sunday afternoon or 2 for 1 Wednesdays.
Alumnae Theatre (70 Berkeley Street), April 12-27, 2013, 8PM $20

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

MUSIC

Anxiety Artists Showcase
Six bands from the Bloor West and Ossington community gather at Saving Gigi on Saturday to release their anxiety. Presented by Separation Anxiety, the Anxiety Artists Showcase will feature performances by Golden Island, Mark Weston, Adam Jenkins, Monster, Electric Jon and Ninja Funk Orchestra. Ranging in style from schizo pop to art rock to singer-songwriter, this show is for artists by artists within the Space Oyster community. The evening is pay-what-you-can.
Saving Gigi (859 Bloor Street West), April 13, 2013, 7PM PWYC

For more music listings, check out our This Week in Music and April Concerts posts.

FUNDRAISER

The Pink Party
Supporting the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, The Pink Party is an open bar event with performances by the Sam Roberts Band that features a luxury silent auction to help raise proceeds for the fight against breast cancer. With DJ sets, live music, candy buffets and dancing, the evening is a glamorous concert where alcohol will be flowing and prizes will be given away. Tickets include a 70-minute concert as well as an all-you-can-drink and all-you-can-snack experience with a chance to win round trip flights to anywhere in Canada and a 50" television. VIP tickets are available at ThePinkParty.ca.
Capitol Event Theatre (2492 Yonge Street), April 12-13, 2013, 9PM $125

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

Photo by Amber Vork on Flickr

Locomotion

This Week in Comedy: Throne of Games, Tommy Tiernan, Mike Rita, Rap Battlez, and Steve Patterson

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Mike Rita Toronto ComedyLook up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's the Funk Docta Rita smoking buddha on the stage! Join me as I shout out Mike Rita and Redman for staying true to themselves in the pursuit of happiness in This Week In Comedy...

WED APR 17 / THRONE OF GAMES / COMEDY BAR / 945 BLOOR W / 915PM / $12

Game of Thrones? Good. Improv comedy? Good. Out of this world ensemble cast? Fantastic. If you haven't seen the wildly popular Games of Thrones show from HBO, you've probably been living behind the wall for far too long. And if you haven't seen Nug Nahrgang, Kris Siddiqi, or Rob Norman, you're like Peter Dinklage at a concert; you ain't seen nothin' yet.

FRI APR 12 - SAT APR 13 / TOMMY TIERNAN / WINTER GARDEN THEATRE / 189 YONGE / FRI 8PM | SAT 8PM & 10PM / $47

He's pissed off everyone from victims of Down Syndrome to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission and even members of the Jewish community, but Tommy doesn't give a France what they think about his comedy.  In my heart of hearts, I believe he means well.  Take, for instance, his rant in the above clip on the subject of Sunday Mass. You don't get to deliver that kind of passion without making someone upset. Like any good orator, you may not agree with what he's saying, but you will hear him out to the end.

FRI APR 19 - SAT APR 20 / MIKE RITA / UNDERGROUND COMEDY CLUB / 670 QUEEN E / 9PM / $20

Rita's been working hard for a minute, and I get this feeling that he's on the cusp of getting the recognition he deserves. Don't get me wrong: ever since he won the Tim Sim's Award in 2010, he's been a mainstay on the comedy scene, getting requests to host shows by producers in pursuit of a sure thing. But what most will never know is that he's been sharpening the saw at the always sold-out Stoner Sundays at Vapor Central. I've also heard that Mike's at the top of his class when it comes to comedy knowledge, and that's coming from comedians. It's that kind of week in, week out dedication to mastering his craft that's given him the confidence to do it big. Let's all salute by inhaling deeply to a man on a mission, Mike to the $@&%@#$%& Rita.

FRI APR 19 / RAP BATTLEZ / COMEDY BAR / 945 BLOOR W / 1015 & MIDNIGHT / $10

I know, I know...you're a Meek fan, but let's be real: Cassidy would destroy him.  How soon we forget Freeway, on his knees, begging for someone to, "...turn the beat on..."  For the casual rap enthusiast who has no idea what I'm talking about, Rap Battlez is a show which features comedians trying their hand at the wheel. To be honest,when I first heard about the show, I was skeptical about the quality of freestyles comics could come up with on short notice, but I was Dead Wrong. Case in point, Joel Buxton (featured) is not only strong, but he's also got it going on. Relax and take notes...

SAT APR 20 / STEVE PATTERSON / COMEDY BAR / 945 BLOOR W / 8PM & 930PM / $20

The joke at the end of the first minute will tell you why Steve Patterson has been a mainstay at Just For Laughs in Montreal. In fact, that performance was so well-received that it earned him a Gemini nomination. I love the way his sarcasm blends with his professional demeanour. He walks that fine line between being likeable but politely scathing at the same time. Heck, anyone that can start their set off by making fun of the separatists IN QUEBEC gets my vote.

About the Author: This is Michael Jagdeo, and I refuse to write about myself in the third-person. My blog, Diary of a Stand-up Comedian, walks you through the up's and down's (they're mostly down's, really) in my quest to become a killer comic in Toronto.


5 under the radar pizza joints on the east side of Toronto

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Diamond PizzaThis month Toronto is celebrating the Shop Small program - a new movement focused on giving some thought to the importance of small, independent businesses and the vibrancy and culture they bring to our neighbourhoods. To mark the occasion, every Saturday morning for the next three weeks we'll be featuring some of our favourite small businesses in a different neighbourhood in Toronto. Today we take a look at the often-overlooked east side of the city. Check out and support small businesses in your neighbourhood by pledging to #ShopSmall.

There are few items in the culinary spectrum that induce the level of overwhelming, must-have-right-this-minute craving that I feel when the smell of a freshly baked pizza wafts in my direction. Equal parts doughy, greasy and cheesy, pizza has that trifecta of temptation down pat.

Toronto's east side is brimming with saliva-inducing slices, from the ever-popular classic joints like Danforth Pizza House and Pizza Pide to higher end selections like Queen Margherita Pizza (the original east end purveyor of "gourmet" pizza). That being said, there are also a number of lesser known, under the radar joints that are well worth a visit, offering up ooey-gooey goodness.

Here are a few of my favorite places to quench my pizza craving.

Diamond Pizza (Eat-in, Take Out, Delivery)
Diamond Pizza has been around since the late 70s, serving up hot slices of cheesy goodness to the East Danforth crowd. Their selection of specialty slices are limited, including the relatively common Deluxe Slice ($3.49, pepperoni, green peppers, mushrooms) or a tangy Hawaiian Slice ($3.49, ham, pineapple) but the selection of ingredients available for whole pizzas are plentiful. As a meat lover, I can't help but indulge in the Hot Italian Sausage, paired with Spanish onion, hot peppers and mushrooms. Not just for the pizza lover, Diamond offers up seriously tasty souvlaki, pasta and subs.

Bona Pizza & Pasta (Take-Out, Delivery)
One might genuinely deem Bona Pizza a hole in the wall. The small, take-out spot at the corner of Donlands and O'Connor is nothing special to look at, but when it comes to the variety of its pizza Bona has pretty much anything you'd ever consider layering on top except perhaps caviar and foie gras. Just about every type of onion, olive, chicken, beef, seafood, tomato option out there is on the menu. No wonder it's one of the most popular delivery places in East York. A particular favorite is the Danforth Pizza ($16 for a 12" and topped with Italian sausage, black olives, feta cheese, spanish onion, fresh garlic and diced tomatoes) or the Magic Pizza (same price, sauteed onions, roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes, chilli flakes, oregano, romano cheese and tomato sauce).

Tommasos TrattoriaTommaso's Trattoria (Eat-in, Take Out, Delivery)
Though slightly off the beaten track, Tommaso's Trattoria on Eastern Avenue serves up serious Italian, just like nonna used to make. Tommaso definitely knows how to entice with his popular lunch time hot table, but the classic pies here should not be overlooked. Thin crust slices feature traditional Italian ingredients like my personal favorite, the oozey Arugula, Parmigiano and Paccino which comes sans tomato sauce unless requested ($12 for a personal size). Meat lovers will get a kick out of the Diavola ($12) which features tomato sauce,mozzarella, basil and homemade Italian sausage, or the Capricciosa ($14) with nice thinly cut slices of Prosciutto.

Casa di Giorgio Ristorante (Eat-in, Take Out, Delivery)
Don't be fooled by the white cloth napkins and tacky decor. This local haunt serves up classic Italian food to the beach bums of the east end. With a huge patio out front, this Queen Street East spot has long been a place I frequent when catching a flick at the Beaches Cinema across the street. Though the selection of classic appetizers (mmm fried calamari), salads and pastas are worth a look, the pizza selection is killer (though by-the-slice is not an option). The Firenze (starting at $16.25 for 11") is one of those pizzas that I find myself craving on a regular basis, featuring mozzarella, tomato sauce, spinach, grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, goat cheese and a heavy dose of oregano. It's hearty and filling, but not too heavy.

Arza Pizza (Take Out, Delivery)
The lone Halal pizza joint on the list, Arza Pizza is nestled in the heart of Thorncliffe Park. Sparing on the frills, and specializing in mostly take-out or delivery, Arza may not be "authentically Italian," but it's definitely tasty. The classic toppings are all available and they offer up some hard-to-say-no-to deals, like a daily lunch special which offers a personal-size 3-topping pizza, choice of 5 wings or a chicken leg and a pop for $5.99. While you're grabbing a slice, try out Arza's traditional Lahori-style fish ($3.99) and chicken($8.99 for a whole/ $2.00 for a leg).

Shop Small TorontoHave a fave Shop Small business in Toronto? Vote for them in the Neighbourhood Gems contest on the American Express Canada Facebook page. You can vote once per day through April 21st and the then again between April 29th and May 5th for the finalist voting period. Each vote earns you one entry into a daily draw to win a$50 Amex Gift Card. Check it out.

Thanks to Amex Bank of Canada for sponsoring this post

Photos by Jesse Milns and Jane Manning

Yes brings prog back at Massey Hall

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Yes Live TorontoFor those of us who came of age with punk rock, the prog rock played by bands like Yes was big brother music, the first really interesting stuff you'd hear that your parents would never admit to liking, but something you'd jettison as soon as you put on your first Ramones t-shirt. That, coloured by prog's 'undeniable 70s heyday, meant that when Yes stopped into Massey Hall last night to play three of their classic albums from front to back, they were turning Toronto into a big, shag-carpeted rec room, and the beloved concert hall on Shuter Street into a pair of vintage Pioneer headphones.

The band began their show with Close To The Edge, the 1972 album that's considered their masterpiece, though only two of the five musicians on the stage - guitarist Steve Howe and bassist Chris Squire - actually played on the record. Drummer Alan White joined Yes after the album's release, while keyboardist and onetime Buggle Geoff Downes played with them for just a year in the early '80s before rejoining in 2011.

Yes LiveMost conspicuous by his absence was original vocalist Jon Anderson, who seems to have switched his on-again/off-again relationship with the band permanently off. His young replacement, American Jon Davison, just joined Yes last year, after doing time in, among other things, a Yes tribute act. It's hard to imagine Yes without Anderson's vocals, and if you were feeling uncharitable, you'd probably describe the band that took the stage at Massey Hall as the greatest Yes cover band ever.

Yes Live TorontoFor the first few moments of Close To The Edge's four-part, 20-minute long title track, it was hard not to compare Davison to Anderson; his voice is reedier than Anderson's steely alto, a bit more falsetto (as any muso might tell you,) but he's clearly studied Anderson's vocals rigorously, and fans should probably be grateful that he'd be more likely to duplicate the sound of the original records than an aging singer bored with the idea of repeating something he did forty years ago. Plus his name is Jon, which has got to help.

Without a break, the band launched into Going For The One, the 1977 album that Yes released in the teeth of punk. Probably their last truly classic record, it's been unfairly overlooked, and I only owned my copy for about a year before the shamefaced prog purge I made of my record collection after seeing the Damned on TV late one night. I didn't notice until much later that the title track, with Steve Howe playing furious lap steel, is actually Yes doing rockabilly, though thanks to Howe's introduction to the track at Massey Hall, I learned that the song is about skiing, of all things.

Yes Live TorontoIf any member of Yes embodied the prog spirit of unencumbered virtuosity it was guitarist Steve Howe, who played a whole family of stringed instruments during the show and seemed to have a new guitar for every song. It's hard not to see why the music of Yes and other bands was considered the enemy by punk bands, since they made the buy-in, both in equipment and talent, for a young musician seem daunting, even hopeless. When Chris Squire pulled out his triple-necked bass for "Awaken," however, it was easy to recall how easy it was to make fun of prog bands, with their flowing stage garb, arcane instruments and abstruse time signatures.

Yes Live TorontoLooking over my shoulder as I researched the band before the show, my 9-year-old daughter said that everyone in the band looked like James May from Top Gear. At this point, they look a whole lot older; there were paunches aplenty onstage at Massey Hall, and no shortage of long, wispy hair over balding pates. The tragedy of bands of this vintage is that, sooner or later, they end up looking like their roadies used to.

Yes live TorontoAfter an intermission, the band returned to play The Yes Album, the 1971 record that made their name on the FM and college radio scene - arguably the alt rock of its day. At their worst, they seemed a bit loose for a group of men who'd been playing together on and off for nearly five decades, seeming to let our memories of the song tighten up what was happening onstage. But at their best - on "Awaken," "Perpetual Change" and "Siberian Khatru" (after all these years I still have no idea what that means) - they were transporting, and the version of "Awaken" I heard last night was probably better than the album track.

Yes Live TorontoProg isn't the pariah music it was when I bagged up my Yes records to sell at the local mall. Radiohead has proved that there's an audience for bands that are more than a bit pretentious, while newer acts like Animal Collective are bringing trippy, headphone-friendly music back to messy shared apartments and agonizingly hip teen bedrooms, and away from the audiophile vacuum tube sound systems and BMW car stereos where it migrated to along with its original audience.

Yes Live TorontoThat audience was there in force last night, some of them a bit confused about what they were seeing: A few seats away from me, one fan seemed unaware that it was ex-Buggle Downes and not Rick Wakeman on keyboards, as he would bellow "Go, Rick!" and "Wake-MAN!" during Downes' feature spots. Ahead of me, however, a bearded twentysomething air-drummed wildly along with the show, barely able to stay in his seat for the packed out, three hour show. Called back for an encore, the band played - what else - "Roundabout," their biggest radio hit until the regrettable "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" in the '80s. Here's hoping that Yes don't return for an album-length tribute to that period of their career.

Photos by Christian Bobak

A brief history of Toronto's first cocktail lounge

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toronto silver railThere are so many bars and so many different ways to drink in Toronto in 2013 it's hard to picture the city as a dry town, as it was between 1916 and 1927, or a place where a even an Old Fashioned was drink too modern to serve in bars.

Then the Silver Rail came along. It was the first bar in the city to get a liquor license from the LCBO in 1947, and the first to serve anything approaching a sophisticated tipple, legally anyway. Drinking in Toronto would never be the same again.

toronto silver railThe province of Ontario has a long and paranoid relationship with alcohol. Decades after prohibition was lifted, the sale of booze was still limited only to those with a valid license. A paternalistic "interdiction list" circulated among the LCBO outlets banned people on social assistance and others deemed unsuitable by the province from buying alcohol for home consumption entirely.

Even people off the list were subject to suspicions. Staff were ordered not to serve beer or wine in quantities they suspected were for more than just personal consumption.

Until 1960, it wasn't even possible to pick a bottle of wine off the shelf. The LCBO employed a system similar to today's sprit-crushing Beer Store experience where staff would pick the desired hooch from a warehouse and bring it to the register.

Though beer had been served in taverns since the 1930s, liquor and mixed drinks weren't readily available, especially not downtown. As John Karastamatis wrote in the Toronto Star, the city didn't just import its alcohol - it had to import its bar staff too when cocktail licenses were first allowed under Premier George Drew.

toronto silver railLiving under this sourpuss provincial attitude, it's easy to imagine what a revelation the Silver Rail must have been. On the main floor at the northeast corner of Yonge and Shuter, the restaurant housed a spectacular gleaming chrome and neon drinking lounge.

Downstairs, drinkers were served "the finest food obtainable, scientifically prepared on the most modern kitchen equipment, by a chef who is a master of the culinary art," according to the opening announcement.

The interior was modeled after classic New York diners with semi-circular booths and a polished 100-foot bar running the length of the building. Pink drapes and seat cushions completed the eye-popping look. By comparison, the dining room was relatively restrained with white table cloths and a formal seating arrangement.

toronto silver railThe Silver Rail only claimed its status as Toronto's first cocktail lounge by a hair. The Horseshoe Tavern and Club Norman on Adelaide Street East opened close behind and offered similarly dazzling fare.

A typical menu at the Rail included whiskies, brandies, champagnes, rums, liqueurs, egg nogs, gins, long tails, flips, and sours. Not bad when you consider that since 1933 booze was limited to beer and the occasional bottle of wine served in basic taphouses.

In its first nine months, the Silver Rail made $90,000 profit. Cheeky ads ran weekly in the Toronto Star telling Torontonians to take a "course" at their "board of education," divorce their wives (from the kitchen), and stop by to listen to the 3 Keyboards house band play "nightly for your listening pleasure."

The lines to get in went around the block despite some decidedly conservative house rules: no women sitting at the bar, and never more than one drink per person on the table.toronto silver railThat first year wasn't without its difficulties - a court dispute between the founders, Louis David Arnold and Michael P Georgas, cleaved the company in half before it reached its birthday.

The pair, former tobacco product manufacturers, both invested $50,000 in the venture and took over the site of the old Muirhead Grill and Cafeteria. Georgas secured the lease while Arnold snagged a lucrative liquor license in his name - a perfect match.

Things seemed to have turned sour when profits were separated into "bar" and "restaurant," and the paperwork showed the downstairs dining room turning a $6,000 loss.

In ordering the company broken up, judge Urquhart said he believed Arnold had tried to squeeze out Georgas when it became clear the business would succeed. Dividing up the assets, he cleverly declared, would be like "attempting to separate two eggs in an omelette."

Louis Arnold went on to open Brown Derby, another bar up the street, and the Silver Rail continued to operate under its original name, unchanged, turning out classic cocktails, marinated steaks, and seafood exactly as before.

toronto silver railThe business may have cashed in on its novelty early on, but the food was what kept customers returning. Award-winning head chef Domenico Martino worked the kitchens for nine years, becoming one of the first Canadian masters of the trade.

He published two cookbooks, became the editor of the Canadian Restaurant and Hotel Review, and was elected to the elite International Epicurean Circle of London upon his retirement in the late 50s.

The sudden availability of lounge licenses begat other bars and gave life to the once-thriving Yonge Street strip around Dundas. Just down the street from the Silver Rail, the old Scholes Hotel evolved into the Colonial Tavern in 1947 and began serving cocktails too. The business would claim to be the second venue to receive a license along with several others, but that title had less of a ring to it.

toronto silver railNaturally, for a swinging joint at the nexus of an emerging nightlife scene, the Rail had plenty of notable customers.

Metro Chairman Fred Gardiner liked to drop by for a stuff drink after a hard day plotting expressways, but most notably, on May 15, 1953, jazz legend Charlie Parker took a triple whiskey at the Rail to calm his nerves before joining Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, and Dizzy Gillespie on stage at Massey Hall. It would be the only time the giants of the genre would appear together on stage, and a seminal moment in music history.

Years later, legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson played an impromptu concert on the bar's baby grand piano. Countless actors and sports stars - Bobby Hull to name but one - sipped from a highball on Shuter street during their downtime.

toronto silver railThe Brown Derby and Edison Hotel (sadly destroyed by fire in 2011) followed but vanished one by one in the 70s as the neighbourhood turned to retail and sales dropped dramatically. In 1989 the Silver Rail was nearly banished for good when Famous Players announced plans to open a 2,300-seater theatre in the basement of the Ryrie Building.

Things finally went south in 1998. The building's new owners decided they could make more money with a Bay outlet in the prime Yonge Street storefront and asked the Silver Rail to make way. With nowhere else to go, owner Jim Demeroutis decided to close.

"This kind of operation belongs in the past," lamented bartender of 43 years Nick Mangos to the Toronto Star. "In the old days the liquor was much cheaper. There was no GST. It's not the same any more. We're all getting older. Every good thing has to come to an end some time ... we've had a lot of great years, a lot of laughs."

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

Image: City of Toronto Archives, Ontario Archives

Green Day prove popular as ever at sold-out ACC show

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Green Day Live TorontoWho knew that Green Day could sell out the Air Canada Centre in 2013? I didn't. Growing up listening to Dookie and first discovering the hidden track "All By Myself" was a rite of passage. It appears that this is still happening for 16-year-old girls in the suburbs and their parents (gotta have wheels) who turned out en masse on Thursday night to see the aging (yet ceaselessly energetic) pop punk rockers jam out for two and a half hours on a school night.

Green Day Live TorontoAs much as you want to disparage Green Day for never breaking with the power chords and formulaic pop punk (totally fair), it's quite the accomplishment to be doing arena shows 25 years later. As far as railing against American capitalism -- albeit their albums are available at your closest Wal-Mart -- and taking quasi-stances against war there's plenty to discuss. And even writing about Green Day is going to usher in the lurking commenters to tear every detail of the band's career to shreds. Green Day, if nothing else, does a great job of polarizing people. Fans that grew up with Kerplunk, Dookie and Insomniac are very different fans than the American Idiot variety.

And this is very much the crux of a Green Day show in 2013.

Green Day Live TorontoThe aging die-hard fans from the early '90s are rubbing shoulders with green haired tweens toting Billy Talent T-shirts. Alongside parents, lots of parents. As for Billie Joe, that guy is a natural entertainer. Following his highly publicized, curse-injected tirade at some meaningless award show last September, Billy Joe went to rehab for substance abuse. The band -- who was then releasing the trio of albums, ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!, which went largely (read: completely) unnoticed -- was forced to cancel their fall and winter touring schedule. In short, and oddly or maybe not that oddly, there are many parallels to the last season of Californication where an aging "coked up rockstar" is admitted for substance abuse and then tries to enlist Hank Moody to write a broadway musical, which Green Day has now successfully launched the Broadway adaptation of American Idiot. So there's that.

Green Day Live TorontoNevertheless, here's what happens at a Green Day show in 2013. Loud music. Typical arena light show, nothing crazy or over-the-top. Ample number of fuck-filled tirades about being individuals and rocking out. Fans repeat whatever Billie Joe says or does almost religiously. He waves his hands, legions of fans wave their hands. He screams, they scream. Rinse and repeat. Billie Joe then proceeds to wear a pink boa, large Canadian flag as a cape, and black thong, all of which are offered up by the audience.

A seemingly endless amount of gimmicks to take away from the polish of the live performance. There's also a human-sized pink rabbit that appears near the end and proceeds to fall asleep along with the rest of the band as they do a medley of the Isley Brother's "Shout," the Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and The Beatles' "Hey Jude." All the while the band is still laying down on the stage.

Green Day Live TorontoThere was also a Viking hat involved. A toilet paper gun. A T-shirt gun. A power soaker to drench the front rows. And Billie Joe continued tradition inviting a kid on stage to sing the last verse of "Longview." And on that note, they played all the classic tunes, thank God. Everything from "Basket Case" to "Burnout" to "Geek Stink Breath" to "When I Come Around." The biggest cheers, again keeping the target demographic in mind, came with the newer, more repetitive mainstream fare of "Holiday," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," a massive sing-along for "Jesus of Suburbia" and "American Idiot" during the encore.

Green Day Live TorontoAnd there you have it, a Green Day show in 2013. Doesn't get me all hot and bothered, but Billie Joe made it pretty clear I'm no longer the target demographic. I haven't been for more than a decade. Instead he will infiltrate my life as an allegory in Californication. And that's perfectly fine with me.

Green Day Live TorontoGreen Day Live TorontoGreen Day Live TorontoGreen Day Live TorontoPhotos by Brian Morton

City Hall Reflected

This Week in Theatre: Lucia di Lammermoor, Stomp, Albertine en Cinq Temps, Young Frankenstein

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Toronto TheatreThis week in theatre rounds up the most noteworthy live theatre playing right now in Toronto. It includes just-opened shows as well as productions that are about to close.

carried away on the crest of a wave / Tarragon Theatre / 8:00pm/2:30pm / $27-$53
Tarragon Theatre premieres carried away on the crest of a wave, a play set in the years following the destruction caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. David Yee, Playwright-in-residence at Tarragon Theatre, steps into the lives of an escort in Thailand, a Catholic priest in India, and a housewife in Utah to explore the ways in which we're all connected. The play is directed by Nina Lee Aquino and features Kawa Ada, Ash Knight, Eponine Lee, Richard Lee, John Ng, Mayko Nguyen, Richard Zeppieri.

Lucia di Lammermoor / COC - Four Seasons / 7:20pm/2:00pm / $45-$100+
Kicking off the COC's spring season is Lucia di Lammermoor, a dark and gothic adaptation of The Bride of Lammermoor, from Sir Walter Scott. Set in the hills of Scotland, a large patch of land and a castle are at stake when a feud erupts between the Ashton and Ravenswood families. Director David Alden brings the opera to the stage and soprano Anna Christy, who is said to be quite a force, plays the title role.

Stomp / Royal Alex / 8:00pm/2:00pm / $25-$99
What's that you say, Stomp is still banging its way around the world? Yes, the British percussion and physical theatre extravaganza, created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas, continues to delight audiences with its loud and rhythmic beats. The show has enjoyed long runs in London and New York, appeared on a Sesame Street special, and most recently could be seen during the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics. The troupe beats up the stage at the Royal Alex for one week only.

Albertine en Cinq Temps / Berkeley Street Theatre / 8:00pm/2:30pm / $28-$57
Michel Tremblay's Albertine in Five Times is a Canadian classic. The playwright has expertly pieced together a portrait of a woman at five stages of her life. The resulting narrative ruminates on the memories, struggles, and adaptations which, like a spine, give structure to one's individual journey. Théâtre français de Toronto presents the play at the Berkeley Street Theatre with surtitles at most shows.

Young Frankenstein / Al Green Theatre / 7:30pm/2:00pm / $27-$32
On the heels of the wildly successful staging of The Producers, Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein received a so-so musical treatment in 2007 that followed closely to the film. Frederick Frankenstein, grandson of the famous Dr., inherits the family castle in Transylvania. After meeting the dwelling's loyal inhabitants —
Frau Blucher, Igor, and Inga — Frederick cannot help but carry the torch and revisit the experiments from past days.

Photo from Lucia di Lammermoor

Radar: Widowspeak, Stevie Nicks "In Your Dreams," Tales From The Darkroom, Elvis Monday

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Stevie NicksToronto events on April 15th, 2013

MUSIC | Widowspeak at The Garrison
Brooklyn-based band, Widowspeak, hit The Garrison tonight! These guys had a huge buzz going into this year's SXSW, having made FuseTV's list of 30 bands to see at the Austin festival. Widowspeak formed in 2010, and after a long stretch on the road, the rhythm section left the band, leaving only founding member Molly Hamilton and guitarist Robert Earl Thomas. Although this pair is the core of the band, they have fresh blood in their ranks now, and are making great dreamy guitar-driven rock sounds on their current tour, in support of their second disc, Almanac. TO psych rock outfit, The Auras, will open the show.
The Garrison (1197 Dundas Street West) 9PM $12

BOOKS & LIT | AUTHORS: In Conversation with Kate Atkinson
Tonight, the Authors At Habourfront Centre series presents an evening with bestselling English author, Kate Atkinson. Atkinson's first novel, Behind The Scenes At The Museum, got her career a jump start, beating out work by Salman Rushdie and Roy Jenkins for the 1995 Whitbread Book of the Year award. Her latest work, Life After Life, is a novel that follows protagonist Ursula Todd, as she exists in a world where the same events occur over and over until fate gets them "right", including Ursula's own birth. In addition to reading from her new novel, Atkinson will chat with the CBC's Eleanor Wachtel, and Becky Toyne is the event's host.
Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West) 7:30PM $10 (free students, members, and youth)

FILM | Stevie Nicks "In Your Dreams"
Singer/songwriter Steve Nicks, known from her association with the group Fleetwood Mac, will be present tonight at a special screening of the film, In Your Dreams, a documentary about the making of her 2011 album of the same name. This album was her first effort in ten years. A top notch cast of LA production and musical talent was enlisted to make it happen, led by Dave Stewart, a well-known producer whose career was launched back in the early '80s as part of the group The Eurythmics. The film follows the project from the writing process onwards, and also features biographical passages, and footage from Nick's childhood and career.
TIFF BELL Lightbox (Reitman Square, 350 King Street West) 7PM

PHOTOGRAPHY | Tales From The Darkroom: Lecture by photographer Bob Carnie
Tonight at Arta Gallery in TO's distillery district, a three-hour lecture by photographer Bob Carnie, giving you some important essentials on taking your snaps to "exhibition level". Yes, there is an art to photography that goes beyond whipping out your iPhone at the most opportune moment, and budding photogs will find the details presented at this talk very helpful, and even inspiring. Subjects to be covered in this comprehensive lecture include: image selection, digital and darkroom editing techniques, various print processes, mounting and framing, building a portfolio, and even the topic of approaching galleries will be discussed. RSVP for a reduced price on admission.
Arta Gallery (55 Mill, bldg 9 #102) 6PM $20, adv $15

ALSO OF NOTE

MORE EVENTS THIS WEEK

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Morning Brew: Toronto casino faces first hurdle, killed cyclist mourned, Don Jail shuts up shop, e-bikes vs. bikes, and eastern waterfront images released by mistake

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toronto yellow doorRob Ford's executive committee will hear from members of the public later this morning on a Toronto casino. More than 200 people are registered to speak at the meeting but the mayor is concerned things could go on too long. He's motioned to limit speakers to 3 minutes and automatically end the meeting at 8pm, potentially preventing some people expressing their opinion. Should the committee stay late if it needs to?

The cyclist killed in a multi-vehicle accident near the 401 and Kennedy is being remembered as a keen soccer player. Henry Mejia was hit when a car exiting the eastbound off ramp of the highway ran a stop light and hit several north and southbound cars. The 37-year-old father of two was returning from a soccer game at the time of the crash. The man charged with causing the accident appeared in court Sunday.

The Don Jail is entering its final days as a penitentiary. In a few months time the last of the inmates will be transferred out of the imposing Gerrard Street building that once provided a venue for public executions. The National Posttook a detailed look at the old building before it becomes part of the Bridgepoint Health complex.

The battle lines are being drawn between bicycles and e-bikes again, it seems. The city held a public meeting on Saturday to discuss whether the motorized vehicles should be allowed to use bike lanes and off-road trails. Over 300 people responded to the call for input. Should electric bikes be allowed to use bike lanes?

Oh, and try to forget those renderings we showed you last week of the eastern waterfront - you weren't supposed to see them. Landscape architects Claude Cormier say they accidentally released the images too early.

IN BRIEF:

FROM THE WEEKEND:

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

Image: GBaker63/blogTO Flickr pool.

Walk Off The Earth buoyant at the Danforth Music Hall

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Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallWalk Off The Earth have grown on me. Since their quirky 5-people-playing-one-guitar interpretation of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" (now approaching 150 million YouTube views) they've captured the ears and minds of many.

The Burlington, Ontario's band have actually been around since 2006. And their chemistry is undeniable, as I discovered on Friday night at The Danforth Music Hall.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallSinger Sarah Blackwood bounced about the stage like a kid all night, even though she's got a kid in her belly that looks like it's almost due.

Walk Off The Earth Danforth Music HallWOTE first took to the stage bathed in blue lights, wearing matching hoodies with R.E.V.O. in bright neon letters on their backs, an acronym for the band's motto, Realize Every Victory Outright. It's also the name of their latest studio album released just a month ago.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallThe Danforth Music Hall is becoming one of my favourite places to see a live concert. It's got an ample general admission floor area that's slanted so that sight lines are good from no matter the angle. And decent lights and sound. This all-ages crowd wasn't shy about cheering on WOTE as they played a buoyant 90-minute set.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallOne of my favourite moments of the night was during their a cappella beatbox version of Taylor Swift's hit "I Knew You Were Trouble" featuring Terry KRNFX Im. Blackwood bopped about with Im, her hair seeming to defy gravity.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallThe band switched things up several times throughout the set, incorporating many unconventional instruments into the mix. That girl can play a mean ukelele!

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallHere's hoping this helps bring back a resurgence in the melodica in future pop songs.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallBy the time WOTE launched into the "Red Hands," the crowd was electric!

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallBut it was "Summer Vibe," four songs later, when things were kicked up a notch.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallCue the giant balloons, released from the balcony overhang and it felt like we had been transformed into the Ikea ball pit.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallWalk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallThrow in a few confetti cannons and shots of compressed air for good measure and it was positively hopping.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallThanks, WOTE, for cheering me up on a cold and dreary Friday night.

Walk Off The Earth at Danforth Music HallPhotos by Roger Cullman Photography.

Jason Priestley takes on Mamet in CanStage's RACE

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Jason Priestly Mamet RaceDavid Mamet's RACE is imbued with the narrative elements we've come to expect from the expert playwright — precise, provocative dialogue, characters with questionable scruples, and a high-stakes, pressure-cooker, time-is-fucking-ticking scenario that tends to fry those who can't commit to quick and dirty decisions. It all results in a whirlwind pace unlike most other dramas in the field.

As Canadian Stage's production demonstrates, however, these elements alone do not add up to make a well made play. Mamet takes far too many leaps linking the impending courtroom drama with the dynamics of the law office. And the narrative is sadly not elevated under direction from Daniel Brooks, often feeling lost and plodding. Nigel Shawn Williams gives, by far, the strongest performance beside a determined but underwhelming Jason Priestley.

After being accused of rape by a young black girl, Charles Strickland (Matthew Edison), a wealthy, arrogant white man, enters the offices of Jack Lawson (Jason Priestley) and Henry Brown (Nigel Shawn Williams) to request their representation. It's ultimately the lawyers under examination when Lawson and Brown surmise he's sought them out because they're the only law office in town with a black attorney. Add an attractive black law student to the mix, Susan (Cara Ricketts), and a full-scale fireworks display of racial tension explodes inside the confines of the clinical office.

Strickland's case is not the real focus here (although pinning the case-breaker on sequins is wickedly clever). The rape charge provides a catalyst for frank and prejudicial conversations about race that swirl and ripple throughout the office. The torrent of provocation finally settles on a dispute between Lawson and his law student, but it's here where the drama falls flat.

Mamet RACEThis relationship hasn't been developed enough, with neither background nor investment, to hold the weight of the drama. A topic as slippery as racial prejudice just doesn't land swiftly in this character dynamic and Strickland all but disappears from the action.

It's evident Brooks has an understanding of how to drive Mamet's language, but the staging loses all energy trapped behind the massive table at centre. Scene transitions in dark lighting seem half-way between stylized movements and merely actors making their way to the next position.

Towering file cabinets in the wings are one of the more memorable aspects from Set Designer Debra Hanson, but the two spaces outfitted in these areas are under-utilized, hardly ever playing into the action.

Williams turns in the most on-point performance as the quick-tongued and cynical Brown. While Priestley certainly has the toughest role, he often seems dwarfed by the vitriolic text in both volume and command. There are moments when he hits his stride, but across the board the performance comes up short.

While it's bound to inspire discussion on all the racial perspectives Mamet has packed into 90 minutes, making its aim a noble one, it's not even close to the playwright's finest work and major flaws hold this production back.

Race, written by David Mamet and directed by Daniel Brooks, runs at the Bluma Appel Theatre until May 5.

Jenn Grant makes the Horseshoe feel just like home

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Jenn Grant LiveYou know that feeling you get when you come home at the end of a long day, throw down your coat, put up your feet and just...relax? Well, Saturday night, Halifax songstress Jenn Grant went onstage at the Horseshoe Tavern, and the whole evening pretty much felt like that. I've seen dozens of shows there, and never before has that place felt so much like a party thrown in someone's living room.

Okay, maybe a living room that hasn't been cleaned in a while. It's still the Horseshoe, after all.

Jenn Grant LiveWhile she's on tour for a new album, The Beautiful Wild, the set featured songs all the way back to 2007's Orchestra for the Moon. She even played her breakthrough single from that record, "Dreamer."

Though the older songs worked passably well with the slightly rougher sound her band brought to them, newer ones like "Parliament Of Owls," from 2011's Honeymoon Punch, really shone under that kind of sonic treatment, getting a welcome bit of grit and drive from her backing band. There was a pretty clear difference in the songs, too; as she's progressed as a songwriter, Grant's work has gotten more deft and subtle, with 2013's The Beautiful Wild standing as her best album yet. Check out "In The Belly Of A Dragon," from that album.

The audience was lively, chatting and dancing and singing along with their favorite songs, a welcome change from the flat-faced head-bob you normally see in Toronto. But with her bright stage banter and endearing persona, it's not hard to see how Grant could bring that sort of feeling to the evening.

Jenn Grant LiveJenn Grant's husband and producer Daniel Ledwell opened the show to fill in for guitarist and singer Erin McKeown, who, in true rock star fashion, was stopped at the border and barred from entering Canada.

To be honest, Ledwell's persona was something of a surprise. With Grant so bubbly, his acerbic sense of humor was a pretty stark contrast as he bantered back and forth with the beginnings of the crowd while tuning his guitars.

"I'll mostly insult you," he deadpanned at one point, "but also will play some songs."

Jenn Grant LiveAfter Ledwell finished, Dustin Bentall and the Smokes took the stage. Their charged-up Steve-Earle-y (is that a word?) country-rock was a real departure from Ledwell and Grant, but not wholly out of place. I don't think I heard a lyric that wasn't about strippers, weed or booze, but really... What else is there to write a rock song about?

Jenn Grant LiveOh - and they played the best cover of "Powderfinger" I've ever heard, bar none.

This marked the second last show of Grant's current tour, but it feels like she's always on the road, so expect her back in town soon. She's played the Horseshoe as well as Mod Club and Hugh's Room recently, so who knows where she'll show up next?

Jenn Grant Livewritten by Adam Brady/ photography by Woodrow Walden

Why does Palmerston Blvd. have gates and fancy lights?

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toronto palmerston boulevardSomething's different about Palmerston Boulevard. Large stone gates greet visitors entering from Bloor Street. Heading south, ornate iron street lamps line the curb. How in a city where a manual dictates everything from the look of paving stones to the width of patios is Palmerston able to be different?

The answer, simply, is history. Palmerston has managed against the odds to retain its early street furniture as other streets were stripped and brought in line with the rest of the city.

toronto palmerston boulevardPalmerston's 64 unique lights date back to the early 1900s. The cast iron poles originally supported incandescent lighting fixtures, similar to the old energy-sucking bulbs found around the home, but the system has since been upgraded several times, most recently in 2004.

At that time, city council was facing a steep bill to bring the lights up to electrical and brightness safety standards. Some poles were found to have chipped paint and minor structural defects, not to mention the light emitted by the Metal Halide bulbs was less than half the safe level.

The wiring was in bad shape too, and a staff report said aluminum replicas might be better value for money.toronto palmerston boulevardThough it was faced with a $245,000.00 maintenance bill every 10 years, council voted to save the Palmerston lights. The original glass globes that shielded the lightbulbs were replaced, however, with plastic alternatives that help direct light downward and are better value for money in the event of a breakage.

Similar lamps also survive on Chestnut Park in Rosedale.toronto palmerston boulevardThe gates - well, gate posts - are a throwback to the street's years south of the Seaton Village development, which was once outside the city limits. At College and Bloor, the stone structures linked with iron railings suggest an entrance to a private rural street even though the boulevard has always been part of the City of Toronto.

A study of Palmerston Boulevard published in 1982 says gate posts suggest an "enclave" and the "notion of an approach that ideally culminates in a villa at the end." The slight deviation from the normal street alignment at Bloor adds to this effect.toronto palmerston boulevardAs the lights and gates suggest, Palmerston Blvd. has managed to hang onto its wealth, too. Though many of the larger homes have been divided into apartments, many of the buildings retain their original grand porches.

For more than 100 years, the street, named after former British prime minister Lord Palmerston, has managed to hang onto its stately air. The street has been home to mayors Sam McBride and Horatio Hocken, the man who went on to found the paper that would evolve into the Toronto Star.

George Weston - the founder of the baking empire and former city councillor - was also a resident of Palmerston Avenue.

Happily, the future of the street's unique features are secure for now. Both the lamps and gates are listed as heritage structures in Toronto.

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

Photos by Chris Bateman

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