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Thursday, May 31, 2018

Man swims to Budweiser Stage after getting kicked out of Slayer concert

Get ready to see a lot more Teslas on the streets of Toronto

Hundreds of people in Toronto just (finally) got access to the fancy electric cars they paid for up to 26 months ago — and you best believe they're going to be out there, showing those babies off.

Welcome to the new era of Silicon Valley north, where everyone drives a Tesla (or wants to, eventually).

Canada's first mass delivery of Tesla Model 3s started arriving at the Toronto International Centre last week, with more than 300 cars by some counts — all of them spoken for.

Local enthusiasts were thrilled to watch the centre's parking lots fill up with white, red, black and blue, but customers only started getting access to their long-awaited whips less than 24 hours ago.

It looks like Toronto Tesla drivers have been given specific dates as to when they can come to the Mass Delivery Centre.

Some of those who went yesterday reported waiting up to 4 hours to pick up their cars, but many seem pleased with the vehicles they left in.

The Tesla Model 3, which starts at $45,600 before incentives, is marketed as a relatively affordable, mid-size electric sedan (a Model S starts at about $100,000 in Canada, for comparison's sake).

This particular model has been incredibly popular since hitting the market in 2016, hence the years-long wait.

More than 325,000 people had made reservations for the car within one week of its launch, according to Tesla, and at last count it averaged about 1,800 reservations every day.

People who've already picked up their cars in Toronto have been sharing photos and praise on Twitter, but a lot of them — even people who don't have Teslas — seem to be thanking American business magnate (and all around visionary) Elon Musk.

Musk himself retweeted Tesla's main account when it announced the Toronto delivery, but has not replied personally to any customers — which is most understandable for someone with 21.9 million followers and various companies to run.

Still, I bet it's a nice distraction from everything else going on in regards to Musk and his Twitter feed.

Happy Tesla time, Toronto.


by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO

The Ontario election just got a lot weirder

Ontario is now only one week away from its June 7 general election and, as my good friend Diddy once advised, we all must vote to ensure our continued survival. 

So who'll it be? PC leader Doug Ford, the NDP's Andrea Horwath, current Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne, or DC comics supervillain General Zod?

The latter candidate won't be appearing on any ballots, as he is fictional, but that hasn't stopped him from generating a fair amount of support among the "I hate all three options" crowd.

Zod, as portrayed by English actor Terence Stamp in the 1978 and 1980 Superman movies, appears to be running for premier on the platform that he's "less evil than the other guy."

The sign that conveys this message was created by Zoltan Hawryluk of Toronto "after a couple of drinks" two weeks ago, but has since been re-printed by others and posted to front lawns around the city.

You can grab a high-resolution version of the sign here, if you're interested, courtesy of the artist.

After noticing the buzz, someone who isn't Hawryluk liked the idea so much that they created a Twitter account for Zod's election campaign.

"General Zod is dedicated to the subjugation of the people of Ontario," reads that account's bio. "He is a ruthless dictator. In short, a better choice than Doug Ford."

It seems like the parody campaign might be a bit anti-Ford, and it wouldn't be the first of its kind this year, but it's important to remember that General Zod is a really bad guy.

Canadian citizens who reside in Ontario and are at least 18 years of age on election day, June 7, are eligible to vote. Visit Elections Ontario for more information on where to go and what to do.


by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO

The top 10 markets and pop-ups in Toronto this June

Markets and pop-ups in Toronto this June are a mix of goods from different kinds of sellers, including high fashion vintage items and streetwear, art pieces and cheese pieces, plus a Pride edition of the Bellwoods Flea.

Events you might want to check out:

Onemeth Goods x MTV Pop-Up Shop (June 1-17 @ 277 Queen Street West)
ONEMETH Goods and MTV are partnering up for a pop-up event with clothing and accessories curated to celebrate the intersection of music and fashion.
90's/2000's Vintage Streetwear Flea Market (June 2 @ 1305 Dundas St W)
Back again is this huge flea stuffed with vintage streetwear from old school brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Champion, Kappa, Gucci and Ralph Lauren.
King West Summer Pop-Up (June 2-3 @ Portland Market)
King West's transformation into a community zone gets a bump with this free, summer market featuring makers, designers and brands galore.
Artisan Cheese Night Market (June 7 @ St Lawrence Market, North Hall)
The first of its kind in Canada, this night market promises cheese and charcuterie from artisan cheese makers, plus drinks and live music.
Danforth East Yard Sale (June 9 @ Danforth East)
One of the city's biggest yard sales is taking over Danforth East with goods for sale, plus live entertainment, kids activities and more.
Beaches Arts and Crafts Show (June 9-10 @ Kew Gardens)
Expect over 150 artists and designers to take up shop in Kew Gardens over two days to showcase handmade goods, original fashion pieces, fine art and more.
Archival Toronto (June 15-17 @ Hide)
This curated fashion pop-up seeks to create a selection of over 100 items from industry legends that have had an impact on fashion.
Night Market 6ix (June 15 @ Canoe Landing Park)
New this year, art and food come together for this night market in one of the city's newest parks, with all proceeds going to charity.
Pride Market (June 17 @ The Great Hall)
The Trinity Bellwoods Flea gets in the sprit of Pride Month with a market dedicated to supporting LGBTQ artisans, makers and business owners.
Black Owned Summer Market (June 17 @ Artscape Wychwood Barns)
Black-owned businesses from various industries come together to sell their goods and services alongside music, performances and food.

by Lisa Power via blogTO

Yonge-Dundas Square is the site of Toronto's latest deadly shooting

One of Toronto's most iconic public spaces was the site of a fatal shooting on Wednesday night that resulted in the death of a yet-to-be-identified man.

Police say that one man, believed to be in his 20s, was shot several times around 11 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square in downtown Toronto.

The victim was rushed to hospital without vital signs and died there as a result of his injuries.

At least three suspects were seen fleeing the area, according to police, and have not yet been apprehended.

Homicide Det. Stephen Henkel told reporters Wednesday night that CCTV footage was being pulled from any security cameras with a view of Yonge-Dundas square, and encouraged anyone who may have been in the area at the time of the shooting to contact police.

This marks the continuance of a particularly deadly stretch of gun violence for Toronto.

Police reported four separate shootings in the city on Sunday night alone, one of them resulting in the death of 21-year-old Venojan Suthesan near Lester B. Pearson Collegiate Institute.

On Monday night, 37-year-old Matthew Staikos was gunned down in Yorkville, becoming Toronto's 36th homicide victim of 2018. Police said at the time that six other people had been murdered over a stretch of eight days.

One of those victims was 28-year-old Jaiden Jackson, who was shot to death while leaving a private party at Drake's Pick 6ix restaurant in downtown Toronto last Sunday.

With shooting incidents spiking in recent weeks, people are already drawing comparisons to 2005's infamous "summer of the gun." A total of 359 shootings took place that year, with 52 people dying as a result of gun violence.

The Toronto Police Service's Public Safety Data Portal shows that, as of Sunday, there had been 162 shootings so far in 2018.

That's an 11 per cent increase over where we were last year at this time, and a whopping 57 per cent higher than the number of shootings that had taken place by May in 2014.

Yonge-Dundas Square

The TPS Crime Statistics Shootings Dashboard is updated weekly. Image via Toronto Police Service.

While shootings are believed to happen in "clusters," particularly during summer months, data does show that the number of incidents are growing year-over-year in Toronto.

Citizens are definitely noticing the uptick, but police are ever vigilant.

Just yesterday, TPS announced that four men had been arrested and were facing a total of 97 charges related to the investigation of a shooting that took place in Regent Park on Monday.

"Of course it's concerning," said Toronto police spokesperson Mark Pugash to Global this week about the rash of shootings. "We're making excellent arrests. We're taking guns off the streets and we’re putting all of our resources into solving these homicides."


by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO

Condo of the week: 50 Bartlett Avenue

This Toronto loft used to be home to a yarn factory and it's positively brimming with character. From the exposed brick walls to the eclectic light fixtures, I’ve never seen a condo quite this unique.

50 bartlett ave toronto The custom interior design work was done by teb Interiors Inc. and the home features soaring vaulted ceilings, an extended kitchen and there’s an upgrade in just about every single room.

50 bartlett ave torontoThe kitchen is outfitted with all the latest appliances, but is probably the most boring part of this unit. It looks so pedestrian in comparison to everything else.

50 bartlett ave toronto The master bedroom has a huge glass wall that looks out over the living room and, while the decor isn’t really my style, it is captivating.

50 bartlett ave torontoMy favourite part of this place is the master bedroom’s en suite bathroom. The listing calls it “Instagramable” and it truly is. The exposed brick combined with the spa-like features make it look like the bathrooms I look at wistfully on Pinterest.

50 bartlett ave torontoThe second bedroom is spacious and comes with its own en suite, albeit not as picture perfect as the master bedroom’s.  

50 bartlett ave toronto The townhouse also comes with a 233-square-foot rooftop terrace, so all your summer party needs are just a flight of stairs away.

50 bartlett ave torontoSpecs
  • Address: TH16 - 50 Bartlett Avenue
  • Price: $1,985,000
  • Bedrooms: 2+1
  • Bathrooms: 3
  • Parking: 2
  • Walk Score: 89
  • Transit Score: 90
  • Maintenance Fees: $730.60 monthly
  • Listing agent: Joshua Jean-Baptiste
  • Listing ID: W4121019
50 bartlett ave toronto Good For

An eccentric couple who will embrace the unique features of the home.

50 bartlett ave torontoMove On If

You want a more conventional interior design. It’s unclear if all the custom features come with the place but if you hate it all then you’re going to have to replace a lot of stuff.

50 bartlett ave toronto


by Misha Gajewski via blogTO

Toronto Restaurant Openings: SoSo Food Club, Wynona, Hype Food Co., Bang Bang Burrito

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
  • SoSo Food Club, a hip spot that serves "decent dumplings and dan dan mian" (as its site modestly boasts), has opened at 1166 Dundas Street West (by Ossington) in what used to be The Contender.
  • Bang Bang Burrito, originating from Oshawa, has taken over what was previously a Greek & Co. at 366 Bloor Street West in the Annex.
  • Early Bird Coffee & Kitchen now has a second location, which can be found inside the PATH in the Financial District's Brookfield Place at 181 Bay Street.
  • Wynona — a place for pasta seafood, wine and more — has opened at 819 Gerrard Street East (just east of Logan) by East Chinatown.
  • Blackjack BBQ is open at 1044 Gerrard Street East (one block west of Jones Avenue) in Leslieville, in what was previously Loaded Pierogi.
  • Hype Food Co., a fast-casual restaurant that caters toward those with allergies, has also opened nearby at 1060 Gerrard Street East (at Jones Street)
  • The Ellery is now open at 1870 Danforth Avenue (at Aldridge Avenue), which was formerly Melanie’s Bistro.
  • Pam’s Roti has returned and can now be found at 1089 Bloor Street West (at Gladstone Avenue) in Bloorcourt.
Recently reviewed
Opening soon
  • Madrina, a Spanish tapas bar from the creators of El Catrin and Cluny, will be opening this summer at 2 Trinity Street in the Distillery District.
  • Station Coffee will be replacing the recently shuttered Dooney’s at 866 Bloor Street West in Bloorcourt.
  • Allwyn's Bakery will be opening its third location soon at 976 The Queensway in Etobicoke.
  • The Big Carrot is opening a second location very soon, this time in The Beaches at Kingston Road and Southwood Drive
  • Frilu Restaurant, a seasonal fine dining restaurant, should be opening soon at 7713 Yonge Street in Thornhill.
Closed
Other news
  • Infuse Cafe at 354 Yonge St. (south of Gerrard St.) has now added "Bar" after its name because it has reopened as a cocktail lounge. It’s still serving tea, but is also serving booze as well. There are also sous-vide steaks for dinner, but no worries, it's kept Japanese cheesecake on the menu.
  • Grey Tiger has renovated its space and softly reopens this weekend at 1190 Bloor Street West in Bloordale.

by Christina Cheung via blogTO

10 things to do in Toronto today

Events in Toronto today mark the start of a huge sake festival and Indigenous Fashion Week, with shows and a makers market. Power Ball also celebrates 20 years of art party wildness at the Power Plant gallery.

Events you might want to check out:

Kampai Festival of Sake (May 31 @ The Fermenting Cellar)
Prepare for a huge festival of all things sake, including hundreds of sake from 30 breweries — plus food from Japan and beyond.
Power Ball XX (May 31 @ Power Plant)
This annual art party and fundraiser is celebrating its 20th year with a carnivalesque mashup of art, edibles, waggishness and tomfoolery.
How Many Times Do I Have To Tell You? (May 31 @ Ryerson University School of Image Arts)
Photographer Ryan Rice speaks from his experience as a cultural mediator in relation to Indigenous presence across contemporary art and culture.
Lulaworld Opening Night (May 31 @ Lula Lounge)
Lulaworld 2018 kicks off with special guests direct from Chile, Colombia and Brazil.
Luke Bryan (May 31 @ Rogers Centre)
Country singer Luke Bryan is bringing his What Makes You Country tour to Toronto, with support from Sam Hunt.
Live Experimental Hip Hop (May 31 @ Handlebar)
Expand your musical palette with live instrumental and experimental hip-hop featuring Joel Garden, Josh Grant, Crooklin and Anzola.
Longform Thursday (May 31 @ Comedy Bar)
Second City alumni, actors from CBC's Because News and Sunnyside are in for some stand-up action and improv.
Grab a Hunk of Lightning (May 31 @ Toronto Reference Library, Beeton Hall (main floor).)
This documentary looks at the enduring legacy of photographer Dorothea Lange and her documentation of five decades of American history.
The Costanzas (May 31 @ Painted Lady)
Thursdays are for punk and four groups hailing from Montreal and Toronto are grunging up The Painted Lady for the night.
Indigenous Fashion Week (May 31 - June 3 @ Harbourfront Centre)
Toronto's Indigenous Fashion Week kicks off with a focus on female makers in the areas of fashion, textiles and craft.

by Lisa Power via blogTO

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

TTC is bringing retro style signs back to Toronto subway stations

The outside of Toronto's subway stations are getting a new look... in the form of a much older look.

Ian Dickson, the Toronto Transit Commission's manager of design and wayfinding, announced on Twitter this week that we could expect to see "more retro-style TTC Keystone pylons" installed across the subway system this summer.

To illustrate what he meant, Dickson shared two side-by-side photos of Museum Station on the east side of University Avenue, just south of Bloor, both featuring a pylon design that dates back to the 1920s.

The first photo, taken in the 1960s, shows the street-level subway entrance signs in black and white against the backdrop of what was then called the Park Plaza Hotel.

The second photo, taken in 2018, shows similar signs, but with a more modern TTC logo atop each pole.

Signs like this were also recently erected at Eglinton and Bloor-Yonge stations, according to Dickson, but one retro-style subway sign had already been kicking around downtown for more than a decade.

The TTC actually started testing the public's reaction to these simplified subway entrance signs back in 2008 by installing one outside Osgoode Station, which boasts a wide variety of sign designs, as this photo gallery by transit enthusiast Ryan Flores shows.

At the time, the transit agency said that the old design would become a new standard for subway stations in Toronto, if reactions were positive.

Ten years later, that's exactly what's happening (though it should be noted that "side mount" retro pylon signs have already been rolled out in some areas.)

Dickson confirmed that the new/old subway entrance pylon design has indeed become the new standard moving forward.

Signs that have gone missing from Dundas West, Old Mill, Jane, Spadina, Bayview and other stations will all be replaced by the revamped 1920's-style sign, he said, either this year or next.


by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO