Summer flounder, Bering sea snow crab and Washington State coho salmon (Images: courtesy NOAA)

Most reports about ocean fish stocks tend to be pretty ominous, but at last there’s some good news about fish populations. The New York Times’s Green blog points to new numbers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that suggest six species are on the rebound and have already reached healthy population levels. The Bering Sea snow crab, the summer flounder on the mid-Atlantic coast, the haddock in the Gulf of Maine, the chinook salmon along the northern California coast, the coho salmon off Washington State and the Pacific widow rockfish are all back in a big way, thanks in part to not-so-popular government catch limits. The agency also found that 27 fish stocks have been returned to health in the past 11 years (NOAA also runs a neat consumer-oriented site with sustainable seafood information). Maybe now we can feel a little less guilty about how we get our omega-3 fix. But only a little less. [New York Times]

Worn Fashion Journal is at it again with its kooky videos. This time it’s a sneak peek at its brand new issue, which features an homage to the film Ed Wood set at the Gladstone Hotel. The folks at Worn use a stuffed octopus, retro X-ray glasses and a bathtub to get their vision across. We were hoping to see Johnny Depp in a blonde wig, but this will do.

Bad news for Bell Mobility and parent company BCE: they have been served with a $100-million class-action lawsuit over wireless services—a division that has been a cash cow for the company in recent months. Bell Mobility customer Celia Sankar says expiry dates on pre-paid wireless services are illegal, arguing that the payments are defined as “gift cards” under Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act and therefore shouldn’t have a best-before date that allows the company to seize unused credits. If the class-action suit is allowed to proceed, Sankar will represent anyone in Ontario who has used Bell Mobility, Virgin Mobile Canada and Solo Mobile pre-paid wireless services since May 4, 2010 (i.e., a boatload of people).
[Canadian Press]

By Monika Warzecha

The Buyers: Joel McConvey, a 33-year-old freelance writer and producer, and Amy Butoiske, the 33-year-old manager of the Worldwide Short Film Festival.

The Story: McConvey and Butoiske, who lived in a small apartment at Bloor and Ossington, never thought they’d be able to afford a house in Toronto. Then, about a year ago, McConvey finished work on The National Parks Project, a popular documentary series, and the couple found themselves with a windfall (he got paid, unusually, for all 13 episodes at once). “We thought, ‘Who knows when this will happen again? Let’s put the money into a good investment,’ ” McConvey says. The couple loved their neighbourhood, with its cool bars and restaurants, and hoped they could find something nearby. They wanted a place big enough for McConvey to have an office (he works from home) and with a good-sized backyard for hosting summer barbecues. The couple set a budget of $465,000 and started their first-ever house hunt.

(Image: Couple by Liam Mogan)

(Image: Shaun Merritt)

Most of the casino coverage has focused on the economic and social aspects of the debate, but today Spacing’s John Lorinc turns his attention to the potential political fallout. He argues that the casino issue has potentially upended the 2014 election, which, until now, pundits had assumed would be centred around subways and fiscal conservatism—issues on which Rob Ford continues to garner a healthy amount of support. However, if a referendum on a casino is on the 2014 ballot, Lorinc continues, it could be “manna from heaven for the centre-left.” The logic goes that Ford’s opponents would be able to rally against the pro-casino mayor by calling attention to the corporate and political villains and backroom deals that surely go along with pushing through such a development. Lorinc says that the trick is to not sound too sanctimonious about shielding Toronto from wicked gambling dens, but rather to paint Ford “as someone willing to gamble the future of the city and its waterfront.” For a mayoral race that’s still more than two years away, things are already getting heated. Read the entire story [Spacing Toronto] »

The Summerhill LCBO or Hogwarts? (Image: -sina- from the Torontolife.com Flickr pool)

Ontarians love their booze, and the LCBO’s 2011–2012 financial results prove they’ve been buying lots more of it. It’s the 17th year in a row of record sales for the board, with net sales up $218 million or 4.9 per cent over fiscal 2010–2011, totalling a cool $4.7 billion. Of course, that’s not exactly shocking, since the LCBO’s pretty much the only place in town where you can grab a bottle of bourbon or gin, unless you make your own. VQA table wines from Ontario were big winners last year, with an increase in sales of nine per cent, but the big success story is still craft beers. The fact that micro-brews are doing well shouldn’t be surprising, given the attention they’ve been getting from big beer companies, but the bump in sales is still pretty staggering: in the last year, Ontario craft beers led all segments with almost 45 per cent growth. All of this means that the liquor monopoly remitted $1.63 billion to the provincial coffers. With numbers like these, we doubt Queen’s Park would be in a greatf hurry to get rid of the LCBO any time soon.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” video has received over 62 million YouTube views, which means—based on arbitrary Internet standards—it is a success. The infectious song beat out Justin Bieber on the U.K. charts, and this year it is nominated for Pop Song of the Year, Video of the Year and International Video of the Year by a Canadian at the MuchMusic Video Awards. There is no word yet on whether Justin Bieber will show up to accept any awards with her, since, um, he basically made her a thing. In 2011, Jepsen was just a girl with a VideoFACT grant.

Maria Alexandrova as Odette in Swan Lake (Image: Damir Yusupov)

Late last year, Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre reopened after a seven-year, $760-million renovation. There was a splashy gala, where statesmen, billionaires, grande dames and Mikhail Gorbachev all came to show their support. The company marked the occasion with the signature dance from its signature work: the elegant pas de deux from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, which had its world premiere at the Bolshoi 135 years ago. This is a ballet—and a company—that has withstood revolution, totalitarian Communism and censorship, and now the touring company has brought the hallmark show to Toronto for a week of performances.

The production is so classical that it almost seems like a parody of itself, but it’s breathtaking all the same. Tchaikovsky’s score, known for its shiver-inducing leitmotif, is haunting; the costumes are sumptuous; and the dancing is sublime. The whole thing is anchored by Maria Alexandrova, who dances the roles of the swan princess Odette and her diabolical doppelganger, Odile. The dual role is the ultimate achievement for a ballerina, but Alexandrova elevates it beyond its usual limitations. She matches technical precision with nobility, fragility, stubborn pride and, when necessary, coy sexuality. She draws from the savage brutality and betrayal suffered by her character, making Odette more than just the virgin to Odile’s whore.

Just as Odette/Odile is the ultimate role, the Bolshoi’s Swan Lake itself is the apotheosis of classical ballet. It’s refined, majestic, desperately tragic and irresistibly romantic—it’s a heightened version of everything that makes the art form what it is. If you see one ballet in your life, it should be this one.

The details: To May 19, $71-$255. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E., 1-855-985-5000, ticketmaster.ca.

(Image: b.m.a.n.)

Even if summer weather calls for decompressing in front of a lake (that is, one that’s out of earshot from the Gardiner Expressway), Ontario’s cottage market is lagging. Royal LePage just issued a report on the recreational property market that says a whopping 59 per cent of Ontarians who planned to buy a cottage have postponed the decision because of global economic uncertainty. With the slower demand, and an abundance of supply coming from baby boomers who no longer want their vacation homes now that their children have grown up, prices have plateaued—although waterfront properties under $400,000 and over $1 million are still attracting buyers. But cottage lovers who don’t want to take the plunge into ownership can always rent—and may want to check out twohoursnorth.com, a new Toronto-based site that lists rental cottages by travel time so they’ll know exactly how long they’ll be stuck in traffic before arriving lakeside. [Toronto Star]

ADDRESS: 412 Lake Front

NEIGHBOURHOOD: The Beach

AGENTS: Thomas D. Neal, Royal LePage Estate Realty and Sam Mcdadi, ReMax Performance Realty

PRICE: $8,000,000

THE PLACE: This massive house on the water boasts a 270-degree panoramic view of the lake, making its vibe more island than urban. Built in the 1920s, the Arts and Crafts-style home underwent two years and $4 million worth of renovations to turn a rundown hodgepodge of small apartments into a single-family dwelling.

BRAGGING RIGHTS: With surveillance equipment, two panic rooms and an underground tunnel to the garage, you’d have plenty of escape options in a Jodi Foster-Forest Whitaker-style standoff (or you could just offer to house your friends’ valuables).

BIG SELLING POINT: Rather than tearing down the apartments and building anew, the owner—reportedly a businessman who splits his time between Canada and the U.S.—went to great lengths to restore the Tudor and Arts and Crafts details found beneath the years of neglect. Additionally, renovating rather than rebuilding allowed the owner to keep the close proximity to the water (new codes would prevent that), leaving the beach literally at the doorstep.

POSSIBLE DEAL BREAKER: The house may be 7,100 square feet, but there isn’t much space between you and your neighbours (although the vastness of the lake should help ease the pain of the squished side yards).

BY THE NUMBERS:
• $8,000,000
• $25,000 (approximately) in property taxes
• 7,100 square feet
• 5 bathrooms
• 4 bedrooms
• 4 storeys
• 3 fireplaces
• 2 panic rooms
• 1 elevator
• 1 wine-tasting room
• 1 putting green
• 1 swimming pool
• 1 underground tunnel connecting house to garage

Harbourkids: The Toronto International Circus Festival (Image: Harbourfront Centre)

1. INSIDE OUT LGBT FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL
The annual Inside Out fest, which focuses on cinematic expressions of queer culture, is obviously all about the movies, but there are also talks and parties on the agenda. This weekend, catch Sagat, a documentary about the enigmatic adult film star François Sagat, and Girltrash: All Night Long, a musical that follows one day in the lives of L.A.’s lesbian community. After digesting a bit of film, there are two after-parties: the special Inside Out edition of Sodom (Saturday) and the trans-focused Transplanetarium (Sunday). To May 27. $6–$13. Various locations, 416-599-8433, insideout.ca.

2. A FLORENTINE TRAGEDY AND GIANNI SCHICCHI
The two parts of this COC double bill have similar characteristics: they’re both one-act performances and they’re both good for a few laughs. The first part of the evening is the Canadian premiere of Alexander Zemlinsky’s A Florentine Tragedy, which is a satire about a merchant who finds out his wife has been canoodling with the Prince of Florence. The second part, Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, follows eight greedy members of the Donati family who find out their wealthy relative, Buoso, has left all his belongings to a monastery—a real tragedy. They hatch a plan to get their due, but things don’t work out quite the way they thought they would. Renowned soprano Catherine Malfitano directs, Sir Andrew Davis, who made his COC debut with last year’s Ariadne auf Naxos, conducts, and leads Alan Held and Gun-Brit Barkmin make their company debuts. To May 25. $12–$318. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W., 416-363-8231, coc.ca.

3. VICTORIA DAY CANOE TOUR
It’s the first long weekend of the summer, and the weather report has us excited for warm and (mostly) sunny days. Clearly, we should be spending as much time outside as possible. A good way to catch some rays (and, hey, maybe get some exercise) is this canoe expedition to the Toronto Islands, which is only offered on long weekends. Attendees will paddle around the islands in a historically accurate Voyageur canoe, with stops at the Donut Island bird sanctuary and Centre Island. Registration required. May 21. $30. Harbourfront Canoe and Kayak Centre, 283A Queens Quay W., 647-448-6985, canoetoronto.com.

4. DESIGN ON DUNDAS (FREE!)
Organized by Ryerson students, this competition pits local high schoolers against one another in design and engineering challenges. Once the challenges are complete, their finished products are then tested and judged by working engineers. The organizers also get to show off a little—they’ll be showcasing a Formula SAE racecar and a concrete toboggan designed and built by students in the mechanical engineering and civil engineering programs. May 18. Yonge-Dundas Square, designondundas.ca.

5. SWAN LAKE
The Bolshoi Ballet is one of the world’s oldest—it was founded in the late 1700s—and most celebrated companies. And if Swan Lake is not one of the oldest ballets, it’s certainly one of the most celebrated. (It’s kind of a perfect match.) Based on a Russian folk tale, Swan Lake is the story of Odette, a maiden who is turned into a swan by Von Rothbart, an evil sorcerer. Cursed to remain a swan by day and only able to return to her true form at dusk, Odette meets Prince Siegfried one evening and love ensues, naturally. But when Von Rothbart discovers the romance, he curses Siegfried, too. To May 19. $71–$255. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E., 1-855-985-5000, ticketmaster.ca.

6. HARBOURKIDS: THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CIRCUS FESTIVAL (FREE!)
Circus performers of all sorts—acrobats, stilt walkers, daredevils and jugglers—descend on the Harbourfront Centre for this 10th annual big top-inspired festival. Zero Gravity Circus is co-producing the event, which will include a workshop on crazy balloon animals, and wannabe clowns can visit the Clownification Station for face painting and Clowning 101 (kids can try tumbling and aerial hoop tricks and bounce on a mini-trampoline with the help of industry pros). May 19–21. Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W, 416-973-4000, harbourfrontcentre.com.

7. PLUTO IS STILL DEAD AND OTHER GOOD NEWS
Poor Pluto. Once the ninth planet in our solar system, it was sadly demoted in 2006 by a team of scientists including Mike Brown, a professor of planetary astronomy at the California Institute of Technology. At this weekend’s event, Brown—and U of T’s astronomy department—will explain why this happened in the first place. In his keynote speech, Brown discusses Pluto’s fate and answers audience questions. Planetarium tours and a screening of PBS’s Neil deGrasse Tyson-narrated doc, The Pluto Files, are also on the agenda. May 19. Admission is free. J.J.R. MacLeod Auditorium, Medical Science Building, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Rd., uoft.me/mikebrown.

8. LIVE WRONG AND PROSPER!
Like all Second City revues, this comedy show incorporates sketches, musical numbers and copious amounts of improv. And also like all Second City revues, this one—which is focused on fame junkies and all the crazy and sometimes unethical ways they try to get noticed—is hilarious. To July 1. $24–$29. The Second City, 51 Mercer St., 416-343-0011, secondcity.com.

A frequent point of contention at Toronto Fashion Week is that a lot of what we see from Joe Fresh (Joe Freezy, to us) is never actually produced. Or if it is produced, a cheaper material is substituted for leather, and it just doesn’t look the same. But Joe Fresh has stepped it up this season. A lot of what’s in stores looks exactly like it did on the runway—and, like always, it’s pretty darn cheap (most pieces are under $100, including shoes). The runway collection dropped yesterday at Freezy’s Queen and Portland, Forest Hill, Maple Leaf Gardens and Queen’s Quay locations, and according to a Joe Fresh rep, Queen and Portland and Forest Hill will have the largest selection. Joe Fresh’s awesome printed pants are in-store, but sadly the colour-blocked button-up is not. And fortunately for womankind, these leather pants have not been produced (though for some reason, this monstrosity made the cut).

Check out all the available runway looks and how much they cost »

Doug Holyday’s office is 701 square feet (Image: The City of Toronto)

Toronto Sun columnist Sue-Ann Levy is riled up that some city councillors have taken up an offer to move into bigger offices, which were left vacant when Heritage Preservation staff moved off the councillor floor last fall. In both a column and a slightly awkward video, Levy scoffs at Glenn De Baeremaeker’s “palatial” new digs with their “freshly painted yellow walls,” and notes that his new, 1,284-square-foot office is much larger than deputy mayor Doug Holyday’s—though De Baeremaeker, in her eyes, isn’t nearly as busy and important. (Josh Matlow, who also moved offices, pointed out it was an option for everyone to request more room.) Gord Perks, John Parker, Jaye Robinson and Josh Colle have also opted to move or expand. While the moving expenses are covered by the councillors’ general expense budgets, the new lease rate will be paid out from their $30,000 office budgets: they will pay 80 cents for every square foot over the 642-square-foot standard to a maximum of $400 a month. The extra space is mostly being used to give councillors’ assistants more breathing room, but Holyday questioned whether councillors really need so many helpers. Levy, on the other hand, went for the cheap shot, saying De Baeremaeker needed more room “to house his large ego.” Read the story and watch the video [Toronto Sun] »