Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus
Total 596 Posts
I was given a spot in front of the red carpet for today's Rock of Fame induction ceremony at Massey Hall. In addition to getting some time with FOTM Alan Frew from Glass Tiger and FOTM Carol Pope from Rough Trade, I snapped a few selfies. FOTMs Andy Kim, Steve
I was chatting with Jane Siberry yesterday and that put Mimi on the Beach in my head. I still love that song. Mimi on the Beach is one of a great trifecta of Toronto beach songs, all with the word "beach" in the title. Mimi on the Beach - Jane
There's a new Pumpkins After Dark promo code for Toronto Mike'd listeners. The new promo code is 'TOMIKE15'. Using it at https://www.showpass.com/e/pumpkins-after-dark-milton-on-40/ will save you 15% through August 2023. Pumpkins After Dark is Canada’s award-winning outdoor Halloween event. Featuring over 6,000+ hand-carved pumpkins,
Remember February when there was a John Tory sex scandal? Yep, that happened. With Tory's resignation, a by-election was called, and June 26 is the big day. Many of us have already cast our ballots, but for most Torontonians, they'll do that tomorrow. Over the last couple of months, I'd
In this 1279th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with 2023 Toronto Mayoral By-Election candidate Ana Bailão about her campaign, how to pronounce her surname, Guns 'N Roses, and more. This episode is exactly 1:02:09. You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways: Subscribe via
"Night Moves" was a hit for Bob Seger in 1977, although it was released in December 1976. The song spent 21 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #4 on March 12, 1977. It's objectively a great song, and it's got quite the Toronto connection. "Night Moves" was
In my neighbourhood of New Toronto, there's this great storefront that always captures my attention. Here's how it looks today. Your Neighbourhood Barbershop on Lake ShoreWith my hair out of control, it was time to rein it in. I made an appointment with the owner, a nice chap named Andy,
In this 1202nd episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with David Rider, the man who led The Toronto Star's investigation into John Tory's affair with a Toronto City Hall staffer. Alternate title: Everything you wanted to know about the John Tory sex scandal reporting (but didn't know who to ask)
Surprise! John Tory has resigned as Mayor of Toronto. The Toronto Star gets credit for breaking the story tonight that John Tory had an affair with a 31-year-old City Hall staffer. Tory announced he was resigning Friday night at a press conference at city hall, about one hour after the
Our very own Barenaked Ladies had a #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. That's kind of amazing. That song, of course, is 1998's "One Week". At the time, they had several hits under their belts on this side of the border, but had only appeared on the Billboard Hot
I live in Lakeshore Village. "Lakeshore Village" is a fancy real estate handle for the trifecta of Toronto neighbourhoods along Lake Ontario in Etobicoke. From west to east you have Long Branch, New Toronto and Mimico. But wait, there's more! To the east of Mimico, on the west side of
Glenn Sumi being locked out of his nowtoronto.com email in late December marked the end of an era, but NOW Magazine had been on life support for years. So! Not a minute too soon! It's been a blast, NOW! pic.twitter.com/pmYESQBHnq — Glenn Sumi (@glennsumi)
A proposal for our Ontario Place includes a private water park and spa with underground parking for more than 2,000 vehicles. That, my fellow Torontonians, is bullshit. I'm ready to chain myself to the Cinesphere https://t.co/aFgrAytAHu — Toronto Mike (@torontomike) January 3, 2023 We
I live in a land with many names. It's the city of Toronto, the old borough of Etobicoke, and the neighbourhood known as New Toronto. The local BIA prefers the term "Lakeshore Village". Don't get me started on "Lake Shore" vs. "Lakeshore", that's a subject for another post. This post
The University of Toronto is my alma mater, so I spent a lot of time roaming the vast downtown campus in the 1990s. At this time of year, I like to revisit the legend of Diabolos and Reznikoff, a story I first shared 15 years ago. According to accounts, the
Last month, I received a package from a Toronto Mike'd listener named Jim Shedden. The box included four books and a lengthy letter. One of the books was by Jim himself and Rick Prelinger. That book is titled "I AM HERE: Home Movies and Everyday Masterpieces". Thank you @jimshedden! pic.
When the timing is right, I'll still flip on Jeopardy at 7:30pm on a weeknight. I've been watching forever, and even though the local station broadcasting the game show has changed a few times, and Alex is no longer with us, I still love yelling out the answers. For
If you listen to Toronto Mike'd, you've heard me speak of Rumble through the years. He was a key figure in the first wave of Toronto hip hop as one-half of Rumble and Strong. A key contemporary of Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, Get Loose Crew, Simply Majestic and the
Mel Lastman served as the first mayor of the newly amalgamated Toronto from 1998 to 2003. Before that, he served as mayor of North York from 1973 until 1997. He was also the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain.
I often refer to my city as "The Big Smoke". I grew up hearing it nicknamed such and adopted the moniker. Toronto, however, is not the only city with this nickname. In fact, various cities from several countries are sometimes referred to as the big smoke. AustraliaBrisbaneMelbourne, labeled as such
In this 948th episode, Mike chats with Kiera Toffelmire about Toronto Miracle 2021, taking place on December 4, 2021. This episode is exactly 26:43. You can listen to this episode in a variety of ways: Subscribe via Apple PodcastsSubscribe via Google PodcastsSubscribe via SpotifySubscribe via Podcast AddictSubscribe via StitcherSubscribe
Last December, I was a very small part of something extraordinary. We held the first ever Toronto Miracle in aid of our city's food insecure. I even recorded a podcast about it. As the pandemic persists, the need for food access keeps growing. Too many Torontonians struggle to access safe,
On November 1, 1946, 75 years ago, the very first National Basketball Association game was held right here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The New York Knicks and the Toronto Huskies tipped off at Maple Leaf Gardens in front of approximately 7000 people in a time well before online casinos. The
Designed in 1958 by architect Alan Crossley and consulting engineer Laurence Cazaly, The Oculus Pavilion is a fantastical space-age park shelter nestled in a meadow along the Humber River Recreational Trail in the City of Toronto’s South Humber Park. The view from beneathI've biked by the Oculus a thousand
Oscar-winning director Domee Shi’s latest film, “Turning Red,” being released next March by Disney and Pixar, is set in Toronto. Here's the "Turning Red" teaser trailer. Totally rad.