Results tagged “india”

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.

Photo by chef@isimmer from Flickr.

The University of Toronto has announced that Ramin Jahanbegloo—academic, author, and former Iranian political prisoner—is returning as a professor of political science and a member of the scholar-at-risk program in Massey College.

For decades, Toronto has been one of Hollywood's most versatile back lots. Along the way, every specialized branch of the multi-headed film and television biz has sprouted up in the city. Camera, electrical, post production, locations and ... plane crash and natural disaster recreations?

Tomorrow night, November 2nd, a new CaseCamp-format un-conference will touch down in Toronto. Combining two sessions from the art community and one session from a related industry, ArtSmash is a unique speaker series that will generate a room full of creative ideas. The event is being coordinated by Ella Cooper and presented by the Emerging Arts Professional Network.

Transformation AGO will soon be entering the final stages of its expansion project, estimated to finish sometime in mid-2008. But before the AGO closes its doors in order to begin reinstalling over 5,000 pieces of art into 110 galleries, they will be offering free admission to the public for its closing weekend this October 6 and 7.

If you have ever driven up Yonge Street towards Richmond Hill, you probably couldn't help but notice the Vishnu Mandir Hindu temple and its landmark statue of Mahatma Gandhi. Alongside the temple is the unique Canadian Museum of Hindu Civilization, which is presenting an ambitious Festival of India this weekend.

Maybe all these cultural festivals in Toronto aren't your cup of tea, but with the summer season nearing a close the best may very well have been saved for last. The Festival of South Asia held on Gerrard Street East (between Greenwood and Coxwell Avenue) starts this Saturday at 2 p.m. and continues through to Sunday. With a short list of sponsors and a couple of them companies that actually sell Indian products, this experience already seems more authentic than Taste of the Danforth.

Toronto had a violent weekend with nine people shot and four of them killed, including an 11-year-old boy at a birthday party. Two more people were stabbed. Cue relatives wailing, Police Chief Bill Blair saying "this is unacceptable," and headlines like "Saturday Night Bloodbath." We’ve seen all this before. Solutions, anyone?

Two Air India flights were delayed after hand searches uncovered knives that had already passed through x-ray screening and a metal detector. In fact, the only reason they were found at all is because Air India requires manual checking of all carry-ons—something most airlines don’t do. Happy flying!

Ask Torontonians for an example of Toronto food and you will have an array of different answers. One astute response may be that Toronto specializes in having everything and having it available at your doorstep.

Every weekday, we pick an image from the Torontoist Flickr Pool and feature it here on the site. It's our way to give the many excellent photographers in our pool the attention they deserve!

Toronto vegetarians are mourning the closure of East-end veggie haunt Narula's Chaat, Dosa & Thali House. Recently, the windows were papered up and the exterior now displays a large "for lease or rent" sign. The owners decided it was time to retire.

"I’m going to Pakistan in November to share Q&A with young theatre artists during a festival celebrating Punjabi culture. I arrive on November 17. Look for more posts then."

Toronto's overwhelming reception of Al Gore yesterday prompted David Miller to toughen his stance on climate change. Mayor Miller promised an aggressive change in policy on pollution, transit and construction, which will be formally proposed in late March.

Ghost Rider’s head is a flaming skull. Can’t get much cooler than that, eh? And yet, from trailers you’d barely know that Ghost Rider is a cinematic version of a Marvel comic book (with, as per usual, a ridiculously complex history) that stars a biker whose head is flaming skull.

David Suzuki, Green Avenger and Captain of Awesome, says that Torontonians have the right to know what pollutants are in the air we're breathing. 75% of the industrial pollution in our urban air is not being disclosed to the public! Save us, Suzuki!

The International Readings at Harbourfront Centre unveiled the line-up for their 2007 winter season yesterday. A horde of authors, journalists and poets – some established and some intriguing young talent – will be coming to Toronto over the next few weeks. Book nerds, grab your pens and mark these dates down on your calendars.

A morning crash has closed off a Gardiner exit ramp and yesterday's burst water main repairs continue to block motorists. Workers will be reconstructing Lake Shore Boulevard over the next 24 hours. Burst water mains will be around for awhile: Toronto has one of the highest failure rates for water mains in Canada. Toronto's backlog of repairs to the system will take about 8 years to flush out.

Jane Pitfield and David Miller are going to be seeing a lot of each other until November 13. The round of mayoral debates has started and both of them came out swinging for their first debate last night according to the Star. Incineration and David Miller's record were two of the big issues.

A man was stabbed to death in North York at a party celebrating Ghana's victory over the USA at the World Cup. Apparently gang colours may have been a trigger for the tragic attack.

What’s that you say? We didn’t manage to give you any picks for this Monday? Ahem, well, oops? Let’s pretend there wasn’t anything really on, eh? Not that we were too busy going to screenings to write about them or something. But if we were too busy going to see screenings instead, here are a few things we might have learned.

Observant readers of the Urban Toronto forum pointed out this Aussie ad campaign that asks tourists "Where the bloody hell are you?" We're not sure how the "strong language" will translate in China, Japan, India and Europe where these ads will be translated but in the English speaking world the reception seem to be quite positive.

Welcome to our new revived self-indulgent weekly feature, Torontoist Reads, where we will blab on and on about whatever book we happen to be enjoying at the moment and it will probably have almost nothing to do with Toronto, except that you can often spot us reading on the TTC, especially at this time of year.

If the selection of Jack Layton as yesterday's number five Parliamentary hottie wasn't music to your dance, please refer to the first female selection to this week's Ist List...

Souvent, la langue de Molière passe pour une langue passionnée et riche qui exprime parfaitement les sentiments amoureux, les plaisirs de la vie… et la bouffe ! À Toronto il est parfois ardu de déceler les lieux typiquement francophones puisqu’il est assumé que nous tous vivons dans un Canada bilingue. Dorénavant, remerciez Krizia de Verdier, éditeur en chef du guide torontois de la communauté francophone, The French Side of Toronto (aussi disponible en version française évidemment) qui a noté tous les lieux gastronomiques typiquement francophones de la ville reine.