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12 must-see concerts in Toronto this December

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Must-see concerts this December include highly anticipated comebacks, an inspiring new Canadian festival and many Toronto-based faves home for the holidays.

Events you might want to check out:

Death From Above (December 1 @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre)
Trying to put that pesky Proud-Boys controversy behind them, one of our most popular rock exports comes home for the first time in several years in honour of the aptly titled Outrage! Is Now.
LCD Soundsystem (December 3 @ Air Canada Centre)
DFA wisely skip town right before James Murphy, their long ago name-copyright nemesis, comes ‘round asking why they dropped the “1979.” He’s likely too busy anyway doing the major comeback thing with LCD’s first new album in seven years.
Emily Haines (December 5 @ Massey Hall)
Speaking of comebacks, the Metric singer is dusting off the Soft Skeleton for a new solo effort, a decade after her last one. The piano balladeering goes down at Massey Hall.
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball (December 9 @ Air Canada Centre)
All your pop faves are in town for this annual bash at ACC. Get in the holiday spirit with Backstreet Boys, Fifth Harmony, Kelly Clarkson, Fergie, Cardi B and more - followed by an after party at Rebel.
The National (December 9 @ Sony Centre for the Performing Arts)
Brooklyn’s preeminent dad-rockers are back at it again with Sleep Well Beast, and on their current tour they’ve also been breaking out a bunch of cool covers in addition to the new tunes.
Alexisonfire (June 18 @ The Danforth Music Hall)
The hardcore giants originally planned this four-night run back in June, but suddenly cancelled due to illness. Thankfully we'll get the rescheduled shows this month - but y’know, it’s still not a reunion or anything.
Alvvays (December 12 @ Mod Club Theatre)
‘Tis the season for adored Canadian bands to shower us with multiple shows. Like AOF, Alvvays play artist-in-residence for a while at Mod Club, riding the wave of successful followup Antisocialites.
Austra (December 14 @ Velvet Underground)
Katie Stelmanis’ darkly synthpop project subtly reemerged back in January with Future Politics, and now that they’re back from their European tour, will play a single show to cap off the year at home.
Constantines (September 24-25 @ Lee's Palace)
The Horseshoe Tavern’s 70th anniversary series ends December 31, but not before a slew of bands squeeze in - there’s the Tea Party, Rheostatics and Jim Cuddy, but my bet is on The Constantines, who never disappoint for a signature ‘Shoe rock show.
Faith Healer (December 15 @ The Baby G)
Formerly the pseudonym of solo Edmonton songwriter Jessica Jalbert, Faith Healer has morphed into a full band for Try ;-), their new batch of psychedelic 60s jams. They’ll be accompanied by Tough age, Cecil Frena and Ducks Unlimited.
Hey Rosetta at Mod Club Theatre - 3 nights! (December 17-19 @ Phoenix Concert Theatre)
Newfoundland's indie-folkers have been a stable presence for well over a decade, which made their just-announced breakup all the more shocking. If you’ve been taking their frequent local appearances for granted, make good with these last three shows.
New Constellations (December 20 @ Danforth Music Hall)
This new travelling arts festival pulls together tons of Canadian talent for music, Indigenous mentorship and documentary filmmaking. Featuring A Tribe Called Red, Feist, Lido Pimienta, Weaves and more, the tour moves across Canada before a Toronto finale.

10 taxi and ride sharing companies in Toronto

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Ride sharing has taken Toronto by storm in recent years, and it's only getting more popular. Between Uber and Beck and everyone in between, there's no shortage of ways to get around the city.

Here's a round-up of some of the most notable ride sharing and taxi companies in Toronto.

Taxi
Beck

This company's orange and green cars are a fixture around the city. It boasts one of the biggest fleets - over 2,000 cars - so ordering via their app or flagging one down on the street is almost never a problem. 

Diamond

This company has been around for around 70 years, making it one of the oldest fleets in the city. They're similar to Beck and offer advanced booking, prepared vouchers and ordering though their app.

Royal

Another Toronto fixture, this company specializes in its chauffeur-like accommodations, like airport runs, corporate accounts, and has vehicles to meet accessibility needs.

Co-op Cabs

When this taxi company acquired Crown Taxi it became the second largest taxi fleet in the city. It's unique in that it offers drivers a shareholder/owner option.

Flash Taxi

This Richmond Hill-based company offers transportation services for customers all over the GTA. They've increased their presence downtown in recent months. 

Scarborough City Cab

This cab company works on behalf of Wheel-Trans and specializes in accessible travel options with drivers that are trained to assist those who need a bit of extra help.

Ride Sharing
Uber

The hugely popular cashless Uber app lets you order a car right to your door and watch on the map as it arrives. You can choose between a range of vehicle options that each vary in price but remain a fixed rate for each ride. Just beware of surge pricing.

Facedrive

This Canadian startup aims to pay its drivers better than Uber and offer them the opportunity to be a part of a cooperative business structure. They have a small number of cars on the road so wait times can be slow.

Taxify

This European car sharing company  has a sleek and simple app design and is basically a no frills alternative to Uber.

Lyft

Left isn't in Toronto just yet but its the competition to Uber we've been waiting for. It offers similar features like cost splitting and advanced booking. Perhaps the biggest difference is Lyft uses identifying markers ('amps') for their cars. Launch is sometime this December.

10 things to do in Toronto today

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It's a bit of a nostalgia fest today in Toronto, with a number of '90s and 2000s bands in town and a talk being held by legendary Goosebumps author R.L. Stine. It's also nearly the end of Movember, and there's a big party to celebrate Toronto's best moustaches.

Events you might want to check out:

R.L. Stine (November 29 @ AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario)
The master of 90s teen horror gives a talk about Goosebumps and the genre as a whole at the AGO as part of del Toro's Inspiration is a Monster exhibit.
Street Eats Fest (November 29 @ 40 Oaks)
Live music and the city's best street food come together at this dynamic event full of complimentary samples and food prep demonstrations.
Best MO in T.O. (November 29 @ Movember Canada)
Before you shave off that stache, enjoy a night of raffles, music, drinks, and of course the official competition to find out which Torontonian has the best Movember moustache.
Kotn Holiday Pop-up (November 29 @ Yorkville Village)
The brand best known for their Egyptian cotton tees pop-up in Yorkville Village with a collection of men's and women's clothing, in addition to candles, soaps, and other accessories.
Jann Arden (November 29 @ Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall)
Multi Juno Award winning singer Jann Arden is accompanied by a symphony orchestra to help her serenade Massey Hall as part of her The Magic of Christmas show.
Thrice & Circa Survive (November 29 @ REBEL)
These two early millennium rock units team up for an all ages show at Rebel, with support from Chon and Balance & Composure.
One City, One Record (November 29 @ Toronto Public Library - Toronto Reference Library)
Could you pick a single album to capture the sound of Toronto? Musicians and broadcast personalities will put their heads together to do just that for this sure to be wild debate over the definitive Toronto record.
King of New York in 35mm (November 29 @ The Royal Cinema)
The stylish, audacious, and unapologetically problematic 1990 flick King of New York returns to the big screen tonight on 35mm archival print.
In Conversation with Author Kevin Hardcastle (November 29 @ Harbourfront Centre, Brigantine Room)
As part of the International Festival of Authors, Canadian fiction writer and author of In The Cage Kevin Hardcastle hits the stage to discuss his new book and much more.
Toronto FC vs. Columbus (November 29 @ BMO Field)
The first game was tied so all TFC needs is a win against Columbus and they're off to the next round of the playoffs.

Rental of week: 80 Dovercourt Road

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Full home rentals are becoming more and more common in Toronto as rising house and condo prices keep people in the rental market for longer than they might have planned. Sometimes the need for ample space arises before it's possible to put a down payment together.

80 Dovercourt Road TorontoAn apartment like this one at 80 Dovercourt will get you about as much space as you're going to find in the city. Spread across 2,000+ square feet, there's four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full size kitchen, and a generous yard that backs out to a two car garage. 

80 Dovercourt Road TorontoA family of five could easily make a house of this size work, though you could also imagine other scenarios to capitalize on the space. Given the prime location near West Queen West, it's not unimaginable that a group of professional friends might entertain the idea of splitting rent here. 

80 Dovercourt Road TorontoThe price is definitely in the luxury category, but given the size of the rental and the fact that the space has been recently renovated, it doesn't seem outlandish. You get the sense that it might be the perfect fit for an expat family with a rent subsidy. 

80 Dovercourt Road TorontoSpecs
  • Address: 80 Dovercourt Rd.
  • Apartment type: Detached house
  • Rent: $4,000
  • Utilities: Extra
  • Size: 2,000 + sq. ft.
  • Furnished? No
  • Air conditioning? Yes
  • Bedrooms: 4
  • Bathrooms: 2
  • Parking: 2
  • Laundry? In suite
  • Outdoor space? Backyard
  • Pet friendly? Unspecified
80 Dovercourt Road TorontoGood For

Someone who's started a family and started making good money, but doesn't have much by way of savings built up. Alternately, one or more of the bedrooms could be used as home office space fora couple looking for a live/work scenario.

80 Dovercourt Road TorontoMove On If

The rent is just too high. This amount of space is amazing, but it comes at a price that many would consider prohibitive. 

80 Dovercourt Road Toronto80 dovercourt road toronto80 Dovercourt Road Toronto

80 dovercourt road toronto

Toronto surprised and delighted by Michelle Obama and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau

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Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama and wife of Canada's Prime Minister, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, thrilled star watchers near King and Portland on Tuesday by casually rolling up to a local restaurant for lunch.

And by casually, I mean "surrounded by 15 secret service agents" –  but that's not the point.

North America's favourite power besties looked easy and breezy as they walked into Gusto 101 yesterday, like two great friends who hadn't seen each other in a while catching up and sharing jokes.

Those who followed Trudeau's first official visit to the U.S. last year know that this was actually the case.

The two women have more in common than their status as high-profile political spouses and fashion icons. They're also both tireless advocates for women and girls' education and have even joked about being "soulmates." 

Remember when Michelle tripped onstage in Washington and Sophie caught her? This isn't a PR arrangement, it's genuine friendship – which is what makes seeing these impressive women grab lunch together while they're in the same city even more exciting.

Gusto 101 owner Janet Zuccarini share a video of Obama and Gregoire Trudeau walking into her restaurant, along with some details about what they ate, on Instagram.

"Michelle and Sophie took the private dining room to themselves," she wrote, "and shared, Kale salad (of course!), grilled octopus, buffalo mozzarella, ravioli, shrimp pasta, shishito peppers."

Later, in the comments section of that post, Zuccarini wrote that Obama had hugged her server.

Commenters on the restaurant's main account were straight up thrilled to see the duo at one of their own local haunts.

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Obama and Gregoire Trudeau were both in town yesterday for a scheduled speaking engagement at Ryerson's Mattamy Athletic Centre.

Called "Advancing Women and Girls to Change the World," Obama's talk was a hit among audience members, who gave her a standing ovation following event.

Gregoire Trudeau, who also spoke, beamed as she joined in alongside everyone else to stand up and applaud her friend.

The 5 most Instagrammed places in Toronto this year

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Toronto's  Instagram game has never been stronger. With its continually growing international reputation and population, it's no surprise it ranks as Canada's most Instagrammed city, but we also just scored three of the top spots for the most Instagrammed locations in the country in a recent ranking from the photo sharing platform.

Here are the most Instagrammed spots in Toronto this year.

Air Canada Centre

It's worth noting that the ACC was ranked the most Instagrammed place in Canada not just Toronto. Every year thousands of people pay a visit to catch superstar headliners, while it remains the home of the Raptors and Leafs.

Pearson International Airport

You're not really travelling unless you Insta your time at the airport. Aside from that, many high profile people arrived throughout the year for events like TIFF and Invictus Games, which ensured that Pearson saw a ton of action in 2017.

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Rogers Centre

Instagramming during a Jays game has become as much of a tradition as the seventh-inning stretch. Between all the fun and games and off-season concerts, this season was emotionally charged for fans as they bid farewell to mainstay Jose Bautista.

CN Tower

Our most iconic structure still remains one of our most popular photo ops. It's a huge draw for everyone, even Prince Harry who dropped by while he was here. And really, were you even in Toronto if you didn't Instagram it?

Canada's Wonderland

The country's largest theme park located just north of the city recorded a staggering 3,723,000 visitors in 2017, all of whom presumably stopped to take a selfie at some point.

Based solely on geotag data, here are the most Instagrammed locations in Ontario this year:

  1. Air Canada Centre
  2. Toronto Pearson International Airport
  3. Canada's Wonderland
  4. CN Tower / La Tour CN
  5. Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
  6. Distillery District
  7. Nathan Phillips Square
  8. Kensington Market
  9. Canadian National Exhibition
  10. The Beaches

And here's the full list of Canada's most Instagrammed cities. 

  • Toronto, Ontario
  • Montreal, Quebec
  • Vancouver, British Columbia
  • Calgary, Alberta
  • Ottawa, Ontario
  • Niagara Falls
  • Edmonton, Alberta
  • Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Victoria, British Columbia

The Best Hot Chocolate in Toronto

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The best hot chocolate in Toronto is perfectly creamy and chocolatey, steamy and often tricked out with all kinds of marshmallowy gadgets and gizmos and/or a small Everest of whipped cream.

Here’s the best hot chocolate in Toronto.

11 - Delight

European-style Hot Chocolate at this Junction shop is topped with 35% whipped cream and made using fair trade chocolate and Harmony organic milk. They have bittersweet orange, caramel, spiced and peanut butter flavours, the last two of which can be gluten-free. Take it home in a half or full-litre jar by request.
9 - ChocoSol

Inside a tiny yellow storefront on St. Clair West lies some truly wholesome drinking chocolate. In flavours like Mayan Mocha, Oaxacan Cinnamon and Vanilla Choco-latte, they retail the magical stuff in small, round pucks. Apparently it can be enjoyed cold, too.
6 - Peace Treats

A full skewer of toasted marshmallows comes with these bad boys also topped with whipped cream and sprinkles and rimmed with graham crackers, found inside the Peace Collective shop on Ossington.
3 - Sweet Jesus

This soft serve ice cream mini-chain serves up three hot chocolates that match their wacky cold creations. Salted caramel has Maldon salt and an Oreo rim, cake batter is decked out with vanilla whipped cream and a red velvet and condensed milk rim, and the s’mores version has toasted marshmallows and a graham and chocolate rim.
4 - SOMA Chocolate

There are five “renditions” of drinking chocolate at this chocolate shop with locations on King West and in the Distillery, ranging from kiddie and simplistic to more authentic and spicy, all beautifully presented with barista-level artistry.
5 - MoRoCo Chocolat

“Haute” chocolate is the living end at this Dupont chocolate boutique, truly baroque dripping with crumble, topped with macarons and marshmallows.
7 - OMG Baked Goodness

The marshmallow at this particular bakery on Dundas West is actually homemade, gooey, fluffy, and sweet, and they toast it right before your eyes. You can even add an espresso shot.
8 - Cacao 70 Toronto

Hot chocolate at this Montreal-based chain with locations in the Distillery and Queen West is a true experience. It comes in many forms, from American style with marshmallows and chocolate drizzle, to blended coffee and chocolate drinks, to a setup with a goblet and small metal carafe.
10 - Bobbette & Belle (Yonge St.)

The silky, dark hot chocolate at this bakery with locations on Queen East and Yonge comes with hand-torched, droplet-shaped marshmallows so precious they’re dropped into the hot drink with tongs.

There are multiple TTC subway closures in effect this weekend

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It's another weekend where Toronto will face multiple TTC closures. Not only will a portion of Line 1 will be closed for signal upgrades on Sunday, but Osgoode Station will be closed all weekend for fare gate installation.

There will be no subway service between Sheppard West and Lawrence West stations on December 3 due to signal upgrades. All trains on Line 1 will turn back southbound at Lawrence West Station. Shuttle buses will operate between these stations during the closure.

TTC Subway Closure

In addition to the service disruption, Osgoode Station will be closed this weekend. Trains on Line 1 will bypass Osgoode Station both ways starting at 10 p.m. on December 1, reopening at 6 a.m. on December 4 due to fare gate construction at the station. 

During the station closure, customers can access the subway system at St. Patrick or St. Andrew station.

Subway service will resume on Monday morning. The next scheduled closure will halt weekend service on Line 1 between St Clair and Lawrence stations again on December 9 and 10. 


Japanese tea room and marketplace opening in Toronto

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A group of talented local artists, entrepreneurs and wellness aficionados are coming together to bring a full, Japanese teahouse experience to the people of Toronto.

Nohonon opened to rave reviews in Queen West a few years back, but while the business has expanded into New York, it's currently without an up-and-running Toronto storefront.

Owner Nanako Mizutani plans to change this, but her new Toronto venture is more ambitious than previous iterations of the shop, which has become known for its high-quality matcha tea (sourced directly from Shizuoka!)

"Although we love where Nohohon has grown, we want to become more than just a takeaway tea shop," reads a Kickstarter page for the new Nohohon Tea Room

"Our intention is to build a strong foundation for Japanese culture in the heart of the city. We want to bring forward the work of the artisans that we collaborate with: our tea farmers, ceramicists, and chefs."

As part of its expansion efforts, Nohohon is collaborating with the well-loved onigiri duo at Abokichi, local ceramic artists Secret Tea Time, food illustrator Justine Wong, creative agency Makeshift Studio and tea farmers in Japan to "bring together a community around tea in Toronto."

The new space will be near Kensington Market, at 660 Dundas West, according to Nohohon's website, and will feature a tatami room for tea ceremonies, a tea bar where you can choose your own ceramic vessel to drink from, additional cafe seating, and an art gallery space.

"The space that we found is modest, but working with local artists, designers, and woodworkers, we’re transforming it," reads the kickstarter. "Through all these new spaces we hope to give you, our supporters, a fuller Japanese experience."

Supporters who pledge anything between $10 and $850 will receive rewards including illustrated thank you cards, ceramic tea bowls, bamboo whisks, matcha sets, free drinks for a year and exclusive matcha workshops. 

Pledge more than $2,250 and you can take a trip with the team to the rural tea farm it sources its matcha from in Shizuoka, right beside Mt. Fuji. 

With 38 backers, more than $5,000 pledged and 23 days still to go, Nohohon is already more than a third of its way toward making this happen – which is great news for tea lovers in Toronto.

Epic triple supermoon set to rise above Toronto skies

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It's been a quiet year for lunar events in Toronto, particularly considering all the drama that we had in 2016. But, finally a full supermoon is set to rise over the city.

The giant-looking moon set to rise above the city on the evening of December 3 will be this year's only true supermoon, though it'll be followed by two more in January, the last of which will qualify as a rare super blue moon (the second full moon in a single month).

Full moons are characterized as "super" based on their proximity to earth. In this case, the moon is set to be about 357,987 km away, which is roughly 50,000 km closer than the full moon we witnessed in June this year. 

To catch the Cold Supermoon, as this month's moon is called, look to the east northeast at 5:13 p.m. when it's expected to crest the sky. The following day will also provide a good show at 6:09 p.m.

If there's buildings or other items between you and the horizon, it'll take a while to spot the moon rising above them (but they might make the moon appear even larger).

A good spot to go moon watching in Toronto is Humber Bay Park West, which provides a sweeping view of the skyline and harbour, over which the giant orb will rise in all its majesty.

With any luck, a brilliant sunrise will just be wrapping up opposite the moon. 

The TTC will write you a late notice after a delay

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Here's the thing about using public transit as an excuse for being late to work: everybody does it, all the time, even when it isn't true.

But sometimes it is the truth, and, for whatever reason, you need the benefit of your boss's doubt.

The TTC will give you that benefit in the form of an official notice sent directly to your employer, should that employer refuse to believe your story (and every news story) about how a stink bomb was thrown into the subway tracks during your commute.

Earlier this month, the TTC's customer service account explained that the transit agency "is more than happy to provide written explanations and apologies to confirm a delay has occurred, and has impacted your journey" if your employer requires one.

This isn't a new policy, according to TTC Corporate Communications Manager Susan Sperling. It just happened to come up on Twitter following the spread of a news article that revealed a similar policy in Tokyo.

"If we are asked for a notice, we can provide one by email," said Sperling by phone. That notice would be sent within five days, if a customer contacts the TTC by web. 

"If a customer contacts us by telephone we would usually be able to respond to the customer within the same day," she said, but "it’s not like we’re providing late slips."

"For example, we're not going to contact blogTO and say 'Lauren was late on her deadline because of a subway delay," she said, "Because, of course, how would we know you were on the subway?"

Ouch, but good point.

"We wold say 'there was a delay that would have affected passengers on this line for the period of time.'

"What we provide really, is proven confirmation of something that’s already in the public realm," she explained. "If there's a delay, anybody can find out about that."

Indeed, it's as easy as following the TTC on Twitter.

Showing your boss a news article or tweet about the delay would be faster than getting Toronto's public transit provider to email them proof of a delay, but hey – some employers are weird like that.

It's good to know the TTC has its passengers' backs, just in case.

The new Toronto sign is almost destroyed

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It was only a matter of time before the beloved driftwood Toronto sign was reclaimed by nature. And sadly, that time is now.

The sign was erected in Humber Bay Park last July and was an instant hit, quickly becoming one of the most photographed markers in the entire city. Now it appears to be almost completely gone after being progressively battered by fall weather.

It appears that only the "O" and "N" remain, at least for now, thanks to the wind and rain that has already struck down the other letters.

Artists Thelia Sanders-Shelton and Julie Ryan created the sign out of driftwood as part of their Toronto Beach Art project that also includes the giant sculpture that sits on the waterfront.

湖邊漂泊的巨人 Driftwood Art in Toronto #torontobeachart

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Thankfully we still have that to enjoy. Oh, and the other Toronto sign.

Drake surprised Toronto last night at the Hermes opening party

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The new Hermes flagship store in Yorkville is now officially open, and to celebrate, the French luxury brand threw a fabulous party attended by Toronto's own prince / god / mascot / boyfriend.

Drake did what Drake does best last night at the Hermes event by surprising fans with an unscheduled performance.

@hermes 🙌🙌📽@saharxnooraei #Drake #DrakePolska #Drizzy

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The party, which saw Evergreen Brick Works decked out in all sorts of fancy shapes and colourful lights, also featured a cool fountain, ice skating, carnival games and a performance by Majid Jordan.

But let's get back to Drake, who presumably scored some more very expensive purses for me his future wife at last night's gig.

The Toronto-born superstar performed his songs 'Passionfruit,' 'Teenage Fever' and of course, the Majid Jordan and Drake hit 'Hold on, We're Going Home.'

He also bantered with the audience a bit, talking about the perils of winter fashion and how his mom had worn Chanel to the Hermes event.

"Sorry, I forgot this wasn't a stand up routine," he joked at one point. Oh, Drake!

@champagnepapi makes a surprise appearance at the @hermes party tonight in Toronto #Drake #Drizzy #DrakePolska

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Toronto's massive new Hermes store can be found on the mink mile, right where Williams Sonoma – and more recently, a big orange box– used to stand.

Bye bye, big orange box. Hello Birkin bags. 

10 stores for Christmas ornaments and decorations in Toronto

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Christmas decorations can be found all over Toronto during the month of December – but you aren't allowed to remove them from city fixtures and bring them home. Start or add to your own holiday ornament and decor collection at one of our city's many festive retailers. 

Here are my picks for where to buy Christmas ornaments and decorations in Toronto.

Outer Layer

You won't find a better selection of quirky Christmas, Hannukah and even Festivus decorations outside this Queen West gift shop. Looking for a power drill ornament? A unicorn in a snowglobe? Santa as a centaur or a pigeon? Tree eyes? I'm not kidding, they have everything.

The Paper Place

This magical-feeling store across from Trinity Bellwoods has an impressive selection of holiday-themed garlands, dresden trim, wooden toys and cute party favours. Their wool animal ornaments are adorable too, and each one is unique – like this raccoon.

VdeV

A relatively new import from Montreal, this warm Ossington and Argyle boutique boasts tons of kitschy, traditional and unique, handpainted holiday decorations. The store also sells a variety of fragrances to infuse your home with the scents of the season.

Michaels

If DIY decor is your thing, look no further than this three-level arts emporium at Richmond and John. Ditto if you're decorating last minute. This place stays open until 10 p.m. every night except Sunday. The selection of holiday goods, craft or otherwise, is always massive.

Spruce

For the quirky and hip, the trendy and cute, the colourful, bright and nostalgic people in your life, check out this Cabbagetown home decor shop. Fair warning: You might be tempted to blow an entire paycheque stockpiling marshmallow mugs and rainbows of Rudolphs.

Scout

This Roncesvalles gift shop has a fabulous selection of almost everything you'd need to make your holiday season pretty – from stockings and sparkly Santa hats to "woodland critter" Christmas crackers and whimsical gift tags with red and white twine.

Birch & Co

If you like metallics finishes and chic woodland motifs, you'll vibe with the offering of holiday decor items here. Located in Little India, this store sells new decorative holiday pieces as well as vintage glassware, ornaments, furniture and so much more.  

Brika

This Toronto-born artisan marketplace has four different locations within the GTA, all of them featuring a curated collection of high quality, independently-made goods – like these stylish Lappland birchwood trays, blue jay ornaments and mini Toronto city-scape.

Ma Zone

"Surround yourself with everyday objects that uplift your spirit." That's the motto of Armin Martiros, who owns this colourful interior design and styling boutique near front and Jarvis. You'll find a variety of modern porcelain Christmas figurines here from the renowned Italian brand Alessi.

Kendall & Co

You'll feel a hard rush of holiday cheer just stepping into this Cabbagetown shop which prides itself on having a huge selection of unique holiday ornaments. Check out the store's festive Instagram posts to see what I mean by "huge."

These new LRT stations will be built as huge mines in Toronto

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Anyone driving along Eglinton Avenue over the last couple of years knows that the Crosstown LRT is a massive infrastructure project, but what many don't know is that some of the work to build the line is taking place unbelievably deep beneath the street.

Most of 15 stations on the new LRT are being built using the popular cut and cover method, the same technique that was used to build almost every underground subway station in Toronto save for Queen's Park and St. Patrick. Four stations, however, will be built via mining.

That's pretty much exactly what it sounds like. "During mining, crews will excavate from the existing shafts and work deep beneath Eglinton Avenue," as Metrolinx puts it. The advantage, it claims, is that it's less disruptive at street level because the construction footprint is smaller. 

laird lrt station mine

Mining at Laird Station for the Crosstown LRT. Image courtesy of Metrolinx.

The thing about the mining method is that it also looks entirely intriguing. These enormous urban caves are hidden from everyday view, but every once in a while Metrolinx will release photos of what's going on underground. 

oakwood lrt station

Mining at Oakwood Station will begin from this enormous shaft. Photo courtesy of Metrolinx.

Mining has already been going on at Laird Station since the beginning of the summer, but it's about to get underway at LeasideAvenue, and Oakwood stations.

If all goes according to plan, these intersections should suffer from less surface disruptions than others along the line. That should come as good news for anyone whose daily commute takes them through these areas.


Toronto's getting a huge new public space on the waterfront

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The revitalization of Toronto's waterfront is moving at fast and furious speed.

New public redevelopment projects are now growing out from multiple sites along the shores of Lake Ontario, joining more recently revitalized spaces like Queens QuaySherbourne Common and Ontario Place as future hubs of urban recreation.

And there's still more to come.

This week, new details were released about what's being called Bathurst Quay, a neighbourhood encompassing the huge Canada Malting silosIreland Park and Eireann Quay– which, right now, is pretty much just being used as a cab stand for Billy Bishop Airport.

City Council approved the creation of a $1,141,455.48 capital project fund this month for "the purpose of funding near-term streetscape and public realm improvements" in the area, with construction set to begin this summer.

Six "key improvements" are planned Bathurst Quay, including the revitalization of an under-used office building, rehabilitation of the dockwalls from the Portland Slip to the airport ferry slip, and the construction of a new pedestrian path and plaza. 

Bathurst Quay Toronto

An artist's rendering of a new "flexible, hardscape plaza" that will be "suitable for a wide range of public activities." Image via City of Toronto.

Plans for the malting silos, which are protected under Ontario Heritage Act, are less concrete (hahaha, pun). From the ambitious plans of Metronome to dreams of building a Toronto museum here, Toronto has struggled to do something meaningful with this site.

"Starting 2018, an inter-agency team will develop a long-term Implementation and Funding Strategy for revitalization of the silos," reads the city's Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Implementation Plan.

This includes exploring the possibilities of using it as or with an aquatic centre, an expanded community centre, or for parking and transportation purposes. For now, a design team will focus on ways to improve how the silos look in the short term.

Detailed designs for the more temporary silo makeover project will be released in January, with a long-term strategy for the structures to begin sometime in 2018.

Toronto's waterfront really is completely changing. It's an exciting time to be in the city. My only hope is that our friendly neighbourhood ducks and swans stick around to enjoy it.

The Canada geese are totally welcome to take off, though. Nobody wants a poop-covered pedestrian realm and plaza.

10 things to do in Toronto today

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Today in Toronto you can attend a free film festival, pick up some affordable art, see some live music and so much more.

Events you might want to check out:

Ruth B (November 30 @ Velvet Underground)
The "Lost Boy" singer Ruth B hits the stage at Velvet Underground along with Jessicka to play music from her 2017 album Safe Haven.
Cold Specks (November 30 @ Mod Club Theatre)
There's still tickets left to see Toronto musician otherwise known as Ladan Hussein at the Mod Club. LA Timpa opens.
The Bloody Mary Film Festival (November 30 - December 1 @ Imagine Carlton Cinema)
Putting a spotlight on female-identifying Canadian filmmakers in genre films, Bloody Mary is back for a second year of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy features.
controller.controller Release Party (November 30 @ The Baby G)
It's a special night for the band as they release their first new recording in 10 years. They're joined by members of The Two Koreas, Public Animal and more.
The Nitty Gritty of Comics (November 30 @ S. Walter Stewart Library)
Join award-winning cartoonist and writer Megan Kearney for a talk on comics and manga, the creative process behind them, and how a career in comics works.
Voices for World AIDS Day (November 30 @ St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts)
This no cost event includes a wide range of entertainment, from drag performances to a vocal jazz choir, to a mentalist, all in the name of HIV / AIDS benefit.
Salon of Inclusiveness (November 30 @ The Black Cat)
It's opening night for the exhibition that runs all December. The group show is always a good opportunity to pick up some affordable art by local artists.
Best of Documentary Short Film Festival (November 30 @ Carlton Cinemas)
This is a showcase of the best documentary short films from around the world today, including films about mental health, cosplay, artists, identities, and communities.
CreativeTO (November 30 @ Artscape Youngplace)
Spread across three floors of Artscape Youngplace, CreativeTO features exhibitions, art installations, and a gala after-party.
Videodrunk Film Festival (November 30 @ Farside)
The annual free film fest featuring experimental and underground, horror and alternative comedy will screen a huge range of short films in East Chinatown's favourite bar.

Toronto is getting a condo that looks like a jewel

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Condos are constantly going up around Toronto, some featuring more intriguing designs than others. This newly proposed building from Quadrangle for Callian Capital Partners is probably one of the most elegant mid-rise projects to be pitched in quite a while.

As Urban Toronto reports, the 10-storey triangular building would be  built at the north-east corner of Broadview Avenue and Mortimer Avenue in the space once occupied by the long-operating Whistler's Grille, which is slated to close on December 31. 

It features a sharp, dramatic ridge running from top to bottom before a large glass panel squares off the lobby and retail areas below. The effect is stunning, mimicking the natural form of raw gem.

The lower level will feature almost 5,000 sq/ft of retail space. Photo courtesy of City of Toronto and Callian Capital Partners.

The building has a somewhat rare trapezoid footprint with an odd window distribution that contributes to its gem-like appearance while giving it a modern aesthetic that provides ample sun for exposure for both the southeast and southwest facades.

The mid-rise development will feature 111 units (of which 79 will be one bedrooms), but also 5,000 square feet of retail space that should be welcome in the quickly developing area of Broadview North. 

Toronto Restaurant Openings: Hogtown Smoke, The Joint, Butter Chick, Mythology Diner

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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
  • Goldie, with "a playful cocktail club/restaurant on the ground floor with an intimate lounge on the second," has replaced Candyland at 619 King St. W. (between Bathurst and Portland).
  • Hogtown Smoke’s second location at 55 Colborne St. officially opens tomorrow, but its affiliated "bourbon speakeasy" The Joint has already soft opened next door.
  • MWM Fish Co., a boutique seafood shop specializing in oysters and fish, is now open at 419 Parliament St. in Cabbagetown.
  • Spice Mediterranean Fusion has opened at 1559 Kingston Rd. in Scarborough.
  • D Spot Dessert Cafe now has a second location at 1060 The Queensway in Etobicoke in addition to its first in Scarborough.
Recently reviewed
Opening soon
  • Butter Chick, a fast-casual Indian kitchen will be opening soon inside the renovated Yonge Sheppard Centre's food court at 4841 Yonge St.
  • Recipe Food Co., featuring "healthy homestyle food," opens next month at 696 Queen St. W. (between Manning and Euclid).
  • According to AGCO, Dineen Coffee looks to be expanding out of the Financial District with its third location at 1042 Gerrard St. E.
  • Akira Back Toronto at the Bisha Hotel opens to the public next Thursday.
  • Mythology Diner, chef Doug McNish’s vegan restaurant officially opens tomorrow.
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Other News

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

Toronto pokes fun at Drake's interviewing skills after Raptors win

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The Toronto Raptors emerged victorious against the Charlotte Hornets last night in an intense 126-113 home game that could have been disastrous were it not for Kyle Lowry's strong finish.

The Raptors were on thin ice after blowing a double-digit lead in the third quarter until Lowry brought them back from the brink of death with a string of three-pointers, finishing the game with a season-high 36 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

It was a big game for the 31-year-old NBA star, and fans were eager to hear his take on it after the game. Fortunately, Drake was on hand some hard-hitting questions. Sort of.

A roughly 40-second video clip circulating the web this morning shows Drake walking up to an already in-progress Sportsnet interview with Lowry at the ACC.

"Drake, do you want to conduct the post-game interview as well?" asks the actual reporter, to which Drake replies "Sure, I'd love to," and then he grabs the mic.

Drizzy proceeds to take over the interview, asking Lowry about his stellar performance and the manner in which he tucked in his jersey.

The buddies banter a bit, and it's cute (especially when Lowry cracks a joke about Drake singing,) but NBA fans weren't exactly impressed with Drizzy's skills as a sideline reporter. 

Drake fans, on the other hand, found the artist's inability to share the mic with Lowry hilarious.

Here's what Toronto had to say about Aubrey Graham, sports reporter (slash sideline commentator slash secret Perrier drinker.)

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