Mike Parsons, 31 years old. Kensington St.

Canadian artists are always crediting our northern environment as an inspiration for their work. Emily Carr, Margaret Atwood and K.D. Lang have all acknowledged how our climate has lead them to pursue themes of solitude and perseverance.

The weather effects street artist Mike Parsons a direct way; if it's nasty outside no one will walk past his stand on Queen West and buy his work.

November 4th was a busy day for me. Barack Obama won the presidency, I had a 10-hour shift at work, and it was garbage day on my street.

'Oh No It's Love', a new album by local pop sensations 'The Bicycles', was also released. I didn't make it to Sonic Boom that day, but I did show up at their C.D. release show on Saturday.

Jen Polk, "just" 29 years old ("My birthday was a couple weeks ago...") Queen's Park.

Jen Polk is one of the unsung heroes of the Toronto music scene. No, she doesn't play a mean bass guitar. She doesn't manage 'Spiral Beach'. Jen is a PHD student by day and an indie music blogger by night.

Ben Kamino, 22 years old. The Distillery District.

Professional dance in Toronto is a study of contrasts. The people on stage are young, nubile, and poor; the audience members are usually old, docile and wealthy.

It's a challenge to get younger generations out to see the work. They'll see dance & theatre, dance & live music...just not dance on it's own.

Tim Oakley, 28 years old. Sonic Boom (Bathurst and Bloor).

Music retail stores are not long for this world. If they aren't downsizing or going out of business they're paddling violently against the acrid current of iPod culture.

This week we're following a handful of Torontonians as they navigate the bilingual lotus land of Pop Montreal.

A hundred pairs of red and blue eyes were aimed at the stage. A band was playing, a smoke machine was coughing and a gang of terrifying, woodland puppets towered over the crowd.

It all went down at 'Le Saints' bar for the closing weekend of Pop Montreal.