Fresh off their two year anniversary and the number 2 spot in our Best Places to Find Stuff Made by Local Designers, Leslieville's Nathalie Roze and Co. must be doing something right. From eco-wearables to in-store workshops and celebratory cupcakes, intrepid guest contributor Jessica Gurd delves inside to take a closer look.

Read Jessica's profile of Nathalie Roze and Co. in the Fashion section.

Photos and writing by guest contributor Sam Obeid.

WARNING: Extremely graphic, morbid images within.

Anti-abortion Activism

I drive by this clinic almost daily, and usually see one or two people outside, holding up signs (some pointing passersby to a website called Show the Truth). But on this particular morning, anti-abortion protestors were fully organized and had about 10 people lined up on both sides of the street, displaying some very disturbing, poster-sized photos of dead and dismembered fetuses.

Contributed by Nick Hanekom

I'm a little confused today.

After last nights viewing of Damn Your Eyes the question I'm asking myself is what exactly was I supposed to experience? At first glance it was just a bunch of guys and gals sitting around doing well, nothing. Perhaps I should have joined them to truly understand the conceptual aspect; the idea of sitting around listening to whatever the two main installations - one bright and revealing, the other dark and personal - were all but occupied for the entire hour spent at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Arts (MOCCA). So instead I wandered around squinting in the light cast by the fluorescent tubes in the main hall. I was still wondering, what's this all about then?

Written by guest contributor Kenneth Wong.

On the eve of the NBA Draft, our hometown Toronto Raptors have made a huge change to the organization by acquiring all-star centre Jermaine O'Neal from the Indiana Pacers. In the deal, the Raptors give up TJ Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, and their 2008 17th pick (all pending physicals).

It's obvious why Brian Colangelo traded Ford, Nesterovic, and the 17th Pick. Ford was expendable after Jose Calderon proved he could play as an all-start caliber point guard in the NBA by putting up 11.2Pts, 2.9Rebs, and 8.3Asts all in 30mins:18secs a game. Add on the three years left on his contract ($25.5million for the next three seasons), it was obvious throughout the NBA that Colangelo was going to deal one of the two starting point guards, turns out it was Ford. Rasho Nesterovic and his $8.4 million contract, which ends in 2008, was simply a salary dump. With respect to the 17th pick in the draft, the pick could turn out to be between a number of players. But in my opinion, this trade was to win now and with all due respect to Rasho, he isn't the type of player to bring us a championship.

Now that Colangelo has made yet another great trade for the Raptors, on paper, it seems like the Raptors have a great chance to compete with the newly crowned champions, the Boston Celtics, and even match-up against some of the best teams in the West. With this trade comes a new style of basketball for the Raptors. Instead of spreading the floor, using fast breaks, and trying to score with ball movement, the Raptors will turn into a half-court style offense. The front line of O'Neal, Bosh, and Bargnani, who are 6'11, 6'10, and 6'10 respectively, will bring Toronto the size it has always wanted but could never find.

Photos and writing by guest contributor Arieh Singer.

Last weekend I went with my friend Hamutal to pick fresh organic strawberries at Applewood Farm Winery in Stouffville. Each 8-litre bucket was $15, and we each purchased three of them.

After we came home, it was time to learn how to make jam, and Hummy taught me all there was to know. The entire process took a few hours, but was filled with all kinds of interesting ways to use strawberries. Presently I have jam, frozen berries, strawberry-infused vodka, strawberry puree popsicles, and other goodies. It was a whole day of strawberry yumminess!

Photo taken and question posed by guest contributor Steven de Sousa.

Sometimes a photo is worth a thousand words, and sometimes a photo very poignantly asks a very direct question. What are your thoughts on the commonly observed yet rarely addressed problem of recycling sorting (not just on the TTC)? Is it a problem of illiteracy, apathy, or ignorance?