According to Environment Canada, this winter will be the coldest in fifteen years. That news should send us all running for the comforts of indoors, but once again Harbourfront Centre provides the perfect reason to play outside. DJ Skating Nights return for a third year, providing those who brave the cold to skate under the glittering skyline with a soundtrack from local DJs. The five Friday nights of the series will feature five different......

A large part of the downtown core from College to Queens Quay and York to Bayview, was blacked-out for about 2 ½ hours yesterday. In response, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said that Toronto has the ability to generate all the power it needs and certainly wasn't getting any more from the Province, while Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty agreed, adding that Torontonians should stop whining and being all dependent on electricity. Web search giant......

They’ve got Hank’s seal of approval, so you know they’re at least half-way decent. Since receiving some "big-ups" on Henry Rollins’ show on L.A.’s Indie 103.1, The Harold Wartooth’s grunge-y star has been rising, with support coming in from the likes of CBC’s seminal Definitely Not the Opera and UK-based Catacomb Records. With a solitary self-titled EP under their belts, the band have demonstrated a propensity for writing Fun House-era Stooges-style riffs and burying them......

Meghan Provost at Queen's University has conducted a study testing correlations between women's fertility and the sexual signals that they give off by their walks. Surprisingly, women who were at the most fertile periods of their menstrual cycles had the least "sexy" walks (according to the male volunteers who rated them), with smaller hip movements and knees closer together. This would seem to contradict recent research that suggests men are more attracted to ovulating......

Photo of Architecture in Helsinki by Zach Klein. There are lots of great shows in Toronto this week—including a bunch of free ones. On Tuesday, Musicologist recommends checking out Sarah Melody at the Mod Club (where Snow of "Informer" fame will be making an on-stage appearance—YES!) and then running to the Horseshoe to see Wintersleep and A Northern Chorus. Spiral Beach, who also put on a great live show, have a free concert on......

Photo by EIFF. Next week on October 17th, the International Festival of Authors will kick off its 28th year since its inception in 1980 at the Premiere Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay West). Incorporating some of the best contemporary world literature, the festival is comprised of eleven days and nights of readings, interviews, round-table discussions, lectures, and book signings—not to mention special event readings by Scotiabank Giller Prize and Governor General’s Literary Awards finalists.......

Photo by matthewpiers from the Torontoist Flickr pool. One week ago today apparently marked the opening of HtO, Toronto's new "urban beach," on a parcel of land south of Queens Quay West, between Rees Street and Lower Spadina Avenue. We say "apparently" because we'll believe it when we're standing on the sand with our own two feet; the relatively modest (yet nevertheless impressive) project having already been delayed multiple times over several years, we......

Daniel Handler! In Toronto! You may know him better as children’s writer Lemony Snicket of A Series of Unfortunate Events fame, but he has written three books for adults not as Snicket's "Handler," but quite wonderfully as himself. He'll be talking to charming local writer Jason McBride (who Torontoist may have seen in The Annex last week--belated hullo, Jason! If you weren’t Jason, greetings to the gent who is passing himself off as Jason quite......

Did you hear? Nuit Blanche is back! Transit officials are considering a bus-only lane on the DVP to promote mass transit. "For a passenger, it's very attractive. There's nothing better than sitting on a bus and going by stopped traffic," says GO Transit managing director Gary McNeil. High five to that. Much like the Regent Park revitalization, Lawrence Heights is getting an overhaul. The Jays suffered their ninth consecutive defeat last night with an......

The good news: tonight, there are three great literary events happening in our fair city. The bad news: you’re going to have to choose. Mark Truscott’s Test Reading Series presents Reg Johanson and Jordan Scott at Mercer Union, A Centre for Contemporary Art (37 Lisgar Street) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Reg Johanson has traveled from East Vancouver for tonight’s performance. His first book, Courage, My Love was published by Line Books last year. Reg’s critical......

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......

Every week (or so), two Torontoist staffers square off to debate an issue that's important to our city. We invite our readers to join the debate in the comments section following the post. This month has seen protests at Queens Park by students who are angered over rising tuition fees at universities and colleges, and want the province to do something about it. So are high fees really hurting students and limiting access to higher......

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. On February 5, The Globe and Mail’s Ian Brown will be interviewing New Yorker writer Calvin Trillin about his new book,......

For those who have enjoyed a Sunday at Cherry Beach, dancing to chill beats or relaxing in the shade of the grove, the question among your friends all week has simply been, "Skating?" Tonight from 8 - 11 PM, Promise, known to many as simply "David and Irving", will be hosting this week's installation of DJ Skating Nights at the Harbourfront Centre. Skate to an eclectic mix of reggae, disco, house and techno by......

Then you'll love Lake Ontario Park! At least, that would seem to be a reasonable assumption. However, if you're looking for more reassurance (recommended), the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (or, NAMBLA) is hosting a public forum on their plans for "Lake Ontario Park," which is to be "one of Toronto's great new park spaces and a defining destination for the city," running from the Portlands (Cherry St. south of the Distillery District) in the west......

Tonight, in All Hallow's Eve tradition, Church Street will be blocked off from 5pm to 11pm, Alexander to Wellesley so that aspiring and professional Drag Queens can drag. The blocked traffic usually runs later because the tourists that come to view the aforementioned drag queens inevitably keep it closed until the bars let out. Church Street fills up with the best outfits ranging from clever (The Sock Monkey/Sea Monkey couple always amaze me with......

Everyone sufficiently recovered from Word on the Street? Over 200,000 people braved the wind and rain and descended upon Queen’s Park for a celebration of books. I have a book hangover, thus the lateness of this week’s listings. Tomorrow night, This Is Not A Reading Series goes Hollywood! Journalist and filmmaker Bruce Yaccato launches Screen Legends, a chronicle of the “Canadian film pioneers who helped build the Hollywood we know today.” Joining Bruce will be......

The last 10 days have been a great time to be a film nut, but now Christmas comes early for book nerds as over the next few weeks two of the biggest events of the year take place, starting with next Sunday’s Word on the Street, which will be followed by the start of the International Festival of Authors in mid-October. A few events taking place today. Poet Lorette C. Luzajic launches her first book,......

Ok, so the city is in the grip of full-blown festival mania. Red carpets, Gala screenings, and celebrity sightings are all great, but so are poetry readings, right? Right? Anyone??? Tonight at 8pm, head north to Zemra Lounge – 778 St. Clair W. – for this month’s installment of the Diamond Cherry reading series. Stephen Humphries and former director of the Art Bar, Allan Briesmster (The Other Seasons), will be reading. It’s free, and you......

Well, not even a week until the Film Festival is left, and frankly, Torontoist is ever so slightly… No, scratch that, we’re utterly crapping our pants over the enormity of trying to cover the world’s largest film festival. We’re only little! Both Eye and Now have already started their festival buzz machines, um, buzzing – Now have taken the choice of starting their capsule review stuffed film fest preview a week in advance (we guess......

David Soknacki, the right-winger picked by David Miller to be his budget chief, has announced that he is retiring from politics and will not be running for re-election in Ward 43 - Scarborough East this fall. Some councillors see this as another sign that Miller can't work with others who don't see his viewpoint. In the past, Soknacki has openly criticized the Mayor and his allies. Nonetheless he's earned the respect of many from Miller's......

This week Torontoist presents extended literary event listings – you get till Sunday the 27th at no additional cost – as I’m out of town until the end of August. Tonight, Jerry Schaefer presents The Flash Fiction Comedy Jam, which is apparently flash fiction read by a bunch of Toronto comics. Intriguing. Additionally, there’ll be a “live writing contest” and an appearance by storyteller Mark Jenkins. It takes place at Bad Dog Theatre – 138......

Breaking the law, breaking the law. We -ist folks love us some crime, and no misdemeanor is too petty for a post on any of our sites. This week, join us for a rogues' gallery of miscreants major, minor, and alleged. Gothamist gets us started with "Law & Order", muppet style. Oh, you know what isn't a crime? Taking pictures on the MTA. So, why are cops stopping photographers? In other Gotham crime, a......

Ahem. Yes, this week there are other films out than that film that we refuse to name in this post because we’re covering it enough already. There are plenty of other options, folks. Your first choice should be, because you are a PATRIOT, something Canadian (natch). And we have to say when Torontoist first saw the trailer for Bon Cop Bad Cop, a two fish swapping water buddy cop flick set in both Ontario......

The Diamond Cherry Reading Series – run by local poets and small-press publishers Devon Gallant and Julie Cameron Gray – kicks-off the week with performances by audio poet Hilary Peach (Poems Only Dogs Can Hear) and singer/songwriter/poet Nik Beat. The series takes place each month at the Zemra Lounge – 778 St. Clair West – and starts at 8pm. It’s free, too, so you have no excuse not to go. On Monday, head down to......

Torontoist isn’t paid by the word, which is why we can allow ourselves long, rambling posts where we complain about the things that annoy us. Sorry, did we say “allow ourselves?” We meant “subject you to”. And here we go again. Now, Toronto is a lovely place, and as places go, it’s done a lot for film. It’s cheap to film here! We’ve got the Toronto Film Festival! David Cronenberg. And… Keanu Reeves got his......

We’re all still busy basking in the warm glow of the revelation that the Royal, at least, will live again, and we know we mentioned it last week, but Superman Returns has been getting good enough word of mouth it might actually be worth checking out. Eye’s Jason Anderson claims “it's the rare blockbuster that lives up to advance hype”, but thankfully, good old trustworthy John Harkness of NOW gives it a kicking because the......

Apparently, the INFOTOGO pillars that are strewn across our city are getting a lot of... positive... attention. The 'first-ever interactive, stylized street-level furniture' has won a prestigious international award from The Society for Environmental Graphic Design. the Society of Environmental Graphic Designers. For those who are not in the know, "Environmental Graphic Design embraces many design disciplines including graphic, architectural, interior, landscape, and industrial design, all concerned with the visual aspects of wayfinding, communicating......

Move over Trevor Coleman your claim on the maritime themed music scene is being challenged by none other than Santa Cruz organizer/DJ/ Tyler Clark Burke. Sure, Coleman, our carrot-topped, bespectacled booker can lay claim to possibly the only bar in Toronto that has faux-portholes (if there are any others do let us know!). Sadly, the Boat remains very landlocked and also happens to be up a set of stairs, not a very nautical location if......

There were four shootings this weekend including a fatal one near Don Mills and Eglinton. Police say they're also encountering resistance from witnesses and victims which is making their investigation much harder. A young woman was stabbed to death near Dundas and Spadina. A suspect then drove off to the Bloor Viaduct and threatened to kill himself. Finally a body was fished out of the water near Queens Quay and York St. Police don't think......