If you thought this month was feeling a little bit colder than Novembers past, then you'd be right.

This morning, Toronto's recorded temperature broke a record that had stuck around for almost 30 years. 

The temperature recorded this morning was -13C, beating the previous low of -12.4C recorded in 1989. The average temperature for this time of year, according to Environment Canada, is about -1.8C. 

A cold weather alert was put in place by the city last night and, unfortunately, they weren't wrong. It felt like -18C on Wednesday night with the windchill.

Things should warm up a bit later this week, however, as forecasts call for weekend highs of about 5C or 6C. 

Toronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now

• Brunch fave Lady Marmalade has reopened in a beautifully designed new location at 265 Broadview Avenue in East Chinatown.
• Donna's is now serving lunch (and soon, dinner) at 827 Lansdowne Avenue in the Junction Triangle in what was formerly brunch spot Hello Darling.
• Viaggio, an Italian restaurant from the chef and some of the team behind the shuttered Commodore, has opened at 1727 Dundas Street West (at Lansdowne) in what was formerly Branca.
• Chadani, an Indian restaurant, is now open at 51 Colborne Street by St. Lawrence, replacing Real Mo-Mo's.
• Come See Me, a restaurant/bar, has taken over Li'ly at 656 College Street (at Beatrice) in Little Italy.
• Dak Lak, a Vietnamese coffee shop, has opened a second location, which can be found at 283 College Street (at Spadina Avenue).
• A cocktail-focused bar in Little Portugal called Project Gigglewater is now open at 1369 Dundas Street West in what used to be Sex Laser.
• Greek restaurant Ruru has replaced Mutual Street Deli at 154 Dundas Street East.
• Rally has opened its second location, which can be found at 4950 Yonge Street in North York.
• Korean chain Chicken in the Kitchen has opened its first Toronto location at 5600 Yonge Street (at Finch) in North York, replacing Ssam.

Recently reviewed

• Virtuous Pie
• Sophie's Kitchen
• Jessy's Pizza
• Wu Jian Dao
• Karahi Point
• Lawyers and Lattes
• Brar Sweets
• Cafe Embargo
• Cozy Coffee
• Dessert Lady Cafe

Opening soon

• Black Rose Cafe is coming soon to 940 Gerrard Street East (at Pape Avenue) in Leslieville.
• Organic, vegan and vegetarian Kaspace Cafe will be opening next month in what used to be Sandy Aleksander at 1183 Queen Street East (at Jones) in Leslieville.
• Something called Yeon will be opening soon at 465 Queen Street West (at Spadina).
• It looks like the short-lived The Anne Boleyn is going to become the Queen Anne Restaurant & Bar at 287 Richmond Street West (by Peter).
• Egyptian restaurant Papyrus looks to be opening soon at 337 Danforth Avenue in what was formerly Village Pie.

Other news

• Kensington Market's Otto's Berlin Doner is closing for three months on November 26 for renovations.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com.

Dating, hanging, chilling, seeing, catching a show, grabbing a bite, meeting up for coffee or drinks: Call it what you will, but don't call it cheap.

A new analysis of date night costs around the world suggests that a "typical" romantic outing in Canada will set you back $125 (if you're paying for the date, that is).

That's about $5 more than the average global cost of $120 CAD, based on a date consisting of a mid-range dinner for two, a shared bottle of wine, two cinema tickets, and an eight-kilometre taxi ride home.

In Toronto, however, the price tag for such an outing is pegged at $142 — though lets be real, most dates in this city involve more booze than "a shared bottle of wine." Two people could easily drop $142 on cocktails alone here over the course of an average date, or is that just everyone I've ever met?

Romantic date ideas suggested by the dating site EliteSingles include 'bottle of wine' and 'taxi ride'. Image via EliteSingles.

The premium dating site EliteSingles now pegs Toronto as the 9th most expensive city in the world for dates, up two places over its spot in the ranking last year.

Vancouver is the only Canadian city in which people tend to spend more money on a single date at $149. Canada's cheapest city on the list is Winnipeg, where you can spend a night on the town for just $116.

Here's how 10 of the country's biggest cities measure up:

1. Vancouver, BC: $149
2. Toronto, ON: $142
3. Calgary, AB: $130
4. Hamilton, ON: $120
5. Montreal, QC: $119
6. Ottawa, ON: $119
7. Quebec City, QC: $119
8. Edmonton, AB: $118
9. Halifax, NS: $117
10. Winnipeg, MB: $116

An average date in Istanbul will cost you just $40 CAD, plus approximately $1,400 per flight ticket from Toronto. Image via EliteSingles. 

In terms of the 25 international cities surveyed, Oslo, Norway will run you up the largest bill at $221 CAD, followed by London ($209), New York ($187), Stockholm ($160) and Tokyo ($159).

Istanbul, Turkey and Mumbai, India are the cheapest places on Earth to date at just $40 and $46 a night, respectively, according to EliteSingles.

Here's a full ranking of the 25 major global cities analyzed this year:

1. Oslo, Norway:  $221
2. London, UK: $209
3. New York, USA: $187
4. Stockholm, Sweden: $160
5. Tokyo, Japan: $159
6. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: $151
7. Paris, France: $148
8. Sydney, Australia: $147
9. Toronto, Canada: $142
10. Auckland, New Zealand: $137
11. Hong Kong: $135
12. Berlin, Germany: $131
13. Seoul, South Korea: $113
14. Singapore: $111
15. Barcelona, Spain: $111
16. Nairobi, Kenya: $96
17. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: $91
18. Taipei, Taiwan (ROC): $89
19. Shanghai, China (PRC): $87
20. Moscow, Russia: $79
21. Cape Town, South Africa: $72
22. Bogotá, Columbia: $68
23. Mexico City, Mexico: $59
24. Mumbai, India: $46
25. Istanbul, Turkey: $40

Budget accordingly, friends, because whether you're looking to find the love of your life or hoping to get down just for the night, you'll probably have to spend some cash.

Gamers and cosplayers, assemble: there's a brand new games lounge coming to the city, and it looks like it's going to be big. 

A new spot called Pixels and Pints is slated to open up just a few minutes' walk from Broadview Station, taking over the old school Polish spot Mihalis Place at 791 Broaview Ave.

It's expected to open its doors before winter hits, and when it does, visitors will be able to pay $5 to play over 30 arcade games and more than 2,000 home console games while drinking some brews.

Expect arcade classics like Buck Hunter and Ivan Stewart's Super Off Road (the one with three steering wheels—cool). 

For the real geeks, there'll be weekly events like Geek Trivia and cosplay contests, and video game tourneys on the daily. You can even host a party there, if you and your crew are all about that Atari life.

Ontario universities are taking several blows lately, from the cancellation of satellite campuses to the quashing of a francophone school. 

The newest setback for Ryerson is the provincial government rejecting approval for a new law school that had been in the works for several years. 

Training, Colleges, and Universities Minister Merrilee Fullerton says that a surplus of law graduates and shortage of positions eliminates the need for the school. 

Ryerson can technically still build the law institute, but would have to raise tuition costs significantly. 

This comes as yet another round of bad news for Ryerson, which also recently had its funding cancelled by the provincial government for a new joint campus with Sheridan in Brampton.

Doug Ford's PC government is back at it again with the attention-grabbingannouncements this week as Ontario continues to circles around Toronto's public transit system.

Speaking to the Toronto Region Board of Trade on Wednesday, new Ontario Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek said that his party intends to expand the city's existing subway lines out into the suburbs, chiefly to York, Peel and Durham regions.

First, however, the province will need to seize full control of the TTC.

Our Government, For the People, wants to immediately focus on uploading the TTC transit system to the Province. Let's tackle this challenge first, with its potential to benefit millions of users @TorontoRBOTpic.twitter.com/82y1cm4X6l

— jeff yurek (@JeffYurekMPP) November 21, 2018

Yurek said on Wednesday that the province will be introducing some sort of legislation early next year to "upload" Toronto's subway system to Queen's Park and use it as part of a regional transportation network they intend to create.

"Looking ahead, when the uploading is completed, Ontario will have greater control to implement vital regional transit-policy objectives," he explained. 

"We will be able be able to push the subway [farther] into York, Peel and the Durham regions."

Setting aside that this would cost billions of dollars and that this provincial government surely does not want to spend billions of dollars on transit, I have to ask: they are aware the GO Transit system already exists, right? https://t.co/TmVrsaL18w

— Matt Elliott (@GraphicMatt) November 21, 2018

This isn't the first we've heard of such a plan. A newly-elected Ford alluded to the idea back in June, casually telling reporters that "folks in Pickering eventually will be able to hop on a subway and get to downtown Toronto."

Ford did not provide any details about how the province would pay for such an ambitious project, raising doubts about the future of his suburban subways — but the Premier appears to have been dead serious.

This is proving worrisome for many in Toronto who feel that perhaps we should focus on fixing our dysfunctional subway system before building it out even further.

Why address an urgent need of city residents (the #downtownreliefline) when they can increase convenience for suburbanites instead? Subways exist because cities are *dense*. This will pile more demand on the #subway, when what's needed is more capacity. https://t.co/lRziRWTGrs

— Lorne Beaton (@lbeaton1) November 21, 2018

The TTC has been struggling with capacity issues and mass overcrowding for years, hence the frantic desire among citizens for that long-awaited Downtown Relief Line.

Yurek didn't mention the relief line during his speech, but when asked about it afterwards, he confirmed that Ford's government wants to built it as as soon as possible.

"The Relief Line is a priority for this government," he said. "We believe that we can work with the city of Toronto to ensure that it’s built in a timely manner."

Earlier this week, a comprehensive 60-page-long report from CodeRedTO found that the very future of public transit in Toronto is already at risk of collapse

So whatever Ford does, lets hope he gets it right.

Union Station's food options are about to get a lot better. On the heels of a new wave of restaurants and bakeries includng Amano, Union Chicken, Biscotteria Forno Cultura and Calii Love, the long awaited food court is set to finally open next week.

On Monday, November 26, the food court will be the first area to open of a new retail level. The 25,000-square-foot space will seat 600 and feature 10 food vendors. 

Around 80 per cent of vendors should be ready to serve on opening day: Sushi Shop, Shanghai 360, Loaded Pierogi, Bangkok Buri, Pizza Pizza, Tim Hortons, Paramount Fine Foods and McDonald’s. Roywoods and Scaccia will open a little later.

Design undertaken by Partisans, the same team behind the famously lovely Bar Raval, means the area should not only provide convenience but look beautiful too.

Now Wvrst just needs to open in the York Promenade, and we’ll be all set for everything from sausage and beer to jerk chicken in Union Station.

After a decade of serving decadent brunches upstairs and ceiling slapper ragers downstairs, Parts & Labour has announced it will be closing its doors forever on January 1, 2019. 

The restaurant posted their closure announcement on Instagram last night, thanking their "loyal clientele" and staff for their support over the last ten years. 

View this post on Instagram

To Our Valued Guests, Parts & Labour will be closing its doors on January 1st, 2019. It has been an honour to serve the community of Parkdale, Toronto, and those that have joined us from afar for what has been a 10 year journey. We wish to thank our loyal clientele for their continued patronage and support over the years. It has been an incredible experience and none of this would have been possible without you. We would also like to thank our entire staff, both past and present, as well as those that contributed in many different ways. P&L invites you for a warm return, to enjoy some final memories as we wind down the ending of our era. Service will continue as usual until our final farewell on New Years Eve 2018. Please come and join us in celebrating. Best, P&L

A post shared by Parts & Labour (@partsnlabour) on Nov 21, 2018 at 3:32pm PST

"It has been an honour to serve the community of Parkdale, Toronto, and those that have joined us from afar for what has been a 10 year journey." 

It's unclear as to why the longtime restaurant is closing considering it's still one of the most popular destinations in the area.

Parts & Labour is shutting down and I’m honestly upset?????

— STEFANY 🍥 (@stefcoeur) November 22, 2018

Responses across social media have been largely sad faces and heart emojis, and what feels like all of Toronto reminiscing on messy nights and legendary parties at P&L—from the live music acts that graced its tiny stage to, according to the comments, the babies conceived afterward. 

Noooooooooo.

To top it off...they had one of the best burgers in the city

— IG: royceBIRTH (@roycebirth) November 22, 2018

The iconic burgers will be missed too, as will the brunch, the risottos, and the rest of the menu.

It's yet another blow to the live music scene, and Toronto will be hard-pressed to find another restaurant where guests will dine off shaking tables upstairs while parties bump in the basement all night long.

The restaurant will be be continuing regular service until it closes officially on New Years Eve. 

Badass battle swords: They're not just for hanging on your living room wall to impress guests (unless you ask the cops, in which case they most definitely are).

Peel Police are investigating an attempted robbery in Mississauga this week after three men successfully defended a jewellery store by charging at their would-be attackers while brandishing sabre-style swords.

The incident is said to have taken place on Wednesday afternoon at Ashok Jewellers, which describes itself as the leading Indian Jewellery store in Canada.

A #Mississauga jewelry store fended off a would-be robber with swords https://t.co/IgbyqwVlcUpic.twitter.com/zlzEQAhA0l

— blogTO (@blogTO) November 22, 2018

Police say that four unidentified suspects broke the store's window with a hammer while an employee was showing rings to a customer just metres away.

Security footage shows the customer and employee fleeing the area as a suspect clears glass from the window frame and attempts to enter the business near Airport Road and Beverley Street.

Just as the would-be robber jumps inside the store, that same employee comes back with two other men wielding huge swords.

None of the men strike anyone with their weapons, but the sight of swords around in the air was enough, it seems, to scare all four thieves away.

Police say that the window smashers fled in a dark-coloured SUV and have yet to be apprehended. Nobody was injured as a result of the fray.

Peel Regional Police are investigating a jewellery store robbery in the area of Airport Road and Beverley Street in Mississauga. Four suspects wanted, all had their faces covered. No weapons seen.https://t.co/OZVFXGobf6pic.twitter.com/hoD98hetIW

— The Mississauga News (@MissiNewsRoom) November 21, 2018

Unique as though this situation may seem, it's actually not.

The owner of a different jewellery store in Mississauga actually fended off three thieves with a sword just this summer after they rammed a van into his business.

This is not an advisable move, say police.

"We don't want people doing things that would cause any harm to themselves," said Peel Police Const. Danny Marttini of this week's incident to CBC Toronto.

"Safety is first and foremost," he continued. "At the end of the day, property is property."

It turns out the strange new screen that just popped up in Corktown is, in fact, a pizza joint. 

Pizza Forno just opened up a location at 535 Adelaide Street East, and it's the most innovative way to order pizzas in Toronto right now. 

Just to be clear, it's not actually a store—there's no seating or even humans to speak of here. 

Pizza Forno is an automated pizza machine that's open 24/7. Photo by Tanya Mok.

This invention from Brampton-based equipment company TFI Food Equipment Solutions is somewhere between an ATM machine and the DIY screens at McDonald's, allowing its customers order their pies from a screen in the wall. 

There's four different types of personal-sized pizzas to choose from: BBQ chicken, honey with goat cheese, mozzarella cheese, and of course, pepperoni. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pizza Forno (@thepizzaforno) on Aug 23, 2018 at 5:53am PDT

Pizzas are obviously not made to order: there's ready-made pies in the automated machine, which assembles, boxes, and pops out your order from a little slot within three minutes. 

It's card-only payment, and prices range from $13 to $16 for a hot boxed pizza, and $1 less for cold pizzas which you can take home and heat up yourself. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pizza Forno (@thepizzaforno) on Jul 17, 2018 at 4:48am PDT

The best part about the whole thing might be the fact that the machine is open 24/7, unlike most other pizzerias which require actual humans.

This convenient contraption is the only location of Pizza Forno right now, but I have a feeling there'll be more popping up before long. 

Remember when the government promised that we'd all be able to zip back and forth between Toronto and Windsor in just two hours on a high-speed train by 2031?

Yeah, that might not happen after all.

Doug Ford's PC government announced this week that it is considering "alternatives" to the planned, multi-billion dollar, high-speed rail corridor running through Canada's most densely-population region.

Proposed by Ontario's previous Liberal government, the plan would have seen trains moving at 250 km/h between Toronto and London by 2025. An extension to the very bottom of Ontario (where Detroit begins) was scheduled to come along six years after that.

Robust, quick and efficient public transit is always needed, especially in Southern Ontario where the population continues to grow.

But the Ford government may scrap the high speed rail from Toronto to Windsor. #onpoli#cdnpolihttps://t.co/djNr4RJmQf

— Progress Canada (@Progresscdn) November 22, 2018

New provincial Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek said in an interview with the Canadian Press this week that the his party would not halt the ongoing environmental assessment set in motion by Kathleen Wynne.

Instead, they'll be expanding the scope of the assessment to include such alternatives as increased Via Rail service, higher capacity buses or improved highway infrastructure.

Yurek also said that a separate federal advisory board for the project has been disbanded. A report released by that report in 2017 concluded that there was a strong business case for the corridor, noting that it would take some pressure off the heavily-travelled Highway 401.

The rail corridor would also free up air travel capacity and spur regional development, according to the report, in a stretch of Ontario that accounts for 60 per cent of the province's economic activity.

I'm a full supporter of @fordnation but I'm not against high speed rail. Done properly, it could definitely be a real boon to southwestern Ontario, and truly make us "Open for Business"!

— Meat Hook (@TheMeatHook2k) November 21, 2018

"We have not yet heard if this project will go forward. We only know the team assigned to this project has been dismantled, and we have no timeline for their review," said Liberal politician Marie-France Lalonde to CP when asked about the high-speed rail line.

"We hope that this government takes a long-term approach, instead of relying on short-sighted cuts."

On behalf of the legions of Torontonians who travel frequently to Windsor, Chatham, London, Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph to see family, conduct business or attend university... me too.

Black Friday deals in Toronto for 2018 have big-name brands like Lululemon, Best Buy, IKEA and Nordstrom offering up some seriously good savings alongside many local shops with amazing discounts just in time for the holiday season.

Here's a round-up of the top Black Friday deals this year.

Fashion

18 Waits

This Toronto menswear staple is offering a cool 20 per cent off on their Canadian-made jackets, shirts, pants, shoes and accessories online with the code BLACKFRIDAY from now until November 25.

Aritizia

Hesitate no more to pick up that cozy sweater or pair of slacks, because Aritizia's Black Friday sale is back with—no joke—50 per cent off nearly everything from now until November 25.

Change

This Queen West lingerie store is offering a hefty 40 per cent off on everything in-store including bras, panties, accessories, sleepwear and lots more.

The Citizen Room

European fashion is on sale in Toronto during this Black Friday sale featuring jewellery, gifts, clothing and unique wears imported from all over the world to the boutique on Queen Street West.

Frank + Oak

Back again is this annual Black Friday sale with 30 per cent off men's and women's sweaters, pants, shoes, jackets, skirts and lots more with the code BLACKFRIDAY30.

Fredrick Prince

For a special someone or just yourself, save up to 30 per cent on quite the selection of accessories and handmade artisan jewellery, all designed at the shop at Dundas W and Bathurst Street.

Gerhard Supply

Big saving on Canadian-made menswear is on with 20 per cent off select autumn and winter fashions at both in-store locations and online with the code BLACKFRIDAY.

Holt Renfrew

The famed department store is already in Black Friday Mode and offering high-end designer stuff on sale up to 50 per cent off on some of their fall fashions and accessories, both store-wide and online.

La Vie en Rose

The lingerie brand is offering nice 2 for 1 on everything deal for Black Friday. That includes including bras, sleepwear, panties, accessories and swimwear.

Lululemon

Athletic wear at this fan favourite seller is on sale, including men's and women's tops, leggings, intimates and accessories, some for up to half off the original price. 

Mejuri

This local, handmade jeweller is having a three-day Black Friday sale with 10 per cent off of one, 15 per cent off of two and 20 per cent off of three or more pieces during the only sale Mejuri has each year.

Nordstrom

Whatever you've been eyeing, now's the change to get it on the cheap as Nordstrom has deals in-store and online with up to 60 per cent off on brand-name pieces, home accessories, gifts and lots more from November 23 to 26.

North Standard Trading Post

This source for all things Canadiana is knocking off 30 per cent a huge selection of their accessories, decor, clothing and more. The sale event applies to discounted items, and is in-store only.

Old Navy

Stock up on shirts, pants, winter wear, and all kinds of garments, with discounts of up to 50 per cent off your purchase and lots of little deals on accessories like $1 socks, lots of items for $5, free shipping and more.

Over the Rainbow

Men's and women's denim is on sale up to and 40 per cent off, plus 15 per cent off regular priced items in store (code: BLACKFRIDAY15) and a Cyber Monday sale (code: CYBER20) with even more savings on the luxury brands offered here.

Peace Collective

Not one, but four days of sales are on, with up to 70 per cent off site-wide on a ton of merch including the famous Toronto vs. Everybody gear, hats, shirts, accessories and lots more with no exclusions, until November 25.

Reebok

Rebook has the deals on deck when it comes to footwear with new and different shoes styles and clothes on sale for up to 40 per cent off on over 1,000, regular-priced products.

Saks OFF 5th

Winter wear, shoes, sleep wear, jewellery, handbags, sunglasses and even fragrances are all on sale from between 15 to 50 per cent off as Saks OFF 5th has your back, come gift-giving season.

Secrets From Your Sister

This local lingerie shop and bra fitting boutique is having two days of sales with 25 per cent off bras and matching panty up to 30 per cent and sale items 75 per cent off from November 23 to 24.

Sephora

Thousands of beauty products and accessories will be on sale for $15 or less during this in-store and online Black Friday sale, all while a ton of other items are already on sale for up to 50 per cent off.

Top Shop

All the newest looks for winter are already on sale for up to 50 per cent on jackets, denim, partywear, shoes, knitwear and lots more online and in-store.

Tuck Shop Trading Co.

Fans of the famous neighbourhood hats can receive 40 per cent off Tuck Shop merch online and in-store on November 23 and during the Cyber Monday sale. There's also a Giving Tuesday sale with sock donations being made to SickKids.

Urban Outfitters

UO is already in full Black Friday mode with a buy one, get one 50 per cent off mix and match special on men's and women's fashions, home decor, gifts, and lifestyle products available in-store and online.

Furniture and home decor

The Drake General Store

Discounts of up to 60 per cent off can be found at this annual Black Friday sale in-store and online on select items. If you're shopping for everyone, take a decent 25 per cent off when you spend $100 or more on all your favourite Toronto-themed specialty items.

Elte MRKT

Save up to 60 per cent on all types of furniture and home accessories including sofas, lighting, dining chairs, tables, rugs, mattress and more at this big annual Black Friday sale.

Essentia

Anyone looking to step up their bed game is in luck as Essentia's Black Friday sale is on with 25 per cent off everything, including their signature natural memory foam mattresses.

IKEA

IKEA's famous Black Friday sale offers savings on furniture and home accessories during a week-long, site-wide Black Friday. IN-store promotions include gift certificates and door crashers for anyone willing to brave the chaos.

KROFT

Kroft keeps it simple with 20 per cent off site-wide with the code BF20 for a little bit of savings on their signature minimalist, handmade designs made in right here in Toronto.

Pavilion

If you're looking to spruce up the ol' homestead while still shopping local, Pavilion has you covered with up to 60 per cent off sofas, sectionals, lighting, bedroom and more over in West Queen West.

Walmart

The retail giant is already in full Black Friday mode online with prices slashed on electronics, home, fashion and lifestyle products. The in-store promotion applies to all stores in Canada on November 23 and there's a Cyber Monday promotion as well.

Tech

Apple

Any savings from Apple are great and this four day Black Friday sale has all tons of gadgets and gear discounted both in-store and online from November 23 to 26. 

Bay Bloor Radio

Huge savings on electronics are on in-store and online during this Black Friday sale with brand-name headphones, speakers, turntables, televisions, smart-home accessories and lots more slashed from their original prices.

Best Buy

You can already find Black Friday deals online with deals on all kinds of electronics and gadgets like TVs, headphones, computers and appliances, which might save you a lot of fuss during their famously hectic in-store promotion.

EB Games

All things gamer is on sale for up to 65 per cent off until November 26 including new release and retro games, consoles, accessories, headphone toys and plenty more.

Henry's

If you've had your eye on a fancy camera, now's the change to snag it for cheap. Henry's is offering big savings on all levels of cameras and photography gear.

The Source

Look forward to big savings on all kinds of brand-name electronics with everything from cameras, watches, headphones, computers, speakers and more all slashed from November 22 to 25.

Other

The Body Shop

Treat yourself to a whopping 40 per cent off skin care, creams, fragrances, lipsticks, bath products and accessories site-wide at this highly-anticipated Black Friday sale.

Canadian Tire

Another favourite among shoppers, this annual sale has almost everything in the store reduced in price. On from November 22 to 25, home stuff, appliances, decor and lots more are all up to 70 per cent off.

DavidsTea

You can stock up on all your favourite teas in time for snuggling season at this annual, five-day sale with new deals revealed each day available in-store and online during Cyber Monday.

Dine Alone Records

The alt-rock, LA-Toronto-Nashville record label responsible for such acts as City and Colour and The Lumineers is having a Black Friday pop-up with a week of albums, merch and a makers market onsite from November 23 to 28.

Indigo

Book lovers can stock up with huge savings on thousands of items in-store and online on things like accessories, decor, gadgets, electronics and more from November 22 to 25.

Kitchen Stuff Plus

Cooks both novice and professional can save big on their kitchen gadgets, with everything from appliances, cutlery, furniture, decor, accessories and nifty tools on sale for up to 70 per cent off.

Michael's

Savings of up to 70 per cent are what you can expect at Michael's this year with everything from arts and craft materials, seasonal items, books, decor, frames slashed on both November 22 and 23.

Staples

All kinds of stuff for the office, home, school and work is on sale from November 23 to 27 for up to 50 per cent off, plus Dollar Deals and free gifts with certain purchases.

Sunwing

Online vacation booking site Sunwing is popping up in Toronto for the Black Friday weekend to offer folks deal on flights and hotels, alongside treats and music reminiscent of a luxurious island vacation get away.

Weekend events in Toronto are all about getting into winter mode and starting to maybe even enjoy it. A dazzling firework show is set to shimmer over City Hall with Cavalcade of Lights and Winter at Ontario Place kicks off. Markets, music, film and an ABBA skating party are on as well.

Toronto is a Girl Friday today with lots of different events happening all over the city. Dine Alone Records is having a pop-up and there's tons of Black Friday sales on. Winter at Ontario Place is here and the iconic LOVEBOT is having an exhibition. 

I’m not sure if the fact that this house sold in only a day is a sign of how amazing it is or how insane the Toronto real estate market is. Maybe both?

This four bedroom, four bathroom home in Little Italy was fully renovated. It’s bright, airy and modern.

The main floor is open concept with the living, dining and kitchen areas all melding together, thanks to the gorgeous white oak hardwood floors.

The kitchen has loads of storage, stainless steel appliances and has a gorgeous walnut banquet, which would be ideal for family meals.

The kitchen walks out into the backyard. It looks a bit sparse as we head into the winter but it definitely has potential when summer returns.

Upstairs are the bedrooms. They’re not the most spacious but they’re bright and have plenty of closet space.

The master suite has lots of storage with a giant closet and a secret loft space. There’s also a modern three-piece en suite.

The basement is a fully-equipped suite, which might be perfect for a live-in nanny, in-laws or even to rent out for some extra income.

The Essentials

• Address: 577 Crawford Street
• Type: House
• Bedrooms: 3 + 1
• Bathrooms: 4
• Size: 18 x 116 feet
• Realtor: Brott Hadden Group
• Hit the market at: $1,999,999
• Sold for: $2,310,000

Why it sold for what it did?

It’s a beautifully renovated house in the oh-so popular Little Italy. Houses in this area are notorious for selling quickly, and above asking price. Also, it has a whole basement suite so there’s lots of potential for future income.

Was it worth it?

You’re basically getting a brand new home that’s move-in ready, so I’d say it’s worth it. And, considering this house lasted only a day on the market, someone else saw this house for the prize it is.

The best mussels in Toronto are a combination of excellent finger food, a great source of protein, and briny flavour. They pair perfectly with bread and fries as well as drinks of all stripes: frosty beer, fine wine, or classic cocktails. The best places in town that serve them source the shellfish thoughtfully, and offer multiple different styles of preparation.

Here are the best mussels in Toronto.

Sometimes crowdfunding is amazing, and well, sometimes it isn't.

The Art Gallery of Ontario's plan to crowdfund about $1.3 million for a permanent installation of one of Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrors exhibits is falling short before its deadline. 

However, the gallery is locked in to purchase the Infinity Room whether it meets its goal or not, so organizers are attempting one final fundraising push. 

With a nearly $1 million shortfall in the campaign, the AGO has partnered with Giving Tuesday, a group that encourages charitable giving the week after Black Friday. 

The AGO has also revealed that the Infinity Room set to call Toronto home is a similar piece to Kusama's Let's Survive Forever, which is currently on display in Chicago. The piece is the classic mirrored room, complete with dozens of hanging steel balls. 

With only one week left before the crowdfunding deadline, the AGO is hoping this last push will help secure as much funding as possible. 

Those who want to help out can donate on the AGO's website. 

It was only two summers ago that Toronto's long-abandoned R.L. Hearn Generating Station burst back into life for the 10th anniversary of Luminato.

Thousands flocked to the decommissioned power plant, which was shut down in 1983, for 10 days of wild art installations and performances in a specially built 1,200-seat shipping container theatre.

Those lucky enough to score tickets got to dine in the generator's old control room, which had been transformed into one of the coolest French restaurants Toronto had ever seen for the occasion.

Restaurant at the Hearn power plant control room now in service #luminatopic.twitter.com/8Guth5BRtD

— blogTO (@blogTO) June 12, 2016

Simply stepping into the massive, hollowed out heritage building— an iconic fixture along the skyline Toronto's eastern waterfront — was enough to thrill most people, and for good reason.

The Hearn is spectacular, inside and out, and many in the city had hoped to see more huge-scale, public events staged there (you know, after the building was brought up to meet the safety standards of Toronto Fire Services).

Bitterly disappointing for everyone working to build a great waterfront with exceptional public spaces. https://t.co/hCbkZwVU09

— Paula Fletcher (@PaulaFletcherTO) November 23, 2018

No dice.

The provincially-owned Ontario Power Generation (OPG) announced this week that has sold sold the entire site, which produced electricity from 1951 to 1983, to Studios of America Corporation for $16 million.

Studios of America, which had been leasing the property from OPG since 2002, maintains the Unwin Avenue property as an "enclosed feature film and TV production complex."

Hearn Power Station secretly sold for a song to well connected Tory insiders. No transparency, no open process, no RFP & no competition. A key Portlands property & no engagement with the City or Federal gov't. No consultation with Waterfront Toronto or the public.

— Glen Murray (@Glen4Climate) November 23, 2018

Mayor John Tory and Toronto city councillor Paula Fletcher both told The Star on Thursday that they were not consulted on the sale, or even aware that it was happening.

"This is a sad day for the waterfront," said Fletcher, who had hoped to redevelop the site for public use.

"This is an iconic landmark building that should remain in public hands and be part of our new waterfront, and, instead, it has been sold for a song."

So why the fire-sale price?

If you ask OPG, it's at least in part due to the former coal-burning site's status as a heavily contaminated industrial brownfield (though other, more nefarious theories are floating about).

Mayor John Tory said “we were not consulted, at all, on the sale.” The Ford government’s disdain for #Toronto is reflected in the lack of consultation by the #OP G about the sale of land with the city where it is situated. Appalling. #TOpoli#ONpoli#Hearn#OPG

— Marla Waltman 🎯 (@marlawd) November 23, 2018

OPG pokesperson Neal Kelly told the star that conditions of the sale included Studios of America not being able put residential or other "sensitive uses" on the site within 15 years. The company is also forbidden from reselling the Hearn within three years.

Disappointed as the city may be, its possible that Studios of America will still rent the space out for special occasions.

"The studio lot is located on a strategic 27.6-acre parcel of Toronto waterfront land with direct multi-modal road, rail and water access," reads President Paul Vaughan's Linkedin profile in a description of the company.

"Accommodations originally intended for film production have become popular for staging indoor and outdoor special events."

Imagine how much money you could save on a multi-city vacation if your accommodations and mode of transportation were one and the same?

Introducing the robotic hotel room—or "Autonomous Travel Suite," more formally—an award-winning hospitality innovation concept by Toronto's own Aprilli Design Studio.

These futuristic mobile suites are essentially hotel rooms on wheels. Guests set the destination for their pod, but after that they can simply sit back, relax, sleep, work, play or anything else they so desire while travelling.

Designed for long-distance drives, the service would cover the full scope of door-to-door transportation, taking customers from their own homes to far-off destinations using autonomous driving technology.

Aprilli's website proposes that the system would run "like a joint operation between a rental car chain and hotel chain," noting that it would have properties in every city and within a 1- to 2-hour driving distance.

Aprilli focuses on the research, design and implementation of sustainable strategies 'which improve the quality of human life, society and surrounding environments'. Image via Aprilli Design Studio.

The vehicles were designed to function predominantly as compact hotel rooms, however, not cars. I'm talking double beds, desk space and even washroom facilities.

"It is a room that has the flexibility to customize the usage, scale, furnishings, appliances, and services," writes Aprilli.

"You can use the online app to select necessary features individually (like a cradle or tv screen, among others), and it will be delivered to your front door with all your needs."

The autonomous travel suites were designed to take guests to multiple destinations, serving as both a personal vehicle and mobile hotel room. Image via Aprilli Design Studio.

Should they tire of life on the road, drivers would be able to dock at any of the network's hotel facilities.

Upon pulling in, their travel suite would open up into a much larger, stationary unit with access to amenities such as food, meeting rooms, a spa, a pool, a gym, housekeeping and maintenance services.

This project is at the cutting edge of a burgeoning industry that fuses transportation with hospitality. Experts call it 'transpitality.' Image via Aprilli Design Studio.

Being that the autonomous travel suites are electric vehicles, they will also be able to charge their room/cars here. If they run out of battery life en route to somewhere else, they'll be delivered. By drones.

"Batteries will be maintained by the Autonomous Hotel Facilities, and if you need replacement, the service vehicle will come and exchange your batteries with a new one," they write. "No need to wait, just plug in and charge the batteries."

It might sound a bit far-fetched at this point, but Aprilli believes that, when the technology to pull off this project is perfected, it could revolutionize the travel industry.

Need towels? Call a drone from the nearest stationary hotel to bring you some fresh ones lickety-split. (Image via Aprilli Design Studio.)

"Compared to domestic flights or train travels that require multiple steps of transfers and check-ins throughout the travel, Autonomous Travel Suite operates as your personal rental car and hotel room, providing unlimited flexibility and mobility at a cheaper cost," writes the design firm.

And they're not alone in their optimism. Apprilli's high-tech hotel concept took home this year's highly coveted Radical Innovation Award in New York City last month, wowing a jury that included hospitality development superstar John Hardy.

Bring on the age of 'transpitality,' I say. At the very least, it's going to be entertaining.

Holiday events will be taking to Toronto streets this weekend. As a result, there's going to be a slew of road closures. If that's not brutal enough, there's a Line 1 subway closure.

Here's what you need to know to navigate around the city by car this weekend.

Toronto Christmas Market

Northbound and southbound curb lanes on Parliament St., from Lake Shore Blvd. East to Front St. East, will be closed from November 23 at 4 p.m. until November 25 at midnight.

Kidzfest

Dundas Square street from Yonge St. to O'Keefe Ln. will be closed on November 24 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the festival.

Cabbagetown Holiday Kick-off 

Carlton St. from Parliament St. to Exchange Ln. will be closed on November 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the holiday event.

Cavalcade of Lights

The massive fireworks show is happening this weekend. To accommodate the event, a series of road closures in the area around Toronto City Hall will be in effect on November 24 from 4 p.m. to 11:30 p.m