With all this windchill business, I think I'm ready to jump in the ring and rumble, too.

Top Toronto Event Picks for Thursday, January 15, 2009:

1. PILLOW FIGHT LEAGUE 25: REMATCH
Disputed champion Killer Bea, with pillow in hand, defends her title against Carmen Monoxide. Those with feather allergies, stay near the back. The rest of you, take your side and cheer, cheer, cheer. Garage rockers The Weirdies perform at midnight.
SPORT / doors 830pm, fights 930pm / $12 / website

2. STRIP MINING FOR CREATIVE CITIES
Exhibit examining gentrification and the resulting collapse of neighbourhoods and community infrastructure. In short, it's both an art collection and urban geographer's wet dream. Party follows, with DJs Dorian + Dorian. Opens tonight and runs to March 1.
Toronto Free Gallery. 1277 Bloor Street West, (416) 913-0461.
ART OPENING / 7-10pm / free / website

3. TORONTO OUTDOOR ART EXHIBITION: BEST OF 2008
Showcases award winners from last year's Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition. If you missed the big event last summer and were hoping for a highlight reel, this is your lucky month. Opens tonight and runs to February 20.
FCP Gallery. 100 King Street West, (416) 408-2754.
ART OPENING / 6-8pm / free / website

4. SHARKWATER: SCREENING + DISCUSSION
In this free documentary screening of Sharkwater, filmmaker Rob Stewart debunks the bad reputation of sharks and stands up for their cause. (Because, really, they just wanna be loved, too.) Discussion follows.
Hart House. 7 Hart House Circle. (647) 342-7995.
FILM / 7pm / free / website

5. WHY WE ARE LOSING AFGHANISTAN
Graeme Smith, Globe and Mail's chief reporter in Afghanistan and winner of 2007's Canadian Newspaper Award for International Reporting, brings his perspective on the current mission.
Trudeau Centre Common Room, H-12, U of Toronto. 15 King's College Circle.
LECTURE / 4pm / free / website

6. TIMBER TIMBRE: SOUNDSCAPES IN-STORE
Cram into Soundscapes for a cozy in-store by the just as cozy Timber Timbre. Methinks it's cuddle time.
Soundscapes. 572 College Street, (416) 537-1620.
MUSIC / 7pm / free / website

7. WALK + BIKE FOR LIFE WORKSHOP
Community-led planning workshop for Parkdale/High Park focuses on the active transportation aspect of urban design. International active transportation expert and urban strategist Gil Penalosa facilitates. Considering he's part of NY's Project for Public Spaces, this should be a goodie.
High Park Public Library. 228 Roncesvalles Avenue, (416) 393-7671.
WORKSHOP / 530-830pm / free / website

8. WONDROUS STRANGE: BOOK LAUNCH
Book launch for Lesley Livingston's debut, Wondrous Strange, "a novel of danger, romance and faeries with a Shakespearean twist". Sure sounds like something I could use in my life right now.
The Dominion on Queen Restaurant. 500 Queen Street E, (416) 368-6893.
WORDS / 7pm / free / website

For full listings, head on over to our events calendar.

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO calendar, contact us directly, or use our handy Facebook app.

---

Photo: "Victory" by ghenu, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.