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Urban Planner: May 20, 2009
Urban Planner is Torontoist’s daily guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every morning. If you have an event you’d like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you’ve got any—to [email protected].
WORDS: Authors at Harbourfront presents a night of architects as part of the current (and disappointingly haphazard) Festival of Architecture and Design 2009. Canadian architect Witold Rybczynski reads from My Two Polish Grandfathers, a collection of autobiographical stories of his family’s flight from war-time Europe. Glenn McArthur presents a new photographic book of the man responsible for some of Toronto’s landmark buildings, A Progressive Traditionalist: John M. Lyle, Architect. Jack Diamond will be presenting a new book about his firm’s own work, Insight and On Site: The Architecture of Diamond and Schmitt. York Quay Centre (235 Queens Quay West), 7:30 p.m., $8 (Free for members/students with ID).
PARTY: Buddies in Bad Times hosts this year’s Inside Out Film Festival Local Heroes Party (see Torontoist for daily coverage of the festival). The hometown celebration serves as an after-party for the Hogtown Homos screening at the Isabel Bader Theatre (now SOLD OUT) and features music performances by Gentleman Reg, Katie Stelmanis, and Kids On TV. DJ Black Cat spins the tunes between live music sets. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander Street), 10 p.m., $5 (free with Hogtown Homos ticket stub).
LECTURE: The man behind Panoramaist, Tony Makepeace, gives a talk tonight at the monthly meeting of The Photographic Historical Society of Canada. Makepeace will accompany his lecture with a screening of his fantastic VR panoramas. The monthly PHSC meeting kicks off with a one-hour buy-and-sell mixer. North York Central Library, Gold Room of Memorial Building (5120 Yonge Street), 7 p.m., FREE.
CYCLING: It’s probably not a stretch to figure that most Torontonians know of someone or have known someone who has been struck and killed by a motorist while cycling. Dandyhorse editor-in-chief Tammy Thorne gave us the heads-up about the Ride of Silence, happening today as Toronto’s part in a North America–wide action to both raise awareness of the need for cyclist safety and to honour those cyclists who have been killed or injured on the road. The procession is free, and participating cyclists are asked to remain silent and maintain a speed of less than twelve kilometres per hour during the ride. Bloor and Spadina, 7 p.m., FREE.
MUSIC: The Toronto Independent Music Awards season kicks off with the showcase of the first six (of nearly one hundred total) competing live acts. The showcases will continue every other week with new competitors until November, when the winners of the three $15,000 prize packages will be announced. The Central (603 Markham Street), 8 p.m., $7.
TORONTOIST: It’s time for the second Torontoist Patio Series event, and the weather is supposed to be patio-perfect for this one. Here’s your chance to come and meet some of the Torontoist staffers who work so hard to brighten (or challenge) your day. More details here. The Beaver (1192 Queen Street West), 5:30 p.m., FREE.