Every now and again, when people learn about what I do (did), they ask me earnestly why I’d choose to stay in Toronto.

Easy to answer: it’s an awesome city. As soon as the right people are at the helm at City Hall, it’ll be truly world-class. In some ways the city is already busting at the seams in this regard, it’s simply the government that keeps reining it in.

Election day is coming and, regardless of this, the city is blooming with construction, flowers, and lovely ladies. And as I’m sure I’ve mentioned, I’ve seen a good selection of cities; enough to know that I haven’t seen nearly enough. Toronto isn’t the cheapest, or the cleanest, or the busiest, or the biggest, but it’s also not the dirtiest, most boring, barren, or small by any means. Any tourists that complain about deficiencies in these areas are, well, tourists. The city’s way bigger than that (have you see how little I’ve covered in TCLand?), and growing by leaps and bounds. Frickin’ jackhammer outside my window right now, in fact.

With so much growth it’s extremely important to keep a steady vision otherwise it could get real messy. Here’s a great example: the new designs recently unveiled for the new north hall of St. Lawrence Market. The market has been around since basically Toronto’s been here but the north hall, which to me resembles a stripped-down school gymnasium, is much newer. On Saturdays local growers truck in their produce and on Sundays it’s an antique market.

I know I’ve probably mentioned this before but I know that many people don’t get a chance to visit that area, so to help you out I’ve taken photos from approximately the same locations as in the literature. That way you can see the before and proposed-after shots.

The design teams for the north hall project are split up into five colours but obviously the orange team is the best. A rooftop garden? Hells yeah!

Anyhow, here they are, winner to be decided by committee.

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Once again, my high-level connections have paid off How high-level, you ask? I can’t even talk about it, that’s how high-level.

Me and a few other people were invited to a MTV fashion double-header at the Temple yesterday.

You know me, I’m Mr. Fashion, so I knew exactly what to expect going in. I recognized the hosts for some reason – also, not a big MTV guy. But, to my surprise they were 100% professional, good tempo, jumpy banter in between segments, and ably ignoring the jerk with the flash in the balcony.

And Kelly Cutrone, the guest, self professed “super-bitch” (I sincerely hope I got that correct), and New York promotional mogul at People’s Revolution, was quite gracious throughout, at one point offering to “do whatever you guys want” for the audience. To generous and enthusiastic applause. I don’t believe the cameras were rolling even. It was real. Awww. Perhaps Toronto had ensnared her heart. Perhaps it was that jerk with the flash in the balcony.

And then it was over. One take, give or take. I’d been in TV studios a couple or few times now, for one reason or another, and I don’t remember a show going that smoothly. (April 12th “After Show” on MTV Canada, about as live as it looks).

The upper seating was summarily segregated and whisked upstairs to part two of the afternoon, the debutante evening for FORA, an online fashion, beauty, and trends magazine with reader-submitted content and plenty of interactive stuff to thumb through online. (Adobe Flash, according to insiders – can I get an Amen!)

Were I of a promotional persuasion, a MTV-Canada-carried article (with a by-line and link), would be a nifty boost. In pretty much any promotional category I’d care to name. So, you know, feel free to contribute, if you’re of that persuasion. I don’t think you even need to live in Toronto.

In case you’re wondering, the photo above is on the top floor of the Temple – the inner sanctum. I think this is where the Shriners used to sacrifice chickens to their angry gods or something. Neat meet-n-greet room.

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November’s just around the corner, and you know what that means: renewal!

After all, the word “novem” means new. Or nine, but that doesn’t make much sense so Newvember it is! I realize that it’s not exactly the month of visible renewal. It’s a month in which the last of the leaves reluctantly leave their perch in the branches to join their departed brethren below. It’s a time of year when I switch to the “Sentimental” category of my MP3 collection and consider taking up drinking hard liquor to match the ambiance. Yeah, it’s solo-sax-on-the-street time.

That leads me to the first change for which my friend Casie Stewart is responsible. She’s managed to land herself a gig with the social media people at MuchMusic/MTV/CTV.

So congratulations, Casie!

According to the words I put in her mouth, I will never have to stand outside another CTV-run event like a common schmuck. Imagine, backstage passes to the MMVAs! No more standing around naked in the bushes outside of parties anymore.

And that leads me to the second change around here; I’ve decided to try writing in the morning rather than at night. I’m hoping this will give the posts a bit more clarity, less of that slobbering grunting quality. Also, I was recently invited to participate in a Whisky tasting by a local ad firm, and that’s happening tonight. Even if I manage to soberly comport myself (I don’t see those chances being high), I’ll still be getting home too late to think of anything interesting to say about it. And being able to pull strings with Ms. Stewart will probably mean more evening events like this.

We’ll see how it goes. This is my first morning post and I haven’t passed out yet, so we’re in strange new territory. This might yet work out, but as I’m getting light-headed, I won’t push too hard. How do people get up in the mornings?!