By Melinda M, on August 31st, 2010%
AWOL Gallery has been putting on an interesting art show for the past 8 years, and we almost missed it! The good news is we all have a chance to see the 8th Annual & Original Square Foot Show until September 5. According to the press, all the artwork, from a range of artists, measures the same 8 foot by 8 foot square, making the space look really vibrant and inviting.
For the remaining days of the show, visit 100A Ossington, just steps away from AWOL’s normal gallery. It is open Thurs. – Sat. 12-8pm & Sun. 12-5pm.
As a reminder, we have added a feature to our site with event listings. If you have a business on the strip, please send us an email and we will be happy to feature your events in our calendar.
By Melinda M, on August 26th, 2010%
 The 2010 Toronto International Film Festival launches in two weeks, and along with it, the Future Projections series of art projects. Future Projections is inspired by the history and culture of cinema. This year’s series has exhibits throughout Toronto, including Ossington, and runs September 9-19.
Many of the exhibits will be presented at the new Bell Lightbox, but galleries in our neighborhood will participate. Gallery TPW will feature South African artist William Kentridge’s “Journey to the Moon,” in which he pays homage to French director Georges Méliès’ classic Voyage dans la Lune (1902), also on view at the gallery and widely considered cinema’s first science fiction film. Combining live action and stop motion animation, Journey to the Moon in part pictures the creative process as Kentridge performs for the camera, playing the scientist/artist who dreams of worlds afar but ultimately cannot escape.The exhibit is open September 7 – 19, Tuesday to Sunday 12 to 5 PM.
MOCCA on Queen West will feature Chris Chong Chan Fui and Yasuhiro Morinaga: HEAVENHELL Sep 10, 2010 – Sep 19, 2010, and, also on Queen Street West is Stephen Bulger Gallery/Camera Cinema with Stan Douglas and “Klatsassin,” a film inspired by Kurosawa’s Rashomon, September 9 – 19, Tuesday to Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM.
We know the main point for many is at TIFF is spotting celebrities, and we’re sure they’ll even venture over to Ossington now that we’ve got some of the best nightlife and restaurants in town, but don’t forget the art too!
By Brians, on August 19th, 2010%
 Havana Cultura starts today! and if you like everything Cuban this is the festival for you.
Ossington and the vicinity already has it’s share of Cuban influences from the House of Horvath cigar store, to Julies Cuban over on Dovercourt and Foxley serving Cuban tapas, to Delux, whose Cuban cooking we’ve been enjoying since they opened. And, of course, nothing says Cuba like rum. The festival is sponsored and promoted by Havana Club, so there’ll be lots of rum cocktails served with that brand.
This festival brings music, dance and art from Cuba to the Ossington strip. And the list of events is extensive. (Don’t forget to check the Ossington Village Events Calendar for full listings)
They’ve even come up with a special cocktail for the event called the Cuban Correspondent, created by Brad Gubbins from the Toronto Institute of Bartending, which is a variation on a Daquiri inspired by Hemingway’s time in Toronto in his early writing career (or that’s what they tell us).
There will also be a performance by Gilles Peterson, DJ/producer /musician. Peterson and his band will perform tracks from his just released, remixed album, Havana Cultura: New Cuba Sound at the Great Hall at Dovercourt and Queen.
 In the back of Reposado there will be a cigar lounge with rolling demonstrations and some guests will receive complimentary cigars.
Angel Carrillo, a local graffiti artist and urban designer will be painting a large mural on the wall outside of Levack Block, and Cuban artist Ernesto Villanueva will be showcasing his artworks Friday and Saturday from 3pm until 8pm.
Elmer Ferrer, a super-talented Cuban guitarist, is playing with his band at The Painted Lady at 3 p.m on Saturday.
It’s going to be a very Cuban next couple of days on Ossington, so take the time to enjoy everything this festival has to offer, and of course, buy a few rum drinks to keep the festival coming back next year.
By Melinda M, on August 5th, 2010%
This August 19-22 mark the dates for the Havana Cultura Festival in Toronto, and this festival is really making great use of a variety of venues on Ossington, plus some on Queen West and Dovercourt.
The festival was founded and is sponsored by Havana Club Rum, and it celebrates Cuban culture in all it’s forms, and each venue on Ossington will highlight something different about that culture.
Delux, a well known home for Cuban food, is featuring a special Cuban lunch each day of the festival. On opening night, Reposado hosts a unique cigar lounge in the backyard patio, with a rolling demonstration, and free samples for guests.
On Friday, August 20, Levack Block focuses on the art of Cuba, with a gallery set up in the second floor (who knew they had a second floor?) and graffiti created live and displayed on the wall outside. The Ossington is hosting a rumba party on the same night.
So, along with music, dancing, Cuban food and art, Levack Block, Reposado, Julie’s Cuban on Dovercourt, and Camera Bar on Queen West are all turning Cuban.
Live music performances at The Painted Lady with the Elmer Ferrer Band, Watusi has the Orlando Cardozo Latin Jazz Trio, and The Ossington features The Kevin Barretto Jazz Trio.
After all the partying and dancing, wind it down on Sunday with some Cuban brunch at Delux or a BBQ at Sweaty Betty’s. Full schedule (and it is quite full) is on the website.
By Brians, on August 3rd, 2010%
 This weekend MKG Gallery at 127 Ossington launches a new bunch of work in the heat of the summer. Featured artists include Adam David Brown, Dean Drever, Dave Dyment, Sky Glabush and Ken Nicol.
If you like (or don’t like) Bears, Scotch, Typograghy, and just good funky installation art, you should definitely stop by. It’s even air conditioned – despite the title of the exhibit.
Adam David Brown has exhibited before at MKG127 for a show called White Noise during February & March, 2009 as well garnered international attention with coverage on Artforum.com. He has also been awarded the 2009 Toronto Friends of the Visual Arts Artist Prize.
Dean Drever has also shown at MKG127 in an exhibition called Bear Minimum in August 2008. We understand Dean likes Bears, and that show featured a life sized fluorescent yellow fuzzy Kodiak. Dean’s Kodiaks have made appearance’s at the Toronto Sculpture Garden, the Vancouver Olympics and the Prime Minister’s office at the G8 summit in Huntsville. Steven Colbert will not be attending.
Dave Dyme exhibited at MKG127 in January 2008 in a show called Room Tone. After that. he was invited to participate in the prestigious residency program at the Glenfiddich distillery in Scotland. It was at this program that Dave created his 100 year old whiskey edition, A Drink To Us (When We’re Both Dead) which has proven to be popular with both collectors of art and whiskey.
Sky Glabush last exhibited at MKG127 in a show called Renting during January & February, 2009. He’s recently been commissioned by the Bank of Montreal to produce two new paintings. His next solo exhibition at MKG127 is scheduled for May, 2011.
Ken Nicol developed quite a following during his first solo exhibition at MKG127, A Room Full of Stuff I Made (And Collected) which took place during March & April, 2009 . Ken’s next solo exhibition at MKG127 is scheduled for October 2011.
The opening is August 7th from 2-5pm and the show will be on until September 4th from Wednesday to Saturday from 12 to 6 PM or by appointment.
By Melinda M, on July 28th, 2010%
 The annual Summerworks Theatre Festival runs this August 5th-15th. As the largest juried festival in Canada featuring predominantly New Canadian plays, SummerWorks looks to program a festival that uniquely reflects Toronto and Canada’s cultural zeitgeist. 2010 is Summerworks’ 20th year, and one of the venues for both the theatre festival and the sole venue for their music series is The Lower Ossington Theatre.
The Music Series is every night of the festival, with acts performing on the main stage upstairs, and in the new Performance bar downstairs. A great list of Canadian talent kicks off August 5 with The Hidden Cameras playing two nights on the mainstage, and other names like Laura Barrett, The Mountains & The Trees and more. The schedule for both theatre and music at The Lower Ossington Theatre is here: 
Individual tickets for theatre and music shows are $10, with package deals available and shows run Aug 5-15.
By Melinda M, on July 24th, 2010%
Ossington has been mentioned in several news articles of late, so it’s time for our semi-regular press round-up.
The mentions are coming as far off as Ireland, where an article in the Irish Times cites our neighborhood as the “rising area” thanks to our bars and restaurants.
Another recent mention that garnered attention is from the Huffington Post, which calls Toronto “the capital of cool” and mentions Ossington as one of the “once dodgy, but now trendy…neighborhoods” for it’s galleries, shops and restaurants.
This sort of news must come in threes, because Daily Candy, a popular U.S. fashion and lifestyle blog, also visits Toronto and recommends Ossington for its restaurants and shops. Notably highlighted by Daily Candy are Jonathan + Olivia, Delux, Pizzeria Libretto and Camp 4.
So maybe we can expect to hear more Irish and American accents when we shop and eat on Ossington.
Finally, closer to home, new coffee shop Crafted by Te Aro is receiving positive press. We can attest to the quality of their coffees (both hot and cold) and the professionalism and dedication of their staff. If you follow them on Twitter, you would have read about their very high rating from The Coffee Review. Kudos and welcome to the neighborhood!
By Melinda M, on July 8th, 2010%
 The Toronto Youth Theatre is a non-profit registered charity that offers students the chance to work in a professional theatre environment. The students learn the fundamentals of theatre while creating a full theatrical production in a professional venue. Currently, the students are rehearsing and preparing for their upcoming production, Hair!, which they will produce at the Lower Ossington Theatre.
“Hair” runs from July 21-31: Wednesdays-Saturdays at 7:30PM and Saturdays at 2PM at the Lower Ossington Theatre, 100 Ossington Ave. You can buy tickets online or other ways.
By Melinda M, on June 30th, 2010%
 The Scream Literary Festival runs in Toronto next week with a variety of different events across the city. This festival, running July 6-12, features readings and performances by lots of talented authors, and one of the interesting events is a “Scream Pub Crawl” taking place on Dundas West and Ossington.
The pub crawl is scheduled to run next Wednesday, July 7 at 7PM at Camp 4, Reposado, The Ossington, Baby Huey, and Levack Block. Don’t forget though, this pub crawl is literary: Chart your own course through the evening: 18 Toronto writers are positioned in competing timeslots and venues along Ossington Avenue. Pick up your itinerary, a Choose Your Own Poetic Adventure storybook at each venue, or download a pdf from thescream.ca.
By Brians, on June 17th, 2010%
 The Cardboard Brains - by Vincent Carlucci Vince Carlucci is a long-time Toronto musician, having co-founded the band Cardboard Brains back in 1976. Back then he was also taking pictures of his favourite bands, Iggy Pop, The Ugly, The Ramones, Blondie and others. Toronto, along with New York and London, was pivotal in the late 70s punk movement and many of the best musicians the the time came and played.
There are shots from Patti Smith’s show at Seneca College in 1976, (price of entry: $7.50) as well as Lou Reed playing Massey Hall.
Recently Joe Fuda connected with Vince and put together an expo of some of the shots he took which went up recently at the Oz Studios at 134 Ossington. It’s a cool little show to walk around and remember the era.
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According to the press, all the artwork, from a range of artists, measures the same 8 foot by 8 foot square, making the space look really vibrant and inviting.
