Salad King is not gone forever. For that I’m thankful. The sight of debris and large construction fences around Yonge and Gould were ominous enough. Salad King’s website still shows their April 22nd update regarding their closure due to their building falling on the street. I wondered months ago whether the “reno” by the new street level corner tenant resulted in one less support. The reno seemed to create a longer 3 pane window. I could be mistaken but it’s obvious something was not right after the work was done and the new business moved in.

Flash forward to whatever transpired with the building post-reno and dangerous debris is falling on the street. Saddest, for me, is that one of my fave restaurants that has been forced to close until who knows when???!!!

Not about to go to Don Mills to check out Salad King’s upscale Linda location but mmm it’s tempting. Thankful that no one was injured but my fave Thai restaurant in Toronto is still a victim!

Toronto owes so much to Jane Jacobs. This weekend she’s celebrated with over 120 walks across the city. She is also being honoured around the world with Jane’s Walks in 68 cities worldwide (29 in Canada, 32 in the U.S, 7 internationally). That’s over 400 walking tours around the world! What a wonderful way to rediscover one’s neighbourhood (and neighbours).

Jane’s Walk Day
May 1st and 2nd
see http://janeswalk.net/cities/category/toronto/ for details on Toronto events

I hope my fellow Torontonians filed their taxes by yesterdays deadline. How else could we fund and provide for our heroic public service providers. Services that are so often taken for granted like Toronto Fire Services. As much as everyone likes to grunt and grown during tax season it is a necessary evil. One only has to look at the outstanding work of the Fire Department and how the handled a dangerous roof fire in less than one hour. Your tax dollars at work indeed!

I’ve heard first hand about some wheelers and dealers in Toronto and their love of rock star nights on the town. Not to say that all patrons of Toronto’s fine venues are thieves and crooks, but not everyone can wine and dine themselves with $10,000+ diners and afford that lifestyle through legal means.

The Toronto Star has an interesting article regarding some drama after a night at Harbour 60. This article may shed some light on the lenient sentence Rahim Jaffer after facing charges of drunk driving and cocaine possession. Although Jaffer may have boasted insider influence in the past but the Conservatives are denying any ties to him at present.

As a whole it is disturbing how tough on crime we appear to be but how soft things are for white collar criminals. Time will tell whether any justice will be served. Unfortunately crime knows not of a recession.

I caught the new Atom Egoyan film Friday night. I missed it at TIFF and I’m glad I finally got to see it. Chloe is a well acted movie set here in Toronto starring Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and Amanda Seyfried. An interesting “bonus” for the Toronto movie watcher is to see the city as yet another character in the film.

Originally this remake of the French film Nathalie, starring Gérard Depardieu, was to be set in San Francisco. I’m glad that Ivan Reitman simply produced the film and hired Egoyan work for the project. Egoyan brought an interesting take on the material. He also threw in a slew of Toronto locations which are shamelessly featured without the usual alterations to turn them into a real or fictionalized US cityscape. From Yorkville, Allan Gardens, The Rivoli, photos by Edward Burtynsky, even the quaint College retreat Café Diplomatico form the backdrop for this erotic thriller. The chilling subject matter is handled with sophistication.

It’s a relief to see some great cinema on the big screen. So few movie releases have Canadian content let alone a Canadian city as its location. Atom Egoyan delivers both and shines again.

I know everyone has been just thrilled with all the post Olympic political action lately. It’s nearly as exciting as the record Winter Olympic frenzy. The Federal speech from the throne, a Federal budget and let’s not forget Ontario’s speech from the throne a few days ago. It has many armchair athletes turning to armchair politicians.

The latest heart stopping event. A press conference that Mayor Miller called yesterday. So press and citizens were all in a frenzy when Mayor Miller was about to announce “something”. The “let down”, it seems for most, is that the estimated surplus Toronto expected to post for 2009 was actually $100 million more than forecast. People are mad?! Really? During a recession, difficult (often questionable) service fees and labour unrest the city managed to post a bigger than expected surplus. Oh. Get this, they are willing charge (gouge) less for property taxes based on these surplus funds. How is this a bad thing? Oh, and Miller asked Ontario to keep its promise to fund the TTC. This is hardly something to really complain about.

Hey political cheerleaders out there. Miller’s reign has not been perfect but it is hardly as horrible as people cry about. Sorry to the whiners but you can’t exactly cry about getting this present. We are lucky to get it. Judging from the stink the Parliamentary Budget Officer is making about the Federal Government’s structural deficits and unsustainable budget we will have enough to cry about in a few years (months if another election is called). I hope the hot air spewing about is preparation for voters getting out of their armchairs and out to the ballot boxes. If not you can always sit back down and watch the opening of the Paralympics tomorrow.

Do cheap drinks, no cover and 1/2 price wings sound like music to your ears? What about the musical stylings of Dan Arget?

Yes Tuesday night is Drink and Destroy night at 751. On tap will be a premiere of This Time Tomorrow, a sick skate video with Philly flava and footage gathered from the East Coast, London UK, Paris, Athens, Berlin and more. Catch the screening and you’ll also have a chance to pick up the latest issue of COLOR magazine. Spring is nearly hear. Get your stoke on around 9pm.

This Time Tomorrow Premiere / COLOR 8.1 Party
Tuesday March 9, 2010
Drink & Destroy @ 751
751 Queen Street West
No cover. 19+

Quest for Fire rocking out in the Hammer. They headlined at the Casbah February 27, 2010.

Made the trip out to Hamilton to see Toronto’s Quest For Fire. The band has been “on pause” with some members working on other projects like Pink Mountaintops. Glad they are “back”. Word is that they will have a new album later this year. Can’t wait. Until then their next show in Toronto is at the Garrison Saturday (March 6th).

Wow! Some great news on a Friday. There is talk of a revival of Carlton Cinemas. Magic Lantern Theatres and Rainbow Cinemas have been committed to keeping the tradition of neighbourhood and community movie theatres alive and will be working to bring back the Carlton. I can’t think of a better entity to do that. They hope to reopen it in June 2010. It will be great to go venture east of College subway again to catch a great indie, first-run, documentary, Foreign or Canadian-made features at the Carlton once more. A small piece of this city’s cinematic history is being revived!

Canaille, the rich and dynamic Toronto jazz quartet, hit the stage again this Friday. You may have caught their set at Wavelength 500 which was amazing. Check out their new full length on iTunes or Zunior or better yet LIVE THIS FRIDAY…

Friday February 18, 2010
Canaille at the Holy Oak Cafe
1241 Bloor St, just east of Lansdowne
PWYC

Tortoise are touring the East coast and land in Toronto Thursday! Glad to have the opportunity to see them again. The latest and 6th full length album, BEACONS OF ANCESTORSHIP, is another solid effort. One of the trailblazers on the epic Thrill Jockey label and definitely worth checking out, especially LIVE!

Thursday February 18, 2010

Tortoise with Dissapears at Lee’s Palace
529 Bloor St. W. Toronto
19+
$20.00 at the door

Wavelength 500 kicks off Wednesday night. That’s 10 years of great indie rock goodness culminating in a huge super festival. Come out a catch Bruce Peninsula, Evening Hymns, Pony da Look, Deep Dark United, and Canaille. A full festival pass costs $50 but that will get you all the stacked shows from Wednesday through Sunday.

Check the Wavelength site for more details. Not to be missed!

Wavelength 500 – Show #1 – February 10, 2010
The Music Gallery
197 John Street
Bruce Peninsula, Evening Hymns, Pony da Look, Deep Dark United, and the Canaille
Doors 7pm
$12 adv / $15 door ($10 Music Gallery members)

A real double feature for Toronto’s skateboarders (in hibernation or otherwise). Both the Girl/AntiHero tour video “Beauty and the Beast 2” and “TENS” will be screened at The Bait Shop.

Double Feature at The Bait Shop – Beauty and the Beast and TENS
358 Dufferin Street, Suite 117
Toronto, Ontario, M6K 1Z8

Saturday January 30th
Doors at 7pm, vids start at 9pm.
Cash Bar
Open session on the mini ramp
(note 751 afterparty for those inclined…)

Toronto's PFL stopped in at the Casbah in Hamilton Thursday. Oh, the carnage!

The Pillow Fight League only gets better. I missed #36 at the Mod Club and decided to make the trek to Hamilton to catch Fight #37.

This was the first match ever to be hosted in Hamilton and the PFL didn’t dissapoint. The Casbah turned out to be a perfect venue. Judging by screams and enthusiasm from the crowd some new fans were converted.

Don’t worry Hamilton has hijacked the PFL. The next Toronto match promises to be an exciting new chapter. (One that involves SATURDAY NIGHTS instead of weeknights!).

PFL 39 – NEW DAY RISING!

Saturday Feb. 27, 2010
$12 in advance, $15 at door
Doors 9 pm, fights 10 pm

GZA rocked the house with Pro Tools and Liquid Swords at the Sound Academy on January 25th, 2010.

Despite a deep set of opening acts and the usual mild mannered Toronto crowd GZA, rocked the Sound Academy. Opening for GZA (and what a difficult task that must have been!!!) were The WILDcore, Skratch Bastid, and Shing Shing Regime.

The WILDcore started the evening and were an interesting mix of live instruments, some DJing and MC’s. Glad that they were not the horrible rap metal of the 90’s. They seemed to blend break beats and mixed them with interesting pop/rock/even pop punk edginess.

Skratch Bastid‘s set was an impressive showcase of turntablism. Like a good DJ he stirred the ground and built up the momentum.

Shing Shing Regime held their own. I’m sure these guys will continue to make Ontario proud with solid Hip Hop.

Of course the headliner came correct. MC Gary Grice aka The Genius aka The GZA… Delivered, period…