The Breakfast Hub: Toronto Hydro not for sale (yet), a controversial guest lecturer, committee votes against library closures

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8:08 am

Members of the mayor’s executive committee say they need more time to decide whether they will support a 10 per cent sale of Toronto Hydro. A decision will likely be made in the new year.
[Globe and Mail]

Who would invite disgraced former pathologist Charles Smith to speak at a high school east of Toronto? That’s the question that parents of many students would like answered
[Toronto Sun]

Toronto’s library budget committee has voted unanimously against closing branches.
[Globe and Mail]

Doctors conducting an ultrasound found what appears to look like a man’s face in a tumour.
[Toronto Star]

And the count keeps growing as a seventh suspicious package is found at Amazing Party and Costume.
[CBC]

What’s the dirtiest surface you encounter on the regular? The gas pump, apparently. As if filling up your gas tank didn’t hurt enough already!
[Toronto Star]

Who to look out for at this year’s One of a Kind show

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2:28 pm

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Holiday shopping at the mall is mayhem. Not only that, but the gift options are generic at best. We believe that a present is most meaningful when it is thoughtful and unique, which is why kicking off your holiday shopping at the winter One of a Kind show is not a bad start. Featuring over 800 artisans, the show brings together a selected group of talented Canadians to showcase and sell their handmade crafts.

Below, a look at some of this year’s stars, who are selling everything from fashion to food.

Hoi Bo

Sarra Tang, the designer behind Toronto-based handbag and accessories line Hoi Bo, is a self-taught design school drop out. Her work is a marriage of innovation and a love of making things, and her hand-made, high-quality bags are favoured by the Toronto fash-pack. Find her at booth G-35.

Eve Gravel Design

Montreal-based womenswear designer Eve Gravel is known by women nationwide for her line’s freshness and daring cuts. Her star styles include the “Frankenweenie” dress, “Claudel” top and “Black Keys” dress. Find her at booth Q-54.

Coucou Salut

Illustrator, graphic designer and textile artist Shannon Adolph is a self-proclaimed vintage nut. She combines her talent and interests to create a line of illustrated and hand-printed home accessories that are inspired by the ‘50s and ‘60s. Find her in booth H-43.

Odile Chocolat

Walking around Toronto and discovering great cookbooks, fruits and spices are what inspire 59-year old chocolatier Odile Chatelain. All of her products are hand-dipped with distinct design, and made only from top-notch ingredients. Find her at Booth D-43.

Lesley-Anne Green

Tiny pigs in even tinier sweaters, lions and elephants with winter coats are just a few of the whimsical animals to expect from self-taught needle felter Lesley-Anne Green. Get lost in her miniature world — inspired by children’s book illustrations — at booth Q-22.

A.J.

Amélie Lucier and Julien Mongeau work together out of Montreal to create and produce functional and decorative pieces in blown glass and ceramics. They are one of the only Canadian artisans who combine two different materials of glass and ceramics in the same products. Look out for their colourful citrus juicers at booth G-51.

One Of A Kind Show, Nov. 24-Dec. 4

Theatre Review: FELA!

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1:40 pm

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Mark this coming Sunday on your calendar — and every day before that. These are the remaining days to see FELA! in Toronto, one of the most satisfying evenings of musical theatre in years that is being joyously performed at the Canon Theatre.

Sometimes, it is more rewarding to know the background of a show. West Side Story, for instance, is deeply gratifying, but if you are familiar with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the remarkable parallels with the classic earlier play make the entire experience deeper and more pleasurable.

With that in mind, FELA! is essentially a biography of Nigerian composer Fela Anikulapo Kuti, one of the giants of an irresistible music that grew out of Africa in the '70s — with many American influences, such as Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra and James Brown (who makes a brief, hilarious appearance) — called Afrobeat.

Kuti was a man who challenged the corrupt, violent and often murderous thugs who ran his home and native land into the ground; a man who was arrested hundreds of times; who witnessed his activist mother thrown from his compound window to her death. In other words, FELA! is no “jukebox musical,” in the tradition of Jersey Boys, although it does cover the turbulent life, times and music of a marvelous artist.

It is not often that we encounter headlines flashed above a stage, describing arrests, murders, starvation and oppression as we watch the voluptuous moves of a dozen-plus beautiful, sensual, wild, colourfully-dressed women, all while listening to haunting, melodic drums and saxophones. The pace rarely flags.

It is not surprising that the star of this too-briefly-visiting show, Sahr Ngaujah, was nominated for Broadway's Tony Award, along with Olivier Awards in London.

The award-winning director, choreographer and co-author of the book, the much-admired Bill T. Jones, is not perfect, even if most of the music — nearly all written by the great Fela Kuti himself — is.

Too many questions are raised, and too few answered: did Kuti really marry over a dozen women at the same time? Did he actually run for the presidency of his tragically mishandled country, as his character promises so often? Was his early death in his late 50s caused by his many arrests and beatings?

Ultimately, that is a petty protest, because this profoundly enjoyable evening is less a work of theatre than a highly successful attempt to depict “a last concert” at Kuti's own Afrika Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria.

Fela Kuti was clearly a fabulously gifted musician, bandleader and composer, and if you didn't dance into the Canon Theatre, you are assured to be dancing out two-and-a-half hours later. If only more musical theatre was this rewarding, this memorable and this exciting: it has truly earned the Oliver!–type exclamation mark at the end of its title.

Major discounts are being offered by Mirvish over this last week of performances, so reach for the phone now. What an experience FELA! gives you.

Catherine Foster, Sahr Ngaujah and Nicole de Weever (Image: Monique Carboni)

FELA!, Canon Theatre, Oct. 25-Nov. 6

Allan Gould is Post City Magazines’ theatre critic. He has a Ph.D. in english and theatre from York University and has written over 40 books. His writing has appeared in Toronto Life, Chatelaine, en Route, Canadian Business, Good Times and Financial Post. He is married with two children. Aside from his family, his major passions are theatre and film, because they enrich life with pleasure and meaning.

New York-style pizzeria Bigabaldi’s is down, but not out

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12:48 pm

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Less than a year into the pie-making business, Bigabaldi’s pizzeria has already closed its doors. Co-owner Bradley Davidson cites a lack of foot traffic in the area along with the plethora of cheaper chain pizza options nearby (there are four) as reasons leading to the closure. But New York-style pizza lovers fear not: Bigabaldi’s is preparing to return to the Toronto market in a few months.

Along with Davidson, co-owners Rob Prete (of Coquine) and Sandro Bustamente (executive chef at Coquine) will be re-opening the pizzeria at a new, smaller location in the Yonge and Eglinton area. The smaller location will also come with a smaller menu (expect less pastas and salads). Whether special treats such as the mozzarella rice balls will remain is yet to be determined.

Another change will be the absence of Davidson behind the counter. A former restaurant owner in Belize, he will be returning there to become the food and beverage director for Francis Ford Coppola’s Turtle Inn and Blancaneaux resorts. His role with Bigabaldi’s will be as a silent partner.

In the meantime, there's always deep dish pizza.

The Breakfast Hub: Rob Ford’s business cards, the five-hour police chase, another suspicious package at costume store

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12:23 pm

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Taxpayers won’t be on the hook for Mayor Rob Ford’s business cards: he plans on paying for them himself.
[Toronto Sun]

After a five-hour police chase across GTA freeways, the driver of an allegedly stolen transport truck pulled over and surrendered to police. The bigger story? How it managed to drive along GTA roadways for five hours without hitting traffic!
[CBC]

In ongoing drama at the Amazing Party and Costume store, yet another suspicious package has found, bringing the total to five so far. The owner estimates he has lost $300,000 while the store has been closed during the ordeal.
[Globe and Mail]

Over 500 Occupy Toronto protesters are in it for the long haul. They are preparing for the winter by setting up yurts.
[Toronto Sun]

A partial sale of Toronto Hydro is set to go to a first vote before council today.
[CBC]

Something strange in the neighbourhood? Call the Paranomal Investigation Society of Toronto

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11:49 am

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With Halloween’s arrival, there is an increased — if fleeting — obsession with the occult. But if actual undead entities start commingling with their flesh-and-blood counterparts this year, it's time to call the Paranormal Investigation Society of Toronto (PIST).

When PIST was formed in 2006, its initial role was to simply investigate reports of ghosts and other paranormal activities, but the society's influence has evolved since then.

For Gary Holgate, the society’s founder, the original “ghost hunts” didn’t offer as much of an educational focus as he would have liked. Now, he features guest speakers from all over the world at workshops and seminars, including ex-employees from the infamous Area 51, members of international paranormal societies and at least one voodoo priest.

Since doing so, Holgate’s group has expanded to nearly 1,000 members in Toronto. New groups have also been created in Niagara and Hamilton.

“I wanted to introduce an educational component to it, because nobody else had really done that,” he says. “You can take people out and do this, but you’re not really teaching them anything. If you don’t find a ghost, then it really becomes a waste of an experience.”

So what kind of ghosts has the society uncovered? Holgate's experiences with the paranormal are varied: he has encountered flashing orbs and rapid temperature drops of up to 15 degrees. He's caught various ghostly incarnations on camera. He also recalls one incident when a ghost corrected a mistake he made while reading out a tombstone inscription.

In Toronto, there are a number of other societies that investigate paranormal activity. They include the Toronto Ghosts and Hauntings Research Society as well as the Cold Spot Paranormal Research and Investigation Unit. Both of these groups conduct investigations on properties where reports of ghostly and paranormal sightings have been made.

For those seeking paranormal activity — rather than reporting it — there are a number of companies that offer tours around the city, stopping at such sites as the University of Toronto and the Royal Ontario Museum.

We can’t promise that you'll find any ghosts, but it’s bound to be more enjoyable than raiding your kids’ treat bags.

Wreck your cake and eat it too

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Cakes are delicious, but they can also be pretty funny. Just ask blogger Jen Yates, whose blog, Cake Wrecks, catalogues the most hilarious — and horrific — cakes you’ve ever feasted your eyes on. A prime example of how a successful blog can transform someone from obscurity into a pop culture phenomenon, Yates is making her first-ever stop in Toronto to promote her newest book, Wreck the Halls: Cake Wrecks Gets "Festive", at Indigo Yorkdale tomorrow.

We caught up with the blogger to discuss cake, and why it’s awesome.

So Cake Wrecks. How did that happen?
By accident, really. A friend e-mailed me the now famous "Best wishes Suzanne/Under Neat That/We Will Miss You" cake, and I thought it would be a funny subject matter for a blog. I started it that very night, just having fun and never expecting anyone to ever read it. I told maybe half a dozen friends. After a few weeks, though, people started finding the site and spreading the word. It snowballed quickly, and the rest is history.

Why do you think your blog has become so popular? Why do people love cake wrecks so much?
I think it's because Cake Wrecks is easy, relatable humor. You don't have to be a certain age or from a certain walk of life to "get" it; our readers range from four to 104, from nearly every country, from grade school kids to doctors and everything in between.

Plus it's cake — who doesn't love cake?

So before Cake Wrecks came into your life, what were you doing?
Well, John [Yates’ husband] and I were painters before Cake Wrecks. Actually we were faux finishers, which are just fancy kinds of house painters. We had our own little company for 10 years, just the two of us, but when the economy went downhill so did our business. We were very fortunate that that was when Cake Wrecks really started to take off, so we made a surprisingly smooth transition from painters to bloggers over the course of about a year.

What makes a good cake wreck?
That depends who you ask, because everyone has a different favorite category. Lots of people love the missed marks: the "what-they-ordered" versus "what-they-got" wrecks. Others love the literal mistakes: when a baker writes out the instructions, i.e. "Write happy birthday in all caps." Then there are the ridiculous misspellings, the gruesome baby shower body cakes, the mystery animals, etc. Personally I think they're ALL "good" wrecks!

Tell us about the new book.
Wreck the Halls is mostly holiday wrecks, which tend to be my favorites. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and plenty of extras are all thrown in. I had a lot of fun with it, and I think it shows.

Writing a book, while also writing and maintaining two blogs (I also have a geek girl site called Epbot) is tough, to say the least. Mostly I just never left the office. I'd wake up, log on, and be up 'til 4 a.m. each morning working. I really love what I do, though, so that definitely helps.

It's hard to pick a favorite section, but it's between the how-to-cook-your-turkey chapter and the Sci-Fi one. (Because, yes, I included a Star Wars/Star Trek chapter in a holiday book. Obviously.)

What's next for you? Do you see a life without cake wrecks?
I started Cake Wrecks because I like to write, and I thought pictures of funny cakes would be a fun excuse to do so. I love finding the funny — making up stories, creating ridiculous dialogue, playing with puns, etc. So, yes, I can envision a day without Cake Wrecks, but I can't imagine a day without writing — a day without making people laugh.

What's the weirdest thing that's happened to you since your blogging success?
I'd call the success the weirdest part, hands down. Go from barely knowing what blogging is to having 50,000 daily readers in the span of three months and you'll know what I mean. Totally surreal. Even after three years, I still find it all quite dizzying.

What do you think are the secret ingredients behind a successful blog?
A creative spark, originality, hard work, good manners, consistency and a healthy dash of luck.

Do you still like to eat cake?
HECK YEAH.

Yeah, Beautylicious has a pretty awkward name. We’ll still check it out though

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So long as our email inboxes stay relatively clear of group coupon spam, we’re suckers for good bargains. Winterlicious? Sure. Summerlicious? We’ll usually give it a shot. Beautylicious? … Huh?

Yep, you read that right: Beautylicious. It’s a Yorkville-wide “sale” on beauty-related services, and it kicked off last week. Latching on to the same philosophy as the city’s other (unaffiliated) ‘liciouses, a number of well-known enterprises are participating in this year’s 10-day-long promotion. Meaning that you can get that $500 blowout for a mere $350. (We kid. Kind of.)

At the risk of echoing what you’ll likely deduce for yourself, this is a not-so terrible opportunity to get acquainted with local salon/spa stalwarts like Greg May Hair Architects, Marc Anthony Salon, Holts Salon and Spa, Pure + Simple, and the spa at the Windsor Arms Hotel, to list just a few participants.

Admittedly, we are particularly intrigued by MYNC Lash Lounge and Brow Bar. While “brow bars” are fairly common these days, “lash lounges” are a little harder to come by in Toronto — especially stand-alone operations. And for those who aren't tempted by fake eyelashes or keratin treatments, Beautylicious is also boasting a few discounted fitness classes, acupuncture treatments, and physiotherapy sessions. So, yeah, don't say we didn't warn you!

Beautylicious, Oct. 27-Nov. 6

The Breakfast Hub: banning Halloween costumes, the worst person in the world, the 7 billionth baby

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7:56 am

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Boo. Nope, it’s not a ghost, but rather the way students at a Hamilton elementary school are feeling after principal Linda Chittick banned Halloween costumes. She suggests that festive students wear black or orange instead.
[Toronto Sun]

A U.S. TV host has called Mayor Rob Ford the “worst person in the world.”
[Globe and Mail]

As the world welcomes its 7 billionth occupant, columnist Thane Burnett provides a few words of wisdom.
[Toronto Sun]

Maple Group Acquisition Corp. has received the support of the TMX board of directors in a $3.8 billion deal to acquire TMX Group Inc. The deal is still subject to regulatory approvals.
[Financial Post]

Five years later, Canada’s “man with no name” remains a mystery to immigration and border officials. Canadian officials want to deport him, but are unable to figure out exactly who he is or where he comes from.
[National Post]

What is up with this photo from the Toronto Archives?

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1:19 pm

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The Toronto Archives is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. We certainly weren’t expecting to stumble across this photo. There are almost too many weird things going on here to list: why is a photographer set up here? Why aren’t the boys wearing shoes on a dirt road? What kind of lecture is the police officer giving? The folks at the archives seem equally as baffled. Toronto, you never cease to amaze.

Police officer and (naked) boys on road, pre-1940, Fonds 1548, Series 393, Item 24

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival Hour: Death From Above 1979, Chad VanGaalen, Paper Bag Records, Doug Paisley

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12:00 pm

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Death comes knocking

When a band's reunion show at SXSW causes a riot, people talk. And it wasn't long before Toronto band Death From Above 1979 was the talk of the festival circuit, bringing their unique brand of mayhem to stages from Coachella to Lollapalooza. Toronto's biggest show this week (month? YEAR?) is surely the raging return of legendary duo Sebastien Grainger and Jesse Keeler (MSTRKRFT) to their hometown for two nights at Sound Academy. The glorious noise produced by a bass guitar and drum kit is something to behold. And although the gigs are officially sold out, there are tickets available from the usual suspects at the usual inflated prices. But it should be worth it.

The Chad

Chad VanGaalen is as quirky as all get-out, and apparently he's digging his new studio space in Calgary, because the singer-songwriter has cranked out eight albums that are only available from the merchandise table on his current tour. And, conveniently, he checks into the Mod Club tonight. In a previous interview for his current album, Diaper Island, VanGaalen said that when he and his wife bought a house, he converted the garage to a roomy two-storey studio space. “I overdosed on roomy,” he said. “And I got to geek out with my microphones. It is easier to get pretty much any sound I want.” Explains a lot, right?

Here is a sample of the cassettes on VanGaalen's label, Flemish Eye.

Paperbaggin’ it

Toronto-based record label Paper Bag Records has just released a fall music sampler available for download here. The album features Cuff the Duke's cover of “Always Looking” by Dum Dum Girls, and a few sweet remixes by Young Galaxy along with Paper Bag stalwarts such as Rural Alberta Advantage, Elliott Brood and PS I Love You. It's cool and it’s free.

Meet your Paisley!

Heard the name Doug Paisley? Don't worry if you haven't, there's still time. Paisley is a singer/songwriter of a bygone era. As he puts it, he is “in service to the song.” In a relatively short period of time since his first album in 2008, Paisley has garnered serious acclaim from both critics and fellow musicians alike. He has received glowing reviews from Rolling Stone and The New Yorker, and his latest album, 2010's Constant Companion, was one of Mojo magazine's top 10 albums in 2010. He checks into the Glenn Gould Studio this weekend on Oct. 29. Tickets are still available, so go and check him out. You won't be disappointed.

Doug answered a few of our questions for us below:

Not quite out of the gate, but early on in your career, you've garnered significant critical acclaim, and acclaim from other musicians. What does it mean to you to have that sort of respect from your peers?
Recognition from peers is wonderful and edifying. To be open to acclaim is to be open to vitriol, so in that respect, to that I try to remain as cloistered as the ego allows.

Who were you listening to as a young musician and who inspired you to go into music?
Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, John Lennon, Lucky Dube, Kenny Rogers.

What does success mean to you?
My goals are always shifting. I've got a great job for however long it lasts. It makes a lot more sense to me as it unfolds that I would imagine great material success does for those who are bathed in it. I'm not done yet but I already feel successful.

What inspires or feeds your songwriting?
Judging by my lifestyle: coffee, sleep, alcohol, walking, movies and record collecting.

And what can we expect from your show on Saturday?
The band is sounding great and Glenn Gould Studio is a sonic microscope, perhaps as GG would've wanted it. It's going to be a crystal clear rendition of our current songbook.

Catch the taste: the team behind The Rushton set to open a new seafood restaurant on St. Clair West

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10:00 am

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Nigel Finley is a Nova Scotia man, so he grew up around some of the best, freshest seafood in the country. “It’s in my blood,” he says. That’s a good thing, because he’s heading up the kitchen at Catch, an upcoming seafood restaurant by The Rushton’s Frank Pronesti.

Currently under construction at the site of the former Fillipo’s pizza joint — nearly brushing shoulders with The Rushton — Catch hopes to bring its take on Mediterranean-style seafood to the neighbourhood by November.

Finley, who was previously head chef at Bloom Restaurant, is looking forward to creating a menu that highlights such varieties as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, herring or periwinkles. “Forgotten fish are really beautiful to me,” he says. A sizeable oyster selection is also expected, as well as a few non-seafood selections like steak or chicken.

Most seafood items will be Ocean Wise certified, so don’t expect Chilean sea bass or marlin. Prospective purveyors could include Osler Fish Warehouse, Newport Market Place, Hooked and more.

The cuisine will center around traditional cooking techniques (grilling, pan searing, pan roasting, and the like) but Finley isn’t adverse to experimenting with raw preparation, ceviche and maybe a bit of sous vide.

Catch will be all about sharing, so portions will be smaller and prices will likely stay under $20. Currently, the plan is for around 44 seats inside (including bar seating) along with a 40-seat patio. Décor will be handled by Fraser Designs and Associates (Centro, 360 Restaurant and Oakville’s Cucci).

As for ambience, owner Frank Pronesti says Catch will be a completely different beast than The Rushton.

“The biggest challenge,” he says, “will be not to compete with myself, but to complement myself.”

Catch, 744 St. Clair W., 416-658-0568