September 2013

the newspaper The University of Toronto’s independent paper

Since 1978

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September, 2013

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the editorial It is no grand declaration to state that the newspaper inhabits a transformed media landscape from the one it entered in 1978. This season we’re trying to adapt to that volatility, while staying true to our history and traditions.

While the future of print media is often a subject of concern among those who care, newspapers such as The Washington Post are being bought by media moguls like Amazon founder and multi-billionaire media mogul Jeff Bezos, at a cost of $250 million. He is only the latest in a string of super-rich people who have bought newspapers.

What the Post transaction indicates is that the only thing certain about print media is the uncertainty of its future. In the meantime,

media are in a state of flux, and until we can see the ground upon which we stand, the newspaper will change along with it.

After 35 years of printing weekly issues and fewer years of sporadic online publishing, we’ve committed this season to printing monthly issues and publishing daily online. the newspaper is the only independent publication on campus, meaning that it is the only one that receives no funding from the University, just an office. Begun by a few intrepid student journalists so many years ago, our mandate is to add an independent and alternative voice to the multiplicity of campus publications.

It is our desire to provide for the university community—student,

faculty, and staff—a publication that keeps our ears bent to the ground. Find a source, get on the phone —quick!—, send the email out. Vigorous and honest reporting ensures that important information is a part of the public record, thereby enriching society.

At the same time, we are inspired by another purpose of the free press: self-expression and creativity.

For as much as a reporter’s role is to communicate facts and analysis, she should also capture the cultural and individual psyche of her community.

So, we hope that reading the newspaper will be a memorable occasion, for a minute or a day or a month or longer.

May the newspaper provoke

thought and conversation and questions.

May the newspaper evoke inquisitiveness and pluck; indignation and contemplation; chuckles and smiles.

May the newspaper remain reactive, not reactionary.

May the newspaper generate dialogue between the University of Toronto and itself, and itself and the world.

May the newspaper make U of T and the world feel a little bit smaller.

May the newspaper be humble— but scrappy.

And finally, come join us. May the newspaper always continue to expand.

Editor-in-Chief Yukon Damov Managing Editor Dylan Hornby Associate Art Editor Carissa Ainslie Design Editors Samantha Preddie & Samantha Chiusolo Illustrations and Photos Marsha McLeod Copy Editor Sydney Gautreau Cover Design Daniel Glassman & Danny Braverman Section Editors The School Yukon Damov

The Politics Dylan Hornby The Beat Carissa Ainslie & Marsha McLeod The Food and Drink Samantha Preddie Contributors Carissa Ainslie, Lena Binnington, Aliya Bhatia, Danny Braverman, Samantha Chiusolo, Yukon Damov, Sydney Gautreau, Sinéad Doherty-Grant, Tamyca Dorrington, Daniel Glassman, Ria Gyawali, Kaleem Hawa, Dylan Hornby, Joe Ianni, Manaal Ismacil, Yasmine Laasraoui, Mariah Llanes, An Lu, Joshua Mandryk, A.I. Marin, Marsha McLeod, Zach Morgenstern, Sara Mozafari, Calan Panchoo, Samantha Preddie, Ted Rawson, Munib Sajjad, Shaun Shepherd, Erika Simon, David Stokes, Ben Tenn-Yuk, Isaac Thornley, Tim Thurley, Alan Turton, Noah van der Laan, Brian Vincencio, Rhiannon White

the newspaper is published by Planet Publications Inc., a non-profit corporation.

256 McCaul St, Suite 106 Toronto, ON M5T1W5 thenewspaper@gmail.com All U of T community members, including students, staff and faculty, are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper.

Lena Binnington

the newspaper is the University of Toronto’s independent paper, published since 1978 VOL XXXVI No.1

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Down the rabbit whole (add sauce) How U of T government works Shaun Shepherd Want to be the next U of T political big shot? Or just want to know how decisions are made around here? The University has a pretty harrowing set of governance structures, titles, and student representation. Here’s a quick and dirty guide to who runs this joint anyway, and how you can get involved.

Who makes University-wide decisions?

In general, decisions with University-wide implications are reviewed and decided by Governing Council, a body of faculty, professors, administrators, government appointees, alumni, and a few students. Get to know who sits on the Council. Each Council member may raise an issue, debate an issue, or outright do as they please.

Student representatives are elected by the students to serve the students, so don’t beat around the bush with these guys. Hold them accountable.

Feeling intrepid and up to the job?

Governing Council elections take place annually around February. In the New Year, check your UTmail+ for information on how to run.

To keep on top of what’s happening, you can attend monthly meetings of Governing Council in Simcoe Hall or just check out www.governingcouncil.com for all the juicy governance stories. Who knows, maybe one day they’ll make school cheaper for you.

Students’ Union -University of Toronto Students’ Union Although student unions can’t wilfully change U of T policy, they are armed to the teeth with resources to lobby on behalf of the student body.

Student union elections are the most contested and watched elections at the University. If you feel you are up to the job, elections take place in the secondWhat’s the highest level of student term.

In the lead up to running in an elecrepresentation? tion, get to know your union! The easiThe highest forms of student repreest way to do this is to simply volunsentation are student unions. The University of Toronto officially recognizes teer!

What is a faculty society? five student unions, each with a differEach faculty has it’s own set of faculent—and sometimes overlapping— ty-level student representation. Here’s membership. a list of the current student faculty repWho are they?

-Association of Part-Time Undergrad- resentative bodies.

-Faculty of Arts and Science — Arts uate Students and Science Students’ Union -Graduate Students’ Union -Faculty of Medicine — Medical Soci-Scarborough Campus Students’ Unety ion -Faculty of Skule™ — Engineering -University of Toronto Mississauga Society

-Faculty of Kinesiology — Physical Education Undergraduate Association -Faculty of the Transitional Year Program — Transitional Year Program Students’ Association -Faculty of Music — Faculty of Music Undergraduate Association -Faculty of Architecture — Bachelor of Arts Architectural Studies Society -Faculty of Nursing — Nursing Undergraduate Society -Faculty of Dentistry — Dental Student Society -Faculty of Pharmacy — Undergraduate Pharmacy Society All faculty societies provide students with academic services such as past exams and professional development opportunities. They also host social events. A few advocate for students and have seats on faculty committees.

If you have an issue with your faculty, these groups are a resource to tap into.

Get plugged into your faculty society! There are tons of opportunities available for those willing to make a difference.

How to survive first year Eat, breathe, sleep: choose two

There are many ways to survive your first year at University. Among the arguably inevitable copious cups of coffee, self-delusion, and the occasional trip to the the library in your pyjamas, here are three simple tips that helped me get through six years of post-secondary education.

Organize Invest in a good agenda. This will help keep all those pesky—and surprisingly swift—deadlines in order so that things don’t fall through the cracks (looking at you, online Blackboard assignments). Make personal deadlines, like when you should have certain readings or first drafts of papers completed, so as to leave plenty of time for editing and the subsequent existential crises, panic attacks, et. al. (Sorry, science friends.

No clue what you guys do.)

Start your assignments early. The newfound freedom may make it seem as though you have infinite time to get things done. Doing readings punctually means you won’t need to read an entire coursebook the night before an exam. Some geniuses get good grades on two hours of sleep with a cranium crammed with an entire semester’s worth of info. Assume you are not one of them, until you know better. Then let

everyone hate you.

Breaking up your study time will make it easier to absorb information

because you won’t be overloaded.

Balance Do your work on time, but take SINEAD DOHERTY-GRANT

Carissa Ainslie

care of yourself, too. Take study breaks: go for a walk, have a coffee, chat with a friend—listen to someone else’s problems for a healthy dose of perspective.

Socialization is one of the greatest aspects of attending university; humans are its greatest resource. You will probably meet people who will end up being life-long friends, or at the very least, great study (commiseration) buddies.

Check out clubs or concerts that interest you and always be on the lookout for student-run events.

Don’t be afraid to go alone—it provides you with an opportunity to make strangers less strange (maybe).

Learn Your university career might include lessons learned outside the classroom. Get outside your comfort zone and try new things; experiment: discover what you like and don’t like. Breaking your usual routine also means stepping outside your social circle and making contacts that could help you in the future (the Old People call it “networking”). You never know when having the number for that one guy you met at a party—remembering names is helpful—could help land a job.

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September, 2013

Party promises

U of T’s political clubs talk about tackling tuition troubles Dylan Hornby

For years, Ontario students have had the highest tuition rates in Canada ($7 180, on average), well over twice as much as what Quebec students pay ($2 774). In addition, Ontario tuition continues to increase at about thre\times the rate of inflation. the newspaper contacted university clubs for the Liberals (who have formed Ontario’s government since 2003), Progressive Conservatives and NDP to ask what their party has done/would do to help make post-secondary education more affordable for Ontario students. These are their responses, edited to fit the page. means an economic necessity. It is a matter of political will. Our role as a youth club is to advocate for an even greater commitment to affordable and accessible post-secondary education within the NDP. U of T is a hotbed for social activism, and I hope that students who want to translate their activism into political action will join the University of Toronto NDP.

Ontario PCs- Tim Thurley

Ontario Liberal Party - Kaleem Hawa The Ontario Liberal Party believes in students like you.

Last school year, more than 350 000 students—just over half of all full-time students—received financial assistance from the provincial government. The Liberal Party’s legacy of dedication and support for Ontario students in post-secondary institutions has never manifested itself more clearly than under Premier Kathleen Wynne.

With about 230 000 students having directly benefitted from the Liberals’ “30% Off Tuition” grant in 2012-2013, (up from 207 000 in 20112012), it is clear that the Ontario Liberal Party’s policy-driven agenda has begun to yield significant benefits for students across the province.

The Liberals are a party that understands how affordable education becomes the ticket to improving other pressing societal issues like unemployment, productivity loss, and skills underutilization.

With that in mind, Premier Wynne’s new policy of limiting tuition increases to an average of three per cent for four years (a two per cent reduction from last year) will save students $700 million—or over $1 200 per student.

The Liberal Party also understands that helping students find work can be just as important in making education affordable as giving them financial assistance. For that reason, Premier Wynne introduced a Youth Jobs Strategy in the 2013 budget that allocates $295 million over two years to create jobs and mentorship opportunities for about 30 000 youth across the province.

Premier Wynne looks forward to continuing her service to Ontario students in the coming years.

Ontario NDP- Joshua Mandryk Ontario university students pay the highest tuition fees in the country while receiving the least investment per student. Based on the current framework, we can expect tuition to continually increase from three to five per cent each year depending on the pro-

gram. This is unacceptable.

The Liberals’ much-touted “30% rebate” is a shell game. It was funded by cutting three existing grants for students. It is based on 30 per cent of the average tuition rate across Canada, rather than in Ontario.

Furthermore, it is not available to many, including mature, part-time, and graduate students. We can do better.

I am a student in the Faculty of Law. In 1996, our tuition fees were $2 451. This year, they are $28 791.

This didn’t happen by accident, but as a result of deliberate policy decisions and a withdrawal of commitment to public post-secondary education by successive Liberal and Conservative governments.

The only viable solution to high and increasing tuition fees is a restored government commitment to post-secondary education. The Ontario NDP is committed to freezing tuition fees and expanding funding for post-secondary education. The federal NDP is committed to a national Post-Secondary Education Act to restore the federal role which was effectively abandoned in the 1990s.

Tuition fees are by no

We’ll be honest—money is tight. The NDP and Liberals don’t want to acknowledge this, because it gets in the way of their desire to spend more and run up more debt. An honest party just can’t match their costly promises, because Ontarians can’t afford them.

The good news is that we don’t necessarily need to spend much more to get better results. We just need to spend what we have more efficiently. While education funding has increased 84 percent since 2003, we don’t have the proportionate results to show for it.

Tuition increases, yet quality stagnates. If we do not begin to fix the current systemic problems, our universities will not be close to the top for much longer.

In the recent Paths to Prosperity white papers, the Ontario PC Party has outlined a responsible, cost-efficient path to modernizing education.

The proposals encourage universities to focus more on retention rates, quality of education, and post-graduate employment—the things that really matter to students—rather than simply increasing initial enrolment.

Furthermore, the proposals encourage a teaching-focused faculty by reevaluating the tenure and promotion system to make teaching as important to the formula as research.

When it comes to finances, we know students have been hit hard.

Instead of sweeping, expensive, and ineffective programs like the Ontario Tuition Grant, the Ontario PCs have suggested reforming bursary programs to ensure that no talented student would be unable to pay for the education they desire. In addition, the Ontario PCs have proposed a cap on tuition increases of five per cent over three years, with any increases allowed only with corresponding improvements in quality.

Guaranteed access to education for hard-working students, cost-efficient quality improvement, and a focus on employment are the best ways to put Ontario students back on the path to prosperity.

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Why colleges’ reputations don’t matter (But if they did, Trinity would be Slytherin)

University College Quad, Lena Binnington Shaun Shepherd So you got into the University of Toronto, St. George Campus—congratulations, here is a metaphorical cookie!

Now is not the time to break open the bubbly and make long-term commitments about what type of doctor, lawyer, or career student you would like to blossom into. Right now you should be thinking seriously about whether or not your academic and social success hinges upon your college affiliation.

For those of you unfamiliar with this school, the University of Toronto is a university divided. Each Arts & Science undergraduate student is organized into a college. The college system is similar to the house system of Hogwarts—another famed academic institution—although the consequence of placement is slightly less correlated to evil and general wrongdoing.

For those of you confused about the idea of studying at a University but be-

longing to a College (or belonging to a University and studying at College?), fear not! To understand your place in the college system, you first have to know why (the hell) we have a college system in the first place.

Spoiler alert: History lesson! The University of Toronto was founded in 1827 from an amalgamation of local academic institutions. University College, St. Michael’s College, Victoria University and (sadly) Trinity College federated to form what we now know as the University of Toronto. The legacy of each federated college lives on in the form of academic expertise, college traditions, and the unique architecture of these institutions.

For those belonging to Woodsworth, Innis, and New College, your college origin story is less exciting. Your college was merely willed into existence by the University—in large part, to accommodate for a growing student population.

Now with that bit of history out of the way, does the college system serve a purpose beyond continuing the memory of a bygone era? Well, the answer to that question depends on how you weave yourself into the social fabric of the University.

In theory, the college system is supposed to be your one-stop shop for all social and academic matters. This theory is much like how you’ll theoretically study every single night to get that coveted 4.0 GPA. Right? In reality, your college is one-of-many milieus of social and academic frolicking. Where you choose to get involved is really up to your personal interests. Student clubs, unions, academic programs and departments, faculties, and campuses make up the University’s social and academic landscape. They offer equally viable, and sometimes more rewarding, experiences than the college system.

Whether or not you absorb yourself into a college identity is really a matter

of how well you are connected to a residence community or college council— the pillars of college life. If you live off-campus or simply spend no time at your college building, don’t worry.

You’re not alone.

Thanks to St. George largely becoming a commuter-campus, most students’ interactions with their college shift from having an amazing time during orientation to painful conversations with your registrar. A better indicator of your social and academic ties to the University isn’t what college you belong to, but where you spend the most time on campus.

When the dust from orientation settles, and the signs, cheers, and taunts are put to rest for another year, remember: you are not necessarily your college identity. Unless you are affiliated with Woodsworth—because we are the best.

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September 2013

This is one of your presidents speaking An op-ed from the U of T Students’ Union president Munib Sajjad

Dear members of the University of Toronto Students’ Union, Congratulations on getting accepted to the University of Toronto. Over the next four or more years, you will have the opportunity to be a part of the incredible community that exists at this university. Ahead of you are late nights, long commutes, parties, and lots of studying, stress and coffee, coffee, coffee. I am excited to welcome you to what I hope will be important years of learning both inside and outside of the classroom.

In your time here, I hope that your instructors, your classmates and your Students’ Union will challenge you to grow, to think critically, to not accept what is presented to you at face value

and to imagine beyond what we think we know today. I hope that you are up to this challenge.

I want to also welcome you to what is both an exciting and difficult time to be studying in college or university.

Each generation of students before us has faced and overcome social and political challenges. They responded to the challenges of their time by working together.

Our generation is one of student debt and a crisis of access. Our government representatives lack the political will to invest in education, social services, and our future, but continue to invest in prisons and war. Our institutions lack the courage to challenge the privatisation of our schools and to ensure that education is affordable to the middle and lower classes, but con-

tinue to increase tuition fees. The reality for students is that our tuition fees are high and getting higher; finding a job is hard and getting harder; and the idea of getting paid for the work we do is being eroded. At the same time, we are told that in order to survive, to get a job, and to advance ourselves, we must get a university degree. Our social and economic well-being depends on it.

Unfortunately, many of us are held back from this opportunity. With the lowest per-capita funding in the country and with the national student debt surpassing $16 billion, we must ask ourselves: is our education system the most affordable it can be? With disproportionately higher incarceration and lower educational attainment rates for Black and Aboriginal youth fueling the school-to-prison pipeline, we must ask:

is our education system accessible to all?

Despite these issues, I remain optimistic that by working together, students can challenge the grave realities that face us. Our community is diverse and it is strong. The University of Toronto Students’ Union represents 46,000 members—each of whom has the power to make change at this university and in our society. My executive team and I remain committed to supporting each of you in this endeavour.

I look forward to meeting you this year. Together, we can challenge the inequities that divide our communities and build a better and brighter future for us all, starting with our education system.

Here’s to our successes ahead.

Questioning answers Objectifying the subjective mind: The conundrum of neuroscience nized. The neuroscientific approach to the mind works great for robots; the field of artificial intelligence is intimately related with the neurosciences.

Your intelligence, however, is not artificial.

The most effective approach then is not to reduce every neural event to a data point, but to use our sub-

jective thoughts and feelings as a guide for journeys through worlds yet unexplored within our brains. If the conscious experience is all that is real, then perhaps what should be most valued in the objective study of the mind is the very subjectivity that science strives to rid itself of in the first place.

ALLAN TURTON

son, giving the impression that the experiment was done by someone living in the land of third-people, In science as in life, the questions where opinions and beliefs do not asked determine the answers received. Maintaining a broad perspec- exist.

This is a great ideal, but very far tive helps when putting the smaller from the reality. pieces into context—it also makes You see, opinions and beliefs exist in the finer details seem less tedious. the neurosciences, too. Although the For the neuroscientist, who deals with details so fine that fancy micro- data gathered from experiments may scopes are needed to see them, this is border on objective, the direction the proverbial microscope is pointed especially important.

If you want to understand questions depends on the person at the helm— the scientist. The answers gathered in neuroscience, you first need to know what exactly neuroscience is— will guide the subsequent questions and perhaps more importantly, what asked, which, in turn, determine the answers we will receive; on marches neuroscience is not.

Simply put, neuroscience is the study science. Now, if the world is viewed of the nervous system. This means all as a material place (a requirement the nerves in the body, plus the spine for the scientific approach), then the questions asked will reflect that view, and the brain. The nervous system and the results gathered will serve to allows the eyes to move, the lungs solidify it. This is circular reasoning, to breathe, and the mind to think.

Incredible things have been achieved but reasoning that is nonetheless abundant. through neuroscience research: we Why does this concern you? Because can now communicate with people neuroscience is becoming an auin comas, we have created mind thority on the mind. controlled prosthetics for amputees, If you want to learn about people, and allowed the blind to “see.” The watch Bruce Lee throw a punch, list goes on. listen to Eminem freestyle, or take Though the field of neuroscience is a look at the work of Picasso. None vast, it receives most of its public of these feats of human achievement attention due to the study of the were accomplished with references mind. This is backwards—why do we turn to scientists to help us learn to neuroscience. Indeed, doing so about people? Science does not value may have only held them back.

Held them back? Yes, because people; science values objectivity. neuroscience creates models of Further, scientists do their very best to remove any trace of the individual the mind based off of averages and reproducible events—independence from their experiments. Research papers are written in the third perand spontaneity are rarely recogAllan Turton

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An introduction to U of T for the incoming campus radical Zach Morgenstern The good news for U of T’s incoming class of radicals is that—unlike the subjects of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s “Ohio,”—they will probably not be shot by state troopers. The bad news is that student activists are prone to be disappointed by the situation at U of T’s St. George campus.

One of the shocks that new students will encounter is that U of T lecturers are not under any obligation to maintain the semblance of political neutrality upheld by many high school teachers. One professor condescendingly joked that Communism was dead outside of Cuba, North Korea, and the front steps of Sidney Smith Hall (politicians and activists from Latin America to Greece to Nepal, etc. might disagree with him, but I digress).

The right-liberal bias of several professors is revealed in their embrace of Francis Fukuyama. Fukuyama is a pop-political theoretician who argued back in the 90s that since the US had won the Cold War, no political system would ever challenge the ideal model

of capitalist-democracy again. Being assigned Fukuyama’s naïve and outdated writing is particularly painful, especially when he compares Nicaragua’s Sandanista movement with (US-backed) military dictator Augusto Pinochet.

While the educational environment may prove disappointing, this is not to say that incoming radical students will not find a home on U of T campus.

A trip to the U of T clubs fair will show that there are indeed many radical political organizations one can join. Anyone who joins a radical political organization, however, should keep in mind that their organization’s core (for the short term at least) will be small and that it will be subject to semi-regular sectarian challenges.

(Anyone not familiar with Trotskyists will soon find that they come in many shades, some willing to work on the fringe of the NDP, others dogmatic enough to contribute sections of their magazine to denouncing other local Communist organizations.)

Incoming radical students may be impressed with the concept of the Uni-

versity of Toronto Students Union (UTSU).

Unlike high school student-government organizations, the UTSU takes political positions, many of which are equity/ social-justice oriented and some of which (for example, opposition to illegal unpaid internships, involvement in the drop fees movement, etc.) are more directly confrontational. While the prospect of having a student union that stands for something may excite incoming radicals, even this institution must be viewed in the U of T context.

The UTSU regularly faces opposition from right-wing students who condemn it for adopting left-leaning causes and for being too hostile towards the University administration. To further complicate matters, the UTSU is also held in low esteem by some on the left, who point out its relative moderation compared to other student unions

A.I. MARIN

Tin soldiers and Nixon are not coming.

(such as Quebec’s ASSÉ).

U of T is a big campus, and every incoming student is bound to find a group that matches their profile if they look long enough. Unfortunately, whatever allusions one holds about university culture, U of T is in reality a large, bureaucratic institution committed to establishment ideology. That does not mean it cannot be the home of good, progressive struggles, but incoming idealists should not arrive at U of T with the illusion that all inquisitive young people and their professors are budding radicals.

Under pressure

Condoms belong in sex education centres, not frosh kits Mark McCann

MARIAH LLANES

As Toronto teems with first year students anxious to begin their new lives

as quasi-adults at Canada’s top university, a crash course on everything U of T is imminent. Unsurprisingly, this wave of information is going to include a lot of common misconceptions about life

after high school. Some of these issues remain universal to higher education in North America, while others will hit far closer to home.

St. Michael’s College has long held strong traditional and religious affiliations with the Roman Catholic Church, while in recent memory it has become widely known as a permanent fixture on the U of T “party” scene. This divergence of spirit has amplified the college’s controversial stance on condoms. SMC has long shied away from the liberal dose of condoms given to first year students across the rest of campus, refusing to include the contraceptives in incoming students’ frosh kits.

Frankly, it is not worthwhile to sift through the merits and flaws of Catholic Church policies here. So putting aside the fact that a few years ago Pope Benedict XVI softened the Church’s hard line against condoms, let’s look at SMC’s policy from a secular perspective. With that in mind, SMC’s refusal to include condoms in frosh kits is the right decision.

Frosh week has long been cartoonishly over-sexualized in popular culture. Many students approach the week with the notion that they are entering a sex-fueled fantasy; for most, however, this is far from reality. Oddly, the University continues to support this stereotype by handing out a condom to every newcomer. Compounded with pop culture’s exaggerated notions of

frosh week, receiving a condom from the University administration places unnecessary pressure and expectations on 17 and 18-year-old students.

Though well-intentioned, this practice is misguided.

Take a step back from frosh week, a few months back, to the dreaded and sacred prom night. Similar to frosh, pop culture has created delusions about sex and prom that are largely unfounded and unrealistic. Fortunately, the sexual confusion and awkwardness of prom is not magnified by a principal pinning a condom next to every student’s corsage.

It should not be the University’s mandate to indirectly reinforce expectations and stereotypes about when it is acceptable to have sex, while at the same time falling wondrously short of promoting an adult conversation about the topic. This is to say that a more accurate and open dialogue about sex and sexual health should exist on campus. The promotion of important spaces like U of T’s Sexual Education Centre is much needed. Places where students can go and learn about safe sex practices and even pick up condoms free of charge, in a way that does not constantly prompt the question: “Is everyone getting laid without me?” Only this route will promote a student body open to talking about the realities of sex, free of taboo and inane misconceptions.

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September, 2013

Festivals, galleries, and museums. Oh my!

10 ways to fill your cultural calendar Carissa Ainslie

The recent glass facade on the Royal Ontario Museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind.

Sculpture facing McCaul St, outside the Art Gallery of Ontario by Henry Moore.

Toronto’s leading public contemporary gallery, the Power Plant at the Harbourfront.

Photos by Carissa Ainslie.

artist an entire hotel room as a sort of mini gallery to showcase their work or set up an installation. Plenty of events occur yearround, such as karaoke, spoken word poetry, and concerts of varying styles. 1214 Queen Street W 6. Hot Docs Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film festival is the world’s largest documentary festival and conference, showcasing documentaries made by filmmakers from around the world. A variety of theatres screen the films, such as Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, U of T’s Innis College theatre, and the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

7. The Power Plant The Power Plant is a gallery space located on Toronto’s waterfront. Admission is free to everyone as the space is considered a public gallery. Specializing in contemporary visual art made by Canadians, The Power Plant provides accessible art to the city of Toronto.

231 Queens Quay West 8. The Gardiner Museum The Gardiner Museum, Canada’s largest ceramic-only museum, showcases ceramics from around the world and across time. Special exhibits are shown throughout the year, along with artist talks and pottery throwing classes. Admission for students is $6, half price on Fridays from 4pm to 9pm, and free for post-secondary students on Tuesdays.

111 Queens Park 9. Design Exchange The Design Exchange is a museum dedicated to showcasing great design from many different disciplines. Some recent shows include Stefan Sagmeisters, “The Happy Show,” and a showcase of Christian Louboutin’s work. The museum also hosts educational talks throughout the year as well as exciting opening parties for their new exhibits.

1. Royal Ontario Museum As one of Toronto’s busiest tourist attractions, the ROM receives about one million visitors each year. In addition to historical artifacts and a few dinosaurs, the ROM also showcases special exhibits throughout the year. For students between the ages of 15 and 25 with student ID, admission is $14.50.

On Fridays between the hours of 4:30pm and 9:30pm, admission is $9. On Tuesdays admission is free for students attending a Canadian post-secondary institution. 100 Queen’s Park (Bloor Avenue and Avenue Road) 2. Art Gallery of Ontario The AGO—rightfully located right next to OCAD University—is one of the largest galleries in North America, home to over 80 000 works. More than half of its collection is composed of Canadian content (Group of Seven, Emily Carr, etc.), though there is also a large European contingent. Regular admission is $11 for students and on Wednesday nights between 6:00pm and 8:30pm, admission to the permanent collection is free. Two permanent exhibitions may be of particular interest: Ai Weiwei: According to what? (until Oct 27) and David Bowie is (Sept 25Nov 27). 317 Dundas Street W (Dundas and McCaul) 3. Toronto International Film Festival Forget the movies: TIFF is a flurry of social activity, so prepare yourself for an influx of celebrities and their groupies. Although the festival exists for the purpose of showcasing a variety of local and international films, tickets can be notoriously hard to come by. If you secure tickets to any of the premier screenings, it can be fun to stalk your favourite celebrity at their film’s premiere—where they will hopefully be strutting down the red carpet. Most films are playing at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, located at the corner of King and John.

4. Nuit Blanche Nuit Blanche is an international, free all-night art event that takes place October 5 in Toronto, and in over 100 cities worldwide at different times of the year. Starting at 6:51pm and ending at sunrise, Nuit Blanche has become popular among people outside of the usual art circles. There is usually something for everyone, whether you prefer the outdoor Entrance to the Gardiner Museum by Victoria College installations, the performances, or simply the after-parties. A Students pay $18.50 for admission. 234 Bay clear plan for your night, however is always Street required as the festival is spread all over the 10. Canadian Stage Company city, which means good walking shoes and The Canadian Stage Company puts on stage warm clothing are a must. shows throughout the year from various 5. The Gladstone The Gladstone is a smaller gallery that is also genres. From classic to contemporary, there is something for everyone. They also have a popular boutique hotel. One of their largan Under 30 program that allows anyone 29 est events, Come Up to My Room happenand under to buy tickets for $15. 26 Berkeley ing January 23-26, 2014, gives each featured Street

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thenewspaper.ca

9

A shutterbug’s life

Following photography and finding friends Marsha Mcleod Despite the fact that a single finger is used to push a shutter release button, photography can serve as a communal pursuit which can inspire creative friendships. To meet other photographers in the city, consider posting on a socially-based site such as Couchsurfers which hosts an online discussion group for photographers seeking friends to shoot with - not only can you share equipment, software, and knowledge, but you simply practice.

Within the University of Toronto campus, of the simplest ways to get involved with photo-making is to join the Hart House Camera Club which offers open membership for 25 dollars per year. Membership offers the extremely inexpensive use of darkroom facilities as compared to other units in the city and chemical usage is included.

After attending an orientation session, analog-devotees can work in one of the club’s one-person darkrooms located across the hall from Sammy’s cafe.

Members are also enabled to sign-out lenses, cameras, lighting equipment, tripods, and the like from the club’s collection. 7 Hart House Circle Without moving off campus, a gallery with an obvious photographic commitment is easily accessible: the University of Toronto Art Centre (UTAC). This fall, UTAC will be rooting itself within Toronto tradition with the

exhibition of Lutz Dille’s exhibit, “Photographs of our Recent Past” - a series of photographs of Toronto’s landmark communities, such as Kensignton Market. 15 King’s College Circle For journalistic imagery, the Ryerson Image Centre is consistently outstanding; past exhibition Human Rights Human Wrongs explored the human rights paradigm, while another focused on different facets of life in southern Somalia (the artist was one of Ryerson’s fresh blood, Magnum-represented Dominic Nahr). Upcoming work centres around local and national themes such as immigration and indigenous narratives. Since its inception, The Ryerson Image Centre has managed to pull numerous influential artists, journalists, and curators to run workshops and speaking series where one can mingle with a mixed audience, including many Ryerson image students. 33 Gould St The Stephen Bulgar Gallery is another piazza for photography in the city. The gallery’s founder and director, Stephen Bulgar is affiliated with the Ryerson Image Centre and is additionally the co-founder of CONTACT, Toronto’s photography festival - the largest of its kind in the world - which will run for its 17th year in May. 1026 Queen St W A venue which is excelling in the intersection of photography and social interaction is the Gladstone Hotel. The hotel hosts over 70 shows per year, and

AGO: A year in art Three exhibits you do not want to miss

A student looks on at the Human Rights Human Wrongs exhibit at the Ryerson Image Centre. An Hu. as an added bonus, on Tuesday nights, bottles of wine are half priced. Head to the Gladstone with friends - or alone - and expect to carouse with an artsy crew while you get in deep with the loud, contesting exhibits, which are often mixed-media. 1214 Queen St W Another particularly engaging gallery is TWP Gallery. Each each week a group gathers under the name No Looking After the Internet to examine one or more photographs and “read the photo out loud together.” At the gallery, the discussion and focus groups correlate to the themes of season’s curated photography show. 1256 Dundas St West If you are looking for a home base to foster a serious photographic practice, consider joining the Gallery 44 community. Located at the ardently diverse, multi-use artistic hub, 401 Richmond, Gallery 44 sees its role as a “non-profit artist-run centre committed to the advancement of contemporary Canadian

Ria Gyawali For an avid art lover, the Art Gallery of Ontario can seem like a bit of a drag. In the past few years, however, the AGO has consistently brought in famous names and travelling exhibits. You would be hard-pressed to find the Guggenheim collection or Marina Abramovic’s Rest Piece in smaller galleries, thus making the AGO an invaluable feature in the artscape of the city.

Here are three noteworthy exhibits featured in the upcoming season:

photography.” For $50 per year, students can commit to becoming functional members of the cooperative and receive daytime access to a black and white wet darkroom as well as to the expertise of a community of artists.

In return, members volunteer several hours of their time per week and commit to attending Gallery 44 events, exhibits, and other programming. 401 Richmond St W #120 And remember: you inhabit a tirelessly beautiful city, so allow yourself to be inspired by the unprecedented diversity of the landscape which surrounds U of T and the varieties of people who walk within it. Sandro Pehar, a recent U of T graduate and local photographer explains, “you don’t need a license or permission to take photos - so go out there and take them... and [then] share your expressions with others, let them enjoy your work.”

David Bowie Is

As the first exhibit to collate objects from Bowie’s life as an artist, David Bowie Is provides a glimpse into Bowie’s expansive career. The exhibit pays special attention to his forays into fashion, film, and art. All pieces are handpicked from his personal archives and showcase his artistic influences over the past few decades. Toronto is the first stop in the exhibit’s world tour and is a must see for any fashion, music, and art fan. David Bowie Is runs from September 25 until November 27, 2013.

Light My Fire: Some Ai Weiwei: Accord- Propositions about ing to What?

Portraits and PhotogAi Weiwei is one of the most provocative artists of our time. While Wei- raphy wei’s politics are well documented, his artworks are less discussed. This retrospective features a wide range of his works, including “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn” and “Snake Ceiling.” Being the voice of dissent, Weiwei is particularly interested in the potential of nontraditional media—particularly the internet. As such, the AGO will present a live video chat with Weiwei himself on September 5, 2013 at its First Thursdays Party. According to What runs from Au-

CARISSA AINSLIE

gust 17 until October 27, 2013.

Light My Fire: Some Propositions about Portraits and Photography is the second part of a yearlong exhibit. It presents five themes that highlight the nature of portraiture and its evolution in the past 150 years. While the collection boasts famous names like Avedon and Karsh, it also features works of anonymous artists. Heralding from the AGO archives itself, most works have never before been publicly exhibited. The final themes We Are Not Ourselves and We Are Always Ourselves open October 2 and run until May 2014.

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September, 2013

Bust a move!

A few ideas on how to shake it—on and off campus Lena Binnington Never had a dance lesson but feel the boogie in the bones? Danced competitively and want to continue in university? Regardless of one’s dance background, downtown Toronto has something for everyone. In a search for something nearby and easily accessible, opportunities on U of T campus are abundant. Included here are but a few of the options that await: Only Human Dance Collective This student run, all-inclusive dance company is open to any level of dancer from beginner to advanced.

An extraordinary variety of genres are offered each season, which culminates in an annual showcase.

Silhouettes Dance Company For those with strong dance training, this company offers a challenging and fun environment that also works toward a year-end performance. Plenty of styles are offered by experienced student choreographers.

Varsity Blues Dance Team For those to whom the competitive dance world appeals, an audition for this would not go amiss. The Dance Team competes nationally and performs at university sporting events.

You even get a spiffy track suit!

Fo' Real Dance Crew This high-energy group offers a place for students to explore street-

genre dances. Competitive and noncompetitive options are available, run by encouraging and versatile choreographers.

Classes at Hart House Ballet, Latin nightclub, ballroom, line, street jazz, and more. Hart House offers it all. A complete list of registered year-round classes are available on their website. For those who enjoy getting toned and sweaty, zumba, yoga, and pilates are also involved in the mix.

Classes at the Athletic Centre A variety of drop-in workshops and registered classes are also taught at the U of T Athletic Centre. Check out their website for more details.

And the list goes on! Above are some of the larger campus dance groups, but there are plenty more if you are looking for a more tailored fit.

Other dance-related clubs include the Argentine Tango Club, UT Salsa, LGBT Dance at U of T, UT-Swing, the International Folk Dance Club, and more.

For twinkle-toesing off campus, these suggestions might assist in the search for something unique and rewarding: EveryBodyDance Everyone is welcome here to explore improvised, ecstatic, and freestyle dance movement practices in a joyful setting. These open classes are a truly unique experience which

encourage integration of heart, body, and soul! Women-only events are also offered.

Risqué Fitness As the name suggests, this studio on the Danforth offers some playful genres. Classes include pole or chair dancing, partner yoga, and goddess yoga. The instructors have found the perfect balance between a fun, empowering environment and an ass-kicking workout.

Toronto Salsa Bachata Affordable lessons for all levels are offered regularly at multiple locations near campus. These classes are unintimidating and every month they hold a salsa-bachata dance party!

Army of Sass Nuvo-Burlesque Train, perform, and get confident with this classy sisterhood. The near-

est rehearsals are held at Lindsay Ritter Dance.

Bee's Knees Dance These folks specialize in swing dance lessons for beginner adults. The studio is conveniently located near Yonge and Bloor.

With the onset of a new school year, it is the perfect time to branch out and try something different. Getting involved in the dance world is a great way to meet new people, stay in shape, and relieve stress.

“There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good.” -Edwin Denby

BRIAN VINCENCIO

Getting ready for the small stage

Exploring the different facets of Toronto’s open mic scene Joe Ianni

Performing in front of large audiences can feel as unnatural as it does unnerving. To overcome the nervousness, an alternate option to karaoke and imagining the entire audience naked is open mic nights. The benefits of performing at an open mic night include: small crowds—it’s just a step up from performing for close friends or family; the audience is usually filled with supportive fans of live and independent music; lastly, many in the crowd are musicians in the same position as you. Not only do they understand, but they can provide helpful advice as well as an opportunity for future collaboration.

Here’s a week-long list of open mics any young performer can take a swing at.

Monday Free Times Café, 320 College St, 7pm

A small venue nestled between campus and Kensington Market.

Tuesday The Press Club, 850 Dundas St W, 9pm The Press Club is located between Trinity Bellwoods Park and Kensington Market. The area is filled with local performers and is backed by a community that does all it can to support the arts.

Wednesday The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St W, 10pm The Drake is a great place for food, local music, and a good night out. If you want to stand on a stage where some of Toronto’s best indie artists have visited, the Drake is the place to be.

Thursday Aspetta Caffe, 207 Augusta Avenue, 8pm In the heart of Toronto’s vibrant Kensington Market, Aspetta Caffe is

small but extremely supportive of live music.

Friday Starbucks, 66 Gerrard St E, 7pm This is a special Starbucks location—it is one of the few in the chain that allows young artists to come in and share their music with their customers.

Saturday Black Swan Tavern, 154 Danforth Avenue, 1pm Along the Danforth there are several open mic venues, but what is special about Black Swan is that they have a live band to help you out—and a promotions company who bring the drums and amps if necessary.

A great place to get a bigger sound than typically offered by an open

BEN TENN-YUK

mic.

Sunday Supermarket, 268 Augusta Avenue, 8pm Supermarket in Kensington Market is another open mic venue that has a band to back you up. The venue features the occasional up-and-coming musical acts hopping in for an impromptu visit.

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11

Is it a plane? Is it a bird? No. Well, yes. It’s a public art installation.

Aliya Bhatia So you’re here: you’ve made it to U of T. Congratulations! Now before you get stuck in a perpetual library slump, it is time to capitalize on the nice weather and check out the vibrant city. Toronto, with its multitude of bistros, boutiques, museums, and parks also boasts several public art installations.

The first piece commissioned by the City of Toronto was The Canadian Volunteers Memorial in 1870, making Toronto’s ever-growing collection of public art also one of the oldest in North America.

Toronto is packed with visual delights that range from permanent installations that have become part of the locale’s architecture like the Eaton Centre’s Flightstop by Michael Snow, to global artists who have paved their own way in the city like Anish Kapoor’s Mountain at Simcoe Place Park. For the contemporary viewing pleasure of our readers, here is a guide to make a day out of seeing some of the newspaper’s top picks!

1. Walk south to Nathan Phillip’s Square and catch Toronto’s newest public art installations called Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads by Chinese artist/activist/badboy Ai Weiwei. The travelling installation closes September 22—Toronto is its only Canadian stop, so capitalize on the lack of firstweek readings and give ‘er a looksee.

Location: Nathan Phillips Square.

2. After NPS, head eastward to the Eaton Centre and see Flightstop, a gaggle of Canada’s finest geese suspended from the mall’s ceiling. The installa-

tion has become an iconic part of the mall and was created by Canadian artist Michael Snow; it is likely a favourite among Torontonian Art History professors. The installation has been involved in several controversies, including one between Snow and the Eaton Centre in which Snow fought against the Christmas bows used to make his geese appear festive.

Location: Toronto Eaton Centre, Queen St West entrance.

3. Next, walk south toward Front Street to catch Edie Parker’s Our Game, a bronze celebration of Canadian’s favourite hobby: hockey.

Location: 30 Yonge St 4. Amble across to Union Station where Francesco Perilli’s Monument to Multiculturalism greets commuters and reminds them of Toronto’s diversity. This installment is one of five identical Perilli works scattered around the globe. The others are situated in Australia, Bosnia, China, and South Africa.

Location: 65 Front St W 5. After a day of walking, grab a Bixi bike and ride your way to Simcoe Park (in an attempt to avoid the dreaded “Freshman 15”), and cool down under Mountain—a sculpture by the Britainbased, Indian-influenced artist Anish Kapoor.

Location: Front St W just west of Simcoe St 6. After a break, bike southwest towards Fort York at Bathurst St and Lakeshore W, to catch Douglas Coupland’s “creeping revisionism” of the War of 1812.

Location: Fleet St and Bathurst St 7. Finish your day in style by visiting the Shangri-La hotel to see Rising

ALIYA BHATIA

A brief guide on how to stop and appreciate the public art

by Zhang Huan, an enormous stainless steel sculpture that reportedly cost more than $5 million. Unveiled in May 2012, Huan, deemed as one of China’s most influential contemporary artists,

aimed to use this piece to advocate the protection of ecology and imply the need for a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

Location: 188 University Ave

The curtains pushed aside A brief guide to some theatrical fall-semester performances around the University January.

UC Follies From the UC Follies—UniverIn the upcoming months there are sity College's student-run theatre a bunch of exciting shows in and troupe—there will be a production around the University. of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar held in Hart House Theatre the UC Quad September 13, 14, and Hart House Theatre is the most rec19-21. Though an old play with an ognizable production company on campus. Located just west of Queen's ancient subject, the Follies' version Park, the theatre itself is in the lower is inspired by modern art forms, level of the Hart House building. The including song, dance, and puppetry.

Also coming up is the musical comfirst play of the 2013-2014 season is edy Sweet Charity, date to be deterBone Cage, which runs September mined. Tickets are $8 for students 20 to October 5, 2013. Bone Cage and $10 general admission, and can highlights the struggles of several young adults in desolate, rural Nova be bought through U of TTix. Scotia. Also on the horizon for HHT Victoria College Drama Society The first play this season for the Vicis their production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, which runs in Novem- toria College Drama Society (VCDS) ber, as well as a theatre adaptation of is Never Swim Alone by award-winning Canadian playwright Daniel the 1998 film The Wedding Singer in MacIvor. The play is a fast, amusing Jon Dundas

satire about the egotistical dueling and constant one-upmanship between two well-dressed men, as refereed by a mysterious woman in a bathing suit. The play will be shown in the Goldring Centre Amphitheatre, in September on a date yet to be announced.

At the Isabel Bader Theatre, Oct 24-26, VCDS will present The History Boys, written by Alan Bennett.

Boys at an English grammar school prepare for their entrance exams to Oxford and Cambridge under the tutelage of three teachers with contrasting styles.

Tarragon Theatre A great theatre spot off campus is the Tarragon Theatre near Dupont subway station. From September 17 to October 27, they will be performing The Best Brothers, in which the

mother of two brothers is killed accidentally by a falling drag queen.

Soulpepper Theatre Soulpepper Theatre is located at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Distillery District. Thirty minutes before a show, one can buy “Rush” Tickets for dirt cheap: $5 for people 21 and under, and $22 otherwise. Great for last minute dates!

Currently running is the two-part play Angels in America, about the lives of seven people during the AIDS crisis in the eighties. Both parts of Angels run until September 14, and there is a deal available if tickets for both parts are bought at the same time.

11 Bar Volo, 587 Yonge Street

10 Museum Tavern, 208 Bloor Street West

9 Victory Cafe, 581 Markham Street

8 Cold Tea, 60 Kensington

7 Sin &Redemption, 136 McCaul Street

6 C’est What, 67 Front Street East

5 The Loose Moose, 146 Fro Avenuent Street West

4 Bar Hop, 391 King Street West

3 Bier Market, 600 King Street West

2 The Lakeview, 1132 Dundas Street West

1 Betty’s, 240 King Street East

Drink

12 Green Beaner, 565 Bloor Street West

11 Snacks & Latte’s 600 Bloor Street West

10 Sam James Coffee Pocket, 688 Bloor Street West

9 Balzac’s Coffee Roasters, 122 Bond Street

8 Manic Coffee Limited, 426 College Street West

7 Sonic Cafe, 60 Cecil Street

6 Ideal Coffee, 84 Nassau Street

5 John’s Italian Cafe, 27 Baldwin

4 Moonbeam Coffee Company, 30 St Andrew Street

3 Fika Cafe, 28 Kensington Avenue

2 Dark Horse Espresso Bar, 215 Spadina Avenue

1 White Squirrel Cafe Shop, 907 Queen Street West

Cafe

26 Freshii, 53 Bloor Street East

25 Fresh, 326 Bloor Street West

24 Famoso Neapolitan Pizza, 386 Bloor Street West

23 7 West, 7 Charles Street West * 24 Hours

22 Harvest Noon Cafe, 16 Bancroft Avenue

21 Veda, 10 King’s College Road

20 Hot Yam, 33 St George Street

19 Rancho Relax, 300 College Street

18 Mother’s Dumplings, 421 Spadina Avenue

17 Guu, 398 Church Street

16 Something 2 Talk About, 78 Gerrard Street

15 Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill, 17 Tank House Lane

14 Cafe Crepe, 246 Queen Street West

13 Corned Beef House, 270 Adelaide Street West

12 Fresh, 147 Spadina Avenue

11 Akram’s Shoppe, 191 Baldwin Street

10 Wanda’s Pie, 287 Augusta Avenue

9 Big Fat Burito, 285 Augusta Avenue

8 The Burgernator, 269 Augusta Avenue

7 Supermarket 268 Augusta Avenue

6 Urban Herbivore, 64 Oxford Street

5 Hot Box Cafe, 204 Augusta Avenue

4 High Biscus, 238 Augusta Avenue

3 The Grilled Cheese, 66 Nassau Street

2 Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College Street West

1 The Starving Arist, 582 Lansdowne Avenue

Food

21 Tarragon Theatre, 30 Birdgman Avenue

20 Black Swan Tavern, 154 Danforth Avenue

19 Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 506 Bloor Street West

18 Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park

17 Gardiner Museum, 111 Queen’s Park

16 Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles Street West

15 Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle

14 UTAC, 15 King’s College Street

13 Ryerson Image Centre, 33 Gould Street

12 Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West

11 The Canadian Stage Company, 26 Berkeley Street

10 Soulpepper Theatre, 50 Tankhouse Lane

9 Design Exchange, 234 Bay Street

8 The Power Plant, 231 Queens Quay West

7 TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West

6 Gallery 44, 401 Richmond Street West

5 The Press Club, 850 Dundas Street West

4 Gallery TPW, 1256 Dundas Street West

3 Stephen Bulger Gallery, 1026 Queen Street West

2 The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen Street West

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Bay University

the food and drink

14

September, 2013

Top five food and booze

“When one’s stomach is full it makes no difference whether he is rich or poor.” -Euripedes Calan Panchoo Toronto is a big place, but there are local watering holes and hidden food spots that give the city its distinctive character and unique flavour. As a student, not only will you want to know where the best places to eat and drink are, you will also want to know which places are best for each occasion.. Whether it’s a night out with friends, or somewhere to take that special someone, the right atmosphere makes all the difference. We present to you the newspaper’s top five pubs and restaurants.

Pubs

581 Markham St This Mirvish Village staple has been one of Toronto’s most enjoyed bars for 15 years. Featuring 13 taps dedicated to craft beers, a menu which is entirely locally-sourced, and a cask which changes its ale almost daily—it depends on how quickly the relentless crowds suck down its nectar. The patio is one of the most acclaimed in the city for its size and mood on warm summer nights. In the winter, the upper level hosts live music, poetry readings, and sometimes even gypsy jazz. Victory Café is perfect for anyone with a keen disposition for bohemian sensibilities.

Museum Tavern

Betty’s

240 King St E Betty’s—formerly known as the Betty Ford, until the clinic by the same name mailed them a cease and desist letter (which you can see framed in its full glory on the wall)—is a regular haunt for students, and for good reason. The two-story pub has a laid-back vibe, a newly renovated basement (which acts as a lounge), as well as a large outside patio. The walls are adorned with a variety of posters and new wave art, which range from kitsch to classy.

Most importantly, the beer selection is immense. Sporting some of the best imports around makes this east-side pub a perfect place to enjoy an outing any day of the week.

barVolo

587 Yonge St Once a café, this corner of real estate has been renovated into one of Yonge Street’s most happening destinations for craft beer. This bar has a variety of rare worldwide brews from Quebec to Belgium and a list of 150 different bottles. BarVolo even has a small brewing system in the kitchen which churns out house-made beers for its customers. The décor is dark, modern, and welcoming. At night, the atmosphere shifts to moody and sexy, often aglow with candles and filled with the chatter of patrons. The patio, though small, is cozy and adds a great natural element to the bar.

Victory Café

208 Bloor W Opened in July of last summer by two brothers, Museum Tavern has quickly become a go-to destination for those more upscale nights out. The Tavern is one of the best spots for fancy and tasty cocktails without breaking the bank, and still has a great range of the usual drinks. The décor is chic, fresh, and vibrant and the patio in particular boasts a phenomenal view from the second floor of the Philosopher’s Walk, Royal Conservatory of Music, and the Royal Ontario Museum—hence the name. An overall great place for those nights you feel like dressing up and chilling out.

Cold Tea

60 Kensington Ave One might say that the magic of Cold Tea is only experienced when one can find Cold Tea. Located down some sinister hallways of a seemingly random Kensington Market mall, Cold Tea has become one of the most mysterious and simultaneously enjoyed spots in the city. With no advertisements or signs of existence, many find their way to Cold Tea only through word of mouth. The main room has an industrial vibe akin to a bunker, but with aesthetic accents that add some elegance. The beer selection is concise but fantastic, crossing local beers and infamous imports. The music varies from underground DJ sets to soul singers, sending hipster-punk currents through Cold Tea’s concrete foundation.

Restaurants Mother’s Dumplings

421 Spadina Ave For years, this has been one of Toronto’s go-to spots for cheap, filling, pot-sticking bundles of joy. NOW Magazine ranked Mother’s Dumplings as the best $5 lunch, it was featured on CBC, and was rated best dumplings in the city by Toronto Life. The restaurant provides dozens of handmade, delicious dumplings for an affordable price. Though it won’t win any awards for décor or atmosphere, the bustle of lunch regulars chowing down on classic Chinese comfort food definitely speaks for itself. With recipes like pork and bok choy dumplings to potato pancakes—if you’re hungry, and have a fist full of change, this place is for you.

Guu

398 Church St On those days you want to go to a nicer restaurant and have some extra cash, Guu is and will always be beckoning. Though lunch will cost close to $50 a person, trust me, you’ll wish they gave out bank loans just to be able to eat at this place more. Guu is not just a restaurant, it’s an experience; it is Japanese Izakaya fully realized. The décor is fresh, clean, and modern, and the food is sublime. Featuring dishes like deep-fried brie cheese with mango sauce, barbecued pork with yuza-honey soy, or even just fried udon noodles with beef, everything is inventive, creative, and delicious. The restaurant is astoundingly fun and high energy, so no matter who you take there, they will walk out with a smile and a full tummy.

Café Crepe

246 Queen St W Sometimes, you know, you’re just feeling French. Despite your inability to understand our Maritime relatives, you just feel lighter, more refined, and your palate desires something more subtle. On those days, go to Café Crepe. With some of, if not the best sandwiches and crepes in the city, the spot with the Eiffel tower silhouette on its sign never disappoints. If a

European café and an American diner had a baby, this restaurant would be the child. The vibe is just sexy enough to pull off an impromptu date. With a plethora of exotic dessert crepes, like rum, coconut, and banana (The Crepe Exotique), and a full range of dinner and lunch time crepes, (cured prosciutto, bocconcini cheese, or tomato and olive oil anyone?) Café Crepe is always a good accompaniment to your finer moments.

Corned Beef House

270 Adelaide St W Meat. Piles and piles of Montreal smoked meat. That is what Corned Beef House is all about—and though it doesn’t sport designer furnishings or the Queen West atmosphere, what it does, it does damn well. Located near the entertainment district, this dive has been providing high quality delicatessen brisket and corned beef since 1978. The meat is spiced, smoked, steamed and then sheared off onto fresh bread baked on-site. Every sandwich holds about 10 ounces of smoked meat, and, to top it all off, they serve beer along with your food. Carnivores rejoice!

Sneaky Dee’s

431 College St Sneaky Dee’s is one of the most popular student hangouts and features some of the best Tex Mex in the city.

This restaurant is a place you can’t miss—there is graffiti everywhere, on the walls, the tables... the waiters. Also, it is one of the most down to earth and welcoming places. Not one ounce of pretense can be found here, in fact, this is where pretense goes to die, but in glorious Mexican fashion. The bountiful nachos are some of the most talked about by the student crowd.

The quesadillas, tacos, and enchiladas are even better, all sporting classic Mexican flavours and in massive portions. The prize for largest dish goes to the Burrito Grande, a dense cinderblock of tortilla, frijoles, cheese, rice and whatever meat your throbbing heart desires; a great place to start, or end a night. Oh yeah, and there is a bar upstairs that hosts some of Toronto’s best indie talent.

Your newspaper needs you!

Calling all potential writers, editors, illustrators, photographers, vagabonds and drifters: As Canada’s largest independent student publication, the newspaper has been brought to you for 35 years through the dedication of U of T students who volunteer countless hours from planning to posting to print.

Come out to our first open meeting on Thursday, September 4. 6:00pm. Free pie, free drink.

Location: 256 McCaul Street, Suite 106

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RIP ‘grande, half-sweet, soy iced vanilla latte’ local coffee at its gnarliest, zippiest, boldest, blackest, and most jet-fuel-resemblant Marsha McLeod As your local and independent monthly—helmed by staff with a penchant for the adrenaline rush of nearly-missed deadlines—the newspaper presents to you the alternative coffee shops that provide the fuel for our high-octane production nights.

On campus Harvest Noon Cafe/Coop: Cheap espressos, a communal vibe, and it’s run by a crew of friendly student volunteers. 16 Bancroft Ave. Diablos Cafe: I hesitate to use this descriptor, but it’s the most “Hogwarts” place in the city to grab a fair trade coffee. Student-run. UC Junior Common Room Caffiends: Cozy nook in Old Vic. Volunteer student-run cafe with friendly faces selling organic fairtrade coffee. Emphasizes its community angle. Victoria College 7 West Cafe: Open 24 hours, seven days a week, year-round. This is the place to go in order to pull an allnighter and actually enjoy it. The ambiance is cozy and warm, the lattes excellent and tea collection extensive. It boasts a covered rooftop patio and three separate levels. 7

Charles St. W b Espresso: Somehow still the domain of mostly only RCM and Faculty of Music patrons. Tucked off of Philosopher’s Walk in the Royal Conservatory of Music, under a three-story-high glass ceiling that connects RCM’s former outer wall to the building’s recent addition, the narrow space is full of light. 273 Bloor St. W, 111 Queen St. E, 65 Dundas St. E Annex area Green Beanery: Large selection of equipment for roasting and grinding beans as well as more than 90 varieties of roasted beans for purchase.

565 Bloor St W. Sam James Coffee Pocket: Tiny holein-the-wall on Bloor Street with hilarious baristas and perky americanos. 688 Bloor St W. Owner, James, also runs the Sam James Coffee Bars at 297 Harbord St and 150 King St W. Manic Coffee: Supplies great gelato and has a very work-oriented, cleancut vibe; although, no wi-fi. 426 College St. Kensington Market/Baldwin St Moonbean Coffee Company: Longtime favourite/part-time home to

many. The owner roasts on-site, White Squirrel Coffee Shop: Great and offers a wide variety coffee and serves of beans, as well as great Greg’s Ice Cream from homemade snacks and a drive-by window desserts. No wi-fi. 30 St which tastes best whilst Andrew St. tanning in Trinity Fika Cafe: Best iced coffee Bellwoods Park diwe can find anywhere: fresh rectly opposite. Also mint and cardamom. wins points for their DANNY BRAVERMAN Visitors, despite their willingness to serve best efforts, cannot quadruple americanos. resist Instagram-ing 907 Queen St W. the faded blue antique decor and Off the map tiny bouquets. 28 Kensington Ave. Alternative Grounds Coffee House: Ideal Coffee: An easy place to talk Take advantage of the September to people. Folks are often chatty weather and explore this fair trade and the crowd is largely made of Roncesvalles locale. Alternative the friendly crew that works in the Grounds is a kitschy community neighbourhood. 84 Nassau St. spot with an eclectic backyard patio Spadina Ave/Queen St W and a variety of organic snacks to Dark Horse Espresso Bar: A popular nibble. 333 Roncesvalles Ave. haunt in the area. There’s Balzac’s Coffee Roasters: Four locano drip coffee, but sexy tions in the city and the coffee is baristas, so no worries. superb at each; the Distillery District 215 Spadina Ave Suite location, howev102, 684 Queen St W, 682 er, far surpasses Queen St E, 125 John St. in charm. SpillSonic Cafe: Tiny nook of a coffee ing out onto the shop with a bicycle affixed above its cobbled street, entrance. Plays great music, someBalzac’s feels times off the piano which is wedged steeped in the downstairs. With an overflowing pa- tradition of the tio on Cecil, it’s perfect for drinking neighborhood. 55 Mill St, 43 Hanna up the local brews which are offered. Avenue, Unit 123, 122 Bond St, 789 60 Cecil St. Yonge St.

Restaurants in Kensington Market Navigating through Toronto’s historical neighbourhood

Yasmine Laasraoui

Toronto’s notoriously cool “hood” is more than a hipster hangout. In addition to being named a national historical site, Kensington Market is home to some of the city’s best cheap eats. Here is the lowdown on the area’s best food, drinks and treats: 1. The Grilled Cheese, 66 Nassau St When the food at the dining hall comes to a lull, The Grilled Cheese’s gooey classics will make you feel like you’re back home, circa 1999. Average main course: $8 2. Big Fat Burrito, 285 Augusta Avenue This greasy spoon merits a “best hangover cure” title. Living up to its name, Big Fat Burrito will definitely give you more bang for your buck. Not into meat and cheese?

Head down a couple blocks to Hot Beans (160 Baldwin St. Unit 1) for delicious vegan tacos. Average main course: $8.50

3. Akram’s Shoppe, 191 Baldwin St The homemade cuisine served at this restaurant/grocery store stocks all the regular Middle Eastern grub—hummus, tabbouleh, falafel and pitas. The $4.99 daily hot meal specials are unquestionably studentfriendly. Average main course: $7 4. Supermarket, 268 Augusta Avenue This restaurant, bar, and live music venue is anything but a grocery store. Serving Asian-fusion tapas at dinner, Supermarket later transforms itself into a bar with good vibes and great drinks. Want something more low-key? Walk over to Ronnie’s Local, 069 69 Nassau St. Average main course: $12.50 5. Hot Box Café, 204 Augusta Avenue Calling themselves “Toronto’s first pot-positive joint,” Hot Box Café is an 18+ BYOP (bring your own pot) retreat from campus. The café offers

various treats and munchies to customers using the vapour lounge and outdoor patio. Average main course: $8.50 6. Wanda’s Pie in the Sky 287 Augusta Avenue

MARSHA MCLEOD For those with a sweet tooth, Wanda’s is the place to go. The pies, cakes, and cookies baked in-house are probably better than your granny’s. Average dessert: $5

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September, 2013

A bite out of campus food services Become better acquainted with food dynamics through campus If your appreciation for food stretches beyond eating it, there are many opportunities on campus to get involved in the world of nutrition and eating, and to better understand the food structures within Toronto.

UeaT “UeaT is about more than just serving food; it is an interactive and dynamic way of thinking about food.”

This food service covers everything one might want to know about what, where, and when to eat on campus. They oversee contracted food providers on campus, usually found within colleges, as well as coordinate other food programs and events around campus. The website provides a map of eating locations on campus based on dietary needs, such as vegetarian or halal; available appliances, such as microwaves; environmental awareness, such as availability of reusable utensils; and other general preferences, making it easy to decide where to eat on campus.

UeaT is also the organization responsible for Veggie Mondays, a

movement on campus working to rid cafeterias and cafes on campus of meat every Monday for the environmental, health, and economic benefits. Students who pledge to eat vegetarian on Mondays will receive a discount of 10 per cent at participating locations on campus.

FoodShare “FoodShare operates innovative grassroots projects that promote healthy eating, teach food preparation and cultivation, develop community capacity, and create non-market-based forms of food distribution.”

This service occasionally sets up events during the week concerned with the process of obtaining food.

From growing, to processing, to purchasing, cooking, and eating, this group wants to understand all food processes. Stay connected with their website in order to keep to date with upcoming events.

Good Food Box “The Good Food Box is a box of fresh produce, locally grown and organic wherever possible, that you order and have delivered to UTSU.” Offered through the UTSU and FoodShare, these boxes are filled

to the brim with good food. They can make a unique gift for foodie friends, or a great personal treat of fresh fruit and vegetables that can be so hard to find during the school year.

Global Food Equity conference In collaboration with Hart House, New College’s Equity Studies hosts one of the largest campus food gatherings of the year. In October, students, staff, and alumni come together to celebrate World Food Day and the harvest season. A sustainably made meal is provided during discussions of various food issues.

The Sky Garden Under the direction of the Food and Water Institute, students from the Urban Agriculture Society have developed a volunteer-run community that maintains a rooftop, vegetable garden. Located on the Galbraith Building on St. George St., the sky garden produces approximately 500 lbs of organic vegetables each year, most of which goes to the student food bank.

The committee often offers gardening workshops and tours of the space in order to facilitate educational and research op-

portunities. To learn more about the initiatives by the Urban Agriculture Soceity and the Food and Water Institute, go to their website at, http:// uas.sa.utoronto.ca/about/.

In addition to these organizations and services, it is good to keep an eye out for cultural groups that make it a point to include cooking in their agenda. These groups can often be found in the Center for International Experience, located at 33 St. George St, where a kitchen is provided for such purposes.

delicious soups and salads to accompany them. Also, vegan cheese is available. Enough said.

Address: 386 Bloor St W Rancho Relaxo Vegan sour cream and cheese for your quesadillas. Need I say more?

Okay, they also have a bunch of other great dishes for all you vegans and others out there.

Address: 300 College St Veda Healthy Indian Take-out Always an easy gluten-free/vegetarian choice on campus, as Veda has various Indian-inspired pairings featuring brown rice. Veda even manage to make butter chicken which is considered low-fat—they also serve tofu butter.

Addresses 10 King’s College Road (Engineering Annex) and 569 Spadina Avenue (Multi-faith Centre) Hibiscus Much of the menu is gluten-free and/or vegan and the prices are much more reasonably than you might expect. They serve crepes, vegan salads, and almond milk chai lattes. The homemade, dairy-free ice cream also necessitates at least some

repeated sampling.

Address: 238 Augusta Ave. Pure Spirits Oyster House Hunting down pasta? Located in the Distillery District, Pure Spirits offers any pasta on the menu with gluten-free noodles; gluten is forgotten while diners slurp back its wide variety of oysters and other seafood.

Address: 17 Tank House Lane Fresh With three locations in the city, Fresh will please gluten-free individuals, vegan pals, and veggiehating grandparents alike. The food is always good and the restaurant always packed.

Addresses: 147 Spadina Avenue, 326 Bloor St W, and 894 Queen St W The Starving Artist For the hangover food you have dearly missed out on as a restricted foodie, this is a great option when you just want to join in on the carbloading, waffle-eating fun with your friends. It’s a ridiculously friendly place: they have quick wi-fi, and don’t discourage loitering.

Address: 582 Lansdowne Avenue

RHIANNON WHITE

Samantha Preddie

I don’t eat that

Where to go if you say the above a lot Samantha Preddie and Marsha Mcleod

Considering what seems like the ubiquitous university meal—pizza and beer—entering post-secondary as an individual with dietary restrictions can seem like a daunting task. Here are some spots on and off campus for the vegans, the religious, hippies, and run-of-the-mill foodies with dietary restrictions. Also, a few gluten-free spots where your meals won’t be dry, crumbly, and/or bereft of flavour.

Hot Yam! This weekly café gives you the best vegan food for your buck. For $4 the hungry receive a mostly organic, mostly local, all-vegan dish with salad, soup, dessert, and tea. New location to be announced soon.

Address: 33 St. George St Harvest Noon Located above the Graduate Student Union Pub, this inexpensive cooperative is the friendliest, quirkiest, and most communal café on campus.

In addition to delicious vegetarian meals and freshly baked bread, they

also often serve quinoa salad and other gluten-free lunches every day between 11am and 4pm.

Address:16 Bancroft Ave Urban Herbivore Whole, natural food for everyone in the form of sandwiches, soups, and bowls, located in Kensington Market.

Address: 64 Oxford St The Burgenator Halal burgers? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely. Also offers gluten-free buns for a slightly jacked-up price.

Address: 269 Augusta Avenue Somethin’ 2 Talk About A simply divine menu. This restaurant isn’t afraid to try the good stuff (grilled pears, sautéed mushrooms, chipotle mayo, avocado, and provolone anyone?) and for cheap.

Address: 78 Gerrard St Freshii Burritos and bowls of veggies, tofu, rice and/or meat—this place provides a filling lunch you can easily take to go.

Address: 1250 Bay St Famoso A wide variety of pizza options with

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Please sir, I want some more How to eat on a budget Lena Binnington If you are a student, chances are pretty good that your budget is tight. Once you have bought your books and beers, it may be necessary to make a few spending cuts in the food department. Daunting as it may seem, eating cheap in Toronto isn’t too hard if you know where to look. Even if you have a meal plan, these ideas will offer some affordable variety: Everyday shopping: 1. By far the cheapest places to stock up on produce are the fruit and veggie markets located along Bloor between Spadina and Christie. Also, try shops in Chinatown south of College on Spadina, and Kensington Market. Go there; save large.

2. Widespread chain grocery stores listed more or less from cheapest to most expensive are as follows: No Frills, Food Basics, Price Chopper, Sobey’s, Loblaws, Metro. Unfortunately, all the priciest ones are closest to campus.

3. Sometimes it is strangely fun to use coupons and find deals in weekly grocery store flyers. You may end up with a strange array of items, but at least you successfully penny-pinched.

4. Get yourself to bulk food stores once in awhile, they can come in handy for items like spices, teas,

and baking supplies. If you are new to the city, the nearest Bulk Barn to campus is at Yonge and College, but independent bulk places are usually cheaper.

5. FoodShare Toronto has a program called the Good Food Box, which is a non-profit, fresh fruit and vegetable distribution system. A $13 box provides enough produce to last a week or so for one person if stored properly. Call 416 363 6441 ex. 234 to find the nearest drop off/pick up location. It is totally worth it!

They will also drop off boxes to any location if there are eight to 10 people interested.

Campus eats: 1. Harvest Noon: Vegan café that offers delicious snacks, beverages, and seasonal meals.

Details: Graduate Student Union Building, 2nd floor, Monday-Friday 10am-2pm. Average $2-$5.

2. UofT Food & Clothing Bank: Open to the U of T community, this service offers a wide variety of grocery options every week.

Details: Multi-Faith Centre, Fridays 12pm-3pm.

FREE with valid T-card.

3. 5-Buck Lunch: A variety of meals for every taste bud. Visit the Hart House website for 201314 meal dates.

Details: Hart House Great Hall, select Wednesdays 11:45am-2pm. $5 students, $7 non-students.

4. Diabolos’ Coffee Bar - mmm, fair trade.

Details: Junior Common Room at University Col-

lege, Monday-Friday 9-6. $1 coffee 5. Hot Yam! - Lovingly prepared weekly vegan lunches on campus.

Details: New location for 2013-14 TBA, Wednesdays 12pm-2pm, $4 or FREE for volunteers.

6. It is a good idea to keep your ears and eyes open for event notices within your college, UTSU, campus clubs, and program student unions.

Groups (such as this publication) that run events know that students will flock if free food (and drink) is offered, so take advantage.

7. Last exam season, UTSU brought free bagged meals to libraries throughout campus between 8pm and 1:30am. For many studying students, it was a shining star in the night. Stay tuned to see if they are offering that service again.

8. Nobody will be terribly upset if you stash cafeteria cookies in your pockets.

If you are truly desperate for a bite to eat, here is an online list of free or low-cost, weekly meals offered at shelters and community centers throughout Toronto: http://www.toronto.ca/housing/pdf/weeklymeals.pdf DANNY BRAVERMAN

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(JUST) THE TIPS

September, 2013

When your $$$$$$$$ situation feels like #$%*@$ Making the university, city, and businesses pay for your education and other fun things Tip #3: Look for external scholarships Most people begin their hunt The first thing to note about finding for scholarships on scholarshipfree money: never dwell on missed scanada.com or studentawards. deadlines, accidental incompletes, com. Something about these sites is or scholarships you did not win— indistinguishably irritating; exterthis arduous process requires a stiff nal scholarships can be found using upper lip of positivity. The second the online financial aid section of thing to remember: creativity and an Ontario college websites. Colleges ability to slightly bend your circum- have extremely extensive listings stances to the favour of the decision- of external scholarships whereas making body will always yield two the University of Toronto external indispensable qualities. So let’s get awards page is not well-organized to it: how to hunt for—and score— and contains links to scholarships scholarships, grants, and loans, while with long expired deadlines. Humalso locating some funds to travel on ber College and George Brown U of T’s dollar.

College both have excellent listings Tip #1: Please, apply for OSAP of external scholarships within their Often first-year students do not online financial aid information. apply to OSAP because the applicaTip #4: Head to the “Other U of T tion is confusing for first-time apAwards” section of the U of T finanplicants, or they think their financial cial website need is not high enough, or students This section is unfortunately often do not understand the basics of what not up to date, so click on the “curOSAP funding is meant for. You rent awards” link, which will show can still apply for OSAP, however, you all the current U of T scholuntil the end of September—90 days arships which don’t quite fit into before the end of the study period. either the merit-based Additionally, if any of the criteria or financial need-based on the application changes upon sections; quite a few arrival at school, submit a written of these scholarships appeal of your OSAP funding. Some require the submiscommon slip-ups: overestimating sion of an essay for your earnings for the study period, consideration. Writing underestimating your course load essays for scholarships percentage, or underestimating your is excellent practice expenses at school. Also, ensure that and takes less time than if you live more than 40 kilometres you might think; the away from campus you have checked word counts are always this box on your application as you short and it increases are eligible for a first-year residence/ your likelihood of winliving grant. ning—essays deter a lot If you are not eligible for OSAP of would-be applicants. funding, apply for the “30% Off On- The deadline for many tario Tuition” grant—this provincial of these “Other U of T initiative is a grant that can fund you Awards” is November up to $1730 towards tuition costs 30. depending on financial status and Tip #5: Find scholarother factors. ships specific to your Tip #2: Go to your college to locate skills, interests, backalumni cash ground Last year, I was in the middle of There are quite a good a protracted OSAP appeal process few specific scholarships and was directed by an exasperated out there for the takOSAP employee to “talk to my coling, if you qualify. For lege.” Hesitant, I went to my college example: Royal Canaand began poking around the finan- dian Legion scholarcial aid office, where they quickly ships for children and offered me an application for a St. grandchildren of Legion Michael’s College grant. All the colmembers; scholarships leges offer “emergency” grants which for LGBTI-identified are based solely on current financial students in high school need. A useful note: one can be called the Bill 7 Award; somewhat liberal with the definition ECO Scholarships for of “emergency.” young environmentalGet an appointment with a finanists; McDonalds or cial aid officer and talk honestly Burger King scholarabout what you need. If your laptop ships for their comis broken and you need a new one, mitted employees; the just say that—at least initially. Either Kathy Searles scholarthey will advise not to apply for a ship for career-oriented grant (apply anyway) or they will individuals; Kwansis support in application-making, and Scholarships for socially help find the necessary funds.

Marsha McLeod

engaged students; IODE Scholarships for high-achieving female students. Applying for specific scholarships relates directly to tip #6. Tip #6: Become eligible for scholarships.

To apply for scholarships you almost always need a reference letter or two from a faculty member, and unfortunately teaching assistants are not included in this category. In large classes visit your professor’s office hours regularly, or consider enrolling in small-sized seminar classes such that you can build a personal relationships with one or several faculty members. When you request a reference letter, ask the professor to make one copy that states the specific scholarship you are applying to and another copy that is a unspecified letter of support so that when you need another letter in a jiffy you have something available. Make copies.

Also related: many scholarships ask for evidence of community commitments, so I suggest finding a casual volunteer commitment or two

that you can attend weekly or biweekly (insert newspaper plug here).

Tip #7: Research the the scholarships available for your subject POSt Disclaimer: if you enter the University of Toronto as an Arts & Science student, you have no major, and you will not have a major until you apply and are accepted into one after your first year of study.

Now we’re all on the same page.

You can, however, research the subject POSt you expect to enroll in (Political Science, English, Biology, etc.) and look for scholarships on the department’s website. Each department has a variety of merit-based scholarships, some which require applications and many which do not. In addition to excellent grades, these scholarships often require you to demonstrate your commitment to the program, so in first year consider joining the student society of your potential program or getting involved with their events.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

MARIAH LLANES

thenewspaper.ca Tip #8: Work study. Not qualified? Apply anyway.

A common theme in this article is that even if you do not feel qualified enough, smart enough, poor enough, or deserving enough for a scholarship or grant, apply regardless! The same goes for work-study positions; work-study positions are jobs on campus which request a maximum of 12 hours per week. The postings will be listed on the U of T Careers website on September 3, 2013.

Tip #9: Finagle some free money for traveling a) Go to your college—pretend to need money for rent, use it on airfare. b) Go on a summer abroad and apply for the Woodsworth scholarships - the main ones will cover about half the total cost of the program. c) Apply for the Walter and Mary Tuohy Award—it is one of the few U of T travel awards for the Arts & Science gang. Check out others on the Centre for International Experience (CIE) website, under “Going Abroad,” then “Funding.” d) Hoard your OSAP loans and then use them on a Hosteling International membership.

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e) Go the CIE at 33 St. George Street and ask how you can procure funds—the staff always have great advice. f) Be sure to explore opportunities within U of T, for example: Summer Abroad programs, 399Y Research Abroad, International Course Modules (ICMs), and exchange programs with particularly excellent funding, such as those running to the United States, Hong Kong, or Israel.

Tip #10: Start early. Start early.

Start early.

Spend the first few weeks of school doing some research about what kind of scholarships and/or grants apply to you and consider beginning to write a few essays before November rolls around and your fivecourse calendar doesn’t permit it.

Learning to find free money is a process which can be endlessly frustrating. Consider it like a job—if you receive a $1000 scholarship which you spent 20 hours applying for, you cashed in at $50 per hour. And for the scholarships you do not receive?

Consider those applications as excellent brain exercise.

Non-alcoholic beers FTW!

So you’re not limited to soda water in the months before your 19th It is always nice to complement good food with a good brew. We have rounded up some of the best booze and bites in town so you can get....huh? What’s that you say? Oh... you’re underage. Right.

Well, don’t settle for a dive resto just so you can order a Bud with your bland, greasy grub. Try something else; try a different approach.

After all, Toronto is a foodie haven.

Go somewhere with class. Eat something with flavour.

You won’t like this next part, but have you ever considered nonalcoholic beer? The Old World has some very tasty beers clocking in at a whopping 0.5 per cent alcohol.

Here’s a couple alcohol free beers found around town, so giddyup!

Weihenstephaner Alkoholfrei Hefeweizen The Weihenstephan Brewery of Germany claims to be the oldest working and continuously operating brewery in the world, tracing its roots at the Benedictine Weihenstephan Abbey back to the year 768 (editor’s note: yes, we fact-checked

this date). The Hefeweiss is its signature brew, a Bavarian-style unfiltered wheat ale that is world class according to online beer nerds. The Hefe’s little brother, alkoholfrei, is definitely one of the best non-alcoholic alternatives out there.

The beer pours a hazy, light gold, with a finger-thick creamy head.

The aroma is surprisingly pleasant with yeast, banana, grass, and notes of grain and orange. No hints of the absent alcohol on the nose. The body is a bit light with soft carbonation.

The finish has a slight metallic taste, often found in non-alcoholic beer. It is very drinkable.

You can find the Weihenstephaner Alkoholfrei Hefeweizen in 500ml bottles at Sin and Redemption (136 McCaul), up the street from OCAD and across from the AGO. Try pairing it with the restaurant’s Indian curry poutine.

Erdinger Weissbier Alkoholfrei Erdinger is the world’s largest wheat beer brewery. It is widely available and popular across the Atlantic and, apparently, European athletes drink this after sporting events like Americans drink Gatorade.

The beer pours a clear, pale yellow, with a huge billowy off-white head.

The nose finds a subtle biscuit character with honey and grassy hops.

It tastes of lightlycooked barley and grainy wheat, balanced by a light citrus acidity.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with dense carbonation.

Mild and refreshing, this alkoholfrei makes a great brunch companion.

Find Erdinger in 500ml bottles at Ossington area staple, The Lakeview Restaurant, which has been featured on Diners, Driveins and Dives, and just about every Cronenberg film that features a diner scene. Down

it with an all-day breakfast.

TAMYCA DORRINGTON

Noah van der Laan

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(JUST) THE TIPS

September, 2013

Cycling: a love letter An introduction to the wonderful world of Toronto cycling

LENA BINNINGTON.

Dylan Hornby Biking is great for a multitude of reasons—it has so much versatility built into it. Biking is a sport, a hobby, a way to travel, a way to exercise—a lifestyle, effectively. I bought my 18-speed CCM bike for around $125 at Zellers in 2008 and it is still easily the most useful thing I have ever bought.

Bikes can satisfy the needs of almost any student. Most of us can’t afford to drive a car on our own and public transit can’t take us everywhere. Can’t afford a bike? You can rent Bixi bikes downtown for $5 a day, or at U of T’s Bike Chain for a week with returnable $100 deposit. Can’t afford that? You can probably convince a friend to lend you one.

A bike is a beautiful peopleoriented machine. It runs on pedal power alone. Only the rider controls its speed, not a ruthless motor that burns everincreasingly expensive gas. Bikes will move so long as the the physical effort required to do so is put in—there is surely some philosophy to that.

It can go almost anywhere a person can, but faster.

Importantly, one can zoom past the congested roads— pretty much any thoroughfare south of Bloor, but College St. is especially brutal—during rush hour.

With a bike, you don’t have to worry about monthly car

rentals, gas prices, or insurance rates.

You can laugh at all those drivers who endlessly circle downtown for the privilege of paying handsomely for a parking space. All a cyclist needs is a pole in the pavement, and a good lock.

Biking in Toronto is both a pleasure and a challenge for newcomers. Some Toronto streets feature well-maintained bike lanes, such as the new lanes along Sherbourne Avenue that have barriers to keep cyclists and cars separate.

Some, like Bloor, put you right in the action, forcing you to share a lane with speeding cars.

In that way, biking builds up your confidence, too. It challenges you to assert yourself in the hazardous Toronto streets and take a stand on the asphalt against those big metal boxes. It makes you plan your routes, learn your way around the streets, and to take new roads and alleyways that you never would have gone down before.

While the warmer months may make for pleasant pedaling, many brave Torontonians still take to the streets in winter, bundled up with cold wind slapping against brave red faces. Biking can be enjoyed and endured year round.

Ultimately, being a cyclist brings you into a people-friendly world. I still remember my back wheel breaking down near Spadina and Baldwin and coming across Carlos; a good samaritan who had opened up a small bike repair shop called Cyclopedia in a garage nearby. He fixed my wheel, tuned up my brakes, and didn’t even ask me for money—he knew I was having troubles and kindly helped me out.

While I can’t say the same for motorists, I have yet to meet a cyclist I did not like. Bikes often resemble the people who ride them, and those people are economical, practical, and certainly free-spirited. The kind who love to feel the wind in their hair, but only through their own pedal power.

LENA BINNINGTON.

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Perhaps our first pro-Toronto Transit Commission article

And perhaps our last (A newcomer’s guide to riding the TTC) you anywhere in the city so long as you do not leave their routes. If you are going downtown remember to Riding the Rocket with over a mila grab transfer from the station you lion other Torontonians each day can be daunting for both newcomers start in; you will have to leave the subway to reach most connecting and those used to car transport. For folks who many not have the money surface routes.

The TTC sells day passes for or patience to drive in downtown $10.75—these offer unlimited travel Toronto, however, the TTC is an daily for up to two adults and four effective—although occasionally irminors 19 and under; individual ritating—mode of transportation. weekly passes are sold for $38.50. If How big is the TTC? you are using the TTC to commute The Toronto Transit Commission to school, a monthly metropass is (TTC) is the largest public transit system in Canada, and the third larg- certainly a smart purchase—just make an educated guess of how est in North America behind New many times you use it each month, York and Mexico City. Founded in since metropasses cost the equivalent 1921, the TTC originally managed of about 35-40 rides. streetcars and later incorporated Although an adult metropass sells buses. The first subway in Canadian for about $125 monthly, U of T stuhistory was built in the early 1950s dents can save about $20 each month underneath Yonge Street, serviced by getting a post-secondary student with bright red train cars known as metropass. These are available either “red rockets.” These subways inspired at TTC collector booths, or at kiosks the TTC’s motto: Ride The Rocket. located in select stations — includToday, there are 69 subway stations ing College, Bloor-Yonge, Dundas, which connect to over 150 different Queen, Bay, St. George, and Ossingbus routes and 11 streetcar lines, a ton — where you can pay with debit. rare find among North American They do require a photo ID to prove transit systems. There are two main your enrolment (although TTC emand two peripheral subway lines on ployees rarely ask for it) which you the TTC: can get at Sherbourne station for $5.

1. Yellow: The Yonge-UniversityWhen does the TTC close?

Spadina line is the main north-south Most TTC routes are in service from route that serves Downtown Toronto approximately 6am-2am everyday. underneath University Avenue and More specifically, on the Yonge Yonge Street. line the last northbound train is at 2. Green: The Bloor-Danforth line 1:54am and southbound is 1:35am; crosses Toronto to Scarborough in on the Bloor-Danforth the last eastthe east, and to Etobicoke in the bound train is at 1:54am and the last west. westbound is at 1:52am.

3. Blue: The Scarborough LRT (light Near U of T, there are night buses rail transit) line connects riders to that run north-south along Yonge the northeastern part of the GTA. and Bathurst in the downtown core, 4. Purple: The Sheppard line is an and east-west along Bloor. The Yonge east-west route in the northern end St night bus is affectionately nickof the city. named the “Vomit Comet” because In total, about 2.76 million people (aside from the obvious reason) of ride the TTC’s various routes daily, the frequency of drunken fights that more than Toronto’s population. break out after late-night clubbing.

How much does it cost?

Keep in mind the buses may be anyThe TTC costs $3 a trip, and it takes where from 10-30 minutes apart. The Dylan Hornby

506 streetcar along College St and the 501 on Queen St both run for 24 hours.

How can I tell when the bus/streetcar is coming?

All TTC subway stations and some surface stops have digital signs that tell you when the next vehicle is expected. The TTC also runs a service where one texts the specific stop number (displayed on the stop post) to 898882 and automatically receives arrival times. If you don’t want to text numbers every time you are at

traffic around them. Streetcars are great for getting to local neighbourhoods such as Cabbagetown, the Distillery District, and the waterfront.

What are some new things I can expect from the TTC? The TTC is constructing a largescale light rail line along Eglinton Avenue known as the Eglinton Crosstown. They are also expanding the existing Yonge-University-Spadina line north beyond Toronto limits

CARISSA AINSLIE the stop, you can get free apps such as Rocket Man for your smartphone that determine your closest stop and give you a countdown clock.

Which routes should I avoid?

While they can be crowded at rush hour, the subways are typically the fastest way to get in and out of downtown. Avoid surface routes during rush hour (between 7am9am and 5pm-8pm) since streetcars and buses are at the mercy of the

to York University and Vaughan by 2015.

New subway cars are slowly rolling onto the tracks—they are the only ones in North America where one can walk the entire length of the train. Similarly, the TTC’s streetcar system is getting a much needed upgrade to light-rail cars; they are expected to start coming into service in 2014.

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(JUST) THE TIPS

September, 2013

Brewing trends on the rise in 2013 A multitude of new ways to experience beer Noah van der Laan Pop-up beer fests and tap takeovers Crafty bars are increasingly organizing small-scale beer festivals and evenings hosted by local breweries.

Look for these events at the Only Cafe, the Rhino, Bar Hop, Get Well, and barVolo. To find out more visit http://www.bartowel.com/board/ Brewery collabos Across the province, Ontario’s brewers are one big family. They share knowledge and recipes, and collaborate on rare one-off brews that are then shipped out to local bars.

When a tap list reads amsterdam X indiealehouse X greatlakes, go for it!

For more info visit . . . a craft beer bar!

Homebrewers clubs Homebrewers clubs are popping up all across Ontario, and even have their own loose union: the Canadian Amateur Brewing Association

(CABA). Amateurs want the public to try their beers, and Brauhaus TO pairs brewers up with the beerloving community. Attend events by becoming a member at BrauhausTO. com Experimental breweries The craft beer renaissance is all about exploring new styles. Beau’s wild oats series and Amsterdam adventure brews are examples of this. Also, nanobreweries like Volo’s House Ales have no core brands and Bellwoods is constantly retiring their beers. On to the next beer!

Bars competing for the most taps and casks The Loose Moose boasts 51 beers on tap, the largest in the city. Next up is Bier Mrkt’s 45 taps (but no casks!); C’est What with 37 taps and two casks; Bar Hop at 36 taps, two casks; and barVolo with 26 taps and six casks.

Certified beer experts

I want to be one, don’t you? The number of certified beer sommeliers and cicerones are on the rise. There are brewery teaching colleges, craft beer academies and local booze experts thirsty to educate. Learn more at www.beercertificate.ca Low-alcohol beer Session ales are all the rage. These full flavoured beers contain less than five per cent alcohol, and can be enjoyed all day long. Bellwoods Brewery has its popular Common series and Junction Craft Brewery experiments almost exclusively with low-alcohol styles.

Contract brewing There exists an inverse relationship between the amount of new craft brewers and the availability of brewing facilities. As such, newcomers Kensington Brewing Co, LeftField Brewing, and others have contracted their beer to established breweries like Wellington, Black Oak, Cool

Brewing, and Galt Knife. By doing so, new breweries can establish core brands, circulate bars, and apply for purchase orders with the LCBO. Brewery features at the LCBO Each quarter, the Featured Brewery program brings in up to five beers from the same brewery. The focus is on high-end beers from interesting breweries—many of which haven’t been at the LCBO before. To find out what’s coming up next, download the LCBO app.

Nanobreweries They are not quite brewpubs, not quite microbreweries. The next frontier of small scale beer brewing is nanobreweries. Get Well Bar has one in their namesake; barVolo has House Ales; and The Only Cafe is about to install a system of their own.

The dark side of the road When it comes to staying safe, cyclists are often on their own Dylan Hornby Those who are new to the Toronto cycling scene will soon find that we live in a city of cyclist conflict.

The war between the rights of cyclists and motorists has raged

for years. While this city can boast about many things, our roadways are not one of them. Many of Toronto’s bike lanes have fallen into disrepair. The roads are cracked and filled with potholes, lanes on large streets such as Jarvis have been ripped up, and their white painted lines have faded over the years. This has all contributed to blurring the territory on the road between cyclist and motorist, with both sides now jockeying for space.

Cyclists don’t enjoy much support from City Hall to fix these problems either. For a reference to this, look up Mayor Rob Ford on YouTube

railing against bike lanes declaring, “It’s their own fault at the end of the day,” if cyclists are killed on Toronto’s streets.

Many of Toronto’s downtown streets (such as College, Spadina, Dundas, Queen, and King) all have streetcar tracks running through them. Not only are the streetcar tracks a dangerous trap for cyclists, sluggishly slow streetcars cause impatient drivers to go around them, and often brush dangerously close to cyclists.

The lack of safety standards for cyclists creates a big risk for accidents on the road. The victim of collisions usually being the person who isn’t driving the giant motorized metal box. According to the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), an estimated 7 500 cyclists are severely injured every year in Canada, and approximately 25 cyclists die each year in Ontario through collisions with a motor vehicle. Most injuries occur in urban areas during the afternoon rush hour.

The ultimate lesson for

cyclists to take from all this is that staying safe is imperative, and it often falls on their shoulders.

There is currently no city law requiring adults to wear helmets, but it’s probably a good idea to heed a worrisome mother’s advice and wear one. Consider getting some lights for cycling at night. Bike On Wheels (College & Augusta) sells lights that can even be charged via USB. Also keep in mind that it’s both dangerous and illegal to bike side-by-side in Toronto, so groups should always travel in a single file.

VISIT THE NEW newspaper.ca AFTER SEPTEMBER 1ST

the comedy

thenewspaper.ca

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Just for Laughs raids Toronto’s comedy scene JFL 42 comedy festival (Sept 19-28) preview Calan Panchoo The second annual Just For Laughs 42 comedy festival lays siege to Toronto this September with a slew of some of the best comedians in the industry. Headlining the event will be Aziz Ansari, Sarah Silverman, and the entire cast of Family Guy—hopefully in cartoon form; let’s be honest, no one cares about the real people (this is not a dig at Seth McFarlane).

Joining them will be an array of others, ranging from comedic legends to rising stars. The festival runs for ten days, with a total of 42 acts (so clever!) and hundreds of other shows across various downtown venues. All scheduling and ticket info can be found on their website: www.jfl42.com.

There will be a lot to see—and as with quantity, not all of it is necessarily quality—so it can be BILL BURR By: Koury Angelo

‘I want to buy this house, but what if the person selling it looks like a wolf?’ Maybe I want to see a series of shots, like a composite.” Andy Kindler, The Tonight Show with David Letterman The self-styled King of Complaining is back, fresh from giving his lauded annual State of the Industry address in Montreal where he ANDY KINDLER, gleefully mocks modcredit: JFL42 ern entertainment and scrutinizes other comedians. Kindler is like the in-law you wish you had—his wit is Riesling dry and his humour satirical. He’s a bold comic whose selfdeprecatory style has landed him frequent late-night cameos.

Not to be missed.

Marc Maron “Remember a couple of years ago, those guys with semi-automatic weapons that went into a McDonalds and shot everyone? What a terrible world…

[But] there has to be something funny about get-

Hannibal Buress “I used to live with my girl. She would walk around our place mad, I wouldn’t know why she was mad. I don’t play those games, so I would just trip her. Like ‘I don’t know what you were mad about before, but I definitely know you’re mad I just tripped you. Maybe you’ll open up while you put ice on that knee.’” Hannibal Buress, Funny As Hell, HBO Canada hard to narrow down who is worth seeing. In light of this first world problem, we present to you Four Comedians You Should See/The Four Comedians They Let Us Talk To. Full interviews with each comic can be found at www.thenewspaper.ca Andy Kindler “Why do real estate people have headshots? Aren’t they already all over bus stops? Do I say to myself,

“If Steven Wright, Mos Def and Dave Chappelle had a baby, that would be disgusting, but it would sound like Hannibal Buress. The funniest young comic I’ve seen in years,” said Chris Rock— and he’s sort of funny, right? Talking to Buress is surprising, as he is a more reserved version of his onstage persona. But when the former 30 Rock writer grabs the mic, he can coolly cracks jokes at a frenetic pace with insight and undeniable style.

ting shot at McDonalds. I mean, it’s McDonalds.

You shouldn’t be eating there in the first place.”

Marc Maron, Comedy Central Presents Marc Maron Marc Maron is a legend in the stand-up community no matter how you cut it. His 25 years of experience are tangible even over the phone when his voice crackles with stoic presence—like a guru who could care less if his wisdom is heard.

His humour is dark, raw, and vitally honest—but always thought-provoking. The man behind comedy’s most successful and compelling podcast embodies that magnetism in his stand-up completely.

Bill Burr “There is an epidemic of gold digging whores in the country. Every night I put on the news waiting for someone to address it. Every night I bring it up and the whole crowd pulls back like I’m talking about bigfoot … I’m talking about whores, people—they’re everywhere!”

Bill Burr, You People Are All The Same

MARC MARON By: Leigh Righton

The Boston comic has gone from first gaining notoriety in Chappelle’s Show to now selling out international shows. His disposition plays like the gym class hero: bold, confident, and always with that necessary irreverence. He calls his comedic style uninformed logic, but he’s just being bashful; he’s a brash comic that plays by his own rules, offering intuitive commentary on society with jokes that hit with surgical precision.

HANNIBAL BURRESS, credit:JFL42

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September, 2013