Brunswick and Bloor

If you live, work, or own a business in the area around Brunswick and Bloor, the following is a reminder from Councillor Vaughan about an upcoming meeting regarding issues in that area. If you plan to attend, they are asking for an RSVP.

A Community Meeting about issues at and around Brunswick & Bloor

Date: Monday, June 16, 2008

Time: 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Location: The Walmer Centre (upper gym), 188 Lowther Avenue

Please join us for this important discussion about community safety and solutions to late night noise, vandalism, graffiti and other neighbourhood concerns.

Let us know if you plan to attend, either by phone at 416-392-4044 or by email at councillor_vaughan@toronto.ca.

Best regards,

Councillor Adam Vaughan
Ward 20, Trinity Spadina
416-392-4044
www.adamvaughan.ca

What's Happening

Palmerston Library has been hosting readings as part of Keep Toronto Reading. Tomorrow at 7 pm features Common Denominator: Reading the New Toronto with Judy Fong Bates, Goran Simic, Shila Desai and Sayeeda Jaigirdar. There's also spoken word by Michelle Muir and music by master drummer Muhtadi. It's free and there's more info online at http://www.diasporadialogues.com/

There's several acts on during the week at The Central in Mirvish Village, including a Rock Band Open Mic night on Monday. The Tranzac is keeping things rocking, as usual, on Brunswick Ave. On the 26th, the intriguing sounding An Inconvenient Musical starts at 7:30 pm. Hmmm....

Well, I'm sure you've all seen the hype about the new Indiana Jones movie coming out. The Bloor Cinema is showing two of the first movies in the series throughout the week in case you want to refresh your memory, or introduce a little person to the whole whip-cracking, edge-of-your-seat adventure.
You also can go to The Bloor to catch Sunday night's Oscars ceremony. Everything's more fun in a crowd, right? Or with buttered popcorn? Doors open at 7:30 pm.

If the cold, snowy, windy winter has you down, maybe a little comedy will perk you up? Don't forget that Clinton's (on Bloor at -- where else? Clinton) has Catch 23 improv comedy showdowns on Monday nights and it's only $5 to get in.

Slightly farther afield, but probably worth the trip AND within walking distance: Robert Munsch, author of children's books Love You Forever and The Paper Bag Princess (just to name two) gives a storytelling concert Saturday at 11 am and 1:30 p.m. It's at lovely Convocation Hall, 31 King's College Circle, in the U of T grounds.

Whatever you do, enjoy it!
Vanessa

Violence in our Neighbourhood

Just passed by Bloor and Brunswick in a cab to find crowds of people on the street and police cars and ambulances descending with urgency.
It looks like a young man was shot. I hope the outcome is not fatal.
Vanessa

What's Happening?

Looking for something to do tomorrow night? Here's a different kind of party from the folks at NewMindSpace:
NEWMINDSPACE'S ARCTICA STREETCAR PARTY
Friday December 14th, 8pm - 11pm
$20 - all ages
Tickets (fast disappearing) available at Lavish & Squalor, 253 Queen St. W.

For the niblets, the Palmerston Library is hosting Family Holiday Stories with storyteller Adele Koehnke on Sat. Dec. 15th from 2 to 3 pm.

A previous favourite of our family's is the Kensington Market Festival of Lights, pictured here,
although it IS a wee bit south of us! It takes place every year on the evening of the Winter Solstice, December 21.

I'm telling you about it early because of this:
LANTERN MAKING WORKSHOPS: CREATE your own lantern to carry in the parade and to decorate your home.
Saturday Dec. 15, 12- 5 pm at St. Stephen's Community House - 260 Augusta just south of College and Sunday Dec. 16, 12 - 5 pm at the Kapisanan Filipino Centre for Arts and Culture - 167 Augusta - just north of Dundas.
As for the Festival of Lights itself on the 21st, it gets underway at 6 p.m. Here's the full scoop:
"JOIN us on what some predict may be the shortest day yet this year! To beckon the return of the sun with a fire-fuelled, samba soaked march through the narrow streets of Toronto's beloved Kensington Market.
Gather at Augusta and Oxford - just south of College for 6:00pm - and go with the flow.
FESTIVAL PARADE
DISCOVER celebratory scenarios at storefronts and rooftops presented by inspired Toronto artists.
DANCE to the soul stirring rhythms of the Samba Squad, Maracatu Nunca Antes, Rich Underhill and the Kensington Community Orchestra, the Island ARhythmics, EagleHeart Drummers and Singers, Spirit Wind, Isaiah Cada, and the perennial SolSticks.
HANDMADE and COMMERCIAL-FREE for 19 years, The Festival of Lights is participatory. Wear a costume, bang a drum, carry a lantern.
NEW this year, join artists Melisa and Melecio Clemente for a special workshop in traditional Filipino Parol lantern making on Tuesday Dec. 18 at 6pm at Kapisanan.
For More Information call 416-598-3729, email redpepper.spectacle@sympatico.ca or visit our developing website at http://www.redpepperspectaclearts.org/

For those of you in less of festive mood and more of a planning mood, the Annex Residents' Association is hosting a public forum about the BLOOR CORRIDOR VISION STUDY on December 17th, in the chapel at Royal St. George's College from 6 to 9 pm.
If you would like further information about this study, please contact: Barry Brooks, City of Toronto, 416-392-1316, bbrooks@toronto.ca Jennifer Keesmaat, Office for Urbanism, 416-971-7521, jk@officeforurbanism.com

As usual, things are hopping at the Miles Nadal JCC. On Sunday the 16th at 7 pm, there's Musica Cuba featuring the Hilario Durán Trio and David Buchbinder & Odessa/Havana.
There's also an exhibition: Let There Be Light: Jewish Life in Cuba Photographic works by Tatiana Santos Mendez, of Havana.
Proceeds from the concert and the exhibition will support the Jewish Communities of Cuba.
$30 General Admission, at 416-924-6211x0, $50 Patron tickets.

The TRANZAC’s occasional Wombat Wednesday series returns December 19, featuring The Christine Bougie Band, The Silt and N (Lina Allemano, Ryan Driver, Rob Clutton, Justin Haynes). Doors open at 8:30 and cover is $6

And a reminder that SEATON VILLAGE CAROLING happens this Sunday, December 16 2007 – 6:45pm –till whenever.
"Once again we are calling on all Seaton Villagers and beyond to join us for an evening of old-fashioned door to door caroling. Everyone, any age, any singing ability is welcome to carol with us. The more the merrier for it is a fun community experience.
Caroling Itinery:- We meet at 6:45pm in front of 74 Vermont Ave. to receive carol books and any instructions. There may be a quick practice.
We carol at prearranged homes in Seaton Village and the Annex from approximately 7:00 – 8:00ish pm.
We end the outdoor door to door caroling and commence the indoor caroling around the piano at 428 Brunswick Ave. from 8ish until it’s over and we have attempted to sing the Hallelujah chorus at least 3 times. Once again we are pleased to feature Grandma Shirley on the piano. Come one come all Yea Faithful – join us and get into the holiday spirit. For more information please contact Barb Carson at bmcarson@rogers.com.

Shooting Follow Up

We BLOGged about the July 17th shooting on Brunswick, north of Bloor shortly after it happened.
Since then, I've seen an article or two about it here and there, including this brief follow up, but that's it.
Has anyone heard any further details? And I'm just wondering why there's been so little new information?
Vanessa

Update Jean Sibelius Square

As many of you know, Jean Sibelius Square, north of Wells between Brunswick and Kendal, is undergoing a makeover in the upcoming year. As part of the design process, there will be a community meeting in October. This will give the community a second chance to weigh in on the design which has evolved from three concept designs that were presented at a previous community meeting in June. Once a final date has been set for the community meeting, I will post it here. It is important to attend this community meeting if you want to voice your preferences in terms of park design. The goal is to break ground in Spring 2009.

Neighbourhood Caroling And "The" Parade

That's right! THIS Sunday, amid the lovely, fallen, multi-hued leaves, beneath the beaming sunshine, SANTA CLAUS is coming to town!
The big guy, preceded by a lengthy parade, of course, leaves from Christie Pits park at 12:30 pm and heads east. Those of you with wee gaffers will want to get there early and those of you who have no interest in the parade will want to get out of Dodge before the masses descend and Bloor Street is closed to traffic.

Okay, since I've already twice broken my self-imposed vow to not talk about the "C" word before December, here's a lovely annual event to mark on your calendar before it fills up:

SEATON VILLAGE CAROLING - Sunday December 16 2007 – 6:45pm –till whenever
Once again we are calling on all Seaton Villagers and beyond to join us for an evening of old fashioned door to door caroling. Everyone, any age, any singing ability is welcome to carol with us. The more the merrier for it is a fun community experience.

Caroling Itinery:
- We meet at 6:45pm in front of 74 Vermont Ave. to receive carol books and any instructions. There may be a quick practice.
- We carol at prearranged homes in Seaton Village and the Annex from approximately 7:00 – 8:00ish pm.
- We end the outdoor door to door caroling and commence the indoor caroling around the piano at 428 Brunswick Ave. from 8:00ish until it’s over and we have attempted to sing the Hallelujah chorus at least 3 times. Once again we are pleased to feature Grandma Shirley on the piano.

Come one come all Yea Faithful – join us and get into the holiday spirit. For more information please contact Barb Carson at bmcarson@rogers.com.
Vanessa

What's Happening

The Tranzac Club on Brunswick, just south of Bloor, has a jam-packed schedule, including the free-of-charge Jamzac's Open Acoustic Jam in the Southern Cross Lounge at 3 pm on Saturday.

Kaolin Designs on Dupont St (west of Bathurst) is having its Annual Canada Day Sale from Tues July 1 to Sun July 6. Prices for Patricia O'Brien's pottery will be reduced by 25 % and there'll be great deals on William Roddy's furniture, as well as tin toys, artist jigsaw puzzles and clocks.

The Black Angels and The Warlocks play Lee's Palace tonight. Tickets are $11.50.

The Bloor Cinema has an 11:30 pm screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show Friday night. Does that ever bring back memories....

At The Central in Mirvish Village, pop singer Karen Kosowski takes the stage Friday at 9:30 pm.
Once in awhile I remind you about 1,001 Friday Nights of Storytelling. It's a bit further afield (Innis College Cafe at Sussex and St. George), but close enough to merit mention. Howard Kaplan is scheduled to host this Friday. It runs from 8 pm to 10:30 pm and the suggested donation is $5.

Next Thursay, July 3rd Bill Gladstone will be at the MilesNadalJCC presenting Jewish Toronto: Sunshine on Spadina. The cost is $2 (free for people 55+ and members).

Whatever you do, enjoy it!
Vanessa

What's Happening

Looking at another beautiful fall weekend around the corner and some notes on things to keep you busy:

By daylight, check out Palmerston Community Daycare's Annual FallFest at Palmerston School in Seaton Village on Saturday, September 27, from 11am-3pm. The music is always excellent at this event and there are lots of activities for the kiddos.

Also, on Saturday morning beginning at 9am the Howland Avenue Street Sale takes over the block of Howland Avenue just south of Dupont. There is always a crowd and great deals to boot.

This Sunday, from 11am-6pm at Queen's Park look for Word on the Street, Toronto's yearly gathering of books and the people who read them.

By night, check out the Abilities Art Festival at the Miles Nadal JCC on Saturday evening from 6-10pm, Tickets: $9/7 1-888-844-9991x2 www.abilitiesartsfestival.org. At the Bloor Cinema this Friday and Saturday night look for the Student Shorts Film Festival. Bonus, students are free.

Looking for more action check out the following links:
Brunswick House
Bloor Cinema
Clinton's
The Trane Studio
Tranzac
The Annex WreckRoom

Have a great weekend.

Things To Do

The Wanted play at The Tranzac Saturday at 6 pm, just one act in a very full roster.

On Wednesday the 5th at 6:30 and 9:15 pm The Bloor Cinema screens Autism: The Musical, which follows five autistic children as they work together to create and perform a live musical. Director Tricia Regan will be on hand for a Q & A session.

Fans of Molly Johnson can catch her one-hour set tomorrow night at the ROM for free. It starts at 7 pm and is in honour of Black History Month.

Toronto Consort, which is housed in Trinity St. Paul's on Bloor, west of Spadina, features Toward the Centre: Music for a Medieval Labyrinth Feb 29 & March 1. And I quote:
"The medieval labyrinth, found in many of the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe, is a compelling symbol of the journey to the centre (and back again), of the perils and the path of life, and of beauty.
In the Middle Ages pilgrims visiting the labyrinth danced in this sacred space and the Toronto Consort has researched this ancient custom to present a stunning program of music for the labyrinth: lively medieval dance-songs, sophisticated renaissance polyphony by Josquin Desprez, with a special new creation featuring members of Sampradaya Dance Creations.
This concert is part of the Sacred Spaces, Sacred Circles Arts Festival, a celebration of music and architecture in the Spring of 2008."

Bluegrass Goes Pink is a Foggy Hogtown Boys Fundraiser for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. The boys perform at The Brunswick House on Saturday from 3:30 to 7:30 pm. The $5 suggested cover will go to WEBC team Putting our Breast Foot Forward. It's listed as suitable for all ages.

Tuesday at Clinton's you can catch Robert Boates, John Allemang and Bill Howell reading their works as part of the Art Bar Poetry series. Things get underway at 8 pm and it's free, but donations are appreciated.

On Tuesday, as part of Crime Writers of Canada Readings at Casa Loma, Lyn Hamilton and Rick Blechta will read, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Admission $12 and pre-registration is required: contact operations@casaloma.org for more information.

Cheers,
Vanessa

What's Happening

Jean Sibelius Square Park is getting a facelift. Potential plans for revitalization of the lovely square of greenery, gardens and play areas at Wells and Kendal will be the subject of a public meeting Wednesday, June 18 from 7 to 9 pm.
Details are available on Councillor Adam Vaughan's website.

Councillor Vaughan is a busy man! He'll also be at a community meeting at the Walmer Centre June 16 about "issues around Brunswick and Bloor." Vaughan and local resident and business associations have called the meeting to have "important discussion about community safety and solutions to late night noise, vandalism, graffiti and other neighbourhood concerns."
If you plan to attend, you are asked to call 416-392-4044 or to email."

The Ron Davis Sextet performs at the MilesNadalJCC on the 19th at 8 pm. Tickets cost $24 in advance, $28 at the door, $15 for students. Call 416.24.6211, ext 0.


The JCC at Spadina and Bloor is also one of the venues for the massive Luminato Festival that's underway right now. On the 14th at 7 pm it will host an event called Spotlight on New South Asian Writing.
It's billed as "an evening of readings and discussion from new South Asian voices of the Diaspora exploring the nature of exile and belonging through poetry and fiction."
Admission is $10 and are available through Ticketmaster, or by phoning 416-872-1111 or 1-866-577-4277.


The Toronto Italian Film Festival continues at The Bloor Cinema. Also on the play bill is Up The Yangtze on Monday at 7 pm and Alien: The Director's Cut Wednesday at 7 pm.

U of T has some stunning spots. Free guided walking tours of the historic St. George campus take place weekdays at 10:30 am, 1 pm & 2:30 pm throughout the summer. Meet at the Nona Macdonald Visitors Centre, 25 King's College Cir. Info: 416-978-5000.

U of T also hosts something that sounds really intriguing... Playing in the Streets: A Celebration of Theatre and Public Life "is a multi-faceted festival that looks at theatre and public life from the Renaissance to the present day.
Taking place around Uof T's Victoria College, events on Fri. include Albert Schultz performing key scenes from Hamlet and a Corpus Christi Mass — a reconstruction of a clandestine Catholic Mass in the early 17th century, at 9 p.m. at Emmanuel College Chapel.

Whatever you do, enjoy it!
Vanessa

What's Happening

There is much to keep us busy this September weekend.

By daylight, check out the Small World Music Festival which holds music performances at venues across the City. From 10am-12noon on Saturday, Sept 20th there will be a performance by Mr. Something, Something using their bicycle-powered music system at The Brickworks in support of Evergreen which happens to be run by an Annex neighbour. In addtion there are events all day as part of Evergreen's Conservation and Sustainability Fair.

Also on Saturday, the Annex Residents Association hosts its Annual Fall Book and Bake Sale at 250 Davenport from 11-4pm.

If you are looking for a day trip out of the neighbourhood, check out the 52nd Annual Pioneer Festival being held this Saturday at Black Creek Pioneer Village. The quilt auction is at 12noon.

By night, check out more music in conjunction with the Small World Music Festival. At Lee's Palace Rebel Rhythm will be performing at 8pm. Also, at the Miles Nadal JCC on Sunday the 21st at 8pm, David Buchbinders ODESSA/HAVANA with Daddo and Marylyn Lerner will be performing in the Al Green Theatre.

Looking for more action check out the following links:
Brunswick House
Bloor Cinema
Clinton's
The Trane Studio
Tranzac
The Annex WreckRoom

Have a great weekend.

Shooting In The Annex

Further to yesterday's post, several witnesses to the shooting at Brunswick and Bloor posted comments last night, which you can read below.
And it's in the media now, too.
I'm skipping Eye Candy Friday today, given the situation.
Vanessa

CommunityAIR Fundraiser and Dance

One hot, sticky summer day, DH came home with a mask that he needed to use in order to breathe when he rode his bike. He has asthma.
Then we had an asthma scare with DD.

And, to top it off, my elderly mother has become a virtual prisoner in the house during those lung-melting summer days that we all are so fond of...

All of it lead me to CommunityAIR, a grassroots organization lobbying to improve Hogtown's air quality. Judging from their website, the members seem to be focusing on closing the Island Airport these days.
Well, the group is holding a fundraiser and dance on Thursday, April 24th and it's at The Tranzac, which is on Brunswick, just south of Bloor. Rolling-home distance, as it were.

This from The Tranzac website:
"Acts include the The Davids and the Suzies. They will perform a wacky and energetic mix of country, blues, folk and R&B served up with a generous helping of humour and virtuosity that will add to the fun. The Suzies are Suzie Vinnick, Soozi Schlanger (of Swamperella) and the Davids include David Woodhead and David Matheson.

The cost is $20 and doors open 6 pm. To buy tickets, contact Dennis Findlay at 416-961-8046 or Pam Mazza at 416-203-0996, or go to the website to use PayPal.
Cheers,
Vanessa

What's On

Acts including I Have Eaten The City, Baby Eagle and Feuermusik play The Tranzac on Brunswick this week.

The Toronto Youth Music Theatre Company presents Bye Bye Birdie in the Al Green Theatre at the MilesNadalJCC next Wednesday through Friday evenings. Ticket ordering information is on the group's website.

The Born Ruffians have an album release party Saturday at Lee's Palace. Tickets are $10.

Italy Now and Then: Virtual Reality and the "Postcards from History" is "a compendium of some extraordinary visions of Italy through the exclusive twenty years work of digital cultural heritage exploration made by Altair4 in Rome."
Tonight from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 496 Huron St., free admission. For more information, call 416-921-3802 ext. 221.

In the "little farther afield" department, there is a Book Swap and Sale Saturday at Massey-Harris Park, 945 King Street West, just seven blocks west of Bathurst, in the shadow of Trinity Bellwoods to the north. The park looks fascinating and worth a visit and what's not to love about a book swap and sale that reduces, reuses and recycles; promotes reading; and brings people out to meet and greet?
The sale runs from noon to 3 pm and book drop off begins at 11 am.

Whatever you do, enjoy it!
Vanessa

What's Happening

The River Pilots take the stage at The Central in Mirvish Village on Valentine's Day. Might be a romantic way to spend the evening.

Or if romance is the furthest thing from your mind, you might want to attend the Annex Residents' Association board meeting on the 14th. It starts at 7:30 pm at the Annex Retirement Residence at 123 Spadina Road.

Continuing with the Valentine's Day theme, if something OTHER THAN romance or committee meetings spring to mind when you think of Feb. 14th, Lee's Palace at 529 Bloor St. W is featuring Valentine's Day Burlesque.

In the "more naughty stuff" department, the Bloor Cinema just east of Bathurst is host to Forbidden Broadway, The Naughty Naughty Review on Feb 9th at 8 pm. $20 at the door will get you in, or $15 in advance.

Also at the Bloor Cinema, Monday is the monthly Varsity Day. Flash your U of T student card and pay only $3 admission. Screenings are: Lars and the Real Girl at 4:30, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days at 7 pm and The Orphanage at 9:15.

Well, Scheherazade may not be there, but Friday night Pat Bisset and her friend "Geordie" Dave will be contributing some traditional ballads from northern England as part of 1,001 Nights of Storytelling. Every Friday night since 1978, T.O. storytellers have been weaving their tales for rapt listeners. It takes place at Innis College Cafe, on Sussex near St. George from 8 to 10:30 pm.

Three of playwright Hannah Moscovitch's short plays are being featured at a Between Stages Playwright's Reading at the Miles Nadal JCC on Sunday. It starts at 4 pm and admission is a suggested donation of $8.

Speaking of the MNjcc, in case you missed the mention last week, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 pm there's Flying Bulgars 20th Anniversary Concerts in the centre's Al Green Theatre.
Tickets are available at MNjcc reception and by phone: 416.924.6211, ext. 0 (phone order service charge applies), $24 in advance, $30 at the door and $15 for people 14 years and younger.
And we quote: "Join the Flying Bulgars and some very special guests from their storied history for a riotous, two-night celebration, as they celebrate two decades of great music and launch into their third."

If banjo picking is more your thing, be sure to catch what is billed as four of Canada's top banjo players in The Banjo Special. Things get underway at 7:30 at the Tranzac Club on Brunswick. Tickets are $20 and $18.

The Seaton Village Residents Association holds its Annual General Meeting on the 12th from 7 to 9 pm in the lower level of the Palmerston Public Library.

It's not till the weekend of the 16th/17th, but the Burrow Art Centre in Mirvish Village suggests you register now for a two-day Gnome Felting workshop. Total cost, including materials, is $200.

Whatever you do, enjoy it!

Vanessa

Plays, Talks, Dinners, A Sock Hop and More....

Well, there's big glitzy shows to see this Holiday season, but if you'd prefer to stay local (and not empty your bank account completely), you might want to check out Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat just around the corner at the Bathurst Street Theatre (732 Bathurst Street.) It's mounted by the students of the Randolph Youth Company. There's multiple shows on multiple dates with $20 tickets available from Ticketmaster.

Received an email from a neighbour, Carlie, who is part of a band called The River Pilots. She describes them as "an eclectic instrumental group playing folky, jazzy, world music that we co-compose together."
They play monthy at Mirvish Village hangout The Central and will be there next Thursday, December 13th. The show starts at 8 pm and admission is only $6.

On the same night, St. Alban's Boys & Girls' Club at Palmerston & Vermont has its annual Community Holiday Potluck from 5 to 7 pm. Bring a dish and your appetite!

Monday is Varsity Day at the Bloor Cinema on Bloor just east of Bathurst. U of T students get in for $3. Into The Wild is on at 9 pm. I saw it recently and really, really enjoyed it.
For people into classic Holiday movies AND weeping copiously (but it's a GOOD weep), It's A Wonderful Life plays at 7 pm on Wednesday.

Sunday at the Miles Nadal JCC from 1 to 2:30 pm, Diana Mingail will present an "enlightening" talk: Chanukka Universal Festivals of Lights.
And I quote: "Come and hear and understand the difference between Hanukkah and other festivals of light that are celebrated the world over. Discover the Who and the Why and the How and the Where and the When of these other celebrations."

There's a lot going on at The Tranzac on Brunswick Ave. this weekend, including the Artisan's Fair during the day and a fundraiser Sock Hop.

A little further afield and south of here, there's a Holiday Market Place this weekend at 401 Richmond, a funky building near Spadina. It's worth checking out the info about the building itself, which has a long history and has undergone an eco-restoration.
Vanessa

What's Happening

As part of ROMWalks, there's a free walking tour of the Annex Sunday at 2 pm. Look for the person with the blue umbrella at Lowther and Avenue Road.

Speaking of the ROM, it is the venue for Shanghai: City of the Future?, a panel discussion about "Shanghai, which in recent decades has experienced a building boom on a scale that is unprecedented in world history and has completely changed its residents’ lifestyle." It ties in with the current exhibit, Shanghai Kaleidoscope.
The panel discussion features architect Brian Andrew, philosophy professor Mark Kingwell and author Jay Pridmore and is moderated by Toronto Star architecture columnist Christopher Hume. Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.

The Annex Wreck Room at Bloor and Bathurst hosts Shattered Remains Presents Flatlined tonight. In addition to Flatlined, the hard rock acts include Three See, Brane, Silver Cade and Helcion. Things get underway at 8 pm and tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

Tonight you can catch "I ain't marching anymore", an event featuring protest and folk singer Phil Ochs and Zachary Stevenson at OISE, 252 Bloor Street West. Tickets are $10 and $20 and things kick off at 8 pm.


The Tranzac club on Brunswick, south of Bloor, has its usual full sched, including The Weather Station + Muskox + Anna-Linda Siddall Saturday in the Southern Cross Lounge at 10 pm. Admission is PWYC/$5 suggested.


For all ages, the Palmerston Public Library on Palmerston just north of Bloor, features Laugh Out Loud Stories Wednesday at 10:30 am. As the name suggests, storyteller Adele Koehnke promises to tell stories that will tickle your funny bone.


The Bloor Cinema is "all about" the Rolling Stones Saturday with three $10-each screenings of Stones documentaries. Also on the sched this week is the new Indiana Jones movie, which doesn't disappoint.


The Trane Studio on Bathurst features Philadelphia's Elliott Levin Friday at 9:30 pm with The Sharron Macleod Quartet. Tickets are $15 in advance.

Whatever you do, enjoy it!
Vanessa

What's Happening

You can say you were in on the ground floor if you attend the first annual Romanian Film Festival this weekend. Films include Cristian Nemescu's Cannes prize-winner California Dreamin' and Lucian Pintile's 1968 Reenactment. Screenings are at Innis Town Hall, within hoofing distance, and tickets are $10 (students) and $15.

Speaking of film festivals, Sprockets, the younger brother of the Toronto International Film Festival, screens films aimed at a younger audience throughout the year in addition to a blitz on a mid-April weekend. This Sunday you can catch Viva Cuba, a Cuba/France co-production, at 12:30 pm at the Sheppard Grande cinema. It's NOT within hoofing distance, but at least you can tube it there and it's cheaper than a trip to Cuba.

As usual, there's a full slate of musical acts at the Tranzac Club, which is on Brunswick, just south of Bloor.

The Rape of Europa was shortlisted for an Oscar and it's screening at the Bloor Cinema tonight at 7 pm. The documentary gets rave reviews and has generated a lot of buzz. Taglined "Imagine The World Without Our Masterpieces," it's about the Nazi plunder of Europe greatest artworks during WWII.

As usual, there's a lot happening at the Miles Nadal JCC at the southwest corner of Spadina and Bloor. You'll have to buy your tickets by Monday to attend a group theatre and dinner excursion to The Russian Play & Essay, two short plays by Hannah Moscovitch, on Tuesday, Feb. 5th.
The plays will be at Factory Theatre and you have to call to get dinner details. Tickets are available at the MNjcc front desk for $23 (dinner not included), or you can call .416.924.6211, ext. 0.

Although it's not until the weekend of Feb. 9th/10th, I suspect that it's a good idea to get your tickets now for the Flying Bulgars 20th Anniversary Concert, which is a two-day affair in the MNjcc's Al Green Theatre.
Tickets are available at MNjcc reception and by phone: 416.924.6211, ext. 0 (phone order service charge applies), $24 in advance, $30 at the door and $15 for people 14 years and younger.

Cheers,
Vanessa

What's Happening

As a reminder, there's an Environment Day in our area Saturday.

For more fun pursuits, you might want to hoof it up to Casa Loma for this weekend's Renaissance Festival.
"Casa Loma's estate gardens will be transformed into a Renaissance-style village populated by vendors, village characters and the court of King Henry VIII."
Acts include comedians Men In Tights (extra $2); Sir Charles of Linton, with his bird of prey; and Zoltan the Adequate, geek magician.

The Fringe, Toronto's Theatre Festival, is on till the 13th, as I already BLOGgeda about, and one of the sites in the MilesNadalJCC at Bloor and Spadina.
That's also the site for the third Annual IsReal Dance Festival July 3 to 5, which aims to "share the joy and fun of Israeli folk dancing, in celebration this year of Israel @ 60."

And on Sunday, you can mosey over to the MNjcc to hear author Brandon Marlon reading The Bleeding Season, which took top honours at the Canadian Jewish playwrighting competition.
"This play explores the physical and psychological effects of the suicide terrorists on both Israelis and Palestinians."
The suggested donation at the door is $8 and things get underway at 2 pm. For more information contact Esther Arbeid, esthera@mnjcc.org, 416.924-6211, ext. 606.

Remember Lukas Rossi, he of the heavy eyeliner and skunk-stripe hair? Who won Rockstar Supernova, the reality show quest for a singer to front a band made up of former members of various famous bands?
Well, if you do, you might be happy to know that he is in town with his band to play Lee's Palace Wednesday. (Yep, in a real shocker, the Supernova band didn't last....) Tickets are $15.

On Saturday, The Annex Wreck Room at Bathurst and Bloor is the venue for a Beck CD Release Listening Party. Not due to be released until July 8th, Beck's latest is called Modern Guilt.

The Toronto Photography Marathon kicks off in Christie Pits park Saturday at 10:30 am. Participants get a 12-exposure roll of film and 12 themes that must be photographed in sequence during a 24-hour period. It ends at noon on Sunday back at the park and the pics will be exhibited July 19 at the Gladstone, with voting on the best photo in each theme. It costs $45 to participate and you need to bring your own non-digital camera.

There's a new comedy undertaking in the 'hood... Brainstorm Lounge Comedy Show offers live comedians and short films with host "That Canadian Guy" Glen Foster every Monday starting at 8 p.m. on the second floor at 296 Brunswick Ave., which is just south of Bloor.

Whatever you do, enjoy it!
Vanessa