blogTO | Posts by Catherine

A Night at the Pantages Hotel

Catherine — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 04:25:35 EST

With a bit of extra economic heat, many of us were workin' through this past summer. And fall. But man cannot live on workdays alone. So a couple of weeks ago we made with the "staycationing" and spent a night at Toronto's Pantages Hotel.

Find out more about the experience in my review of the Pantages Hotel in the hotels section.

The Best Spas in Toronto

Catherine — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:24:12 EDT

The best spas in Toronto can make everything better. Feeling toxic? Disjointed? Old? Lumpy? Un-vedic?

Well, from Hungarian treatments to melt cellulite to lots of luscious sounding food that you put on your body instead of in it, Toronto spa "menus" have it all.

(Women officially don't eat at all any more. We just get by on chocolate body wraps, wine facials, and papaya scrubs. We ingest all our nutrition by osmosis now.)

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She's Shameless / She's Writing

Catherine — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:38:48 EDT

When I was a kid there was Chickadee magazine and then Owl, and then the thinking girl was unceremoniously dumped off the science train of the Mighty Mites, and into the world of Tiger Beat.

"Maybe you can think big thoughts again when you're older," the magazine rack seemed to say. "But the teen and pre-teen magazines that tide you over until then will be wholly populated by doe-eyed boys, glossy ads for lip gloss, and vanilla-flavoured sex tips. Be prepared for a solid decade where your interests are presumed limited to bangles and boyfriends."

Then 2004 rolled around, and a Canadian upstart broke through these piles and piles of flippant frou frou and frizz -- Shameless, a magazine "for girls who get it."

Shameless is also written particularly for teen and pre-teen girls. But with politics in place of pop idols, queer positive instead of quizzes that only care if "he" likes you, and sexuality that's invited along for the whole messy and complicated ride that is growing up.

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TOJam #4: Not In Your Mom's Basement (NIYMB)

Catherine — Mon, 25 May 2009 23:22:57 EDT

If you geek out on movies, you get to be a film buff. If you geek out on music, you get to get laid. If you geek out on games, you get... to be a geek.

But earlier this month in Toronto, if you geek out on games, you got to make your very own. So long as you could do it in three days - at TOJam #4: a (free) three-day homegrown videogame bonanza.

It's giving the three-day novel contest a run for its money. Three days to write a novel? Pfft. Child's play. How about write a story, illustrate it, animate it, add controls, and make sure it's all running bug-free... in three days? Snap. Yeah, that's what I thought.

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All Aboard the Atheist Bus?

Catherine — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:37:19 EST

Anyone who reads Boing Boing (or, y'know, the news) heard about the atheist bus-ad campaign that rolled through London early this year with an (un)holy fervour.

The UK campaign took out ads on public transit featuring quotes from famous atheists, with the chaser slogan of "There's Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying And Enjoy Your Life."

When fundraising for their ads, the UK campaign raised 2400% of their target (*cough*miracle*cough*). So instead of 30 buses spreading the word, they had enough for 800. Would you like a loaf with that fish?

Now a group has formed to spread the hellfire-free word to Canadian cities, comme Toronto.

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Flow Gets Drowned Out

Catherine — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:30:21 EST

Like too many fish in a tank, it looks like three was overcapacity for the mani+pedi cluster at Queen and Tecumseth.

In the past few years the intersection has gone from no options to too many. Within 20 paces of each other was Aliviar, The Ten Spot, and Flow (that's not even counting B.Skin, Elixir and Pure+Simple down at King). The pressure to attend to your cuticles was a bit intense.

Shortly after they all opened a few years ago, I wondered how long and who would last. It seems that Flow, formerly of 753 Queen Street West, is the first casualty. Which is not that surprising. While the window and entry displays were always clean and crisp, I could probably count on one hand the number of people I ever saw going in. It was far, far too quiet.

Their windows are papered over and there is a 'For Rent' sign on the glass. There is no notice posted that they're relocating elsewhere.

The Hot Seat

Catherine — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:41:10 EST

There's an internet cafe on Yonge St, just a bit north of Dundas, a bit south of Gould. On my way to dinner last night, I was strolling past when something in their window caught my eye.

Well, "somethings". Somethings thrusting, graphically. Pornographically.

There's a terminal at this particular cafe that is right up against the window. So that whatever whoever is at that terminal is looking at, anyone walking past is looking at it too. And last night, the person at that terminal was streaming some online hardcore porn.

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Um, where did Token go?

Catherine — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:09:32 EST

Has Token abruptly plunged into the Deadpool?

Walking past 888 Queen St W today I was surprised to find no sign of Token, instead people putting in new light fixtures, sweeping the floor, and lettering on the glass advertising the space as an art gallery.

I often think Token is one block over from where they actually are, but I definitely double-checked, and they are definitely not where they're supposed to be (unless this egg nog is off and causing me to be mildly delusional. Which I will leave on the table as a possibility).

There is no word on their blog that they've moved or closed, just a sudden lack of them at their store.

I've sent an email asking about their abrupt disappearing act, but does anyone know what's up?

UPDATE: Confirmed by email, Token is only dipping their toes in the Deadpool. As jojo suggested in the comments, their lease came up and, after much consideration, they decided not to renew. Token will be relaunching in Spring 2009, hopefully nearby, and we'll be sure to let you where and when they do.

GREEN Design Studio Brings It All Together

Catherine — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:36:22 EST

Environmentally conscious homeowners (and renters) have been ferreting out better solutions for their floors, walls, and all the spaces in between since way before it was a chi-chi Gucci-er-than-thou thing to do.

With the addition of GREEN Design Studio to Liberty Village, their lives just got a whole lot easier.

Read my interview with co-founder Miranda Cervini, and check out some lush eco-design eye-candy at GREEN Design Studio in our design store section.

Secrets From Your Sister Shares Some (Secrets)

Catherine — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:45:04 EST

Jennifer Klein, owner of much-loved bra superstars Secrets From Your Sister, recently opened a second location on Yonge north of Eglinton. I visited their new store, while Jennifer answered a few of The Big Questions, like: "How many bras should you have and of what kind?"

(Hint: At least one should be red. And might I add, rawr.)

Read my full profile of Secrets From Your Sister in our fashion section.

Photograph courtesy of Patrick Smith.

David Sedaris is Sociable at Massey Hall

Catherine — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:17:02 EST

My friend Cathy could be BFF with David Sedaris. David just doesn't know it yet.

Besides reading his articles and books, it turns out that both Cathy and David are huge fans of George Saunders. Apparently David flogs one book (in addition to his) whenever he goes out on a tour. When he asked the packed Massey Hall crowd last week if anyone had read Braindead Megaphone, he got exactly two quiet-but-enthusiastic-Torontonian-style "whoo!"s. One was from Cathy.

This summer David was in town signing books and I missed him. Luckily Cathy is smarter than I am, and found out that he was back in town in December for a reading at Massey Hall. Hot. Diggity.

Going to book the tickets though, she discovered all that was left was "partially obstructed view". I sagely pointed out to her that when we listen to him on the This American Life podcast, we have an entirely obstructed view. She acknowledged my good point, and tickets were purchased. So Cathy was there to show Braindead Megaphone (and David) some love.

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The Best Hair Salons in Toronto

Catherine — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:30:00 EST

Jodi at Coupe Bizzarre cuts my hair, and she's doing really well. She styles for bands, appears on TV, and is generally in demand.

Which worries me. Because my hair is emotionally attached to her. She coaxed its ill-defined waviness into an angular bob with a severe undercut, and now she's nursing it back through regrowth into something as yet undefined.

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Mole Poblano and Religiously Blacklisted Pork at Jalapeno

Catherine — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:09:46 EST

For me Jalapeno was one of those places you keep riding past on the streetcar, vaguely wondering what it's like. After a few years of that (I'm all about the quick turnaround time), I decided to go check it out. Two words: Yumm. O.

Read my full review of Jalapeno in the restaurants section.

10 Great Bra Boutiques in Toronto

Catherine — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:15:00 EDT

Trying on a new bra can be like trying on new shoes, in reverse: you realize how stretched out and broken your old ones are, but it's not in a good way.

Most women wear the wrong bra size. There are dozens of sizes, several of the stores in this list go up to 52JJ, yet everyone thinks they're a 34B. Which is fine, since it's not like it's something you wear everyday... oh, wait a second.

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What Lies Beneath

Catherine — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:14:27 EDT

I love taking things apart. Seeing how they work. It's like pulling the articulated arms and legs off your action figures and learning about compression coils and ball-joints.

Having less (though not no) action figures now, I have to find other outlets for this simple pleasure.

Like walking past construction sites and having "a-ha!" moments when I catch a glimpse of the white noise infrastructure of my city, disassembled. Infrastructure like fire hydrants.

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