The Spring issue of On the Danforth is finally available! If you don’t have a copy already, you can get your FREE copy at the Toronto Public Libraries and at Taste of the Danforth, as well as the digitized version below. Check it out!
On the Danforth, Spring 2014 Issue by On the Danforth
Hello OTD Online readers!
The time has come again to say goodbye, au revoir, arrivederci, αντίο! We have had an awesome time learning about the Danforth and writing about the friendly establishments and people on the Avenue, and could not thank you—our readers—enough for your support throughout this endeavour!
We would like to especially thank our wonderful, patient editors and writers who helped make OTD Online such a wonderful experience and contributed to the great content posted this year. OTD Online is what it is because of you!
We’ve learned a lot over these last few months—not just about what is happening on the Danforth, but also what it’s like to work collaboratively as a team to create something important and relevant (while having fun along the way). Though it didn’t come without a few hurdles, we were able to overcome them and move forward to bring you more content this year.
Lookout for 2014′s spring and summer issues along the Danforth!
Until next time…
Heather & Nina
This is an advertorial for Pixedia
If you are a business owner, then you know that getting your business to thrive isn’t all that easy. You have a great product, a secure business plan, a fantastic location, and a group of hard-working employees—but something’s missing. You’re just not attracting as many clients as you should be and you can’t figure out why. Not to worry, many other businesses have been in those same shoes, businesses that are now thriving. So, what are they doing differently? The answer is simple: they’re getting digital! Continue reading
Continuing Success at the Danforth Music Hall
By: Bradley Myles
Photo by Roland van Gend
What do Dragonette, Hollerado, Stars, Walk Off the Earth, and Wintersleep have in common with Chvrches, Hugh Laurie, KT Tunstall, Mayer Hawthorne, and M.I.A.?
They’ve all played the Danforth Music Hall recently.
Since December 2011, the current incarnation of the Danforth’s cultural hub has hosted some of Toronto’s hottest shows. In 2012, Rihanna chose the Hall for the Toronto stop of her widely publicized 777 Tour, and Lorde graced the stage shortly after her massive breakout last fall
The venue’s recent level of success has been a long time in the making. Although the current incarnation of the Hall has only been open for just over two years, the site has served as a combination of cinema, theatre, and music hall since it was built in 1919. As the venue changed hands over the years, each of the property’s owners have struggled to reinvent it as an engaging and respectable venue for the arts. The original Allen’s Theatre was replaced by the Century Theatre, which became the Titania, and then the Music Hall, which then closed in 2004 and sat abandoned and deteriorating for over a year. It briefly reopened in October 2005 under a new owner who renovated the venue and solved some of the building’s structural and plumbing problems. However, it closed once more due to nonpayment of rent.
“The wood is living even after you cut it”
By: Myriam Rizkallah
One night, in 1977, 19-year-old Ed McDonald received a mysterious call.
Someone was asking him to come see Keith Richards who was in town, suffering from a technical problem in the studio. “Yeah, right,” McDonald said as he hung up the phone, thinking that some of his friends were playing a joke on him. It wasn’t until a couple of calls later that he realized it was no joke; Richards was actually seeking his expertise. Continue reading
Profiling tattoo artist Kayla Grant
By: Sarah Jackson
Artist and Danforth resident Kayla Grant, 24, does not limit herself to a singular artistic pursuit.
When asked what mediums she works with, she shows her enthusiasm for all forms of art by responding frankly, “Pretty much anything I can…I like to do it all.” Grant’s interests tend to vary over time; she explains, “I have had periods where I’ve been really into embroidery and making things with clay.” Grant has always been creating art in one form or another. An early memory of her artistic pursuits date all the way back to when Grant was in grade two. “I painted a picture of one of my stuffed animals and I recall stepping back and being really proud of how real it looked. I might not agree so much now if I was to see it again but I remember that feeling of being into and critical of my art,” she recalls. Grant attributes some of her artistic talent and growth to how she was raised; her mother “was an artistic person”, and Grant always had a craft room to experiment and create in. Continue reading
The top three fitness apps to help you lose weight
By: Sarah Manning
Snow banks, dark mornings, and cold temperatures do not make ideal conditions for getting up early and working out. At this point in the year, New Year’s resolutions are long forgotten and beach season seems like it will never arrive. How do you jump-start your fitness routine right now, to be ready for when the snow finally stops falling? Along the Danforth, there are several options to stay fit: Goodlife Fitness (635 Danforth Ave.), The Pilates Process (456 Danforth Ave.), Frog’s Gym (909 Pape Ave.), and Kick This Kickboxing (397 Danforth Ave.).
Any of these places will help you reach your fitness goals. But what if you use these places and the services they offer in combination with the constant companion in all other aspects of your life: your smartphone? You can use a smartphone to do just about anything: pay your bills, check into flights, pay for coffee, and stay in touch. There are apps for just about anything you can think of, but are there apps that can help you lead a healthier lifestyle?
For an app to really work, it needs to have a few essential elements. The app needs to be easy to use, it needs to have a lot of information, it needs to motivate you, and ultimately it needs to be free.
Continue reading
By: Nick Brehmer, Alicia Kolenda, and Katie Yantzi
Faces of the Danforth is a photography project inspired by Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York.” Much like its inspiration, Faces of the Danforth strives to feature members of a community and connect those people on a more human level. Walking up and down the streets of the city, you see so many unique people; you might be surprised to discover that you have similar experiences or that you are indeed vastly different. Regardless, we hope you find the visuals of the Faces of the Danforth posts to be as inspirational as we do.
“Everyone thinks I’m Greek, but I’m not. I’m Spanish. Do you want to know what I do?”
“Sure.”
“I’m an artist–a painter. My work is in the gallery.”
“Oh, one on the Danforth?”
“No, in the AGO.” Continue reading
Greek comfort food
By: Alexa Keeler
This dish is a classic. Warm and comforting, this tangy yet creamy side dish is a perfect compliment to any dinner. Make sure to serve it hot!
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 large onion
4 ripe tomatoes
6 cups onion or chicken boulion
2 cups Risotto
½ cup white wine
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 tbsp Basil
A few words from the ladies behind OTD’s 2014 issues
On the Danforth is right around the corner! In anticipation for this year’s magazine releases, we talked to the Production Managers and the Creative Directors behind the spring and summer issues about their roles in the magazine.