The week it was...

After a five month hiatus, I have returned to spout out more useless posts.

The week it has been:

The Globe and Mail /CTV News reports that the Niagara Region's tourist board is trying to improve their standing as a tourist attraction by taking cheap shots at Toronto. Watch the CTV clip.

This foxphilly.com article still doesn't explain my terrible luck with on-line dating sites. Perhaps I should pose as a woman...looking for women who don't mind ending up with a man?

Read this 9News article on how a Vienna church was trying to sell a used confessional on ebay. The item was described on the on-line auction site as "deal for conversion into a one-person sauna, a small bar or a children's playhouse." The Vienna Archdiocese has a few things to say about this!

The NYC soup shop that inspired the Soup Nazi on the hit sitcom Seinfeld reopens. Read the USAToday article.

According to a exclaim.ca news piece, Justin Bieber has jammed with Dr. Dre.

Carlton Cinemas to close down

The Carlton Cinemas - the downtown Toronto spot for many independent and limited release films - will close after a 28 year run at the corner of Yonge and Carlton. Management and staff were told of the news this past weekend by owner Cineplex Odeon who have decided to shut down the cinema rather than sign a new lease with the building's landlord. The last day will be December 6th.

I remember watching many a matinee at the Carlton while playing hooky from work or during those periods of time I was unemployed (perhaps a result of playing hooky to watch movies). The small and intimate theatres were also my cinema of choice for first dates.

Read the Globe and Mail story.

Toronto Drivers: Don't Pay Your Parking Tickets

Anyone who receives a $30 Toronto parking ticket can almost certainly dodge the fine by applying for a court date.

Since the start of 2006, figures provided by Toronto's court services show it accepted about 250,000 requests from drivers to contest a $30 parking ticket, but trial dates were issued for only about 4,300. In 2008, drivers have so far requested more than 37,000 trials for $30 parking tickets, but no court dates have been issued.

This doesn't help me in my crusade to eliminate cars from the road, however it is an interesting item nonetheless.

Read the Toronto Star story

Easy Rider Motel to be Demolished

The Hillcrest Motel at 2143 Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto, where the script for Easy Rider was written by Peter Fonda is to be demolished this month.

Easy Rider was released in 1969, and depicted two motorcyclists travelling across America’s south and south-west, discovering its people. The movie starred Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson.

The final demolition date has not yet been set.

Story from Motorcycle News.

2008 Toronto Grand Prix Cancelled

Toronto's hospitality industry will take a $50 million hit this summer with the cancellation of the Toronto Grand Prix (formerly the Toronto Molson Indy)

The event – which may return in 2009 – fell victim this year to a deal signed between the Indy Racing League and the Champ Car World Series. The schedule just could accommodate Toronto this year.

Read the Toronto Star story.

Iconic Queen Street Stores Fall in Fire

Toronto's Queen Street West district near Bathurst Street was hit with a six-alarm fire during the early hours of Wednesday, February 20. The buildings that housed video store Suspect Video, along with bike shop Dukes, National Sound, vintage clothing store Preloved and cannabis shop Jupiter were all damaged beyond repair.

These stores -- and perhaps more so, the buildings, which date back to the 19th century -- were an important part of the lives of the people living on the south-west end of downtown Toronto, commercially and historically.

Read Citynews' story.

Photo from Citynews.ca