Category Archives: Doing Toronto

This month in Toronto

05.24.13
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What’s on in TORONTO – May, June/2013 (print the list)

LIGHTSHOW1MUSIC, MUSICALS & DANCE
- May 24,25 – Rodin, Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front Street East, 416-368-6161, http://www.sonycentre.ca
- May 24-26 – Of A Monstrous Child: A GaGa Musical, the artists Lady GaGa has borrowed from, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, 416-975-8555, http://www.buddiesinbadtimes.com
- May 25 – Brahms German Requiem, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, http://www.tsoundcheck.ca
- June 6 – The Rolling Stones, 8pm, Air Canada Centre, 40 Bay Street, http://www.theaircanadacentre.com
- Until June 8 – The Barber of Seville, Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane, Distillery District, http://www.soulpepper.ca
- Until June 9 – The Green Door Cabaret Series, performance by musical and cabaret artists, Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington Avenue, http://www.lowerossingtontheatre.com
- Until June 9 – The Book of Mormon, award winning musical by the creators of South Park, Princess of Wales Theatre, http://www.mirvish.com
- Ongoing – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Wizard of Oz’, Ed Mirvish Theatre, Yonge Street south of Yonge/Dundas Square, http://www.mirvish.com

 COMEDY, THEATRE & SPOKEN WORD
- May 24-26 – Stopheart, growing up ‘different’ in a small town, Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street, 416-504-9971, http://www.factorytheatre.ca
- May 25 – What We Are Saying, AMe Henderson/public recordings, Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage
- May 24-26 – KAMP, from the Netherlands, scale model of Auschwitz & thousands of handmade puppets, World Stage, Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/wordstage
- Until May 26 – Carried Away on the Crest of a Wave, by David Yee, Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue, http://www.tarragontheatre.com
- May 27 – gay Olympian Mark Tewkesbury gives the June Callwood lecture, Toronto Reference Library, Yonge Street north of Bloor, 7pm, free, 416-395-5577
- May 24 – June 19 – Kim’s Convenience, returning for the 3rd time, Young Centre for the Performing Arts, Tankhouse Lane, Distilllery District, http://www.youngcentre.ca
- Until May 31 – Weekly improv and stand-up, Matt Baram and Naomi Snecklus, John Candy Box Theatre, 70 Peter Street, http://www.nationaltheatreoftheworld.com
- Until June 2 – Hold Mommy’s Cigarette, Shelley Marshall’s solo dark comedy, Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley Street, http://www.holdmommyscigarette.com
- Until June 2 – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street, 416-733-9388, http://www.angelwalk.ca
- Until June 30 – The Meme-ing of Life, new springtime revue, Second City, 51 Mercer Street, http://www.secondcity.com

MUSEUMS, GALLERIES, ART
- June 1,2 – 15th annual Riverdale Art Walk, 125+ exhibiting artists, Queen Street East and Jimmie Simpson Park, 11am to 6pm, http://www.artistsnetwork.ca
- Until June 2 – Martin Parr, 52 photographs on outdoor hoardings, Metro Hall, south side of King Street West, east of John
- Until June 2 – Contact, Toronto’s annual festival of photography, city-wide, free, http://scotiabankcontactphoto.com
- Until June 2 – ‘Collected Shadows’, the Archive of Modern Conflict, sculptor Michael Snow, MOCCA, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, 952 Queen St. West, http://www.mocca.ca
- Until June 2 – Arnaud Maggs and Arthur S. Goss, Ryerson Image Centre, 33 Gould Street, http://www.ryerson.ca/ric
- Until June 7 – The World of Taiyo Matsumoto, original artwork by the renowned Japanese manga creator, Japan Foundation, 131 Bloor Street West, 2nd Floor
- Until June 15 – Danny Lyon, photography, Stephen Bulger Gallery, 1026 Queen Street West
- Until June 25 – DXUncrated, Playing Favourites – Light and Sound, Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street, 416-363-6121, http://www.dx.org
- Until August 18 – Lost in the Memory Palace, Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, http://www.ago.net
- Until September 29 – Road to Rebellion, celebrating the 175th anniversary of the Upper Canada Rebellion, MacKenzie House, 82 Bond Street
- Until October 20 – Light My Fire, celebrating the AGO photography collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, http://www.ago.net
- Until December 8 – Self-Portrait: As I Think of Myself, self-portraits from the AGO’s collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, http://www.ago.net
- Ongoing – every Sunday, Rosedale Valley Antique Market/Salvage Shop, at Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview (in the Don Valley), 9am-5pm, free, http://ebw.evergreen.ca
- Until May 3 – Immigrants in the Ward, Susan Dobson, City of Toronto Archives, 255 Spadina Road, 416-397-0778

GLBTQ (gay, lesbian, bi, transgendered, queer, etc.)
- May 24 – June 2 – Inside Out, 23rd annual Toronto LGBT Film Festival, all screenings at Bell Lightbox, full details at http://www.insideout.ca
- May 25 – June 16 – Sister Mary’s a Dyke, Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street East, AKI Studio Theatre, http://www.cahoots.ca
- May 29 – Trans, Intersex, Two Spirit Pride Day, Sherbourne Health Centre, 333 Sherbourne Street, 6-9pm, http://www.sherbourne.on.ca
- June 13 – A Conversation With Frank Mugisha, LGBT rights in Uganda, Toronto Reference Library, Bram and Bluma Appel Salon, 7pm, http://www.aidslaw.ca/symposium
- Ongoing – Out and Out LGBTQ outdoors club, http://www.outandout.ca
- Ongoing – Righteously Outrageous Twirling Corps of Toronto (ROTC), colour guard, band, drum corps, baton, dance, http://www.rotctoronto.com
- Ongoing – Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), 115 Simpson Avenue at Howard Street, http://www.mcctoronto.com
- Ongoing – Xtra magazine, gay community news in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver, http://www.xtra.ca/toronto.aspx
- Ongoing – The Pink Pages, gay, lesbian, trans, bi, leather, queer directory for Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, Hamilton and Niagara/St. Catharines, http://thepinkpagesdirectory.com
- Ongoing – (CLGA) Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, second largest in the world, research centre, art gallery, 34 Isabella Street, http://www.clga.ca
- Until July 14 – Patti Smith Solo, objects, film, photography, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, http://www.ago.net

FILM AND OTHER STUFF
- May 25, 26 – Doors Open, explore Toronto’s great buildings free, http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen
- May 26 – Pedestrian Sunday in Kensington Market, car-free community festival, noon-7pm, Kensington Market, http://www.pskensington.ca
- May 27 – Beyond The Car, Chicago’s transportation commissioner Gabe Klein, Glenn Gould Studio, 6pm, http://www.bikemonth2013.ca
- May 27 – June 30 – Bike Month in Toronto, for events across the GTA check the website – http://www. cycleto.ca/bike-month-2013
- May 29 – June 1 – Burger Week, 60 restaurants offer special $5 burger, http://www.thegrid.to/burgerweek
- May 29 – June 2 – Toronto Festival of Clowns, http://www.torontofestivalofclowns.com
- June 1 – Midnight Movie Marathon, all night long, games, refreshments, door prizes, Carlton Cinema, 20 Carlton Street, http://www.rainbowcinemas.ca
- June 3 – The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz screening, plus director Ted Kocheff discusses the adaptation of the film from Mordecai Richler’s book, 7pm, Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West, 416-599-8433, http://www.tiff.net
- June 16 – Ride the Ravines, a Bike Month event, Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue, http://www.evergreen.ca/tidetheravines
- Ongoing – Room 237 – documentary about people obsessed with The Shining, Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West, 416-599-8433, http://www.tiff.net
- Until September 2 – Game On 2.0, the history and evolution of video games, Ontario Science Centre, 770 Don Mills Road, http://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca
- Ongoing – Medieval Times, dinner and jousting tournaments, Exhibition Place, foot of Dufferin Street, http://www.medievaltimes.com or 888-we-joust
- Ongoing – every Friday Night Live, doors open 7pm, fashion, music, partying, Royal Ontario Museum, http://www.rom.on.ca
- Ongoing – Farmer’s Market, Saturdays year ’round, 9 am-1 pm, Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview Avenue (Don Valley), http://ebw.evergreen.ca
- Ongoing – Edgewalk, CN Tower, walk around the edge of our tallest free-standing structure, http://www.edgewalkcntower.ca
- Ongoing – Graham Spry Theatre, CBC Broadcast Centre, free screenings daily, 250 Front Street West
- Ongoing – Sunday Antique Market, free, Jarvis Street south of King

MUCH, MUCH, MUCH MORE – check NOW, GRID, Xtra, and the daily newspapers for additional listings

05.24.13
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14th annual DOORS OPEN TORONTO is on this weekend – May 25/26

It’s your annual opportunity to visit buildings normally off-limits and take photographs.  For the 14th year DOORS OPEN TORONTO, presented by Great Gulf, welcomes you inside over 150 architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings across the city on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26, 2013.

For more information and what’s open this year: http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen/2013

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01.03.13
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Eating out in TORONTO . . . thousands of restaurants, so many choices.

FLORA-DEW<Flora-Dew and Red Hotdog stand, Sunnyside Amusement Park, 1925>

With over 5000 restaurants in the city, it’s hard to know where to begin.  Here are some of my favourites – no promises, but they were good to excellent at the time.  Nearly all are located in the city centre, and accessible by public transport.  Reservations recommended.

- BENT, star chef, Susar Lee’s new establishment, 777 Dundas Street West at Markham Street, 647-352-0093, $$$$, http://www.bentrestaurant.com
- BUCA, 604 King St. West (at Portland Street), 416-865-1600, TTC streetcar: KING $$$, http://www.buca.ca
- BYMARK, 66 Wellington Street, in the Toronto-Dominion Centre, 416-777-1144, TTC subway: KING, ST. ANDREW or UNION $$$$$, http://www.bymark.mcewangroup.ca
- CAVA, 1560 Yonge Street, 416-979-9918, TTC subway: ST. CLAIR $$$, http://www.cavarestaurant.ca
- CHEF’S HOUSE, George Brown College restaurant, 215 King Street East, 416-415-2260, TTC eastbound streetcar: KING $$$$, http://www.thechefshouse.com
- FRANK, Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West, TTC subway: ST. PATRICK $$$, http://www.ago.net/frank
- GRANO, 2035 Yonge Street, south of Eglinton subway station, excellent Italian, 26th year, ,$$$$, http://www.grano.ca
- HOPGOODS FOODLINER, contemporary East Coast comfort, 325 Roncesvalles Avenue, 416-533-2723, TTC westbound streetcars: KING, DUNDAS, COLLEGE $$$$, http://hopgoodsfoodliner.com
- LAI WAH HEEN at the Metropolitan Hotel, 108 Chestnut Street, TTC subway: ST. [PATRICK & walk east or DUNDAS & walk west $$$$, http://www.laiwahheen.com
- L’UNITA, 134 Avenue Road at Davenport, 416-964-8686, TTC subway: MUSEUM & walk north $$$, http://www.lunita.ca
- MILDRED PIERCE TEMPLE KITCHEN, 85 Hanna Avenue, suite 104, Liberty Village, 416-588-5695, TTC westbound streetcar: KING $$$$, http://www.templekitchen.com
- RICHMOND STATION, 1 Richmond Street West at Yonge, comfort food, mid-range prices, $$$, 647-748-1444, http://www.richmondstation.ca
- OYSTER BOY, mollusks for the masses, 872 Queen Street West, 416-534-3432, $$$, http://www.oysterboy.ca
- SCARAMOUCHE – 1 Benvenuto at Avenue Road, 416-961-8011, $$$$$, http://www.scaramoucherestaurant.com
- THE SENATOR, 249 Victoria Street, Yonge-Dundas Square area, 416-364-7517, opposite rear entrance to Ed Mirvish Theatre, TTC subway: DUNDAS $$$, http://www.thesenator.com
- SPUNTINI, 116 Avenue Road, 416-962-1110, TTC subway: MUSEUM & walk north $$$$, http://www.spuntini.ca
- TREVOR KITCHEN AND BAR, 38 Wellington Street East, 416-941-9410, TTC subway : KING or UNION $$$, http://www.trevorkitchenandbar.com
- 360 at the CN TOWER, 301 Front St. West at John St., 416-868-6937, TTC subway: -UNION & walk west $$$, http://www.cntower.ca/en-CA/360-Restaurant/Overview.html
- URSA – 924 Queen Street West at Shaw Street, Queen West streetcar #501, 416-536-8963, $$$, http://www.Ursa-Restaurant.com

Inexpensive, but very good:
- QUEEN MOTHER CAFE, 206 Queen Street West, $$, http://www.queenmothercafe.ca
- THAI BY PRASAI, Cabbagetown, 454 Gerrard Street East $$, http://www.thaibyprasai.com
- JULES BISTROT, 147 Spadina Avenue ($), http://www.julesbistrocafe.com
- GOLDEN TURTLE, Vietnamese restaurant, in the West Queen West arts district, rapid service, good food, cold beer, 125 Ossington Avenue $$,

With young children:
- OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY, 54 The Esplanade $, http://www.oldspaghettifactory.net

Dinner & weekend brunch:
- SMITH, 553 Church Street, 416-926-2501, TTC subway: YONGE & BLOOR $$$, http://www.553church.com
- TABLE 17, 782 Queen Street East, 416-519-1851, TTC eastbound streetcar: QUEEN $$, http://www.table17.ca
- THE COMMISSARY, 889 Queen Street East, fab eggs benedict of all descriptions, open for dinner too, TTC streetcar: QUEEN $$, http://www.thecommissary.ca/main.html
- MORNING GLORY, 457 King Street East at Gilead Place, homemade preserves and catsup, small but mighty, TTC streetcar: KING $$,
- 4 GILEAD PLACE CAFE by star chef Jamie Kennedy, now open for brunch, 4 Gilead Place at King Street East, TTC streetcar: KING $$

Restaurant strips and villages:
- CHINATOWN WEST – Dundas Street West at Spadina Avenue
- CHINATOWN EAST – Broadview Avenue at Gerrard Street East
- SOUTH ASIAN – Little India, Gerrard Street East at Coxwell Avenue
- GREEK – Danforth, from Broadview to Coxwell Avenue
- GAY and LESBIAN – Church Street, from Bloor to Alexander Street
- ITALIAN – Little Italy, College Street from Bathurst Street to Gladstone
- TRENDY – Ossington Avenue, between Dundas Street West and Queen
- PRE-THEATRE – King Street West, from John to Spadina Avenue
- PRE-THEATRE – Front Street, from Yonge to Jarvis
- PRE-THEATRE – Queen Street West, from University to Spadina Avenue
- BALDWIN STREET – a couple of blocks north of the Art Gallery of Ontario
- ELM STREET – between Yonge Street and Bay

and countless others . . .

09.21.12
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How do you know you’re in TORONTO? “It’s the little things.”

As a tour guide, I often show American visitors around town.  Their enthusiasm for TORONTO sometimes amazes me, and for a couple of hours I get to see the city through their eyes.  It’s a learning experience on both sides.

This spring, THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER sent reporter Laura DeMarco, and photographer Lisa DeJong to TORONTO for 48 hours.  You can read their story on http://www.cleveland.com/travel, but here are some notes from their two day visit to the Big Smoke.

” - 48 hours in TORONTO; 300 miles from Cleveland; adult quotient/cool quotient: TORONTO is a fantastic weekend getaway for families or adults. There are a multitude of dining, theater, club and pub, shopping and museum attractions for those who decide to leave the kids at home.

” – we dedicated ourselves to exploring what makes this city uniquely Canadian, not just a slightly altered version of an American or English city.

” – I was worried about it getting rather late for dinner by the time we made it back from the islands. Silly me! TORONTO is truly a late-night dining, big-city kind of town.”

In two days, Ms. DeMarco and Ms. DeJong visited the Bata Shoe Museum (“more than 13,000 footwear artifacts”); Horseshoe Tavern, 368 Queen Street West (“one of the oldest bars in town”); the Paddock Tavern, 178 Bathurst Street (“a lovely midcentury Art Deco oasis”); the Communist’s Daughter, 1149 Dundas Street West (“known for its amazing rock ‘n’ roll jukebox”); a double-decker bus tour (“an easy way to explore”); Harbourfront, St. Lawrence Market (“reminiscent of Cleveland’s West Side Market”); the Distillery District (“nicely restored example of 19th-century industrial design”); window shopping in Yorkville (“once a hippie enclave, today a high-end shopping mecca with names such as Prada, Hermes and Holt Renfrew”); Kensington Market (“vibrant, funky mix of bakeries, Jamaican patty shops, vintage stores, vegan and gluten-free shops, bars with open-air patios, cheese shops and indie designer boutiques”); Grossman’s Tavern; El Mocambo; passed by Casa Loma and the Royal Ontario Museum; took the ferry to Toronto Islands (“the view from the ferry of the Toronto skyline is the best you’ll see — an ideal picture-taking spot”); Greektown; the Gay Village; and the Beach neighbourhood (“we picked up a Turkish demi-bread, and strolled through picturesque Kew Gardens park to the waterfront, grabbed a bench, sat back and took in Toronto. It was a picture-perfect ending to our Canadian weekend.”)

And they stopped for a coffee at the Senator, 249 Victoria Street (“This gorgeous diner dates back 76 years, and has a lovely wood bar that rivals Cleveland’s chic Velvet Tango Room”)

<PHOTOS BY Lisa DeJong, Cleveland Plain Dealer - illuminated waterfall in Yorkville Park; Nervosa on Bellair Street; Sky Yard at the Drake Hotel; trumpet player Michael Louis Johnson at the Communist’s Daughter; and Kensington Market>

05.17.12
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Driving in TORONTO? Navigating this city, you need p-a-t-i-e-n-c-e.

A young longboarder died this week in TORONTO, after tangling with a taxicab.  Again, Torontonians are made aware of the often lethal competition for space on our roads, freeways and sidewalks.

At the moment, this city is one big construction site, which puts pepper in the pot.  On city streets, you’re competing with taxicab drivers, joggers, cyclists, construction workers, sewer pipe installers, jaywalkers, streetcars, sidewalk bicyclists, skateboarders, street festivals, parades, 10k’s, 5k’s, marathons, walkathons, tow-away zones, and all the rest of it.  Parking is limited and can be expensive.  Parking tickets – a downtown cash grab – are dispensed without mercy.

Downtowners find that public transit is the better way to go.  Take a cab, or try walking.

03.30.11
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Good news for cyclists – Ride The City & Google Bike Maps are in town!

This beautiful little Terrazza Bicycle Park, on the north side of Harbord Street near Roxton, is one more indicator that bicycling has “arrived” in Big TO.  Inner city folks love their two-wheelers, and will continue fighting for an expanded, safe bicycle path network.  Inroads are being made.

Two more positive indicators: Google now includes TORONTO and 8 other Canadian cities on its Google Bike Maps site.

And TORONTO is the latest addition – the first North American city outside the US – to appear on Ride The City.  Led by two former NYU planners, this site includes lists of bike stores, repair shops, safe and direct routes – even ways to steer around hills.

Before enrolling, take a look at their blog – http://www.ridethecity.com/blog/ride-city-toronto

11.18.10
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TORONTO’s tweeting trends go worldwide.

If you’re a “tweeter” anywhere in the world, you can follow what folks in TORONTO are tweeting about.  We’ve been added to a list of cities which tracks trendy topics.  New York, Washington, Los Angeles, London, Sao Paulo and Sydney are already on the list.
Twitter will also be adding translations of tweets to its site in the coming weeks.

Every little bit helps folks!

05.03.10
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TORONTO’s subway – for the most part, it’s efficient, clean and reliable

If you’re a tourist, TORONTO’s underground will serve you well.  The system consists of three lines.  There are about 70 stations altogether, and we’re now building six more plus a massive lightrail network in the suburbs.  The subway is open from roughly 6 am until 2 am Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays from 9 am until 2 am.  Avoid the rush hour.  It’s wicked.

SUBWAY1

PROS
– rush hour trains run every minute or two; off-peak, every 3-5 minutes
– all cars are air-conditioned
– stops are announced clearly
– the system has an anti-graffiti policy; you’ll never see any in the cars; seldom in the stations
– most of TORONTO’s major tourist attractions are on the subway or nearby
– single fares are about $3, but there are Day Passes ($9 per adult weekdays; $9 for 2 adults on weekends) and Family Passes ($10 for 2 adults and up to 4 children, on weekends and holidays).  There are also reduced fares for students and seniors.
– transfers are free, and allow you to ride the subway and transfer to buses and streetcars
– you can get to Pearson International Airport by subway (Kipling station, and then an airport bus) for one fare
– there’s a window in the front.  Kids love that.

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CONS
– some of the stations are ugly, ugly, ugly.  Avert your eyes at Queen’s Park or College, for instance
– stations are always being fixed up or rebuilt or something
– escalators seem to be continually out of service.  A green indicator on station platforms will tell you if an escalator is functioning.  Elevators are also available in some stations.
– the trains will squeal and screech, as steel wheels hit steel rails.  Kids love that.

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