Developer of Mirvish Village supports inaugural event By Shaya Rahmani The route to the World Cup came to the Annex on June 21—this time, on a foosball table. Thirty-two teams packed into Raffaella inside the Annex Hotel for the inaugural Foosball Cup, a community tournament presented by Mirvish Village, the developer at Bathurst and Bloor […]

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A weekly Annex touchstone I’m on the edge of retirement and looking for new routines, especially ones that will get me out of bed before noon.  I currently don’t work on Wednesdays, and I usually go to the gym in the morning. Recently however, the gym has been replaced by the dentist.  I’m good with […]

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Innovative café leaves Annex orbit too soon By Rose Haberer Our Gleaner writer experienced Flymood Café before it’s abrupt closure.  Previously located at 533 Bloor St. W., FlyMood Cafe & Lounge, which opened in mid-February 2026, captured the essence of a first-class flight and brought it to the ground, allowing guests to experience the fantasy […]

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Cycle shop has become something of a local legend By Howard Pressburger Finally, there is some good weather, and I’m walking home from the gym, and I run into Aaron Enchin outside his store, Curbside Cycle. We stand in the sunshine, a warm breeze blowing, and have a friendly chat. And Aaron points across the […]

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I almost parted ways with my savoured sushi knife By Howard Pressburger Like most of you, every morning when I wake up, after I do my calisthenics and take my blood pressure, I thank my lucky stars I live in the Annex. Also, like most of you, if I didn’t have to visit my in-laws, […]

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A Japanese forger demonstrates a craft with a rich history By Rose Haberer Sparks flew on Oct. 4, when master blacksmith Masashi Yamamoto, one of Japan’s premier knifemakers, performed a live forging demonstration in Toronto’s Annex at Knifewear (517 Bloor St. W.). Knife enthusiasts and curious passersby gathered to witness the spectacle.  Japanese knifemaking carries […]

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Relocation, Common Sort, and Value Village each worth a visit  By Howard Pressburger If you have recognized me outside of work, you know I’m a pretty sartorial guy. As my Instagram says: “I was born in the ’60s, so were most of my clothes.”  The Annex is not quite Carnaby Street, but we do have […]

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Simit-Chi is authentic and sooo delicious By Howard Pressburger I’m not saying that the Book City building at 501 Bloor St. W. is cursed, but since the landmark store was crushed under the heel of online bookstores, it has mostly rested in the dark, save for a vain attempt by Chipotle, when they learned the […]

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