Page 814 – Streets Of Toronto

Oprah Winfrey woos Toronto, reveals that she’s pretty freaking good at Scrabble

Almost 9,000 people crammed into the Metro Toronto Convention Centre yesterday for the Toronto leg of Oprah Winfrey’s Lifeclass tour, and Lady O didn’t disappoint. A four hour wait preceded her second show of the day — a live taping of her forgiveness-themed Lifeclass episode — during which time speakers Bishop T.D. Jakes, Deepak Chopra, Iyanla Vanzant and Tony Robbins pumped up the crowd for the talk show queen’s imminent appearance.

Celebrity chef Corbin Tomaszeski brings fondue franchise — and a new take on double dipping — to the GTA

Sure, seeing the words “melting pot” in conjunction with the GTA is disconcertingly cliché, but in this case it’s warranted. The Melting Pot, North America’s largest fondue franchise, is opening its first Ontario location in Richmond Hill this month, and the man behind the project is owner Corbin Tomaszeski of Restaurant Makeover and C5 fame.

NXNE reveals its 2012 lineup, including free concerts from Bad Religion, Matthew Good and The Flaming Lips

North by Northeast and AOL Canada have just announced the headliners for this year’s music and film festival. Now in its 18th year, NXNE will feature 40 films and 650 bands, including free concerts at Yonge-Dundas Square from Bad Religion, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, Matthew Good and three-time Grammy award winners The Flaming Lips. Other noteworthy acts include Of Montreal, No Use for a Name, Hollerado and more.

Is Dundas West the new Queen West? Comrags announces new stomping grounds

Remember when Queen West was known for being the best shopping strip in the city? From local designers to cool indie shops, the street’s sprawl grew fast. But lately we’ve noticed more papered-up windows and closing sales than ever, leading us to recently report on what everyone’s been thinking: “What’s up with Queen West?”

Trending in Theatre This Week: The Game of Love and Chance, The Tales of Hoffmann, The Melville Boys, Armide and more

In The Game of Love and Chance, a betrothed couple who have never met trade places with their servants in order to spy on each other before they say “I do.”
Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front St. E., 416-368-3110. April 16-May 12.

Canuck style on show at Muttonhead Collective pop-up

The girls behind local unisex apparel brand Muttonhead Collective are quickly garnering a (well-deserved) name around Toronto as leaders in the patriotic pop-up shop. Having consistently acted as the gracious hosts behind some of the best roving boutiques to hit the city of late, the collective’s newest feat, the Mutts & Co. Traveling Market on College Street, could be its best yet.

Morning Throwback: in the early 1900s, cutting grass as a child was the key to self-actualization

For some of us, cutting grass as kids was a rite of passage. Certainly, these boys in 1909 proved their salt and then some. Armed with a creaky old ladder and a sickle from the local butcher shop, they carved the heck out of a slope on Davenport like it was a turkey on Thanksgiving. From the looks on their faces, it seems that their hard work was well worth that rewarding pack of smokes.

Factory Theatre to open spring fest with a heartwarming tale of racial harmony

Factory Theatre kicks off its Performance Spring festival of new Canadian works on Wednesday (April 18) with shows aimed at Toronto-based Newfoundlanders. Oil and Water tells the true story of Lanier Phillips, who was the only African-American survivor from the USS Truxton, which ran aground near St. Lawrence, Nfld., in 1942.

Parkdale’s Easy Restaurant is expanding to Little Italy

The food Gods have been kind to Little Italy as of late, and there’s more yet to come. College Street is about to get its very own incarnation of Easy Restaurant, Parkdale’s retro-inspired daytime diner. Owner Peter Morrison expects to open his new venue by early May.

Rock ’n’ Roll Revival Hour: Dirty Ghosts, Owen Pallett, Hidden Cameras, The Sadies

Sometimes when people leave Toronto, good things happen. And that seems to be the case with Allyson Baker, a talented young musician who moved out to San Francisco 11 years ago. Baker was back in town with her new project, Dirty Ghosts, on Saturday, hot on the heels of the band’s new and entirely cool album Metal Moon.

La Carnita, Toronto’s roving taco shop, plants its roots on College Street

Torono’s insanely popular pop-up taquería La Carnita is a pop-up no longer. As Corey Mintz reports on Toronto.com, La Carnita has found a permanent home at 501 College Street, in the site of the just-closed Briscola Trattoria.

Transit talk is more bluster than benefit

Despite subway setback, Rob Ford’s unhealthy city agenda stands

Blog