blogTO | Posts by andrewn

End of the Line for Free Parking

Andrew Nguyen — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:15:57 PDT

The free ride is over. Last night, the TTC voted to end complimentary parking for Metropass users, at the TTC's 16 commuter lots across the city.

Problems with the existing parking arrangement do exist. The popularity of the Metropass over tickets and tokens has led riders to take advantage of the free parking incentive. Surprisingly, Metropass holders occupy a whopping 80% of the available 14,000 spaces meant for commuters - yet these riders only account for one percent of all TTC's annual ridership. Commuter parking lots simply don't have enough space to accommodate the sheer number of people who choose to park their car and hop on the Red Rocket.

"We want people out of their cars and using public transit," noted TTC Chair Adam Giambrone. But will charging commuters for parking help achieve this goal? With the change, the TTC believes that although some commuters will be behind the wheel, twice as many people will benefit from the revenue generated, which will increase investment in buses across the city by $3-million per year.

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A Look Back at Fan Expo Canada 2008

Andrew Nguyen — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:59:48 PDT

This past weekend the 14th annual Fan Expo Canada took over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The Expo for comics, anime, horror and science fiction, the show showcases over 600 exhibitors covering 220,000 square feet.

Since its start in 1995, when Roy Thompson Hall was filled with a meager 1400 people, the Fan Expo has grown exponentially in size to become the third largest North American convention of its kind, trailing only the San Diego Comic Con and Wizard World Chicago.

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The New Red Rocket

Andrew Nguyen — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:35:25 PDT

Unlike New York and London that have woven intricate subway systems through the heart of their cities, Toronto's transit system is still relatively young and has a lot of growing to do. Having a strong and speedy transit system is an important part of creating a better Toronto, which is less reliant on the car and more focused around public transportation.

Currently, more than 200 of our subways are over 30 years old: tattered, worn and in need of replacing. But with the extension of the Yonge-Spadina line to Vaughan and the introduction of the city's new Red Rocket, at a cost of a $499-million, the TTC is taking great strides in providing public transit to an average of 1.5 million daily commuters.

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The Night the Lights Went Out

Andrew Nguyen — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:57:29 PDT

It's hard to imagine that five years ago the city was swallowed by darkness when the blackout crippled Toronto. It stopped traffic lights, stalled elevators and thousands of people frantically tried to find a way to get home -- no one saw it coming.

Where were you when the blackout hit?

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Pride 2008: Proud Voices

Andrew Nguyen — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:06:24 PDT

Pride Week often makes me think of everything from the somewhat clich�d rainbow-coloured flags, to Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, to guys so ripped they make me question my own sexuality. The literary event Proud Voices, in partnership with Word on the Street, was a great way to experience the best of both worlds.You haven't heard storytelling until you've heard it like this - with colour and a contemporary twist.

Hosted by Toronto Poetry Slam veteran Arianna Pozzuoli, there was a stellar line-up of Toronto's literary scene, coupled with crowd-favourites such as Yukon golden child Ivan E. Coyote as well as Christina Starr, activist and queer parent who took us on an adventure through topics covering gender, femininity and fairytales.

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Eco-Bag, Eco-Life

Andrew Nguyen — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:08:35 PDT

Ontarians use 2.5 billion plastic grocery bags a year and while the sheer amount of plastic bags that end up in landfills is grotesque, it seems like consumers are finally getting the message.

The Keep Six Contemporary Gallery and Project Space is currently hosting their Eco-Bag, Eco-Life exhibit and I have to admit that while I myself own a variety of eco-friendly cloth bags, they spend more time collecting dust than they do slung over my shoulder. But does a greener lifestyle really begin with being diligent about the use of an eco-friendly bag?

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Ed the Sock Hung Out to Dry

Andrew Nguyen — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:30:05 PDT

After 16 years on the air, Ed the Sock has been hung out to dry. I've been a fan of Ed's raunchy, blunt style and antics, and even once had the opportunity to meet the man behind the sock. But these days, it seems like nothing is being spared from the chopping block, after recent decisions not to bring back Speaker's Corner to the departures new media specialst Amber MacArthur and consumer advocate Peter Silverman.

Ed the Sock becomes another casualty of Rogers' management trying to create a new image for Citytv by distancing the network from many of the Citytv staples. Don't worry; it's going to be quick and painless (or at least that's what they would like us to think). But at the same time, Rogers is doing a poor job of taking control of their $375 million dollar investment by cutting classic Canadian content (that over the years helped to define the City of Toronto).

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The Greenest Fashion Event in Canada

Andrew Nguyen — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:20:24 PDT

Fashion Takes Action's Green Gala, which will be hosted on June 25th at Polson Pier, hopes to be the greenest fashion event in Canada. It's their unconventional approach to fashion that's made Fashion Takes Action's Green Gala one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year and an event I won't want to miss.

Jumping on the environmental bandwagon has become a lot easier through surge in popularity in eco-fashion and being sustainably-stylish with stores such as The Rage, Heart on Your Sleeve and GreenisBlack leading the way. These stores are some of the many venues that have found ways to give consumers great prices on locally-made, environmentally-conscious clothing that make you look and feel great.

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Luminato: Telus' Light on Your Feet

Andrew Nguyen — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:39:00 PDT

Luminato will be hosting Telus' Light on Your Feet at Yonge-Dundas Square until June 11th. With my two left feet, I figured it was important to pick up some new dance moves. Festival-goers will be able to dance with professional dance instructors and try out their new steps to the sounds of some of North America's best dance bands.

My Friday night adventure started off at 6PM at Yonge Street - before the bustling crowds arrived and billowed in the humid June air. At the L'Oreal tent, people were lined up to get free hair and makeup makeovers, performed by a team of expert stylists who had previous attended L'Oreal Fashion Week.

They whisked their hands through people's hair and brushed powdery velvet on people's faces as though they'd practiced these skills and known these strangers for years. While I'm not fond of putting on makeup, I prided myself in being the only guy around who was brave enough to get my hair done.

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The Toronto Week of Style 2008

Andrew Nguyen — Mon, 26 May 2008 09:52:05 PDT

The Toronto Week of Style launches this week at the Burroughes Building (639 Queen Street West) and runs from May 28th to May 31st. In its second year, the focus of the event will be to celebrate the fusion of sustainability, multiculturalism and fashion. The three day extravaganza encompasses 11 shows and features over 60 designers.

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Bike Month in Toronto

Andrew Nguyen — Mon, 26 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

Riding a bicycle, like walking and taking public transit, is simply another step we can take in order to increase awareness about climate change. From May 26th to June 21st, Bike Month, Toronto's Festival for Cycling Culture, showcases the importance of promoting and encouraging more bicycle commuting. So, pump up those tires and dust off those helmets and pedal through the city streets to your heart's content (and health)!

"You don't have to look like a bike messenger to ride a bike, and most people don't want to ride a bike because of that," said Meaghan Orlinski, member of the Deadly Nightshades bike gang, as she unlocked her 1980s Barney-purple bike on a recent afternoon. "We want to help influence that."

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Anime North 2008

Andrew Nguyen — Sun, 25 May 2008 19:14:48 PDT

Anime North 2008 was hosted from May 23rd to May 25th at the Toronto Congress Center, and is revered as one of the two must-see events of the year. For those who haven't caught the craze sweeping the nation, here's an account of a first-timer's experience at the convention.

Although anime and manga have been around since the 50's (think Astroboy), they've remained trendy amongst today's youth and there is a clear distinction between the two. Anime refers to Japanese animation (such as popular movies Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle), while manga refers to Japanese comics (like Doraemon and Inu-Yasha). Like literature, anime and manga span a wide variety of genres from action-and-adventure to horror.

Being an avid fan of both, I decided to make my way to Toronto Congress Center to see what the commotion was all about. In previous years, I've attended Fan Expo hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Center, which prides itself on being a convention for everyone. Anime North, on the other hand, is a convention targeted toward the anime and manga otaku in all of us.

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The Spring Thing Trunk Show

Andrew Nguyen — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:50:39 PDT

The Spring Thing Trunk Show hosted by City of Craft and in conjunction with The Workroom takes place at 1340 Queen Street West on Sunday, May 4th from noon to 5PM.

Started in December of 2007, the first City of Craft Fair was a unique blend of trade show and lively exhibition. It was started by craft enthusiasts Becky Johnson, Leah Buckareff and Jen Anisef who felt the need for celebration and collaboration of the unique craft culture in Toronto.

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Ryerson Fashion Week 2008

Andrew Nguyen — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:42:44 PDT

From April 6th to April 10th, Ryerson opened its doors to the fashion community by hosting Ryerson Fashion Week, a five-day event featuring Canada's most style-conscious young designers and communication students.

Surprisingly, this exhibition was Ryerson's first full-fledged fashion week featuring three spectacular shows: Original Sin, Ignite and Paramensia. This year emphasized the importance of environmentally conscious clothing.

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