New location: 24 Ryerson, near Bathurst and Queen west…read more Calm newly renovated space, central location and gentle professional artists as teachers.

Now taking a second watercolour class with Brian Hoxha at Toronto School of Art and am so impressed…read morewith the level of teaching and instruction! I'm now in love with watercolour and producing pieces that I'm proud of.

I have no idea about the quality of the education provided within the walls of this art…read moreinstitution. However, if Will Alsop's brilliant design for this gravity-defying skybound rectangle on pencils inspires its students as much as it moves folks like me who pass by, then OCAD is probably turning out geniuses. With Frank Gehry's fantastic new design for the Art Gallery of Ontario just steps away, these blocks are the epicenter of great architecture in Toronto.

My rating is for the quality of EDUCATION offered at OCAD. The average rating discussed overall for…read morethis school is highly elevated by what seems to be a fascination for its ARCHITECTURE, which should not even be a consideration. The original OCA had a well deserved reputation as a art school before 1970, when students actually gained valuable skills and professors believed they should pay attention to their students and offer real training. Sadly at that time, the traditional concept was abandoned in favour of embracing a "free school" format. Teachers, except for a very few, just stopped teaching and became "advisors." If students asked for more, they were told they wanted to be spoon-fed. But this is NOT a graduate school - the students coming into first year do need instruction. There is a serious disconnect that ultimately short-changes the young people who enrol, believing the somehow sustained reputation that the school boasts but does not support.

Stopped by earlier today and thought the works on display a nice pause from the ongoing insanity…read more Beautiful pieces displayed in a gentle, caring manner. A genuinely lovely experience. Will return someday...

Love this little quirky pocket of creativity in Kensington Market. Great for quirky and unique…read moregifts.

We were walking through to look at all the cool architecture and happened to be inside exploring…read morewhen it started raining. The inside is gorgeous and we stumbled upon the donated used bookstore. The person working it was super nice and the books were very reasonably priced.

I didn't expect much when my buddy insisted we visit the University of Toronto's downtown campus,…read morebut what unfolded was unexpectedly moving. Born and raised in Scarborough, and having spent so much time in downtown Toronto over the years, I thought I knew the city. But walking through U of T's historic grounds stirred up memories I didn't even know I had. There's something about that campus, especially Trinity College, that feels timeless. My grandfather studied there, and while I don't have any clear recollection of ever visiting as a child, standing among those buildings sparked something deep. The architecture is stunning--stoic, storied, and soaked in a quiet reverence. It felt like the kind of place where knowledge has lived for centuries, and where you can feel the presence of the past. At one point, I came across a walkway near the clock tower, and right there was an inscription of Archangel Michael. I hadn't expected it, but it felt perfectly placed--as if the moment had been waiting for me. I sat for a while, just taking it all in, and while my friend may never fully understand the weight of what I felt, I left that campus with something more than just a tourist memory. I hope U of T never loses that energy--that spirit. It's more than a campus. For some of us, it's a portal.

The place feels small but cozy. Just make sure you don't arrive too early, but if you do, there are…read moreplenty of bars around that you can wait in. The Two Hours Traffic concert was dry, but the gallery sometimes gets a liquor license. Even if it's a dry night, the bar right underneath the gallery can be of great help! It's a good place, the sound quality isn't bad though they had a few mic/sound-check problems when I was there. There is no coat check but there is plenty of space to drop your coat off and it's safe enough for that.

This is one of the best places in Toronto. I don't know why I've taken so long to review this…read moreplace. It's the most amazing mixture of fine art and music art. The place is cozy but not too cramped, and you are forced to mingle. I think I even like the tubular powder room. I really enjoy going to this venue and seeing artists, and getting my drink on.

This place is the best! The staff is super helpful, the shop is stocked with all kinds of gorgeous…read moreceramics made by incredibly talented local artists, and if you're curious about making pottery yourself they offer a variety of classes taught by phenomenal instructors. 10 outta 10!

I recently became a Clay-fan (no relation to Clay Aiken fans, Claymates) when I received a…read morebeautiful handmade clay dish at a wedding. It even had the initials of the bride and groom etched into it. Probably the best wedding token I've gotten. Ever since I got this, I've been looking at taking some kind of pottery class to learn how to make clay dishes and such. When I stumbled on Clay Design, I knew I had to check it out. The store has the most unique and beautiful clayware. They sell a lot of plates, bowls and dishes there. A small icecream bowl costs about $50, just to give you an idea on the price. A bigger serving plate will put you out $300. Needless to say, to buy a piece that someone else has made is probably more expensive than just taking lessons yourself. And luckily they do offer lessons here. When we went yesterday they were holding a class. If this place wasn't so far off the subway, I'd definitely take a class!

My first trip here was during Nuit Blanche last year. It wasn't as packed as I expected it would be…read morewhich was nice. Since then I've popped in a couple times to check out what they have hanging. Unfortunately, my current salary does not allow me to buy anything here that fits my tastes. But it's fun to look!

Excellent gallery. It is nice to see galleries that support the photographic arts as well as other…read morefine arts. The staff at this gallery was very friendly and greeted me when I came in. I really dislike galleries that are too snooty to even say 'hi'. Granted not everyone that comes in will make purchases but a little kindness always goes a long way. They have a basement as well that houses many large works.

Despite it's name Knox College is not regarded as one of the 7 UofT colleges, but it is the home…read morefor Christian ministry studies and theology studies and is a residence for students mainly studying that line of work although I have known a couple of students over the years to call Knox their home. To my knowledge, the rooms there are pretty typical of most single residence dorms but I've not heard any big negatives about it. While I have absolutely zero experience with them as an educational institution, what my review will be based on is their library (Caven Library) and the building in general. In my mind, University College, Hart House and Knox are the 3 most beautiful buildings on campus. And the numerous times I've seen Knox being transformed in to a movie set is a testimony to this (biggest movie set here as of 2011 is The Incredible Hulk). And due to it being a "Christian" place it is not a heavily trafficked building as students are probably intimidated by it's religious aura.They have one of the most beautiful spots in the entire campus in it's green and somewhat gothicy quad that so many students are unaware of. The library is also one of the prettiest and naturally quiet libraries around on campus. High ceilings and large windows makes you feel like you're studying in a church (well it might have been one back in the day) and the fact that most spots are individual tables with privacy screens is probably the main reason behind the natural unimposed silence you can enjoy here while studying. The last time I was there, power outlets were hard to come by, but that could have changed since UofT libraries have been undergoing renovations as of late. If you are sick and tired of studying at Robarts or Gerstein, Knox is a great alternative, if you are not in the mood to really check it out, use it as a scenic short cut to get between St George Street and King's College Circle.