Photo by n0wak from the Torontoist Flickr Pool. Stadium food, generally, sucks. Not only is it uninspired—nachos, cheese, and society-sanctioned violence, together at last—but it's so bloody expensive that we wouldn't be surprised if they started taking internal organs as payment. What a welcome development, then, when BMO Field and Toronto FC decided to mix it up and commit to bringing a variety of stadium edibles that "incorporate food from countries where soccer is... [continue]

When we first got a tip from Andrew Hunter that "someone has installed a new type of bike post along Yonge north of Lawrence," we were concerned that it might be the vanguard of the Coordinated Street Furniture onslaught of mass-produced uniformity. When we went down (yes, down) to visit the area, however, we were quite relieved to discover not Kramer-designed brontosaurus ribs but elegant, artfully crafted flourishes of metallic whimsy. Inspired by a... [continue]

The public service announcement on the left is courtesy of the TTC. The public service announcement on the right is courtesy of the MTA. On Friday morning, Accordion Guy Joey deVilla juxtaposed the two on his blog, along with the question "who plagiarized whom?" Well, presuming that plagiarism is defined as the lack of attribution for an idea, then fortunately neither. This particular TTC poster, like a number of others (and even some of... [continue]

Every Saturday morning, Historicist looks back at the events, places, and characters—good and bad—that have shaped Toronto into the city we know today. Crawford Street Bridge, West Side, November 16, 1915. City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 1615 This Tuesday, May 13, Heritage Toronto will unveil the latest plaque celebrating Toronto's history to commemorate the secret bridge buried beneath the north-west corner of Trinity Bellwoods Park. The unveiling will take place at 4 p.m.... [continue]

TYPE's new home on the Danforth. Photo by Val Dodge. You know your avenues have been gentrified when a chi-chi bookstore moves into the neighbourhood. Such is the fate of the Danforth strip, now home to the latest branch of Toronto retailers TYPE Books, the third location to crop up since the store first opened its doors in 2006. The inaugural Queen West location (right across the street from Trinity-Bellwoods) made a name for... [continue]

Discarded building materials. Numerous species of wildlife. The odd quonset hut. Elements such as these make the Leslie Street Spit an oasis for the ever-curious, with a steady stream of discoveries waiting for unsuspecting walkers or cyclists. Towards the western end of the spit, the main pathway along the north side narrows into a low bridge, where this sign instructs users on the proper state of excitement required if the need arises the turn... [continue]

Photo of NinjaX, by NinjaX, courtesy of NinjaX. Four days ago, a kid who calls himself NinjaX (real name? We don't care) set out to face hunger, "brutal weathers" (that mid-May zephyr can be vicious!), and "the risk of getting robbed/stabbed/raped/killed" (in that order, presumably). What does that spell? Homelessness! Or rather, NinjaX's Official Seven Day Homeless Adventure: "Stay tuned for lols." With only $20 to spend on survival—kind of commendable, actually, considering that's... [continue]

Former Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier lives on as a program in the 1982 Disney film Tron. Torontoist reader Brent created these "enhanced" bank notes. Contrary to popular belief, defacing currency is not illegal in Canada. For defaced currency from elsewhere in the world, check out the defaced presidents Flickr pool. Via Laughing Squid.... [continue]

Someone is blurring the line between art and industry on Merton Street just east of Yonge. That's where you'll find this fairly typical valve and meter assembly supplying natural gas to a local office building. But is that all it does? Closer inspection reveals a gallery-like description suspended from one of the pipes: Title: "Quo Vadis" Sculptor: Warga Baskerville Medium: Steel PipeIndustrial artifacts and designs can definitely have a beauty all their own, but... [continue]

After six successful years on the Oxygen network south of the border, flawless Toronto septuagenarian sexpert Sue Johanson is ending her TV call-in show Talk Sex. The show was the most popular late-night draw for the network, receiving 100,000 attempted phone calls per episode, but the 77-year-old registered nurse, lecturer, and sex therapist felt it had become tiresome working the 11 p.m.–1 a.m. time slot for more than three decades. Talk Sex began airing... [continue]

Several ways to interpret the stated goal of "reporting some of the happier happenings in our community": An opportunity for budding reporters to hone their skills on enlightening human interest stories and positive community events that fly under the radar during a typical grim news day. A momentary respite from the sensationalism creeping into the news world. A program that allows a media outlet like CFRB to break in fresh young talent gently, without... [continue]

Farley and University College, together at last. We at Reel Toronto sometimes feel bad prefacing our postings with disclaimers noting that most films made here aren't great films. After all, most of them have at least some redeeming quality. It's something you need to bear in mind when assessing the era in which the Chris Farley-David Spade combination was big at the box office. Tommy Boy is probably the funniest Farley flick, which might... [continue]

Photo by Marc Lostracco. In upcoming months, Toronto's summer temperatures will once again strain the power grid, and the demand for more power means more power generation—and consequently, more pollution. For Ontario customers wishing to utilize renewable energy sources, there are currently only two options: expensively retrofit your property to generate some of its own electricity, or sign up with Bullfrog Power. For many condo owners and apartment dwellers, neither of those options have... [continue]

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute. Artist Unknown.AT WILLISON PLACEPHOTO BY SOPWITH.... [continue]

Photo by MarkyBon. The CONTACT Photography Festival: it's back, and it's everywhere. Now in its twelfth year, CONTACT 2008 has over 675 artists at 220 venues from May 1–31, making it the largest photography festival in the world—an entirely believable statistic if the amount of CONTACT shows being touted on Facebook Events is any indicator. This year's theme is Between Memory and History, which explores the complex relationships between photography and the human experience,... [continue]

One of the highlights of spring in Toronto, High Park's cherry trees are blossoming. The trees, donated to the city by the citizens of Tokyo, are located in a sloping grove near Grenadier Pond and are a wonderful sight at this time of year. The trees are approximately 80% in bloom at the moment, making this weekend the perfect time to visit, as long as heavy rain doesn't destroy these delicate flowers. See the... [continue]

Dubaimetro Naming Rights Turn your brand into a destination RTA offers Dubai Metro Naming Rights Welcome to the ultimate branding and marketing opportunity. With Dubai Metro Naming Rights, you can put your brand on a Dubai Metro station of your choice, or one of the two lines of the Dubai Metro Network. Dubai Metro Naming Rights offers you unmatched impact and visibility to take your brand to new levels of saliency and success. What's... [continue]

People work hard for their money, but don't make their money work hard for them. It's time to fix that. The last Wednesday of every month, Saverist whips your income into shape with smart, practical advice. Photo by hrtmnstrfr. We know high gas prices are a headache, and prices aren't expected to get much cheaper in the coming years. Although it's easy to place the blame elsewhere (for example, on oil companies), there's a need... [continue]

One year ago today, City Council's Executive Committee approved [PDF] the awarding of the street furniture contract—for the purposes of designing, building, owning, and maintaining bus shelters, garbage bins, ad pillars, and more for a period of twenty years in exchange for advertising rights—to Astral Media Outdoor, despite the fact that the company had absolutely no experience with "street furniture" and maintains dozens of illegal billboards in defiance of City Council.... [continue]