The city of Toronto launched a new night lighting initiative, highlighting heritage and historic buildings in and around the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood Friday night.

Perhaps a little overshadowed by Toronto winning the bid for the 2015 Pan American Games, this celebration was somewhat subdued. That didn't stop about 100 of us from getting a small tour of these buildings by local historian Bruce Bell.

St. Lawrence Market, St. Lawrence Hall, the Flatiron building, St. James Cathedral and the south façades along Front Street (south of Berczy Park) now look much more majestic at night now, highlighted with theatrical LED lighting.

What better night to kick off the Canadian premiere of The Toxic Avenger than on Halloween?

The eco-monster musical comedy, based on the 1984 Lloyd Kaufman classic cult film, plays at The Danforth Music Hall with a homegrown cast. I had a chance to attend one of the preview shows this week.

The Toxic Avenger storyline is pretty simple to follow: Geek Boy (Melvin Ferd the Third) gets taunted by high school thugs, who dump him into a vat of radioactive toxic waste, after which he emerges as an uber-strong mutant freak (Toxie), bent on winning the heart of the high school hottie and ridding the town of the eco-unfriendly New Jersey mayor.

Passing by Dundas St. W. this evening, I came upon Grateful Head, a salon that's offering a "Devil's Haircut" special tonight, on Devil's Night.

Grateful Head is staying open until 4 a.m. tonight, on October 30, giving 30 minute haircuts for just $30. Normally, you can get one of the best haircuts in Toronto at The Grateful Head starting at $45.

A glass of wine awaits you while you relax in the waiting room, where Coraline plays on the big screen. Five senior hairstylists from Grateful Head are dressed up for the occasion. Tonight's special includes Rosemary's Baby short.

The Toronto Zombie Walk was pretty dead this year. The annual pre-Halloween zombie walk, which began in 2003, continues to draw large crowds. Well over 1,000 undead took to the streets on Saturday afternoon, starting at Trinity Bellwoods Park and swaggering east along Dundas St. W. to Kensington Market, up to College St. and then towards Bloor and Bathurst (where zombie films were being screened at the Bloor Cinema).

Compared to last year's zombie walk, there were more beautiful zombie brides, grooms, hockey players, Siamese twins, aerobics instructors, army officers, schoolgirls, nurses, nuns, beauty pageants, bakers, peaceniks, and Trekkies. And there were appearances by Batman and Robin, Santa Claus, Harry Potter, Beetlejuice and even a zombie Sarah Palin.

Continue reading for all the gruesome photos and an interview with Toronto Zombie Walk founder Thea Munster.

Daniel Johnston isn't pretty. He just looks that way.

Johnston took to the stage Saturday night at The Mod Club wearing sloppy, green sweat pants that barely held in his generous paunch. His unkempt, grey hair and lispy delivery kind of added to his charm.

Watching Johnston live isn't an easy experience. His hands tremble uncontrollably at his side, likely a side-effect of his meds. Between songs he mostly just nods to himself and stares down at his music stand.

White squirrels do exist. But only rarely in Toronto. You're one of the lucky few if you've caught a glimpse of the white squirrel of Trinity-Bellwoods Park in Toronto's west end. In spite of my best intentions, I have yet to see one.

Megan at the White Squirrel Cafe across from Trinity-Bellwoods Park says white squirrels sightings are most likely around 7 a.m. near the corner of Shaw and Dundas St. W. Last week she saw two white squirrels together. There may even be a third white squirrel in the park.

Unsatisfied with my chance encounters with an albino squirrel in Toronto, I took a day trip to Exeter, Ont. where white squirrels are not only the town's mascot (Willis The White Wonder), they're there in abundance. Or so I thought.