Toronto might not be top of mind when you're thinking of a beach vacation. But the city - and the province - is filled with white sand beaches that'll transport you down south, at least in the summer months.
Check out all essential Toronto area beaches in this photo gallery.
A popular Indian chain with over 40 locations in the States is opening up its first Canadian location in Toronto.
Bawarchi Biryanis – which hilariously refers itself in an IG video as the "Google of biryanis" – has announced it'll soon be moving into the plaza at 925 Warden Avenue, next to the pool hall The Corner Bank.
Its massive menu includes over 30 types of biryani, including their signature Hyderabadi biryani that comes with everything from mutton to goat and Chettinad chicken.
Using halal meat, Bawarchi's American locations also include cheap lunch buffets, a big selection of dosas, and even some Hakka dishes like ginger chicken.
Though Toronto boasts plenty of Indian restaurants, and it's unclear whether or not the restaurant's new Toronto menu will be the exact same as its American counterparts, it's obvious that Bawarchi is bringing the biggest selection of biryani Toronto has seen to date.
It's that time of year again. We're opening the poll to 15 new best of categories including brunch, cafes, ice cream, pizza, live music venues, vintage clothing stores and more. Voting ends on Tuesday July 17 at 3 p.m..
Who likes pizza? Events in Toronto this week include the a new pizza festival at Ontario Place while a giant block party takes over King Street. A ton of superstars are set to hit the stage and there's lots of free stuff worth checking out.
Events you might want to check out:This week on DineSafe a number of popular chain restaurants got busted by Toronto city health inspectors. Tim Hortons, Wild Wing and Papa John's all managed to rack up a number of infractions landing them conditional passes.
Find out what other local restaurants got busted by health inspectors this week on DineSafe.
Note: The above businesses each received infractions from DineSafe as originally reported on the DineSafe site. This does not imply that any of these businesses have not subsequently corrected the issue and received a passing grade by DineSafe inspectors. For the latest status for each of the mentioned businesses, including details on any subsequent inspections, please be sure to check the DineSafe site.
Parks for a picnic in Toronto don't need to be huge spaces with lots of tables, but there are a few criteria that they should meet. In addition to plenty of grassy space to set up a blanket, you'll want to ensure there's some shade and possibly even a bit of privacy if romance is on the menu.
Here are my picks for the top picnic-friendly parks in Toronto by neighbourhood.
Despite being filled with mature trees, this neighbourhood isn't flush with wide open parks ideal for picnicking. The exception is Jean Sibelius Square, which has a dedicated picnic site as well as a grassy area to lay out a blanket.
Lakeside picnics have been a summer pastime in Toronto for well over a century, and one of the nicest places to participate in this tradition is Beaches Park, located just north of the sandy beach area, where you can pick a quiet spot in the grass or hunt down a full shelter for a big group.
While Dufferin Grove might be on the east side of the dividing line between Bloorcourt and Bloordale, this green space has been claimed by the latter neighbourhood as its own. This sprawling park has lots of picnic tables, a community oven and even fire pits for an evening picnic.
Just a short walk to the west of the main retail drag is a gorgeous series of green spaces that hug the Humber River. For the purposes of a picnic, Étienne Brûlé Park is the best bet, with a designated site and a nice view of the river.
Those looking for a little escape from the urban grind head to Riverdale Park West for picnics. While it lacks the skyline view of its sister park, it tends to be quieter — which will suit those looking for a bit of privacy.
Alongside the numerous walking paths, Corktown Common also has a nice grassy area for a picnic. Photo by Randy Hoffmann.
Not so long ago, prospective picnickers near Corktown didn't have many enviable options for outdoor eating and lounging, but now the area boasts one of the best parks in the city for such activities in the form of Corktown Common.
The best spot to lay out a blanket and enjoy some fresh air in this neighbourhood is Earlscourt Park. Despite being a busy hub of activity for various sports throughout the summer, there are plenty of spots away from the main fields where you can have quiet picnic.
Withrow Park offers a nice sanctuary for a picnic just south of the Danforth. There are two designated picnic areas plus a community kitchen and fire pit.
Dovercourt Park is the central outdoor gathering spot, with a baseball diamond, tennis courts, a playground and a nice grassy area with picnic tables at the southeast end for a more relaxing and stomach-filling experience.
You won't find a place to picnic with a better view of the city than Riverdale Park East. It can be tricky to find a good spot on the slope that overlooks the city, but if you're patient flatter spots do exist that offer the best ground for picnicking and skyline-watching.
Surrounding one of the Don River's many tributaries, Taylor Creek Park is bucolic place for a picnic and it's dotted with many tables and fire pits to set up shop.
Humber Bay Park West offers stunning views for picnickers. Photo by Marcus Mitanis.
This former borough has plenty of parks suitable for a picnic, but none quiet so nice as Humber Bay Park West, where you can set up your provisions within a few metres of the shore and a stunning view of Toronto in the distance.
Dominated by skyscrapers, the heart of the Financial District has few options for picnicking, but just to the east the new Berczy Park has been designed to encourage office workers to eat outdoors on the grassy knoll or one of the many benches.
As one of the premier picnic destinations in the the city, ET Seton Park is often filled with large groups out to enjoy the picturesque setting on summer weekends. There's even a picnic shelter if you're worried about rain.
The central waterfront can be a tricky spot to set up an elaborate picnic as places like HTO Park and the Toronto Music Garden are often busy, but one spot that's sure to work is the area's new Trillium Park.
The choice of park is obvious here. What's so great about High Park is the variety of locations on offer. You can picnic on the hill overlooking Grenadier Pond, opt for a more secluded spot at the northern end, or hunt down a more wooded area.
It might surprise some that this neighbourhood doesn't have more picnic options, but outside of its proximity to High Park, the majority of green spaces here are quite small. Your best bet is Baird Park, which has ample shady areas to set up an outdoor lunch.
Picnickers in the Junction Triangle have a few options, but chief among them is Perth Square Park, which is a bit less busy than nearby Campbell Park and thus better suited to a quiet outdoor meal.
There's only one go-to spot for a picnic in and around King East, but it happens to be one of the nicer spots in the city. St. James Park has plenty of quiet spots where you can eat in peace.
Clarence Square might be a bit nicer in general, but Victoria Memorial Square Park gets the nod for picnicking in this neighbourhood because it's quieter and there are more places to spread out a blanket without worry that your food will be nabbed by a four legged friend.
The gentle slopes of Christie Pits can make for a great picnic spot. Photo by Bobcatnorth.
The sprawling grounds of Christie Pits are the best place to have a picnic in this neighbourhood, though the wisest know that the south and east sides of the park trump the northern end, which is the domain of baseball players.
Greenwood Park is a bustling place during all four seasons, but thanks to its large size (it's roughly 15 acres), you're sure to find a secluded spot for an outdoor meal, whether that's in the dedicated area with tables or in one of the many grassy areas away from the action.
Travel north of the main College Street corridor to Art Eggleton Park for a green space that's just made for a sunny day picnic. This well-treed park has shade everywhere, which might not be great for sunbathing, but sure helps when you're trying to enjoy a meal.
You won't do much better than Sherwood Park for a picnic, which is surrounded by lush ravine walls, but features lots of grassy space and tables where you can set up your culinary delights.
Windfields Park is one of the quietest places you'll find in Toronto to have a picnic. The middle section is park land surrounded by tall trees where there's plenty of space to spread out a blanket and enjoy an outdoor meal.
It's always good to remember just how well linked Parkdale is to the waterfront. Simply cross the pedestrian bridge at Jameson and you're at Marilyn Bell Park, where you can picnic on the large lawn area in view of Lake Ontario.
The wooded area at Cherry Beach is a great spot for a picnic or barbecue. Photo by Ilona.
Cherry Beach is more than just a beach, you know. The wooded area to the north is an ideal spot for a picnic and many people seek it out for all day barbecue sessions during the summer. You can watch the action on the beach while you chow down.
Looking for a quiet place to picnic near Queen West? Look no further than the revamped Grange Park, which has plenty of shaded areas to take advantage of. There are also select tables, but the competition can be fierce.
Sorauren Park is the go-to spot for a picnic near Roncesvalles. The key here is to stick to the perimeter of the green space where there's considerably more shade than the centre.
Craigleigh Gardens is a quiet park that makes a perfect spot for a secluded picnic. You might get some snooty looks from rich dog walkers, but places like this were meant to be enjoyed by everybody, so be sure to enjoy!
Guild Park is one of the most beautiful places in Toronto. You dine al fresco amidst the architectural remains of early Toronto and explore the lovely grounds of one of the city's true hidden gems.
If you like people-watching, the park of choice in this neighbourhood has to be Wychwood Barns. The grass can get a bit burnt out, and it's notorious for its lack of shade, but there's plenty of action to take in.
The city's busiest picnic destination is still one of its best thanks to the sheer carnivalesque atmosphere that erupts at Trinity Bellwoods Park on sunny summer weekends. Make sure to arrive early to secure a good spot.
Just a short walk away from this busy intersection is the lovely David A. Balfour Park, which has tons of space for picnicking on the grassy area above the ravine. There's an underrated view of the skyline here, and there are even a few spots to try out in the ravine below.
It's never been easy for people own electric cars in Toronto, and now an end to a rebate program may see even less of them on the road.
Doug Ford's end to cap-and-trade means the Ontario government won't be offering rebates on electric vehicles or charging stations anymore.
These rebate programs were funded by cap-and-trade and are now scrapped now that their funding has dried up.
We are scrapping the cap and trade carbon tax here in Ontario and opposing other carbon tax schemes in all of their forms. #ThroneSpeech
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) July 12, 2018
The government has made ending measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and incentivize sustainable energy sources a top priority, claiming that the result will be a 10 cent reduction in gas prices and $1.9 billion in savings per year to customers.
Fantastic. Ontario's Cap and Trade will be replaced with a sensible national carbon fee/tax with all the money coming back to household's as dividends/cheques. This is the most popular ctax policy imaginable, and pretty close to what economists would say is the optimal policy.
— Greg Kiessling (@gregkiessling) July 6, 2018
Bureaucratic barriers for owning and maintaining an electric car in Toronto are not new, however, as residents spoke out last year about the difficulties they faced when trying to install residential charging stations.
Can we get a national #ElectricVehicles program now that the Ford government is cancelling subsidies? Sudden ending of the subsidy in ON will kill #EVs in Canada's biggest province and increase carbon emissions! Need Federal action! #climatechange
— Chris Armour (@PMTechGuy) June 30, 2018
There are now calls for the mayor and City Hall to step to the plate and find a way to offer rebates to drive purchases of electric vehicles.
The future has arrived in Toronto as images of the buses with USB chargers have begun to trickle out.
Earlier this year the TTC promised an influx of 200 new buses equipped with USB charging ports.
USB charging stations are attached to poles spread throughout the bus. Photo by Lex Reid.
These technologically advanced buses will allow riders to charge their smart devices on the go at any of the 12 charging stations located throughout the bus.
Look forward to that new bus smell. Photo by Lex Reid.
They also include improved accessibility features like more flip-down seats and an additional information display.
Apparently only 200 of the promised 440 buses will include the USB charging stations. Photo by Lex Reid.
The new buses are part of the TTC's commitment to modernizing the system that includes free Wi-Fi inside subway stations and revamping retail services to incorporate click and collect options for customers.
They're also part of a larger plan to roll out 440 new buses by 2019.
Expect the first of these bad boys to hit the streets sometime within the coming months.
A lot has happened in Toronto as a result of the King Street Pilot, and now at least one restaurant is claiming that it's partially responsible for its closure.
King Street dim sum spot Pearl King claims that it's had to close its door in part as a result of the pilot, as per a sign left on the door of the darkened storefront.
The note outlines that a "depression in market and as well as all these changes to King Street" has forced it to "close our operations at this location."
Earlier this year the pilot caused an uproar among local businesses, commuters and the city who all held differing viewpoints on how to best tackle potential revenue loss due to decreased traffic along the street.
As of now, people seem to be loving the newly revamped King Street and data from April shows that everything is largely consistent with seasonal trends.
It's starting to look like Toronto's turbulent housing market is finally regaining strength as newly released stats show housing sales took a huge jump last month.
The numbers from June show a 4.1 per cent increase in sales after what was a tough first half of the year that, at one point, saw record low numbers for home prices.
Now it looks like the market is on the upswing as home buyers begin to navigate newly introduced regulations on mortgages meant to cool the housing market, resulting in the market beginning to stabilize.
Toronto's housing market currently leads Canada's overall market gains this year, contributing to a 17 per cent increase in home sales. Montreal experienced a 1 per cent increase and Vancouver's housing sales fell by 1.3 per cent.
Home sales in Toronto rose by 2.4 per cent from June 2017, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board, while month-to-month ups and downs are expected for the remainder of the year.
Thousands descended on Markham Civic Centre grounds this weekend for the annual Night It Up! With crowds estimated north of 100,000 there were no shortage of lineups to get a taste of takoyaki, cotton candy ice cream burritos and other unique spins on Asian street food.
Take a look at the photo gallery for some of our favourite eats and drinks from Night It Up! 2018.
Soft serve ice cream in Toronto continues to fulfil our city’s relentless need for frozen treats in the summer. Whether it’s wedged in a watermelon or decked out with churros, these are the hottest new spots for cold treats right now.
Here are my picks for the top new soft serve ice cream in Toronto.
Fusing the two quintessential summertime snacks together, the watermelon ice cream sandwiches from this Korean dessert chain have been making their rounds on IG. This location at Yonge and Eg is their first in Toronto, plus it’s all organic.
This Spanish food hall on King West serves a classic soft serve in either a cone or cup courtesy of Papi Churros; you can also get it topped with a chocolate- or dulce de leche-filled churro to make it extra sweet.
There’s only four ingredients in the soft serve from the healthy Roncy spot: almonds, dates, sea salt, and pure vanilla, meaning you can indulge in some dessert without the post-dairy blues.
Red and white swirls of strawberry puree meets Tahiti vanilla is what this Yonge and Dundas sweet shop is serving up. Get it in one of their freshly baked vanilla waffle cones.
Enjoy your soft serve from a golden goblet at this Kensington ice creamery. This chain is huge all over Asia, mostly because the presentation is so pretty but also because they have housemade ingredients that are super tasty.
The signature parfait from this Japanese bakery right by North York Centre subway is a decadent Asian treat: Hojicha (Japanese green tea) and matcha soft serve topped with green tea jello, red bean, mochi, and chunks of matcha cake.
A rotating menu of soft serve makes this Asian dessert spot in Harbord Village a summertime go-to. Ice cream offerings include flavours like taro, London Fog, and mango alongside their menu of other cooling treats like shaved ice.
The soft serve base at this Scarborough destination is simple but the fixin’s are not: you can get everything from cookie dough to condensed milk, whole cookies, brownies, and of course, their signature glazed churros to assemble a monstrosity of a dessert that’s just to your liking.
Almost too pretty to eat, soft serve at this Kensington cafe is wrapped in thin layers of edible 24K gold. The metal doesn’t have any flavour but the ice cream below comes in flavours like matcha.
This macaron favourite has just introduced soft serve ice cream to its sweets offerings. You can get your ice cream decked out with candy and of course, mini or full-sized macarons, only available at Rosedale and Yorkdale.
Doug Ford's recent shake up of Ontario's sex-ed curriculum isn't sitting well with a lot of people in Toronto as many have taken to Queen's Park to protest the changes.
The park has become ground zero for protests of the new provincial government's decision to temporarily replace the 2015 sex-ed curriculum with the 1998 version.
Saturday saw over 150 people show up to rally against the curriculum changes and to air out a laundry list of grievances Ford's cabinet has incited since taking office late last month.
And that's not all. More protests are planned in Toronto for later this week.
Something called a Queen's Park Sex-Ed Class is set to take place on Thursday where organizers will be reading the current curriculum out loud.
And Women's March Canada is also planning to protest the changes with a March for Education that is meant to challenge the "unprecedented assault on students' right to a fair and up to date education."
Posters such as this one have been spotted in downtown Toronto. Photo by blogTO.
Elsewhere, posters have surfaced on public notice boards in downtown Toronto decrying the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment associated with the curriculum repeal.
And if that's not enough, petitions like this one have been circulating around the internet calling for the Ontario government to reverse their decision.
One of the main concerns with the 1998 sex-ed curriculum is that it does not cover topics such as same-sex marriage, consent and cyberbullying.
Education Minister Lisa Thompson said today that students will still be taught similar subjects during the upcoming school period.
Toronto's favourite place to ice skate in the winter has upped its game with a brand new patio underneath the Gardiner and a summer-long Sunday Social series happening every weekend until August 12.
The Bentway Beer Garden, which officially opened last Sunday with a bicycle-powered concert, transforms the area from noon to 9 p.m. every Sunday with picnic tables, wooden lounging chairs-on-wheels and hanging lights that's open to people of all ages and their pets.
Visitors can buy beer from Collective Arts Brewing and food like Filipino burritos and avocado quesadillas courtesy of SPiN.
There's also a Strongbow station complete with a small seating section of its own where people can grab some cider.
Aside from weekly entertainment from live DJs, bands and guest emcees, there's also a trio of ping pong tables for a quick round of back-and-forth.
And hidden behind some pillars is a small area where you can try your hand at some bocci ball.
There's only four more Sunday Socials left until it ends for the summer. Future events include performances from the Canadian National Brass Project, a Trini fête called D'Barrack Yard with steelpan drums and a final celebration courtesy of the Aga Khan Museum.
While you're there, check out the photography installation by Dana Claxton called A Forest of Canoes, and if you're a skater, make sure to roll through the skatepark courtesy of CITE. 
The best tattoo parlours in Toronto are some of the major players on the scene. A combination of good vibes, a little bit of legacy and a roster of incredibly talented tattoo artists should make these parlours your first choice for getting inked up.
Here are the best tattoo parlours in Toronto.
3 - Chronic Ink TattoosA man has been arrested today after he was seen stomping on the hood of a car in the middle of downtown traffic this afternoon.
A bystander captured a man in a white t-shirt and baseball cap on video as he repeatedly jumped on a car stalled in the middle of the pedestrian walkway at Peter and Richmond Streets.
A man was spotted earlier today stomping on car at Peter & Richmond - Video by @JuddSaintJohn#Torontopic.twitter.com/ctB5aqF4CW
— blogTO (@blogTO) July 16, 2018
The video shows the man first causing extensive damage to the hood of the vehicle, then kneeling on the hood to stare at the driver before proceeding to jump on the roof.
Another man in the video appears to be trying to de-escalate the situation, motioning to other bystanders to call 911 while instructing the unlucky driver to stay in the car.
According to CP24, bystanders said the entire incident lasted around 30 minutes, and CTV reports that the man had been asking for cigarettes outside a nearby shelter before he began fighting with pedestrians and attacking vehicles, including a FedEx truck and a BMW.
Police were called to the intersection at around 1:20 p.m., and later confirmed to CP24 that the man had been arrested and charged with multiple offences.
It's a day for the nature lovers at some events in Toronto today, including an outdoor movie screening and a fireside storytelling session. Free food is also in the cards including pizza, Big Mac bao and juice. Also, the Vans Warped Tour reaches Toronto for the last time.
Events you might want to check out:This house at 47 Beechwood Avenue reminds me of a Roman exhibit at a museum with all the art deco features, unique sculptures, tapestries and mosaic art.
The four-bed, four-bath house is truly a one-of-a-kind find. The main floor is open-concept with each room flowing from one to another.
The living and dining room are spacious and the ornate wood and stained glass door is truly a stunning feature.
My favourite room is the family room/kitchen. The floor to ceiling of windows and the slanted roof windows flood the space with sunlight making the whole place come alive. But I could see it being an equally stunning spot in a rainstorm.
The kitchen is a bit on the small side and I’m not a huge fan of an entire wall being tile but it could be exceptionally practical if there are any blending mishaps.
On the second floor, there are two large bedrooms and one bathroom. The bathroom is probably the most understated part of the house.
The master suite is on the third floor. It has an en suite, a huge walk-in closet, and walks-out onto a Juliette style balcony that overlooks the backyard.
The en suite bathroom screams Roman bath house with the marble, the arched shower entrance, the columns beside the toilet and the art deco sink. I personally prefer more minimalist decor for bathrooms but it’s certainly an interesting aesthetic.
Downstairs is the piece-de-la-resistance. I’ve never seen a rec room look less like a rec room. The style is a bit of a mishmash from the huge supporting columns to the animal print furniture and rugs.
There’s also the African spears hanging on the wall and what looks like a medieval torture cabinet. It’s a lot to take in, to be honest.
As for outdoor space, there’s a serene and lush looking garden. While usually, I hate water fountains with naked children this suits the rest of the house theme and actually works here.
Someone who wishes their house looked more like a Roman palace meets the ROM. From the Roman columns in the basement to the water features in the backyard and the hand painted closet doors, this place is chocked full of unique features.
You favour modern and minimalist interior design. This art deco / Roman-inspired decor is not a universally palatable design style and if you’re not a fan of it you’re going to have to put a lot of money into renovating this house.
Is summer weather not the most interesting thing ever?
I mean, science can explain how lightning works, and why humidity ruins our hair, but humans can't seem to get over the sky when it's anything other than clear.
One need look no further than his or her own smartphone for evidence of this phenomenon during any sort of weather event.
In Toronto, sunset pictures have become such a social media cliché that people now start mocking the trend as soon as our sky turns pink — but for every hater, there are 10 more people who DGAF about what they think.
Monday evening was no exception as the skies above Toronto exploded with colour following an hours-long stretch of dark clouds and rain.
Last night's sunset was a weird one in that it only showed up briefly, after the storm moved out, right as the sun was going down.
Some neighbourhoods were briefly blasted with intense, golden light when the dark clouds lifted around 8:45 p.m.
In many parts of the city, a full-arch rainbow could be seen stretching across the hazy horizon.
A few people even managed to capture shots of a faint double rainbow, all the way across the sky.
It was so intense!
Single rainbow, double rainbow or no rainbow at all, Monday night's sunset in Toronto was a stunner — but you probably already knew that, regardless of where you were at the time.
Toronto theatre lovers are in for a treat as Sting is set to star in the Canadian premiere of his musical The Last Ship this winter.
The musical tells the story of a small English shipping town trying to stay afloat as it watches the Swan Hunter shipyard slowly wash away into the depths of the proverbial ocean.
Sting wrote and composed all of the songs based on his own childhood experiences watching his hometown face similar circumstances that put its economy in jeopardy.
He's set to star as the shipyard's foreman Jackie White. The show is scheduled to run from February 9 until March 24 at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
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