Photo by concep007. With all of the recent hand-wringing by the townspeople about every conceivable issue facing the Toronto Transit Commission, it's easy to forget that, to some other major metropolitan areas, the TTC is considered to be a shining example of a well-operated mass-transit system. Yes, we actually wrote that. Recently, a group of distinguished visitors from "The City That Loves You Back" (Philadelphia, yo), including representatives from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority......

Hope is a cruel thing for a sports fan: no matter how bleak the situation, as long as there's a straw in sight we'll happily clutch at it. Case in point: Leafs Nation, of which we're proud, occasionally defiant members. We've been flip-flopping over the Leafs all season long. A few weeks ago we'd written them off, then watched as the team put together an impressive run (which included comprehensive victories over the Ottawa......

Gas prices in Toronto are at $1.09 or more a litre today, reflecting all-time record oil prices of over US$108 per barrel. For all our driving readers, it might cheer you up to consider that it's still cheaper to fill up your car with gas than say, orange juice or Diet Pepsi. By the way, if you do decide to go with orange juice, remember that the pulp-free kind is less likely to gum up......

Torontoist is one of fourteen cities in the worldwide Gothamist network. Each Sunday, the editors of every site—from LAist to Londonist—choose their most interesting article, a list which is compiled into the network-wide feature Elsewhere In The Ist-A-Verse. Gothamist went to the scene of the Trump Soho construction collapse, which left one construction worker dead and others injured (an indirect culprit––Manhattan's hot real estate market, causing rushed construction jobs).Shanghaiist is confused by media reports as......

Torontoist is one of fourteen cities in the worldwide Gothamist network. Each Sunday, the editors of every site—from LAist to Londonist—choose their most interesting article, a list which is compiled into the network-wide feature Elsewhere In The Ist-A-Verse. SFist saw Christmas Day turn tragic after a Siberian tiger escaped from her pen at the San Francisco Zoo, killing a visitor and mauling two others.Phillyist counted down the top ten items on Philadelphia's New Year's wish......

Toronto gets a C+ on the annual Smog Report Card. Most of the blame for the low grade goes to the city's financial crisis, which is stalling transit improvements and other environmental initiatives. The rest of the blame goes on YOU. Yes, YOU. In the back. Don't try to point to the person sitting next to you! You horrible polluter, you! Speaking of smog: oil prices hit a record high. This in response to......

Earlier this week, The New York Times ditched their Times Select subscription thing, a move that saw content previously available for about $8 a month––like some well-liked columnists, for instance––unlocked and made free for everyone. Best of all, though, was the huge amount of material from the newspaper's archives that was set free, dating all the way back to 1851. The rest of the internet has already been having some fun uncovering the gems......

The last few years have seen a steady erosion of the stuffy formalities associated with sharing information. If you haven't already heard, the lecture is yesterday's news. Young artists and designers would rather share ideas in a more relaxed and less hierarchical environment. You can see evidence the world over with "open-source" collectives like Dorkbot, Share, Pecha Kucha and Le Placard, which allow artists and the curious public to come together to perform, present......

With Toronto FC's home opener drawing near, today's trip in the wayback machine stops at an earlier point in the city's professional soccer history, offering "super summer nights" for a pair of twenties. The Metros joined the North American Soccer League in 1971. This was the city's second go-round with the league – the Toronto Falcons had been a charter member in 1968, but folded after one season. When this ad appeared, the Metros......

Spring is when we get busy here in the Ist-A-Verse. Very busy. But, after staying bundled-up indoors all winter, it's nice for us to be out, about, and collecting things to write about for you. Here's a glimpse at what's been keeping your favorite citybloggers busily away from home and out of bed. For LAist, strong winds attacked LA on the same day the Feds raided the Crips. Not to fear, though: the Japanese version......

It seems like, all across the network, folks were up to no good. Maybe it was all the green beer from last weekend... Gothamist spent the week writing about New Yorkers behaving badly: at the post office, at the Garden, and at the fertility clinic. Calvin Klein may not be misbehaving, but he's just a little dirty, and in a completely different way than some NYC kitchens. SFist had its share of misbehave-rs, too, like......

Depressed by the current deep freeze? Here’s something to make you feel warmer – next week, the boys of summer (or at least the pitchers and catchers) report for spring training for the Blue Jays’ 30th anniversary season. Simpsons was one of many businesses eager to show their support when the Jays prepared to take the field in 1977. The “Simpsons Dugout” concept almost sounds like the Olympic section at The Bay (also located on......

Tonight marks the first installment of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School at the Cameron House. The event provides a night of drawing from the live model with a series of cheeky twists. Firstly, the model is not some random naked person, but rather a cabaret star dressed in appropriately Vaudevillian costume. And at this life drawing session, the art-making is accompanied by alcoholic beverages and groovy tunes, not to mention kooky contests (best incorporation of a......

Dust off your party shoes and break out your Canada-themed beer (no endorsements here), because Team Canada just beat the Russians 4-2 in the gold medal game at Leksand-Mora, Sweden to win the 2007 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship! With goals by four different players, including Woodbridge's own Andrew Cogliano, Canada's decisive win sealed their third straight World Junior Championship, and their first in almost a decade not won on North American soil. The win......

Yesterday, we told you briefly about the unexpected death of Phillyist co-Editor Star C. Foster over the weekend. Star "had been complaining of a pain in her foot, which she thought had to do with some bad moves she'd made at dancing class, but it turns out there was a tumor in her leg which metastasized and went to her heart. She had a seizure...her boyfriend Mike called for an ambulance, she had another seizure......

Jagshemash! Borat is a hit. It's getting rave reviews, grossing millions, and definitely the most quotable thing we've seen in ages. But Borat seems to have missed most of the -ist cities, and we were all wondering how the film would have been different if he'd made his way around the world on the -ist tour. In Shanghai, Borat would be observing Inane Learnings of Penis Photos for Make Benefit Glorious Flat World of......

On Tuesday, the American -ists will be celebrating democracy and hitting the polls, letting politicians know what they really think. It just made us wonder: if it were up to the -ist-a-verse, what would we be voting for? Londonist votes for better skincare, alternative spaces for art, cute little birds and the men who keep them, and concrete. Lots of concrete. Shanghaiist votes for one of the Bee Gees and Air Supply (it's a double-ticket),......

Despite prior controversy, this news is too good to let pass. Sunday was a sad day for The Jays as they capped a nice winning streak with a 11-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Ouch. But it's not all bad news for the boys in blue. Five Jays have been chosen to play in the Midsummer Classic... better known as the All-Star Game, played in Pittsburgh this month. That's more than the Yanks and......

Sometimes you need to clean yourself up, get serious, and move in with daddy for a few months before you head to Latin America for a new gig. The District bids Jenna Bush adios. D.C.-based television shows have an elderly audience and DCist has some suggestions to fix that. They're also throwing Butterstick the panda bear a birthday bash. Yeah, we may have a few issues with our World Cup broadcasters here, but this guy......

Newmindspace specializes in throwing irreverent, collective urban events. What qualifies as irreverent in a city as quirky as Toronto? How about a giant easter egg hunt, giant game of urban capture the flag, giant subway (and streetcar) parties, and giant pillow fights? No matter what they're doing, the focus is on getting people - lots of people - together to do something cool, unusual, and fun. Their next project, accordingly, is all about bubbles.......

There's a whole wide world out there, and here's the proof: DCist revels in The University of Maryland's basketball triumphs, marvels at Metro's security strategy, and applauds DC local Katie Couric's new gig. Phillyist is all about the Philadelphia Film Festival. OK, not all about -- they still have time for loitering, underage sex, and random wacky news. LAist would have to send a camera around the world to get shots as bizarre as Katie's......

Toronto Hydro is leapfrogging over cellphone companies and planning to offer citywide WiFi which means you can access Torontoist pretty much everywhere. Like on skating rinks, or parks or heck, even while you're driving (something we don't support and won't be liable for if you're stupid enough to do it). According to the Toronto Star story Ted Rogers is very very pissed off about the development. All we have to say is good, that guy......

It's probably because of the recent Olympics but Torontoist can't help but feel extremely proud of the amazing work that Canadians are doing all over the world and particularly in our world dominating neighbour to the south. By now most of you know about the honour being bestowed on former Canadian turned American news anchor Peter Jennings in New York City. The ABC anchor, who passed away last year, is having a street renamed after......

With all this attention on other -Ist cities, we're feeling a bit blue lately...Literally! (very punny, Torontoist.) After a busy few weeks of -Ist activity, Torontoist decided to go with a sky blue background for reasons of funkyness. Well, it's more like pastel blue. But let's not get too selfish here, since we do have a new member of the family in Philadelphia to introduce. So far, we read of the 1994 World Series runners-up......

The Wild West is arguably the most enduring myth in the American psyche. Through hundreds of novels, films and tv programs the violent, extremely bloody and often downright exploitative settlement of the American West has largely been replaced with images of stalwart settlers, and quick-handed, decisive men of action. Philadelphia-based video artist Matthew Suib draws links between the cowboys that popular film has created and the current cowboy in the Whitehouse. Currently showing at Mercer......

The Blue Jays are playing their Grapefruit League home finale against the Philadelphia Phillies today. Opening Day starter and former Cy-Young award-winner Roy Halladay will take the mound in this 1993 World Series re-match. With their season beginning in Tampa Bay this upcoming Monday, there are various questions regarding the Jays in 05. Of utmost importance to their fortunes this year is the needed return of both Halladay and outfielder Vernon Wells to their 2003......

Sundays are generally awful. Combine the threat of having to work on Monday with the black-eye/STD/hangover from Saturday night, and then add the closure of all the major banks...Sundays are just no fun. Except of course for Superbowl Sunday. This is a day to eat, drink, and yell at the television. Here are the highs and lows of the Superbowl that was: - Philadelphia Eagle and Toronto-native Mike Labinjo appeared in yesterday's game, only to......

Expect distasteful Jello and Cliff Huxtable jokes to fly around the office/classroom/closet today as Bill Cosby has been accused of sexual assault. A Toronto-area woman has come forward to Durham police about an alleged incident involving Cosby in Philadelphia area in January 2004. Cosby denies the very serious charge, saying through his lawyer that it is a case of "inappropriate touching" at best. No charges have been filed as the investigation is on-going. Cosby, known......

There was a fair share of drama in the sporting world yesterday: The Philadelphia Eagles announced that Superstar Wide Receiver Terrell Owens is likely out for the season with a fractured fibula - drastically altering many prognosticators playoff expectations. Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming combined for 74 points to spoil the Williams’ Toronto Raptor debuts. Vince Carter spoke out about his trade to New Jersey, his time spent in Toronto, and the what-ifs during that......

Why does everyone always call Avril Lavigne the "Canadian pop-punk princess?" Well, maybe because she dressed up like a Hooters girl for Halloween and covered Outkast's "Hey Ya" in Philadelphia. Or, maybe it's because she's not afraid to diss Hillary Duff and/or Ashlee Simpson for not singing live. In a three question interview with the New York Post, the Canadian pop-punk princess commented on Ashlee Simpson's Saturday Night Live lip-synching debacle, saying that "[i]t's a......