blogTO • May 2023

The time Toronto held a rock concert for 500k people after the SARS epidemic

Picture being surrounded by nearly 500,000 people, all rocking out to the Rolling Stones after the end of an epidemic. This is exactly what happened at Toronto's SARSstock almost two decades ago.

After the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) hit Toronto in 2003, the city's tourism industry was seriously impacted. This led to the Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto benefit concert, otherwise known as SARSstock or SARSfest.

It broke records for being the largest outdoor ticketed event in

blogTO • March 2021

Toronto man decorated his apartment with historic artifacts from around the city

If furniture could talk, one man's Toronto apartment would tell quite the story.

As historic Toronto buildings get destroyed for condos one after the other, Matthew Stokes tracks down pieces from them to decorate his own apartment.

The Toronto native has been collecting Art Deco furniture and objects for a decade. Amongst his collection is an elevator gate from the original Toronto Star building and a grandfather clock the old Westinghouse building on King Street.

“I love all of my pieces," S

blogTO • July 2021

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is Toronto's modern wonder of the world

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a Hindu place of worship that draws people from all walks of life to its breathtaking building. While its design alone is impressive, the construction of the mandir is even more noteworthy.

If you're driving on the 427 past Finch Avenue you can't miss the stunning white structure that looks like it's straight out of a fairytale book.

According to BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, it took 1,800 craftsmen from all over India to hand-carve the 24,000 pieces of stone that

blogTO • January 2021

How these two friends from Toronto built a multi-million dollar swimwear brand

Two 25-year-olds are taking the term "girl boss" to a new level with the success of their body-positive swimwear and apparel company.

Hyla Nayeri and Adrien Bettio were students at Queens University when they founded their company, 437 (formerly known as 437 SWIMWEAR).

Despite being an internationally recognized multi-million dollar company, it has stayed loyal to its Toronto roots.

"We love Toronto, and we love that we're from Toronto," Nayeri told blogTO."We just love the community feel of

blogTO • March 2021

The history of SickKids hospital in Toronto

SickKids hospital has been treating children and young people in Toronto for over a century. What started out as six iron cots has grown to be an internationally recognized medical institution.

Located on Toronto's Hospital Row, the building is ever-expanding and has become a Toronto landmark. For some, it's the place they were born, for others it's where they spent some of the hardest days of their life.

It started out as six iron cots

None of it would have been possible without a woman by t

blogTO • April 2021

This Toronto hotel bar was famous for accepting queer women during the mid-1900s

Toronto is known for being one of the most diverse cities in the world, but it wasn't always that way.

In the mid-1900s, lesbians were not welcome at most local establishments, forcing them to find their own spaces. This is how the bar of The Continental House hotel, located on Dundas and Elizabeth streets, became known as a place for queer women.

El Chenier is a professor at Simon Fraser University whose research focuses on the history of sexuality and gender. Chenier told blogTO that they ca

blogTO • February 2021

How this Toronto dog born in a puppy mill became an international model

A Toronto dog has built up a portfolio of brand deals and fashion shoots that some models can only hope for.

Iggy Joey is a six-year-old Italian Greyhound who gained fame thanks to her extremely popular Instagram page. To date, she boasts over 80 thousand followers on that platform alone.

In her short lifetime, Joey has already walked a runway in New York, modelled in Israel and stared in a Mercedes-Benz commercial. But it's Joey's owner Lyndal Moody who is truly the mastermind behind this suc

blogTO • February 2021

The history of the Fashion District in Toronto

The Fashion District, formerly known as the Garment District, was once a hub of Toronto's textile and fabric factories.

As years went by the neighbourhood evolved but you can still find a number of specialty stores for fashion-designing needs.

The Fashion District is bounded by Queen and King streets, as well as Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue. However, Google Maps extends these boundaries to Peter Street and Front Street West.

In the early 1900s, the neighborhood looked very different fro

T-Dot • April 2020

“A little bit of heaven in the city”

Years have gone by and people still recall the woman who was reunited with her estranged daughter here. It was the first miracle reported at The Marian Shrine of Gratitude, but far from the last.

The late Rev. Vasyl Orestes Cembalista told the story best. Over a decade ago, he said to a group gathered for mass, “Let’s say the first rosary prayer. Who has any request to the Mother of God, you can make it now.” He said one lady had a problem with her daughter, who neither answered the phone nor v

blogTO • February 2021

Toronto influencer couple started an eco-friendly tie-dye hijab company

A Toronto couple known for their educational content on TikTok and YouTube has taken over the hijab industry with their fun tie-dye patterns.

Will and Sana Saleh are a husband and wife power-duo and a mixed-culture couple who want to educate the world on misconceptions surrounding Muslims and Islam.

Will told blogTO that they strive to open people's hearts and minds with their comedic videos.

"At the end of the day, one of the big reasons why we do this is to humanize Muslim people. Because u

blogTO • April 2023

The history of Markham's massive Cathedral of the Transfiguration

The Cathedral of the Transfiguration stands out from its surroundings in Markham.

Standing tall in a quiet area just north of Major Mackenzie Drive and Hwy 404, its three towers and huge bells are a sight to see among the rows of identical homes which surround it.

Much like the cathedral’s architecture and design, its history is intricate and can be dated back to 1984.

According to their website, the Cathedral of the Transfiguration stands on land which was once part of Romandale Farms Inc.

blogTO • September 2023

The history of the Rosedale neighbourhood in Toronto

Rosedale is filled with lush greenery, gorgeous homes and winding roads that welcome you to the neighbourhood. Known for being one of Toronto’s wealthiest neighbourhoods, Rosedale has held this title for more than 150 years.

The land was settled as an estate built by Upper Canada politician, John Small in the 1820s. It was sold a few years later to a member of the Family Compact, William Botsford Jarvis.

According to the Don Valley Historical Mapping Project, the estate covered the land from R

blogTO • September 2023

The history of the Mimico neighbourhood in Toronto

Mimico is a former railway and farming town that eventually turned into a Toronto neighbourhood.

If you travel south-west of downtown Toronto along the lake, you will find Mimico sitting right on the edge of Etobicoke. It's known as the oldest of the former Lakeshore Municipalities, but its history goes even further back.

blogTO • May 2023

The history of the Cabbagetown neighbourhood in Toronto

Cabbagetown is Toronto's only neighbourhood named after the vegetables that grew there. Its history is rich with stories of immigrants and working-class residents, but it's now one of the city's most gentrified neighbourhoods.

Its river roughly spans the area between Gerrard Street, the Don River, as well as Wellesley and Sherbourne streets and the St. James Cemetery. The river is actually the reason why people originally settled here.

According to the Cabbagetown Preservation Association, var

blogTO • May 2023

This hidden Toronto enclave has been a school for priests for over 100 years

St. Augustine's Seminary has stood tall in Toronto, surrounded by acres and acres of land for over a century.

Not only has this seminary been the training ground for generations of Toronto priests, its building and property have played a significant role in the city's history.

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was no seminary for training Catholic priests in English-speaking Canada.

Fr. Séamus Hogan, associate professor of church history and author of St. Augustine's Seminary, A His

blogTO • May 2023

The history of the Little Italy neighbourhood in Toronto

Little Italy was Toronto's first designated Italian neighborhood. It surrounds College Street, bordered roughly by Bathurst, Dundas and Harbord streets and Ossington Avenue.

The area gets its name for its large number of Italian residents and institutions, although this wasn’t the first place Italian immigrants settled.

Toronto saw a surge in Italian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Millions of Italians left Italy between 1896 and 1915, many of which were coming to Canada

blogTO • October 2022

The history of the Roncesvalles neighbourhood in Toronto

Roncesvalles, Ronces, Roncey, Toddler-Town, Little Poland, regardless of what you call it, this Toronto neighbourhood brings that small town feeling to the big city.

While it’s now known for its residential streets, cafes and the 504 streetcar, Roncesvalles has a very different history. Roncesvalles Avenue follows an ancient network of Native trade routes, which the Sunnyside Historical Society believes have been in use for 11,000 years.

blogTO • August 2022

The history of the Forest Hill neighbourhood in Toronto

Forest Hill is Toronto's neighbourhood for all things wealthy. It's known for its large homes and close proximity to downtown, but these perks come with a hefty price tag.

The neighbourhood is divided into Forest Hill North and South, but its borders aren't as simple to mark as other Toronto areas. The North is bounded by Briar Hill, Eglinton, Latimer and Marlee avenues, as well as Allen Road.

Forest Hill South is located just south of Eglinton Avenue West. It's bounded by Tichester Road, Bath

blogTO • August 2022

The history of the Bridle Path neighbourhood in Toronto

Toronto’s Bridle Path neighbourhood is home to some of the city’s wealthiest residents. Otherwise known as “Millionaires’ Row,” the streets are lined with luxury homes, exclusive clubs and gorgeous greenery.

The area gets its name from the infamous road, The Bridle Path, which forms the northern border. The rest of the neighbourhood is bounded roughly by Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to the south, Bayview Avenue to the west and Wilket Creek to the east.

One of the earliest settlers in the

blogTO • July 2022

The history of the Riverdale neighbourhood in Toronto

Riverdale is a large area of Toronto, encompassing many smaller communities, just east of the DVP.

Technically, it stretches from the Danforth to Lakeshore Boulevard and from the Don River Valley to Jones Avenue. It encompasses many more well known neighbourhoods like Greektown, Leslieville, Riverside and East Chinatown.

If the Don Jail, Sunlight Park or Degrassi ring a bell to you, then you've definitely heard of Toronto's Riverdale. Not to be confused with the hit 2017 Netflix series by the

blogTO • July 2022

The history of the Hoggs Hollow neighbourhood in Toronto

Hoggs Hollow is a beautiful and luxurious Toronto neighbourhood, but also home to one of the city's most unfortunate disasters.

The area is bounded by Yonge Street, York Mills Road, Highland Crescent and Rosedale Golf Club. It's known for its expensive homes, gorgeous landscape and the Hoggs Hollow Disaster of 1960.

Before being developed, however, the land was not much more than a swamp. In fact, the soil was so wet that much of it was not suitable for farming.

It was named after the Hogg fa

DIVINE • November 2021

Lessons Learned Catching COVID While Solo Travelling

Travelling across the world alone can be the adventure of a lifetime, but no matter how prepared you are, catching COVID-19 is still a very real risk.

When I packed my carry-on full of bathing suits for a week of surfing in Portugal, I did not expect to return to Canada nearly a full month later. As someone who’s young, fully vaccinated and an avid mask-wearer, I thought my odds of catching COVID were slim. Whether that was naive or simply hopeful I’m not sure, but regardless it was wrong.

As

DIVINE • October 2021

How a Surf Trip to Portugal Changed My Perspective on Hustle Culture

When I originally booked a surf and yoga trip to Portugal, the plan was to get away from the hustle of city life for two weeks, but it left me wanting to leave that lifestyle altogether.

Like many women working in the age of COVID, I became wrapped up in working harder, faster and longer, just to prove myself. My most consistent relationship was with my Google Calendar, which was beautifully harmonious and comfortably co-dependent. So when borders finally opened up and international travel resu

blogTO • April 2021

Toronto now has loading platforms in bike lanes and here's how they work

In hopes of making roads safer for Toronto cyclists and those making deliveries, the Danforth now has a loading zone bike platform.

The city isn't known for being the safest for people on bikes and now that curbside deliveries are more common due to COVID-19 restrictions, the risks of collisions are amplified.

In order to mitigate this, a bright, patterned platform has been installed to mark a special delivery zone near Broadview and Danforth avenues.

"We implemented the platform to facilitat