Casa Loma

Posted on February 10, 2012 by

Casa Loma. Image Credit: Simon P via Wikipedia.

One of the most romantic landmarks in Toronto has to be Casa Loma, a Gothic Revival castle built between 1911 and 1914 by financier Sir Henry Miller Pellatt for as a residence for him and his wife. Named Casa Loma, which is Spanish for Hill House, it is now a popular tourist attraction that sits atop a hill on 1 Austin Terrance near Dupont Subway Station.

This structure was a manifestation of one man’s dream to create a mansion based on the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec.

In 1903, the estate was purchased and the architect E.J. Lennox was commissioned to design enormous stables, potting shed and a coach house a few hundred feet north of the main site. The total cost of construction was $3.5 million dollars in 1911 and three hundred workers were required to build it from the ground up. The resulting seventeen thousand square metres become the largest, most luxurious residence in the country. It already had modern features such as an elevator, an industrial oven, secret passages and plans were to include three bowling alleys.

When the high cost of maintaining Casa Loma had proved too much for Pellatt, the City of Toronto seized it for outstanding back taxes.

In 1937, Casa Loma became a museum and venue for events. While Casa Loma was only a residence for about ten years, it leaves a longer legacy than that. It displays the grandeur of one man’s dream to build a mansion, or a castle, for himself and his family.

Casa Loma is open to the public daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for certain holidays. The house is open to the public to view the completed decorated suites, wander through the secret passages, stables and five acre estate gardens as well as ascend the towers. Adult tickets are $20.55, seniors and youths (11-14 years) are $14.63, and children (4-13 years) are $11.32. All prices include tax.

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Sound Affects CD Release Party

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

Show Poster. Image Credit: ImpressionableYouth Media.

While you are visiting Toronto, there are a few obligatory things you should see. There are the tourist attractions such as the CN Tower, the Skydome (also known as the Rogers Centre), the Royal Ontario Museum and a few other typical attractions that everybody expects you to see. But why not try something that is a little bit more exciting and a lot more local?

On Tuesday, the El Mocambo and Impressionable Youth Media will be hosting the Sound Affects CD Release Party. How is this relevant you may ask? Well, here at the top reasons why this is a little slice of the Toronto Music Scene:

1.  100% of the proceeds from tickets and album sales of the show will go towards the award winning children’s charity War Child Canada, a non-profit organisation that helps to raise awareness and support war affected children globally through local and international initiatives.

2. The El Mocambo is a Toronto institution since its inception in 1850. It has attracted many influential acts over the years, including the Rolling Stones, and due to its location on Spadina Avenue, just south of College Street, close to the University of Toronto, Ryerson University and George Brown College, it is a hub for young music fans. There will be lots of local hipsters in and around the area.

3. The show will feature Brett Caswell, The Sweet Mack, Alright Alright and The Elwins. All of these talented local Canadian musicians have also donated their time to contribute to the compilation album.

The Sound Affects CD Release Party takes place on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Doors at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10 at the door. You can also RSVP to the event on Facebook.

So do it for the War Child kids affected by war! Do it for the music! Do it to see what the Toronto spirit is all about!

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The AGO

Posted on January 27, 2012 by

Frank Gehry-designed spiral staircase in the Walker Court of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Image Credit: Camille King via Wikipedia.The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is a art museum on Dundas Street West, between McCaul and Beverley Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. At over 45,000 square metres of interior space, it is one of the largest art galleries in North America, and the largest in Ontario with 80,000 pieces of art work spanning the decades.

It has hosted many important special exhibitions, but its permanent collection includes the largest collection of Canadian art in the world. It also houses works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, European art, African and Oceanic art, as well as a modern and contemporary collection. There is  a large collection of photography, drawings and prints. The Henry Moore Sculpture Centre is an iconic part of the gallery, but there are also other sculptural displays as well as film, video, graphic art, installations, architecture and other three dimensional forms.

While the building was first constructed in 1922, its latest incarnation was developed by star architect Frank Gehry in 2004, which opened to the public in November 2008. This building space included a new entrance as well as a four story wing made of glass and titanium, which overlooks Grange Park. On the front of the building, a new wood and glass façade called the Galleria Italia along Dundas Street allows the AGO to be easily recognizable from a distance. A key interior piece is a sculptural spiral staircase that seems to float on air, linking the main event space with the Centre for Contemporary Art.

These new spaces houses an extensive collection from the famous Canadian Group of Seven, and works ranging from up-and-coming contemporary artists to well known historical pieces. The AGO is a comprehensive display of art and it is well worth it to spend a day wandering the galleries. It is short walking distance from Backpackers on Dundas.

General admission is $19.50, seniors’ tickets are $16, student and youths are $11, while children five and younger are permitted free entry. A family pass is available for $49 for two adults and up to five youths. Note that there is free entry to the Permanent Collection on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Ontario high school students can also see the Permanent Collection for free Tuesday through Friday after 3 p.m. with a valid student ID.

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What’s on this Weekend: Saturday 21 to Sunday 22, January 2012

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

Los Campesinos. Image Credit: Los Campesinos Offical Press Photo.

What: The Lunarfest 2012 Lunar New Year Festival celebrates the Year of the Dragon with multi-disciplinary expressions of Chinese tradition. There will be visual installations, puppet shows, workshops, traditional Chinese New Year activities and of course, culinary treats. There will also be a series of Lunar Skate programs with merge Canadian skating culture with Asian New Year traditions.
When: All day from Friday, January 20 to Tuesday, January 24, 2012.
Where: Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON).
Cost: Free.
More info: See the official site.

What: Costume 101 Seminars for aspiring costume designers for film and television. This is the place to be if you have ever dreamed of playing dress up for a living and aiding in the creation of character personalities on the big and small screen.
When: Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where:  TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King West, Toronto, ON)
Cost: $230, single seminar $20.
For more info and to register: Email mailto:elearning@caftcad.com

Who & What: Twee power pop group Los Campesinos are playing a two night bill with openers Parenthetical Girls.
When: Saturday, January 21 and Sunday, January 22, 2012, doors at 9 p.m.
Where: Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON)
Cost: $20.
For more info: Check out the Official site of Lee’s Palace.

What: Monster Jam, where top Monster Jam trucks entertain with jumps, stunts and thrills. Get set for pure gasoline driven testosterone.
When: Sunday, January 22, 2012 and Monday, January 23, 2012 at 11 a.m.
Where: Rogers Centre (1 Blue Jays Way, Toronto, ON)
Cost: $20 – $50.
For more info: See the official site.

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Activities this Weekend: Saturday, January 14 to Sunday, January 15, 2012

Posted on January 13, 2012 by

Official Poster. Image Credit: Bashed! All Girls Pillow Fight Revue organizers.

What: Bashed! All Girl Pillow Fight Revue, a spectacle where extraordinary women prove their pillow prowess in on the underrated art of pillow fighting. The organizers expect us to be shocked and amazed at unexpected events throughout the night!
When: Saturday, January 14, 2011 at 10 p.m.
Where: Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON)
Cost: $20 at the door, $15 in advance.
More info: Official site.

What: The Toronto International Boat Show comes back to this year with an indoor wakeboarding pool, watersports, seminars, fishing trips, power boats, canoes, kayaks, fishing boats, trawlers and much more.
The annual visitor’s favourite – The Lake – is back again this year. The world’s largest indoor lake for boaters is used by both novice and experienced boaters to test and discover boating in canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and inflatable devices. The Lake will also feature wakeboarding and boat-handling demonstrations.
The Discover Boating centre offers free resources for experts and you can hear Zac and Abby Sunderland, the youngest people to ever circumnavigate the seas and Cape Horn. There is also Island Village, with the sounds of the Caribbean.
When: Saturdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekdays 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., show runs until January 22, 2012.
Where: Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place (100 Princes’ Boulevard, Toronto, ON).
Cost: $18 general admission, $15 for seniors, $20 unlimited weekday evening pass, $25 two day adult pass, $19 two day senior pass and free for children 16 years and under when accompanied by an adult.
More info: Official site.

What: DJ Skate Night beside the Harbourfront, where your nighttime skating experience is heightened by music and lights. It is the perfect place for a winter outing. You can boogie down and enjoy one of winter’s favourite activities at the same time!
When: Saturday 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., runs Saturday until February 19.
Where: Harbourfront Ice Rink (235 Queens Quay, Toronto, ON).
Cost: Free. There is a fee for skate rentals.
More info:  Office site.

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Toronto Chinatowns

Posted on January 6, 2012 by

Chinatown Toronto Spadina Avenue and Sullivan Road in 2009. Image Credit: chensiyuan via Wikipedia.

Every city has a Chinatown, but to the size and importance of various Asian settlements in the City, there are a few Chinatowns in the city. Here’s a quick breakdown of where they are:

The Old Chinatown:

This is the largest and oldest Chinatown in Toronto, based at the intersection of Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street. This area grew massively in the 1960s due to the lifting of racial exclusion policies and Chinese businesses expanded in this area. While an earlier Chinatown had been existed and demolished, this became the main business centre for the Asian community and it is bound between Spadina Avenue, Dundas Street, College Street and University Avenue.

East Chinatown:

Based in the Riverdale neighbourhood, this area grew out of property increases in the downtown Chinatown. Thus a smaller, secondary Chinatown was formed and it is based on Gerrard Street between Broadview Avenue and Carlaw Avenue. Like the Old Chinatown, this is only a short TTC ride from the Backpackers on Dundas.

Mississauga Chinese Centre:

While this one is in a western suburb within the Greater Toronto Area, it is quite a distance away from the downtown core. It is in the City of Mississauga and hosts a replica of the Nine Dragon Wall, a Garden pavilion, stone sculptures and fortress at the Great Wall. Located at 888 Dundas Street East, Mississauga, ON, it has many shops and restaurants.

Pacific Mall:

This is the one of the largest indoor Asian shopping centres in Canada. Located on the northeast side of Steeles Avenue and Kennedy Road in Markham, ON, the general vicinity also includes Market Village and another shopping plaza, which cumulatively have over 500 shops and restaurants. The Town of Markham is based on a high population of Asian descent, making the location a very popular for eating and shopping.

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Get Ready for 2012!

Posted on December 27, 2011 by

The Elwins will be playing the Tranzac this New Year's Eve. Image Credit: Dave Meisner,

Here’s a short guide to what’s happening this New Year’s Eve in Toronto:

What: New Year’s Eve Fetish Ball.
When: 9:30 p.m.
Where: Opera House (735 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON).
Cost: $25 advance or $30 at the door.
Info: This is the first New Year’s event at the Opera House and it is bound to be a memorable event as the dress code is to be fetish inspired.

What: The Back in the Day 90’s New Year’s Eve.
When: 9:30 p.m.
Where: Sound Academy (11 Polson Pier, Toronto, ON)
Cost: $20 in advance.
Info: For all those that complain about how it’s another year to get older, here you can revel in the days of the 90’s with musical tribute to old school hip hop, R&B, House, Reggae, Pop and TV show themes. The bar will be extended until 3 a.m. and there will also be alive countdown from Times Square in New York, midnight champagne toast, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and party favours.

What: New Year’s Eve with Steve Aoki and Thomas Gold.
When: 9:30 p.m.
Where: Koolhaus (132 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON).
Cost: $70.
Info: Celebrate the New Year in style with some of the most popular international DJs.

What: The Garrison New Year’s Eve 2012.
When: 9:30 p.m.
Where: The Garrison (1197 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON).
Cost: $20 in advance.
Info: The popular bar will be spinning tunes with Going Steady DJ’s Chronologic in the big room and Shit la Merde in the front room. This will be a place for trendy hipsters and Queen West crowd.

What: Tranzac New Year’s Eve.
When: 8 p.m.
Where: Tranzac (292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto, ON).
Cost: $12 advance or $15 at the door.
Info: See a great line up of bands including the Elwins, Maylee Todd, Drumheller, Rouge, Moon King, Dr. EW, Kite Hill, the Weather Station, Lisa Bozikovic and much more.

What: Citytv New Year’s Bash 2012.
When: 10 p.m.
Where: Nathan Phillips Square (100 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON).
Cost: Free.
Info: The annual outdoor all-ages event takes place again this year where favourite local Citytv personalities take over the square to host the bash. This year will feature performances by Karl Wolf, Howie D, Anjulie, JDRN, Neverest, Aleesia and more!

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