blogTO | Posts by jennifertse

blogTO | Posts by jennifertse http://www.blogto.com/ Toronto blog Copyright 2012 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:38:25 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Photos of BuskerFest 2011 The 12th annual Scotiabank BuskerFest took place this weekend in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood with an almost entirely new cast of diverse international performers. The event, once again in support of Epilepsy Toronto, featured youth bands, chalk artists, mimes, a silver Elvis, and whip-cracking sword-swallower Space Cowboy, among other talented performers. Familiar faces from last year's event included the Stunt Double Circus and living statue Kate Mior, but otherwise, I didn't see many returning acts.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/08/photos_of_buskerfest_2011 http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/08/photos_of_buskerfest_2011 City Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:29:43 EDT City Jennifer Tse 2011-08-29T10:29:43 Inside the BIXI bike warehouse in Toronto The addition of the BIXI bike-sharing program to our streets has changed Toronto cycling in the short time since its launch. Even before BIXI was a part of Toronto, there was an independent cycling culture defined by sustainability and community, all thanks to the fierce loyalty of commuters to their two-wheeled steeds. BIXI has since become a symbol for a more bike-friendly city, and it's not surprising that the back end of the program follows the same grassroots, people-oriented and eco-friendly values.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/08/inside_the_bixi_bike_warehouse_in_toronto http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/08/inside_the_bixi_bike_warehouse_in_toronto City Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:09:35 EDT City Jennifer Tse 2011-08-26T08:09:35 Honda Indy 2011 and the spectacle of speed The 2011 Honda Indy was the expected show of speed race fans were promised, with 26 drivers from across the globe competing at breathtaking velocities for the Toronto title. But an unusual amount of aggression surfaced as the day wore on, and the 240 km Lake Shore West racetrack was soon marked by a slew of collisions.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2011/07/honda_indy_2011_and_the_spectacle_of_speed_ http://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2011/07/honda_indy_2011_and_the_spectacle_of_speed_ Sports & Play Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:40:24 EDT Sports & Play Jennifer Tse 2011-07-11T07:40:24 Photos of the 2011 Toronto Pride Parade The 2011 Pride Parade in Toronto transformed Yonge into a rainbow-coloured street party as members and supporters of Toronto's queer community marched, danced, and showered onlookers with whistles, condoms, tote bags, and Mardi Gras beads.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/07/photos_of_the_2011_toronto_pride_parade http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/07/photos_of_the_2011_toronto_pride_parade City Sun, 03 Jul 2011 21:39:31 EDT City Jennifer Tse 2011-07-03T21:39:31 BIXI bike-sharing officially launches in Toronto Toronto's BIXI bike share program kicked off today at Yonge and Gould with a group of prominent members of the cycling community, city councillors, and sponsors TELUS and Desjardins rolling into the launch on their shiny new steeds. The program will provide Torontonians with year-round access to 1,000 bikes located at 80 stations in the downtown core.

The Public Bike System Company (PBSC) is the organization behind BIXI, the first large-scale bike sharing system in North America. Users borrow a bike from a BIXI station and return the bike to any station in the network. PBSC's bike sharing system has already been implemented in various cities, including Montreal, Washington, and London.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/05/bixi_bike-sharing_officially_launches_in_toronto http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/05/bixi_bike-sharing_officially_launches_in_toronto City Tue, 03 May 2011 15:42:44 EDT City Jennifer Tse 2011-05-03T15:42:44 OCADU students unveil new bike stands on Queen St. Speech bubbles and halos have popped up along Queen St. West -- they're the city's newest bike stands, devised by students at OCAD University with the goal of merging conceptual urban sculpture with functional infrastructure.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/11/ocadu_students_unveil_new_bike_stands_on_queen_st http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/11/ocadu_students_unveil_new_bike_stands_on_queen_st City Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:52:05 EST City Jennifer Tse 2010-11-18T12:52:05 A photo survey of a Toronto apartment demolition It was with some spontaneity that urban explorer and blogTO contributor Jonathan Castellino took me to this fascinating spot in North York where the demolition of an apartment complex has mixed fragments of its former occupants' lives with mountains of rubble. A entire bathtub here, a ratty old mattress there -- what once existed has now been eviscerated.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/11/a_photo_survey_of_a_toronto_apartment_demolition http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/11/a_photo_survey_of_a_toronto_apartment_demolition City Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:27:24 EST City Jennifer Tse 2010-11-08T22:27:24 The Best Bubble Tea in Toronto The best bubble tea in Toronto is a sweet, satisfying marriage of refreshing drink and light snack, at once quenching thirst and sating the urge to chew something. Most know it as a tea-based beverage mixed with fruit or fruity syrups and sometimes milk, combined with toothsome tapioca pearls. Whether served in a tall glass or a plastic cup, both the liquid and tapioca are enjoyed through an extra-wide plastic straw.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/best_of_toronto/2010/09/the_best_bubble_tea_in_toronto http://www.blogto.com/best_of_toronto/2010/09/the_best_bubble_tea_in_toronto Best of Toronto Sun, 19 Sep 2010 20:38:02 EDT Best of Toronto Jennifer Tse 2010-09-19T20:38:02 Morning Brew: Smitherman throws down gauntlet to Ford, G20 police inquiry by Ontario watchdog, Conrad Black may be allowed back to Toronto, Eaton Centre peeping Tom, real life Winnie-the-Pooh These days, it seems George Smitherman is just itching for direct confrontation. Unsatisfied with previous mayoral candidate shouting matches, he's now requested the chance to lock horns with Rob Ford in a one-on-one debate with no other candidates present. His reasoning is that "most of the polls indicate that [they] are the two leading contenders" anyway, and it would benefit voters to hear from just the front-runners. Ford says he is not intimidated, and the other candidates are certainly not impressed.

After receiving close to 300 G20-related complaints, the Ontario Independent Police Review Director announced yesterday that it will be launching a systemic review of police conduct during the summit. The office will still be investigating each complaint individually, but according to director Gerry McNeilly, his office can lawfully initiate a more thorough review if there's a pattern in the complaints. These guys couldn't have asked for a bigger test of effectiveness -- the office was only established last fall, and this will be its first inquiry.

In Chicago today, Conrad Black will be facing the same judge who put him in prison to acknowledge the terms of his release, which may change at the hearing to allow him to return to Toronto. Even if permission were granted, it's anybody's guess how he'd be able to cross the border, as his only identification, a British passport, expired while he was in jail.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/mb_toronto/2010/07/morning_brew_smitherman_throws_down_gauntlet_to_ford_g20_police_inquiry_by_ontario_watchdog_conrad_black_may_be_allowed_back_to_toronto_eaton_centre_peeping_tom_real_life_winnie-the-pooh http://www.blogto.com/mb_toronto/2010/07/morning_brew_smitherman_throws_down_gauntlet_to_ford_g20_police_inquiry_by_ontario_watchdog_conrad_black_may_be_allowed_back_to_toronto_eaton_centre_peeping_tom_real_life_winnie-the-pooh MB Toronto Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:32:47 EDT MB Toronto Jennifer Tse 2010-07-22T21:32:47 The Best Summer Sports Leagues in Toronto The best summer sports leagues in Toronto include a range of popular athletic activities as well as niche sports. For seasoned athletes or recreational players, participating in a club or league is a great way to enjoy the warmer weather, stay in shape, and meet new people.

As evidenced by some of the smaller leagues on this list, the quality of a Toronto sports league is not necessarily defined by the size of its membership. Being part of a tight, dedicated group of enthusiasts can often provide a more rewarding experience than a larger one. And the more grassroots the community, the more welcoming it usually is to newbies.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/best_of_toronto/2010/07/the_best_summer_sports_leagues_in_toronto http://www.blogto.com/best_of_toronto/2010/07/the_best_summer_sports_leagues_in_toronto Best of Toronto Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:28:05 EDT Best of Toronto Jennifer Tse 2010-07-05T17:28:05 Toronto Street Busker Profile: Shibaten Street busker Shibaten makes music with his heart, across the globe, with nearly every instrument imaginable. Perhaps best known for his didgeridoo playing, he has been a regular at Yonge and Dundas for the past three summers, and calls the square the best place in the world to busk.

I met and spoke with him earlier this week, only to learn that it was his last time busking in Toronto, for now. He had plans for yet another spiritual journey that would eventually take him to Singapore and Japan, and he didn't know when he'd be back. A guestbook in front of his tips basket was filled with well-wishes from old and new friends alike, including people who had come out just to catch Shibaten while he was still in the city.

One audience member may have described Shibaten's music best when she came up to him after his performance, saying, "It's something I've never heard before. And yet it's something I've definitely heard before."

From his eagerness to connect with others to the eclectic blend of sounds that define his art, it's obvious that Shibaten does what he does to share with the world a universal beauty.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2010/05/toronto_street_busker_profile_shibaten http://www.blogto.com/music/2010/05/toronto_street_busker_profile_shibaten Music Thu, 27 May 2010 17:27:46 EDT Music Jennifer Tse 2010-05-27T17:27:46 TTC Busker Profile: Ruslan Nebesov The more musically-inclined followers of this TTC busker profile series, take note -- as of today, you too can apply to be part of the TTC Subway Musicians' Program. Applications are being accepted starting today until June 25, or until the program reaches its 175-applicant quota (whichever comes first).

As awesome as it is to run into one, or two, or five people I know every time I take the subway, I'm excited to see which new faces are thrown into the mix, and which talented individuals come out to show their stuff at the auditions, which take place at the CNE this August. Who knows? It could be you.

With that said, allow me to introduce this week's busker, seasoned violinist Ruslan Nebesov, whom I met on the northbound Bloor-Yonge platform. Ruslan himself is stoic and calm, but tutelage at a prestigious Ukrainian music school and decades of musical discipline have given his playing an obvious shine.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2010/05/ttc_busker_profile_ruslan_nebesov http://www.blogto.com/music/2010/05/ttc_busker_profile_ruslan_nebesov Music Fri, 21 May 2010 00:13:20 EDT Music Jennifer Tse 2010-05-21T00:13:20 TTC Busker Profile: Dwight Belgrove When is Finch station a Caribbean paradise? It's possible to suspend disbelief when TTC busker Dwight Belgrove is performing.

The steel drum player winked his thanks as I stood and watched him play earlier this week. I would later discover that the unmistakable sounds of a performing pannist can be enough to make one really feel warm inside. Perhaps warm enough, in one instance, for a commuter to leave his winter coat in Dwight's instrument case, in place of tips.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2010/05/ttc_busker_profile_dwight_belgrove http://www.blogto.com/music/2010/05/ttc_busker_profile_dwight_belgrove Music Thu, 13 May 2010 21:10:09 EDT Music Jennifer Tse 2010-05-13T21:10:09 Toronto Street Artist Profile: Chalkmaster Dave With almost 19 years of sidewalk chalking experience behind him, "Chalkmaster Dave" Johnston really is a master at his craft. It's become hard to imagine the southwest Yonge and Dundas street corner without his painstakingly detailed, larger-than-life illustrations of superheroes, da Vinci paintings, and video game icons.

The palms of his hands are black as coal, and his clothes are permanently spotted with multicoloured dust. Chalkmaster Dave takes sidewalk art to the extreme, often drawing a crowd as large as the picture he so meticulously creates. He always completes his drawing in the same day. While good enough to hang for years on a wall, most of his pieces survive only a couple days at best, before fading away with footsteps or washing away with rain.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/04/toronto_street_artist_profile_chalkmaster_dave http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/04/toronto_street_artist_profile_chalkmaster_dave City Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:26:42 EDT City Jennifer Tse 2010-04-22T00:26:42 Toronto Hash Mob celebrates 420 with pot protest at Yonge-Dundas Square Yesterday, the Toronto Hash Mob cannabis collective gathered for what was meant to be a peaceful pot-puffing protest at Yonge-Dundas Square. In celebration of 420, the plan was to light up at 4:20 p.m. on April 20 in open defiance of marijuana prohibition.

Things would later turn sour with a gun scare shortly before the planned light-up time, but the sun-filled square was already packed with many a languid, smiling stoner from around 2 p.m. onward. I was there before the incident to capture some of the festivities.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/04/toronto_hash_mob_celebrates_420_with_pot_protest_at_yonge-dundas_square http://www.blogto.com/city/2010/04/toronto_hash_mob_celebrates_420_with_pot_protest_at_yonge-dundas_square City Wed, 21 Apr 2010 01:46:03 EDT City Jennifer Tse 2010-04-21T01:46:03