fourONEsixSTYLE

Czehoski Restaurant on Queen West
Originally uploaded by hc916.

I’ve been having a bit more fun rating restaurants in Toronto on Restaurantica. My favourite place out there is Czehoski. It’s a great place to meet friends for drinks in summer or winter. Menu is small but there’s a great selection of drinks, even organic wines.

It was my top pick too when I wrote a piece last fall for Variety magazine. New Yorkers (Gotham edition) could get a quick look at the best places to hit in Toronto for nightlife when visiting during the Toronto International Film Festival.

At the time I sat down for an informal interview with the Manager of Czehoski; he revealed great stories about the former mob hangout and butcher shop, remnants of which are immediately obvious when walking through the door. On the second floor it’s another world entirely, small intimate areas make up the space.

Visit Restaurantica for more of my review.

It was a horrible day in Toronto when we learned we’d potentially be losing three of our historic rep theatres. That was back in June. I’m still lamenting the day the Runnymede Theatre became a Chapters bookstore and that was 8 years ago. It could’ve been worse. Though it’s not a theatre anymore, it still hangs onto some of the same old school charm it had back in the day when I had a date with my first teen crush there. Some of the cinema seating remains too, for those who want to cozy up with a book and forego the awkward handholding.

My memories of the Uptown theatre were demolished three years back and I pass The Revue on Roncesvalles wondering when someone will see its potential and bring it back to life. Local businesses and residents campaigned, raising $30,000 to save it from an unknown fate, but it still needs a buyer with a big heart. Further down Roncesvalles, the Brighton Theatre became a large convenience store years ago, but its classic signage was just recently removed.

Despite some of the losses and some of the change, there is good news on the street. The Royal on College reopened last Friday with a door toward the future of cinema. It’ll feature high-definition projection, top-notch sound systems and Avid editing facilities. Theatre D Digital, a Toronto post-house credited with mixing Rub & Tug and Phil the Alien, has taken over the property with the intention of restoring the theatre to its former glory days, back when they called it the Pylon. They’ll cut and mix projects in one of four suites during daytime hours and feature Canadian and International film on screen in the evenings.

Every year Doors Open is an event to look forward to, for many it is our only chance to peek into hidden corners of Toronto’s rich cultural and historical background. For no admission fee, except perhaps a little patience, you can wander back in time to see what made places like The Carlu, Liberty Grand or St. Lawrence Hall thrive. New to the list this year is the much talked about Palais Royale, currently undergoing a 2 million dollar renovation. Even though it isn’t fully completed, the public is allowed in (Sunday only) to view the work-in-progress. Also new to the list are the Cadbury Chocolate Factory, the tall ship Empire Sandy and MTV’s new digs at The Masonic Temple. Popular photographer hang-out, the Don Valley Brick Works, will also be open to sightseers with representatives from Evergreen on-hand to show you a bit about the site’s proposed enviro-friendly redevelopment strategy and help you plant a tree. Bring your friends, family and your camera.