Toronto's newest brewery is just weeks from opening, and when it does, guests can expect a dog-friendly space that's open to cyclists and runners too. 

Black Lab Brewing, which takes over an old iron and woodworking warehouse at 818 Eastern Avenue in Leslieville, is slated to open sometime during Thanksgiving weekend, adding yet another brewery to the east side's growing list of watering holes. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Black Lab Brewing (@blacklabbeer) on Sep 7, 2018 at 1:20pm PDT

Run by husband-and-wife duo Billy and Anne Madden, the two-floored, 3,600 square-foot space will have a bottle shop and a 27-foot-bar with 18 taps, though they'll have somewhere between six to eight beers on tap to start off.

According to Billy, the black-and-white space will be filled with hanging plants, a few TVs to watch the game, and in the spring (hopefully) a 600-square-foot rooftop patio. There won't be a food menu, but there will be snacks and occasional pop-ups.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Snoopy (@blacklab_snoopy) on Sep 20, 2018 at 12:53pm PDT

You can also expect to see Snoopy, the couple's nine-year-old black lab and unofficial mascot of the brewery. Black Lab is pet friendly, meaning you can bring your canine companions along for doggie dates while the hoomans sip of Belgian beers. 

"[Black labs] represent everything good about what we’re doing," says Billy Madden. "Loyalty, trustworthiness, dedicated, hardworking...all the attributes that black labs possess." 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Black Lab Brewing (@blacklabbeer) on Jul 24, 2018 at 12:43pm PDT

Equipped with four fermenters, Billy says that eventually plan on adding three more by next year.

Belgian beers are inevitable here, as are a couple of flagship beers like the Cornerstone Black Lager, named in honour of the Cornerstone Estate Winery, where the Maddens got Snoopy when she was just four months old. 

There'll also be a rye pale ale brewed in their Pilot System, IPAs from both the east and west coast, and at least one sour from their kettle series, including a bright pink one made from rhubarb. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Black Lab Brewing (@blacklabbeer) on Sep 17, 2018 at 9:03am PDT

Billy is also an active runner, so the brewery will also be equipped with bike racks and lockers for cyclists and runners to leave their stuff, after which they can maybe hop over to nearby Martin Goodman Trail for a quick jaunt before heading back to Black Lab for a self-congratulatory brew. 

You're driving south on Coxwell, past the Michael Garron Hospital, and suddenly you see it—a glimpse of something shiny on the side of the road. 

Like a magpie, you swerve to the patch of houses on the east side of the street. Is it a disco ball, a giant Christmas ornament? 

The bedazzled car sits outside its home at 813 Coxwell Ave. 

Nay, it's a red Chrysler Sport 300, bedazzled with an assortment of jewels and acrylic gems, and a couple of misleading Mustang emblems for good measure. 

The Chrysler Sport 300 is covered with all sorts of ornaments and jewels.

For years, this car has been a staple feature of the stretch just south of Sammon Avenue. Sitting in the street parking outside of 813 Coxwell, a home equally adorned with its share of glittering ornaments, the car has become a mascot of sorts for this small residential strip.

The car is owned by Frank Georgio, who immigrated to Toronto from Naples when he was 21 years-old. 

Frank Georgio never intended for the car to become the centre of attraction, but these days he uses the frequent interactions with strangers, who'll often stop by to admire and compliment glittering vehicle, to preach the word of God. 

Almost every day, Georgio sticks a new piece of jewelery on top of his car, or in the interior, with a piece of double-sided tape.

The entire dashboard, steering wheels, and parts of the back seat are decorated as well. 

Sometime he'll stop by the Dollar Store to pick up some new shiny thing, other days he'll go to more expensive specialty shops to pick up all sorts of pearly orbs and strappy studs. More often than not he'll just remove a piece he's bored with and replace it with a new acquirement. 

Now 81 years-old, Georgio moved to Toronto from Naples when he was 21. After he met his wife, he converted from Roman Catholicism to Christianity.

Georgio doesn't always add the jewels to new places, he just replaces old ones. 

He says with all the bad things happening in the world—and more close to home, the Danforth shooting—people need God more than ever. 

As we chat, a young man and woman stop by to admire the car. 

"Every time I walk by this car, I smile," says the man to Georgio, who smiles back, turning to look at his prized chariot with pride. 

Events in Toronto this week are a little more politically charged than usual as both the first mayoral debate and a discussion on the upcoming election are on. Elsewhere there's few beer festivals to take the edge off, Legends of Horror is back and there's lots of free stuff to check out as well.

This week on DineSafe, one of Toronto's best Italian restaurants landed in some hot water with city health inspectors. Piano Piano managed to get an alarming eight infractions, three of which were crucial. 

Learn what other local spots got busted by city health inspectors this week on DineSafe.

Dogs & Coffee (616 Queen St. West)

• Inspected on: September 17, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Failed to ensure room kept free from live birds or animals.

Kumo Sushi (562 Kipling Ave.)

• Inspected on: September 17, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 1 (Significant: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Piano Piano (88 Harbord St.)

• Inspected on: September 17, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3, Crucial: 3)
• Crucial infractions include: Maintained potentially hazardous foods at internal temperature between 4°C and 60°C, failed to protect food from contamination or adulteration and stored ice in unsanitary manner.

ASAP City (2075 Danforth Ave.)

• Inspected on: September 18, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Failed to protect food from contamination or adulteration.

Globe Meats (61 Signet Dr.)

• Inspected on: September 18, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Pickle Barrel Grand (1 Yorkdale Rd.)

• Inspected on: September 18, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1, Crucial: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: Maintained potentially hazardous foods at internal temperature between 4°C and 60°C and failed to protect food from contamination or adulteration.

Sunset Grill (120 Bloor St. East)

• Inspected on: September 18, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Significant: 2, Crucial: 3)
• Crucial infractions include: Refrigerated potentially hazardous foods at internal temperature above 4°C, failed to protect food from contamination or adulteration and food premise maintained in manner permitting adverse effect on food.

Yueh Tung (126 Elizabeth St.)

• Inspected on: September 18, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 3)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Second Cup (3008A Bloor St. West)

• Inspected on: September 19, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 1 (Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Stored potentially hazardous foods at internal temperature between 4°C and 60°C.

Jamie's Italian (3401 Dufferin St.)

• Inspected on: September 20, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Failed to protect food from contamination or adulteration.

Me Va Me Kitchen Express (240 Queen St. West)

• Inspected on:  September 20, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Significant: 4, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Failed to protect food from contamination or adulteration.

Starbucks (1320 Castlefield Ave.)

• Inspected on: September 20, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Starbucks (47 Charles St. West)

• Inspected on: September 21, 2018
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Food premise maintained in manner permitting adverse effect on food.

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.

Your local Sobeys store could soon morph into a trendy, "fresh market shopping experience" thanks an $800 million deal between the grocery giant's parent company, Empire Co. Ltd., and Ontario food retailer Farm Boy.

Empire announced the news on Monday, telling the Canadian Press that it was acquiring Farm Boy in the hopes of expanding its business footprint.

Farm Boy, which was founded as a produce stand in Cornwall, Ontario almost 40 years ago, currently boasts 26 stores across the province. People often liken the chain to Whole Foods or the American cult-favourite Trader Joe's, which has yet to enter Canada.

Farm Boy opened its first Toronto location in March. Prior to this, the closest options were in Whitby, Pickering and Kitchener. 

Sobeys' parent company plans to more than double the number of Farm Boy locations in Ontario and speed up the chain's planned expansion into the Toronto market, specifically.

This will involve building some brand new Farm Boy stores in Toronto (in addition to the recently-opened Etobicoke location) and also "the conversion of some existing Sobeys locations."

To top it all off, Farm Boy products will be available for purchase across the GTA through Sobeys' new online grocery platform when it launches in 2020.

If this doesn't show Trader Joe's that we, as a country, are worthy of its dark chocolate peanut butter cups, I don't know what will.

One Ontario cottage county could upset many if it proceeds with plans to regulate short term rental accommodations.

Prince Edward County, located about two hours from Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario, has seen an overwhelming increase in short term rentals over the past few years, many of them Airbnb listings. 

As a result, the county council has explored its options, including changing bylaws and adding hefty licensing fees to owners of short term units, deterring that investment.

Supporters of the regulations say the amount of short term accommodation leaves streets "dark" when the units are empty, and that it brings strangers into the community, which leads to noise, safety concerns, and a reduction in community.

But many are opposed to the regulations, saying they will throttle the economy. If these short term units are reduced in number, it will leave the area with less returns on its huge investment in tourism. 

A petition, started by Curtis Sprissler, looks to stand against the regulations. 

"Protecting tourism is protecting our entire community," reads the petition, which was nearing half of its desired signatures as of Monday morning.

"We therefore call upon the Municipality of Prince Edward to retract the proposed bylaws and to exercise caution and restraint in the consideration of any future proposals."

The county's report on the issue found that there are both pros and cons to the number of short term rentals, and outlines options for addressing both. The report found over 28,000 people used Airbnb to stay in the region over the past year, marking a 140 per cent year-over-year increase.

Whether or not the regulations will be put into place is yet to be seen, but it will be interesting to see how they affect other regions' desires to do the same, including Toronto. 

Summer is over in southern Ontario, as evidenced by all of the people wearing coats today (and also by the calendar) — but don't put your shorts in storage just yet.

Believe it or not, temperatures are expected to rise from this morning's chilly low of 10 degrees Celsius all the way up to 22, which, with the humidex, will feel more like 29 by Tuesday.

This temperature swing, the latest in a longline of such rapid fluctuations for Toronto, will begin with a "feels like" jump from 13 C to 22 C between noon and 2 p.m. on Monday.

It's going to be wet but warm in Toronto on Tuesday after a chilly start to the week. Image via Environment Canada.

By Tuesday afternoon, we'll be back in the beachy zone — minus the beach, unless you like mud. Environment Canada is calling for rain on Monday night, all day Tuesday, and Wednesday morning.

After that, things will start to dry (and cool) off again, reaching a pleasant and sunny 19 degrees by Thursday.

The weekend is expected to be mild as well, with Saturday sitting at 17 degrees, so show off those autumn jackets while you can. Parka season is coming and, knowing this city, it'll probably hit just hours after the final heat wave of 2018.

The best banh mi in Toronto are the freshest Vietnamese subs around. Baguettes with pâté, cold cuts and pickles are the traditional product of French colonial influence on Vietnam, but with banh mi having seen a recent renaissance of sorts, there's no limit as to what cross-cultural ingredients you can get them filled with these days.

Here are the best banh mi in Toronto. 

Mississauga is a rapidly expanding city, and it's about to get a little taller. 

That's thanks to a new condo development, which, when finished, will be the tallest tower in the city and one of the tallest in the entire region. 

"M3," as its called, is part of the M City development on the west side of downtown Mississauga. The development includes two other completed buildings, fittingly titled M1 and M2, and proposals for more. 

The newest building will be 81 storeys tall and home to over 900 units in varying sizes. 

M3 is designed with a black and white zig-zag pattern, and will face a large public park that is included in the design of M City. 

NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard has finally broken the silence on how he feels about playing for Toronto, a full two months after the blockbuster trade that sent him here.

It was worth the wait, apparently — and not only because he seems genuinely happy to be here (contrary to initial reports.)

"[I'm] excited, knowing I'm coming to a great city that loves basketball," said Leonard in his first public appearance as a Raptor on Monday, calling the franchise a "great organization."

"I'm excited about the city, knowing they're a basketball city. Their fans come out and show a lot of energy."

Kawhi Leonard is a Toronto Raptor pic.twitter.com/t7guVHVjhM

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) September 24, 2018

Leonard was speaking to reporters at this morning's Toronto Raptors media day press conference, mostly in response to questions about the high-profile trade that sent DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs.

One question, however, prompted the normally stoic 27-year-old athlete to get personal.

"How would you describe yourself, and what would you like people to know about you?" asked a reporter, to which Leonard deadpan replied "I'm a fun guy."

Kawhi tells us everything we need to know about him. 😂

(🎥@TSN_Sports) pic.twitter.com/DZtoj7gdxO

— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 24, 2018

Then, after mentioning how much he loves basketball, the Los Angeles native skirted the question a bit, saying "I can't just give you the whole spiel... I don't even know where you're sitting at."

What came next — a lilting yet somehow robotic burst of laughter — threw Twitter into a tizzy (what doesn't though, really?)

When ya boss joke ain’t funny but you tryna get promoted pic.twitter.com/fU3qN7BEY0

— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) September 24, 2018

People have been joking that the large-handed basketball star's laugh is the result of malfunctioning software.

For some reason Kawhi’s laugh reminded me of this pic.twitter.com/DMznkojmnW

— Not My President (@KingFavre) September 24, 2018

Others, like Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman (and also me), think it's delightful.

Kawhi been hiding the best laugh in the game for his whole career. Lol 😂😂😂https://t.co/H4IrhcPpG7

— Marcus Stroman (@MStrooo6) September 24, 2018

Some are pretending to be freaked out.

imagine you’re on a date and he laughs like kawhi leonard

— Arati (@aratiii) September 24, 2018

Others can't believe his laugh belongs to an actual human.

Kawhi Leonard's laugh can't be real pic.twitter.com/ZdDgF2vFxU

— Dez, you crazy dawg (@DezWeNeedMoore) September 24, 2018

As at least one fan did point out, though, the Raptors were down a funny laugh after losing DeRozan.

Kawhi Leonard’s laugh was traded for Demar Derozan’s laugh.

Pretty even from that aspect. pic.twitter.com/HVCnJHpMex

— The Lando (@TheLando__) September 24, 2018

Hey, its something.

Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world...Toronto is getting another one.

Well, not a gin joint exactly, but a gin distillery at least. Reid’s Distillery, set to open at 32 Logan Avenue in Leslieville in late 2018, will be Toronto’s first distillery dedicated solely to the production of gin.

Their mission is to bring the craft spirit movement gaining global popularity to Toronto, where it’s more uncommon.

The distillery will also feature a retail space, cocktail bar, tours and tastings. Espousing a grain-to-glass ethos, Reid’s will release a range of gins from spicy to herbal using ingredients supplied by Canadian foragers in the months following their opening. 

Though a distillery is novel compared to the craft microbreweries that seem to pop up every day, it’s not the first in Toronto.

Spirit of York, also distilling gin, opened up recently in the Distillery District. Nickel 9 opened after that in the Junction Triangle, distilling their brand of Ontario apple vodka as well as gin of their own.

“Even from the cocktail bar, you’ll be able to see the stills making gin through our glass wall.  We want Reid’s to be a place for the community to explore craft spirits—specifically gin,” says Jacqueline Reid. 

“Toronto has seen a beer renaissance with craft beer and it’s about time our city sees how adventurous and flavourful gin can be.”

The family-run business is named for the patriarch of the family, who hails from Scotland, a country known for distilling talent. 

After multiple botched plans to develop the northwest corner of Bloor and Yonge, a new rezoning application has been submitted for the project known as Cumberland Square. 

It's been 15 years since plans were first submitted to redevelop the L-shaped site which sits at the northwest corner of Bloor and Yonge, and runs along the south side of Cumberland to Bay Street.

KingSett Capital has sumitted a rezoning application for the Cumberland Terrace site. Rendering by Giannone Petricone Associates via City of Toronto.

This newest proposal from KingSett Capital, made through a limited partnership via Bloor CT Acquisition LP and designed by Giannone Petricone Associates, suggests adding three towers—at 50, 66, and 69 storeys—and a public square. 

The revitalization of the site, which has flip-flopped under different designers between adding one tower, then two, hopes to revitalize the site of the aging three-level Cumberland Terrace by adding a 50- and 66-storey building west of the square, and a 69-storey tower to the east.

Past plans have included a failed consolidation of different properties in the Yorkville area, like Cumberland Square, 2 Bloor, the Holt Renfrew Centre, and 33 Yorkville to better co-ordinate future developments.

There was even an international design competition held jointly by KingSett and Morguard to see how to best redevelop the Yonge and Bloor block spanning from Bloor to just north of Cumberland, but that, too, went nowhere. 

KingSett, who acquired both Cumberland Terrace and the adjoining 34-storey tower at 2 Bloor St. West in 2015, will be keeping the latter pretty much the same structurally, but with improved retail space on the first three floors and connections to the future public square.

Their plans to take Cumberland Terrace—the old school Toronto shopping mall which was built in 1974 and today houses a number of empty storefronts and a sad little food court—and turn it into Cumberland Square will take up about 31 per cent of the site. 

Cumberland Square is a plaza being proposed to replace Cumberland Terrance. Rendering by Giannone Petricone Associates via City of Toronto.

Designed by Janet Rosenberg + Studio, the property may eventually e transformed into a plaza and gathering space equipped with a reflecting pool, something called a 'ghost house,' and a transparent canopy decked out with lights running between the east and west towers.

Underground, the revitalized plaza will feature connections via the PATH to the Bay subway station and surrounding buildings like the Holt Renfrew Centre. 

As for the buildings, both condos to the west of Cumberland Square will include car elevators, bike storage, and office spaces from the sixth floor to the eighth. 

The ninth floor will act as the main 'sky lobby,' while one floor above, the indoor amenities will face a rooftop terrace that links both western towers together.

To the east, on the other side of the plaza, the tallest building will feature retail space on its bottom two floors. The second floor will also have a large outdoor patio area, with condo suites starting on the fifth floor, and on the 45th floor, an outdoor pool. 

Cumberland Square could be a welcome addition to the hodge-podge of the many—some unwelcome—construction projects in and around the Yorkville area, but whether or not residents really end up getting a public space with their condos has yet to be seen. 

Bad news for burger and fried bologna sandwich lovers: King West restaurant The Home of the Brave has unceremoniously closed its doors for good.

There was no warning or official statement made, but local food photography blog Hypebelly posted to their Instagram story saying "shocked to find out @thehotb is closing tomorrow" adding "so many memories here."

The post was likely made from a soft close event Home of the Brave held for family, friends and regulars. Chef Nate Middleton says they didn't want to do a big public close at the restaurant that many non-regulars would likely flock to.

After five years at this King West location, Middleton says when it came to closing this was the "subtle, heartfelt way of doing it." Service proceeded as normal on Home of the Brave's last night with the exception of slinging all drinks for five bucks as a thank you.

Apparently an offer was made on the space the owners couldn't say no to, and it's been bought out for a similar restaurant bar concept.

As for Home of the Brave's Instagram account, don't unfollow: watch that space for a project all Middleton's own in a heritage building on Wellington East. He promises the comfort food he's become known for, a super bright space with "jungle" vibes, and brunch, lunch and dinner.

After 27 years, menswear fixture Uncle Otis is leaving its home in the ultra expensive Yorkville area for one of the least shi-shi neighbourhoods in the city: Chinatown. 

The contemporary men's clothing store, which was opened in 1991 by keyboardist Roger O'Donnell of British band The Cure and has been under the direction Donnell Enns since 2000, will be closing its longtime shop at 26 Bellair St. at the end of this month.

"Yorkville has been very good to us, but we’re really excited about our move to Spadina and the opportunity it brings," said Enns. "The new location has a fresh energy in an area filled with young, creative people."

The brand will be bringing their own designs and international streetwear collections to 329 Spadina Ave., which recently housed Bond Running.

Roughly 700 square-feet larger than the old location, the store known for its stock of high-end cozy chore coats and stylish accessories joins Stussy as yet another well-known streetwear shop to relocate to this historically dense area of stores and restaurants.

The new Uncle Otis will be open to the public on October 4. 

Nuit Blanche 2018 in Toronto will challenge your perceptions of the city, allowing you to explore familiar spaces with new eyes, from viewpoints as varied as the artists behind them.

This year's theme, You Are Here, is about the place we call home and the people within it —  past, present and future. From sunset to sunrise, the reinterpreted spaces of Toronto are yours to discover on September 29.

Here are my picks for must-see exhibits this year at Nuit Blanche.

Must-see exhibits

Photon Gallery 4.0 

This highly interactive group exhibit near Bloor and Ossington from Site 3 coLaboratory will feature a wearable version of the video game Frogger, an air-hockey table that shoots fire, a waterfall that lets you "freeze" droplets in mid air, sentient glowing orbs and more.

Cavalier Noir

Visual artist Ekow Nimako will be using more than 80,000 Lego pieces to build his most monumental piece yet in Scarborough. Meant to inspire critical thought about the idea of heroes, it will take the form of a black child warrior mounted over seven feet tall, riding a unicorn.

International Dumpling Festival 

Part side-street food court, part tribute to downtown Toronto's 19th century ethnic communities, Ken Lum's International Dumpling Festival next to the Eaton Centre at James and Queen will feature dumplings from around the world.

On Flashing Lights 

DJs from Toronto's queer, immigrant and racialized communities are set to perform against the lights of police vehicles, which will be forming a barricade along Bay Street as part of this thought-provoking, participatory installation by artist Brendan Fernandes.

See the latest from BirdO at 150 York St. near University and Adelaide in the Financial District.

BirdO 

Toronto street artist birdO is creating his first large-scale sculpture for the garden podium, an urban oasis above 150 York Street. Inspired by the small yet resilient Kirtland's Warbler, his vibrant, animalistic sculpture is expected to "loom large over the downtown core."

Make Your Mark

Interactive exhibitions never fail to disappoint. For this one, artist Meghan Ross is asking members of the public to dip their fingertips in glue, let the glue dry, peel it off, and then contribute their own unique patterns to a shimmering mass at Toronto's Coach Terminal.

Daniel Iregui is setting up some trippy tunnels at OCAD.

FORWARD 

Visit OCAD this Nuit Blanche to experience Daniel Iregui's trippy "tunnels," which generate infinite ways to get to a distant point on the horizon. The unique combination of sight, sound and movement speaks to the idea that our present lives are forever fleeing us.

Demos – A Reconstruction 

The newly-opened MOCA on Sterling Road invites visitors to reshape their space using 74 different modules that can be moved to create different structures such as seating, walls, columns, thresholds, amphitheatres or stages. Designed by artist Andreas Angelidakis.

Don't let the human skelatons scare you at the exhibit by nichola feldman-kiss.

an initial aversion to the plight of the sufferer 

This haunting exhibition from nichola feldman-kiss features larger than life-sized portraits of young men holding an actual human skeleton. The anonymous skeleton is approximately the same age as the men who carry it in the style of Mary cradling the body of Christ.

Long Distance Relationship  

Participants are invited to communicate with each other using only light, sound and shadow in Christopher Dela Cruz and Patrick Atienza's two-part electronic installation. The kicker is that one half of the installation is downtown, while the other is in Scarborough.

What to see in Scarborough

Hiba Abdallah is planning a large-scale text installation at the Scarborough Civic Centre.

Everything I Wanted to Tell You

Artist Hiba Abdallah's large-scale text installation will display the untold personal stories, secrets and conversations of Scarborough residents in all of their complexity on the 90-foot facade of the Civic Centre for one night.

Afroscanned

Straight up out of London, England comes this installation where volunteers get 3D-scanned, turned into digital avatars, and then project-mapped onto an artfully designed series of boxes. The more participants through the night, the bigger the projections will grow.

If you love globes you'll want to check out Walk Among Worlds. Photo by Sue Holland.

Walk Among Worlds

Surround yourself in globes of all sizes, shapes and states. This large installation by Mexico's Máximo González is meant to provoke discussion about how we understand worlds that are different from the ones we inhabit, but would also just make a great photo backdrop.

Sincerely, Scarborough

Helmed by the acclaimed Director X, this all-night program of talks, workshops, and live demonstrations begins with an exploration of Scarborough's influence on Canadian hip-hop and ends with sunrise yoga.

What to see in Don Mills

Go inside a yurt at the Aga Khan Museum this Nuit Blanche. Photo by Connie Tsang.

Arrivals and Encounters

If you're looking to take in as much art as possible without all the walking, consider Aga Khan Museum's all-night cultural exploration of art, music, comedy and dance. The program features more than 80 artists in ten spaces across the property — one of them, a Mongolian yurt.

STEAM-Powered Stories

Science, technology, engineering, math and art will collide this nuit blanche for some truly unforgettable stories and interactive experiences at the Ontario Science Centre. Walk through a 3D model of a constellation, for starters, between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

What to see in Bloor Yorkville

A ghost school will be projected near Queen's Park. Image via St Joseph’s College School.

Ghost School

A massive projection of the original St. Joseph's School, founded on principles of social justice by the Sisters of St. Joseph, will be projected onto the government towers that came to replace it in the 1960s. The "ghost school" will be visible all night near Queen's Park. 

W-O-M-A-N

Another collaborative, multi-artist exhibition, W-O-M-A-N promises to lead audience members through "societal rites of passage" for women with costume design, horticultural art, mosaics,  sculpture, videography, performance art and more.

What to see Downtown

Keep your eyes on the sky bridge during Nuit Blanche. Photo by Justine Levesque.

Continuum: Pushing Towards the Light 

Circus artists and dancers will fill the CF Toronto Eaton Centre's spectacular new bronze and glass sky bridge over Queen Street West for what promises to be one heck of a light and colour show. Performers will be moving as an ensemble inside the tube all night.

Down at the Twilight Zone

Hit the City Hall loading dock between sunrise and sunset for what acclaimed artist Harold Offeh calls a "participatory investigation" of nocturnal queer identities. The space will be transformed into a club-like setting reminiscent of Toronto's legendary Twilight Zone.

Old photos will be on display in a parking garage near City Hall. Image via Gayle Chong Kwan.

Preserved

Hosted in the underground parkade beneath Nathan Phillips Square, this installation from award-winning British artist Gayle Chong Kwan will see collages of old photos from early immigrant neighbourhoods like Toronto's Ward blown up to the size of theatre sets.

Confessions

Projects that ask audience members to anonymously spill their guts are a recurring thing at Nuit Blanche, and for a reason: They're cathartic as heck. You can share your most scandalous secrets for this exhibit by Concordis in a booth on Sept 29, or ahead of time online.

City Hall will be covered in a patchwork of jute sacks during Nuit Blanche. Image via Ibrahim Mahama.

Radical Histories 

For this gigantic installation, Artist Ibrahim Maham will cover the front-facing edge of Toronto City Hall with a masterfully-sewn patchwork of jute sacks, which are used in his native Ghana to package goods like cocoa and coffee for export to the Americas and Europe.

Mirrors of Babel

Words become structure in two complementary works by French-Tunisian artist eL Seed. One piece sits at Yonge-Dundas Square while the other is at Scarborough Civic Centre. Both are works of "calligraphic architecture" based on the Arabic translation of a 1903 poem.

Special Events

Hendrick's Gin Hot Air Balloon

Those lucky enough to score a pair of golden tickets will get to see Nuit Blanche from above in the 65-foot Hendrick’s Gin L.E.V.I.T.A.T.R.E. hot air balloon. Visit the Air Departure Lounge at Nathan Phillips Square for the chance to win a flight every hour between 7 p.m. and 12 a.m.

The Hendrick's Gin Hot Air Balloon will once again be giving free rides in the sky during Nuit Blanche. Photo by Hector Vasquez

Photo challenge

Nuit Blanche is a huge photo opp, so why not tag your photos on Instagram for a chance to win prizes? The contest starts when Nuit Blanche does at 6:58 p.m. on Saturday September 29 and the deadline to submit is the end of day September 30.

All you have to do is tag your best shots with the #blogTOnbTO hashtag. Not on Instagram? You can also e-mail the photos to us at photochallenge [at] blogto [dotcom].

We'll then narrow the entries to ten finalists and put the winners to a vote from October 1 to October 7 after which the winners will be announced.

Prizes for the top three photos include:

• 1st place: $200 Henry's giftcard
• 2nd place: $100 Henry's giftcard
• 3rd place: $50 Henry's giftcard

It's a good day for the nuanced and different today in Toronto, as the best events happen to be the most curious. Experimental tunes, a portrait series, a sex variety show, civic discussion and free dance party are all on. Honestly, what isn't happening today?

This ultra modern new build home is nestled in the lush Kingsway neighbourhood. The boxy exterior is an odd mix of brick, stucco, wood and glass.The main floor is open plan, with the kitchen, living and dining area all blending into one big space. I love the sleek marble fireplace and the huge floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the home with sunlight.

The kitchen is sleek and minimalist. I’m not a huge fan of how the dining room is still right in the middle of the kitchen. Maybe that’s just my old-fashioned ways but I want a separate area if I’m going to host a dinner party.

Just off the kitchen is an adorable little courtyard in the middle of the house. It’s such an apartment-building thing to have for a house but I can't deny that it's unique and I’m really into it.

There’s also a small office tucked away on the main floor for anyone who needs to work from home.

Upstairs are the main bedrooms. They’re all pretty spacious with huge windows that flood the space with natural light.

The master bedroom has a walk-in closet and a spa-like en suite bathroom.

There’s plenty of living space in the basement with a gym, sauna, an extra bedroom and a big family room.

The backyard is huge and has lots of trees for shade. It also has a great deck and a luxurious pool and hot tub. 

Specs

• Address: 42 Bannon Avenue
• Price: $3,299,900
• Lot Size: 32 x 215 feet
• Bedrooms: 4 +1
• Bathrooms: 5
• Parking: 4
• Walk Score: 48
• Transit Score: 67
• Listing agent: Arta Dawkins
• Listing ID: W4250714

Good For

Summer pool parties. Sure, it’s supposed to be fall now but the backyard is perfect for hosting a BBQ and pool party with all your friends and kid's friends.

Move On If

You’d rather live right downtown. The Kingsway has a lot going for it but it’s still Etobicoke.

With the leaves turning colour and the crisp cool air rolling in, there's no better time to get outside and enjoy all of the outdoor activities Ontario has to offer.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Inna Hemme (@innaskyblog) on Nov 21, 2016 at 7:32am PST

From scenic drives, to canoe trips, fall hikes, and treetop treks, it might seem impossible to tick every item off your autumn bucket list. Luckily, there is one tour in Ontario that combines all four, and it's pretty much the ultimate day excursion for any nature lover.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kirstan Tereschyn (@ktereschyn) on Oct 9, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

Less than three hours from Toronto in Haliburton, you'll find the longest suspended boardwalk in the world that is part of an epic canopy tour. The entire tour is broken up into four stages and lasts a little over three hours.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Inna Hemme (@innaskyblog) on Nov 30, 2016 at 9:32am PST

It begins with a scenic drive through a private forest that will be bursting with colour in just a few weeks. Then, you'll embark upon a canoe trip through the calm, pristine waters of Muskoka.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nathan Cervoni (@natecervoni) on Aug 7, 2018 at 10:01am PDT

After you've paddled a short distance, you'll dock your canoe and explore the picturesque wilderness by foot, until you reach the Pelaw River Rapids. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Haliburton Forest (@haliburton_forest) on Jul 13, 2018 at 4:39pm PDT

The last part of the tour is the main attraction - the canopy trek. At over half a kilometre long, this boardwalk among the clouds is the longest of its kind in the world. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Haliburton Forest (@haliburton_forest) on Jun 18, 2018 at 3:39am PDT

This guided tour will weave you through the forest treetops, high above the forest ground below. Various platforms along the route will offer you some opportunities to rest, and snap some 'grams.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Haliburton Forest (@haliburton_forest) on Oct 6, 2016 at 9:10am PDT

Tours run twice daily until mid-October and costs $95/person, which includes a complimentary pass to the Wolf Centre. 

Toronto's eastern waterfront is fast becoming a new type of hub for the city's fast-growing high tech sector, and MaRS Discovery District — the largest science and technology incubator in Canada — wants a piece of the action.

The non-profit innovation and research centre announced plans this morning (in partnership with the University of Toronto) for a new, 24,000-square-foot office inside a forthcoming Menkes development next to Sugar Beach.

Called the Waterfront Innovation Centre, the development is expected to open in 2021 and accommodate more than 3,000 employees.

It'll be "just a stone's throw from the proposed Sidewalk Toronto neighbourhood," as U of T puts it, creating plenty of much-needed office space for the city's booming tech industry in one centralized location.

Tenants of the new Waterfront Innovation Centre will have immediate access to Alphabet Inc.'s 'neighbourhood of the future.'  Rendering via Menkes Developments / CNW Newswire.

"As Toronto becomes a destination for global talent, venture capital and tech corporations, demand for space is at an all-time high," said MaRS CEO Yung Wu in an announcement on Tuesday.

The non-profit's 780,000-square-foot West tower at College Street and University Avenue is currently 99.8 per cent full, meaning that viable startups are being turned away every week due to lack of space.

"Toronto is experiencing its lowest commercial vacancy rate ever (three per cent), making the city the most sought after market in North America," Wu said. "Our startups and partners need more space to scale, and this new development is the ideal location for that growth."

A supply crunch on downtown Toronto office space has tech giants turning to the eastern waterfront with plans for a community of their own. Rendering via Menkes/UofT.

MaRS and U of T will only take up a fraction of the two-tower Waterfront Innovation Centre's total 400,000 square feet, but its important to both organizations that they have a presence at the complex.

"U of T sees itself as a primary anchor of Toronto's innovation ecosystem," said U of T's Scott Mabury. "If that ecosystem is going to expand to a different part of the city, then we want to have U of T's flag planted there."

If all goes well with the lease agreement, MaRS and U of T will be located together in a tower called "the HIVE."

Startup workers and university researchers will have access to scalable, collaborative working space with floor-to-ceiling windows, among other resources, and a high-speed broadband network fuelled, in part, by self-generating solar power.

This little piggy went to market. This little piggy stayed home. This little piggy went "wee wee wee!" southbound on Highway 400 near Vaughan until it got picked up by the cops.

In an incident York Regional Police deemed "too cute not to share," a rogue piglet was spotted trotting down the road just north of Toronto on Friday morning.

The animal was walking on the 400 in the area of Highway 407, according to police, when an officer was able to stop and apprehend it.

TOO CUTE NOT TO SHARE - Despite the predictable cop/pig jokes we'll receive, this cute little piggy was rescued by one of our officers on Friday morning when it was spotted hoofing it down S/B Hwy 400, in the area of Hwy 407. It was taken to a local animal shelter to be cared for pic.twitter.com/HFDswxuU3J

— York Regional Police (@YRP) September 24, 2018

It is not known where the pig came from or how it got onto the highway, though small pigs have been known to escape from transport trucks (and thus eventual slaughter).

The highway pig was taken to a local animal shelter to be cared for, according to York Regional Police, who bravely shared a photo of the little guy "despite the predictable cop/pig jokes we'll receive."