Author: Michael Murray

On Monday, Rob Ford was elected Mayor of Toronto. There are probably a few things you should know about him. He’s your garden variety Conservative, the kind of guy that gets all red in the face, pumping his meaty fist in the air shouting,” the gravy train must stop!” The other striking thing about him…

On Saturday afternoon, in the parking lot at Saulter and Queen Street East, a dance school was putting on a recital. Under just the faintest suggestion of rain, beaming parents watched as children, evolving into various forms of perfection, executed the maneuvers they’d been practicing all week. Dangerous Dan’s had set-up at barbeque area in…

Yesterday was my first session with my Personal Trainer. I’ve never had a trainer before, but after my surgery in August I figured it would be a good idea to get a professional to help me get in shape. Initially the trainer was supposed to be a 22 year-old Russian girl named Svetlana, but Rachelle…

Walking down Parliament Street on Tuesday afternoon, I passed through some city housing located between Gerard and Dundas. Squat, red brick structures with no evident personality, they stared out over construction at the Lord Dufferin Public School across the way. It was an unlovely, windy moment in the city and nobody looked happy. People hurried…

Michael has given the blog over to Heidi, his Miniature Dachshund for the day ************************************* Heidi really like poker and think she pretty good at it. Always have a good mind for math. Able to crunch numbers and figure out odds just as fast as rip head off mouse! Heidi know exact chances of getting…

Nuit Blanche is a pretty big deal here in Toronto. The idea is that for 24 hours the downtown streets become arteries for all manner of performance, installation and exhibition and for one night, the city becomes a radiant pulse of art. It’s a great idea that offers all sorts of promise, and every year…

Rachelle has horrible taste in music. It’s the sort of stuff you’d imagine that a relatively unpopular 13 year-old girl living in 1994 might like. Blue Rodeo are so dreamy!! The Dixie Chicks are so smart and courageous!! Pearl Jam is so edgy!! The soundtrack to Dirty Dancing RAWKS! No matter, as I am generous…

As many of you know, I’ve been suffering some pretty serious self-esteem issues lately. The trigger for this, of course, was my failed collaboration with Ikea, who rejected my idea for marketing an easily transported and assembled line of Sniper Towers. (A very bad decision on their part that they will one day regret!!) This…

On Thursday night I stopped into The Avro, a new bar on Queen East. The place has a hipster dive feeling to it, giving off the salvaged vibe of a place where the owners might have spent a lot of money in order to make it look like they hadn’t spent any at all. It…