Toronto is lucky to be home to the offices of several large tech companies, and the number is continuously growing. 

The newest company joining Microsoft, Pinterest, and more (but not Amazon!) is Accenture, which announced the new foray into the city this morning. 

Today, the tech giant announced the arrival of the Canada Innovation Hub, which it says will bring 800 jobs into the country (about 400-500 of them in Toronto) by 2020. 

Fantastic news from @AccentureCanada with the opening of their new Canada Innovation Hub in Toronto. This hub will bring 500 new skilled jobs in the tech sector for our city. #CanadaInnovationHubpic.twitter.com/uzKaskAkw8

— John Tory (@TorontosMayor) November 27, 2018

The Hub joins 10 others across North America, and over 100 around the world. 

The Fortune Global 500 company says the jobs in the new Hub will focus on the digital economy and emerging technologies, with positions like data scientists, designers, engineers, and roles in analytics. 

The #CanadaInnovationHub is officially open! pic.twitter.com/WkKnnk2yY4

— Accenture Canada (@AccentureCanada) November 27, 2018

It also plans to add apprenticeship programs in similar fields for underrepresented groups, like Indigenous youth and people with disabilities. 

Japanese BBQ restaurants in and around Toronto proudly honour a strong food tradition. Though it may seem contradictory to the point of going out to eat, those in the know are aware of the pleasure it brings to communally cook a meal yourself, right at the dinner table.

Here are my picks for the top Japanese BBQ restaurants in and around Toronto.

Shinta

Rare and exciting cuts of beef like Japanese A5 Wagyu are in high demand (and high-priced) at this heavyweight BBQ spot in Richmond Hill.

Gyubee

Just steps from University of Toronto near Bloor and Spadina is this AYCE BBQ place where you can get everything from brisket to shrimp. There’s also an original location in Markham.

Gyu-Kaku

Part of an international chain, this restaurant at Church and Adelaide serves a wide variety of grilled meats and s’mores, of all things.

Goen Yakiniku

Slow cook tabletop Japanese BBQ is the name of the game at this restaurant on Highway 7 in Richmond Hill that serves everything from Wagyu to tongue.

Miga

Load up lettuce leaves with galbi and mushrooms for the ultimate BBQ wraps at this place on Dundas West in Mississauga, which also does brunch.

Top markets and pop-ups in Toronto for December 2018 make shopping local and supporting the city's maker scene a breeze. Find something for everyone on your list at the Serpentine Pavilion's new holiday market or any one of the many neighbourhood markets happening all throughout the month.

Every year, National Geographic releases its Best Trips issue, which features editorial choices for the best places to visit in the world. 

This year, Toronto is the belle of the ball. Landing amidst some truly spectacular places like the Peruvian Amazon, Tahiti, Egypt, and more, Toronto was named one of the magazine's seven cities worth visiting.

There are four categories on the list. "Cities" includes Toronto. Nature, Culture, and Adventure categories round out the total list to 28 destinations. 

The magazine hopes to feature destinations that can "inspire, change perspectives, and connect us with cultures, places, and ideas that matter in the world."

Here's the full list of places to visit, according to Nat Geo, albeit without their stunning photography-filled features.

Cities

• Dakar, Senegal
• Salvador, Brazil
• Kansas City, USA
• Toronto, Canada
• Matera, Italy
• Perth, Australia
• Mexico City, Mexico

Nature

• Peruvian Amazon
• Montenegro
• Belize
• Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique
• South Walton County, Florida
• Fanjingshan, China
• Tahiti, French Polynesia

Culture

• Cairo, Egypt
• Hoang Lien Son, Vietnam
• Galway, Ireland
• Bauhaus Trail, Germany
• Oakland, California
• Vervey, Switzerland
• Dordogne, France

Adventure

• Greenland
• Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico
• Isla de los Estados, Argentina
• Macedonia
• Canterbury Region, New Zealand
• Caño Cristales River, Colombia
• Oman

Yo, Toronto Christmas Market, I'm really happy for you, and Imma let you finish, but I just have to say... the Toronto Light Festival does the best Distillery District takeover of all time.

And lucky for those of us who like pretty lights more than lining up for BeaverTails, it'll be here as of January 18.

That's right, the Toronto Light Festival is coming back for its third consecutive year next month to fill the Distillery District with all things vibrant and bright during winter's darkest stretch.

The completely free, months-long exhibition of light art will run until March 9 and, as usual, promises plenty of great photo ops.

"In a world with so many dark and ominous messages, we want to create a positive, magical urban world that people of all ages and backgrounds will enjoy and look forward to," write the event's organizers (who, in case you think I'm throwing shade, also run the Toronto Christmas Market).

#Toronto just got a massive lights festival and it’s totally free https://t.co/Z8fTVxYvsZpic.twitter.com/EEwedQxgch

— blogTO (@blogTO) January 19, 2018

"Simply put, we want to help transform a moment of consciousness, from the cold of the dark into the warmth of the light (even if it can reach -20 C)," reads a description on the Toronto Light Festival website.

"Oh, and we really, really like pretty lights."

Who doesn't?

No word yet on which artists have been tapped or are returning for the occasion, but organizers do say this year's festival will "exhibit the creativity of local and international artists through Light Art."

So, grab your mittens and get ready for the experience. It's free to enjoy every day from sundown until 10 p.m. (and even later on weekends) starting January 18.

Attention all witches, wizards, house elves, animagus, Parseltongues, werewolves, Veela, giants, and of course, muggles—Toronto is about to become the place to find fantastic beasts this Christmas.

Not one, but two Harry Potter-themed parties are planned for next month, and a big wizard market set to overtake Exhibition Place with magical creatures from far and wide.

New this year is the Yule Ball and Yule Time Magic Wizard Market that's dedicated to all things Harry Potter with a full day of wizarding world delights including a magical feast, costume contest and a huge market with over 40 local artisans. There's even wand classes!

The event heads into the evening with dancing, entertainment, fortune telling and a good offering of themed potions.

As if that weren't enough, there's yet another Yule Ball happening at the aptly named Phoenix where you'll be able to dawn your freshest robes and get down to some live music among floating candles and gargoyles à la the Great Hall.

Tickets for both events are on sale now, and if you can't make it because you're off looking for Horcruxes, The Lockheart is always ready to welcome folks from every house.

Comic lovers might soon have their very own library branch to cozy up with their favourite comic books—if they can raise enough money to fund one, that is. 

A new Indiegogo campaign has sprung up in an effort to raise $85,000 for a physical space of the Canada Comics Open Library (CCOL) in the next month.

Our crowdfunding campaign is live! Support the Canada Comics Open Library, and it’s mission at: https://t.co/35viEEGwp3

— The Canada Comics Open Library (@CanadaComicsOL) November 24, 2018

The non-profit organization, which is run by a team of eight people including several cartoonists and librarians from Toronto, hopes to open the first comics library in Canada. 

You'll have to be a member to use the library (it's just $5 for the year) but the CCOL is big on all types of accessibility, so they'll also have a pay-it-forward model, which will allow for free memberships for those who can't afford it.

The library already has over 500 physical comics in its collection, which runs the gamut from speculative fiction works to anthologies and biographies. 

If they're able to raise the $85K—which will be split between costs like rent, library supplies, and the salary for one full time admin—they'll be good to operate in a space for one whole year. 

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"The comics library will be a welcoming space where you can drop by to read our comics, hang around to work on your own comics and art, speak with other people interested in comics and the comic arts, and participate in workshops and other events," says CCOL. 

With funding still up in the air, the location of the library has yet to be decided, though it'll have to be a minimum of 900 square-feet and accessible.

In the meantime, they'll be running pop-up libraries and their Canadian Cartoonist Database, an open source online library which has its own comic-specific cataloguing system. 

So far, they've raised just over $2,000 since launching their campaign on Saturday.

Think a huge slab of granite can't be comfortable? Think again, like the award-winning Toronto architecture and urban design firm DTAH did.

More details have been released about the massive streetscape revitalization of Bloor Street between Bathurst and Spadina, and specifically in relation to four new parkettes.

The parkettes will be constructed in 2019 just off Bloor at Robert Street, Major Street, Brunswick Avenue and Howland Street, according to the Bloor Annex BIA's revitalization Committee.

Major improvements are coming for public spaces along the stretch of Bloor Street between Bathurst and Spadina. Image via Bloor Annex BIA/DTAH Toronto.

Each mini park will feature new trees, wood decking, ample bike parking and pollinator friendly gardens—as well as "large granite seating."

Part public art, part public bench, these Robert Cram-designed granite seating fixtures will be carved out of salvaged stone that DTAH managed to acquire from a quarry.

What makes them truly unique, though, is not the material but precisely how they're being carved.

Toronto architectural firm DTAH showed off some of the raw materials being used to make new seating fixtures along Bloor next year via Twitter. Image via DTAH.

Design documents published on the Bloor Annex BIA's website show that Cram will be creating four unique pieces of street furniture as part of the project, most of them based on very famous historical chair designs.

Part of the Robert Street piece, for instance, is being moulded in the style of Le Corbusier's famous LC4, nicknamed "the relaxing machine" for how it mirrors a human body's natural curves.

That chair, originally released in 1928, now lives at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Landscape architect Robert Cram is carving each granite rock in the style of chair design icons like Le Corbusier and the Eamses.  Image via Bloor Annex BIA/DTAH Toronto.

Major Street's parkette will feature seating inspired by Charles and Ray Eames, whose 1948 lounge chair went on to be hailed by TIME Magazine as "Design of the Century."

Bauhaus artists Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich are paid tribute in the design for Cram's Brunswick Avenue rock bench, modelled after their famous "Barcelona" chair of 1929.

Every rock will have at least one tessellated face, created from scanning the pieces of a crumpled piece of paper and meant to represent the the relationship between geology, technology and industry.

I, for one, look forward to testing these bad boys out some fine summer day. But not before May, because it's cold.

Toronto is now home to a new hotel with a different concept. 

The Westlake, located at Islington and Lake Shore, is a new boutique stay on the waterfront, and it offers different options for travellers or long-time guests.

Visitors can actually book the suites through Airbnb, which is not common, but embraces the changing nature of how we travel. 

Those interested in staying for one night have the option to book through traditional means like Expedia or the hotel's website, but can also use the popular homesharing app. It has rooms that are a fit for that, customized in a way that makes them usable for a short stay.

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The Westlake also offers longer-term apartment suites that can be booked for an extended stay, and come with other amenities, like The Andy, which comes with a kitchen and laundry facilities, or The Noire, which is formatted for hosting company. 

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As South Etobicoke quickly becomes a destination for travellers and apartment-hunters avoiding the harsh reality of downtown's expensive market, new attractions are going to start moving in.

The Westlake looks to be putting its flag down here to grab a piece of that sweet real estate.

Winter gloom is already here but events in Toronto today offer some relief as artist Apolonija Šušteršič sets up a light therapy room inside the new MOCA. A community market, film screenings and French book fair are all on today as well.

This condo is right in the heart of the Fashion District, so all those amazing, restaurants, bars and coffee shops are just a stone's throw away.The open concept condo is bright, airy and filled with natural light. The soaring concrete ceilings give this place an urban vibe but the giant 18-foot floor to ceiling window makes sure it doesn’t seem like you’re in a bunker.

The kitchen is modern with stainless steel appliances. It is kind of small with not a lot of counter space, but the breakfast island makes up for it.

Upstairs are the bedrooms. The master bedroom overlooks the living room. This could be a problem if you’re sharing the unit with someone who has an opposite schedule from you as sound will certainly travel.

There’s another spacious bedroom and two modern bathrooms as well in the unit.As for outdoor space, there’s a balcony off the living room with enough room for seating. If you’re in need of more room to gather, there’s a shared green space with lots of seating.

Specs

• Address: #424 - 95 Bathurst Street
• Type: House
• Rent: $5,000/month
• Listing agent: Steven Liambas
• Furnished? Yes
• Utilities: No
• Air conditioning? Yes
• Bedrooms: 2
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking: 1
• Laundry? In-suite
• Outdoor space? Balcony
• Pet friendly? No

Good For

Short term rentals. It can be hard to find a nice furnished place to rent for a couple of months that isn’t an Airbnb. This place offers short term rentals and could potentially be made into a long-term rental if need be.

Move On If

You can’t live without a bathtub. Sometimes in the winter, there’s nothing more relaxing than soaking in the tub. Unfortunately, the only place to scrub-a-dub-dub here is a shower.

A new study suggests that more people have been visiting businesses along King Street since the start of Toronto's controversial transit pilot project last year. 

Conducted by a Montreal-based polling service called Potloc, the survey found that an overwhelming majority of respondents (about 76 per cent) said they now visit businesses on the street frequently, or more frequently than before.

The polling service talked to 2,062 Toronto residents about the project, which is continuing through 2018. It is unclear what will happen to the initiative starting in 2019, but this study and others have shown it to be a success in many areas. 

About 69 per cent of respondents said they had taken the streetcar down King more often since the pilot started, and a majority said that their commute was now way better than before. Fifty-three per cent of respondents said they've also been visiting local businesses more often.

In terms of pedestrians, 70 per cent said the street has improved for them, while a whopping 91 per cent of cyclists said King was more bike-friendly.

Drivers, on the other hand, say they visit the street less often, and that their commute has become worse. 

Overall, 48 per cent of respondents would like the King Street pilot project restrict car traffic even more than it does right now. Twenty-four per cent would like to see it continue without any changes, and 25 per cent want it to be removed entirely. 

A majority of respondents also said they would like to see it replicated on Queen Street, or at least considered. Fifty-one per cent said they'd like to see a Queen version, whereas 39 per cent were against the idea. Ten per cent were undecided. 

While it seems the project is still dividing transit users and drivers, these results point to the project being a success. Toronto's city council now has to decide what comes next.  

Almost everyone in Toronto with a mobile phone is expected to receive an abrupt, post-lunch wake-up call this afternoon in the form of an emergency alert system notification.

Do not be alarmed: It's only a test—though good luck remembering that when every device within earshot starts blaring this in unison.

"On November 28th at 1:55 PM local time, a test of the Alert Ready system will be conducted," reads a notice from Canada's national emergency alert system. "The test will be distributed on TV, radio and compatible wireless devices."

You can check your phone's compatibility with the system here, but if you happen to be connected to an LTE network through any of Canada's major (or minor) wireless providers when they alert goes out, get ready.

Get ready – the #AlertReady system is being tested in Ontario this Wednesday, November 28 at 1:55 pm. Check your mobile phone’s compatibility to see if you will receive a test emergency message: https://t.co/LOQ1172F4Epic.twitter.com/YE4KNbEzaR

— Ontario Warnings (@OntarioWarnings) November 26, 2018

You're likely already familiar with the alert sound. It's the same "beeeeeep" that has long accompanied those "this is a test of the emergency broadcast system" messages on TV channels and radio stations.

The CRTC has mandated that all compatible mobile devices in Canada receive the alerts, meaning you can't opt out. That said, your phone can't beep if it's powered down.

If your device is set to silent, you'll still see an alert notification and potentially feel an 8-second-long vibration, but may not hear anything.

"However," warns Alert Ready, "this behaviour can differ depending on your wireless device and in some instances the alert sound may override your user settings."

#EmergencyAlert tests will be issued across #Canada tomorrow at 1:55 p.m. local time (2:55 p.m. in Quebec). See if your phone is able to receive the message: https://t.co/2t2ZcV7Hh6#AlertReadypic.twitter.com/nT4Gzy1zO1

— CRTCeng (@CRTCeng) November 27, 2018

This will only be the second-ever test of Canada's emergency alert system involving wireless devices, so things might not go perfectly.

They certainly didn't last time, though an Amber Alert sent through the same system in May managed to spook the entire city.

What I'm saying is that the twitchy among us should keep our ears open for "air raid siren" noises around 1:55 p.m. this afternoon, just in case—because you can't be scared if you're prepared. 

Legendary Toronto author Margaret Atwood is now working on a sequel to what is arguably her greatest novel, The Handmaid's Tale. 

The mega-successful 1985 novel follows the life of Offred, a young woman forced into service as a surrogate in a dystopian future. It went on to inspire countless novels in similar theme, as well as an extremely successful television show.

That show, filmed in Toronto, has reinvigorated the love for the novel for many, and it seems Atwood is hoping to capitalize on that now. 

Many have drawn parallels between the book and modern society, especially in the U.S., which is thought to have inspired the new sequel. 

Yes indeed to those who asked: I’m writing a sequel to The #HandmaidsTale. #TheTestaments is set 15 years after Offred’s final scene and is narrated by three female characters. It will be published in Sept 2019. More details: https://t.co/e1umh5FwpXpic.twitter.com/pePp0zpuif

— Margaret E. Atwood (@MargaretAtwood) November 28, 2018

"Everything you've ever asked me about Gilead [the fictional world in the original novel] and its inner workings is the inspiration for this book," said Atwood. 

"Well, almost everything! The other inspiration is the world we've been living in."

The new sequel, titled The Testaments, will take place a decade and a half after The Handmaid's Tale, and will have three narrators instead of one. 

Looks like we'll be seeing more of Gilead. Question is: Will Toronto play the role of Gilead in the inevitable The Testaments TV show again? 

It would appear as though former U.S President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, can't pack a stadium in Canada's largest city.

Either that, or a lot of people in Toronto fell sick last night.

America's ultimate political power couple kicked off their latest paid speaking tour at the Scotiabank Theatre on Tuesday evening with a rousing, 1.5-hour-long discussion that touched on everything from to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi to how they met.

'You can't make this stuff up': Hillary Clinton blasts U.S. President Trump while speaking at an event in Toronto. Watch LIVE here: https://t.co/ynhhpfFwCW#uspolipic.twitter.com/SMaDJWIsVH

— CTV News (@CTVNews) November 28, 2018

The event, called An Evening With The Clintons, was structured in the format of an interview between Canadian diplomat Frank McKenna (former ambassador to the U.S.) and the longtime politicians.

"It seems almost offensive to ask you but why does Putin hate you so much?" asked McKenna of Hillary at one point. "You seem like a very nice person."

"I think he saw me as someone who had stood up to him," she replied. "And would stand up to him."

When asked about whether or not she'd run for President again, the former First Lady also joked that she was "thinking about standing for parliament here in Canada.

Bill and Hillary Clinton kicked off their paid speaking tour in Toronto, re-emerging in the national spotlight as their political legacy undergoes a public re-examination two years after the former secretary of state lost the 2016 election. https://t.co/69wZ4FUCzWpic.twitter.com/qNEWu8553H

— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) November 28, 2018

Needless to say, current U.S. president and political rival Donald Trump came up quite a few times during the conversation, and not too favourably.

Fortunately for him perhaps, not nearly as many people were present for the talk as organizers had hoped there would be.

When asked how many tickets were sold to the event, Ticket Master said that it could not "share background on our clients." The Daily Mail reports nonetheless that officials said about 3,300 seats were sold in total.

For a venue that can hold more than 19,000 people, that's not a great look — nor is the fact that organizers cut the Scotiabank Arena in half and blocked off the entire upper level for the event.

More interesting news: From Toronto ... Officials said the Clinton's sold about 3,300 seats in a venue that can hold about 19,000 for a big hockey game when the Maple Leafs play. pic.twitter.com/J6vlZj1Uxt

— Miss Kenny (@kenny_1953) November 28, 2018

CNN reports that entire sections of seats remained unoccupied in the arena as the event began, and crowd-shot video footage seems to support that assertion.

DailyMail took things a step further by publishing screenshots that showed tickets going for as low as $6.55 on Stubhub roughly 30 minutes before the show got underway.

Floor seats were still selling for upwards of $300 on Ticketmaster's official website at the time, though they'd also been available for a lot cheaper via Groupon for some time. Again, not a great look.

Those present inside the event, however, seemed to very much enjoy it. Outside the venue, one protester was spotted carrying a sign.

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The 13-stop North American speaking tour continues tonight at the Bell Centre in Montreal.​​​ and will once again "feature joint on stage conversations with the two leaders."

They'll be "sharing stories and inspiring anecdotes that shaped their historic careers in public service," according to Live Nation, " While also discussing issues of the day and looking towards the future."

Prices vary widely for the forthcoming tour stops, from a base of $130 in New York to a low of just $13 in Sugar Land, Texas.

The best meatloaf in Toronto probably sounds either very appetizing or a little mystifying, depending on your upbringing. This simplistic dish is somehow at once just how it sounds and so much more, but is guaranteed to bring warmth and comfort either way.

Here’s the best meatloaf in Toronto.

Toronto Police are searching for a man they believe is responsible for breaking into a local retail store not once, not twice, but three separate times over the past two months to steal "a quantity of property."

That property, according to Constable Allyson Douglas-Cook, consists exclusively of mannequins wearing lingerie.

"Each of the three times this person smashed a window, he grabbed... the mannequins wearing the lingerie and fled," said Douglas-Cook to NEWSTALK 1010 this week.

This explains the unusual suspect photo police attached to a release requesting the public's assistance in apprehending the alleged crook.

Police did not speak to a potential motive in the case of a man who is thought to be stealing lingerie mannequins on the regular. Image via Toronto Police.

Taken by a security camera, the image shows a young man flanked by what appears to be women's underwear inside a business near Dufferin Street and St. Clair Ave West.

Police say that the suspect smashed a display window to enter the store overnight on October 7, October 15 and November 24, thought it is not yet known how many mannequins have been swiped in total.

The man is described as 20-30 years old, around 5'10, with a slim build. He was wearing a dark coat with a fur hood and eyeglasses when the security camera photo was taken.

As usual, anyone with information is invited to contact police at 416-808-1300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

The month of December will be starting off with a major subway closure on Line 1.

This weekend there will be no subway service on Line 1 between Finch West and St. George stations on December 1 and no service between Finch West and Lawrence West stations on December 2, all due to signal upgrades.

Line 1: This weekend, there will be no subway service on Line 1 between Finch West and St George stations on Saturday, December 1 due to signal upgrades. Shuttle buses will run. pic.twitter.com/Ys08WhK6Rl

— TTC Customer Service (@TTChelps) November 28, 2018

Shuttle buses will operate between these stations for the duration of the closure.

Regular scheduled subway service will resume on Monday morning. The next scheduled closure will halt weekend subway service between Lawrence and St. Clair stations on December 8 and 9 due to Metrolinx's Eglinton Crosstown LRT work at Yonge and Eglinton.

New Toronto restaurants are home to stunning interior design as well as some of the city’s most cutting-edge cuisine. The places to see and be seen (and of course to take selfies), fashionistas who love to eat and drink will fit right in with the decor of these places.

Here are some of the newest restaurants in Toronto with stunning interior design.

Madrina

Design by Studio Munge incorporates fresh white accents, dangling light fixtures, handmade terracotta tiles, custom drawings and pottery at this Distillery District restaurant.

The neon signs and cozy browns give Harry's an old-timey feel that also feels modern. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Harry’s Steak

Neon, Ralph Lauren chandeliers and cow horns all ooze big, splashy and cushy vibes at this luxe neo-modern steakhouse in Etobicoke.

Each location of Fresh is different, but this one feels crisp, clean, and modern. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Fresh on Front

A cocktail bar you can have a full meal at and an optionally private back room with exposed brick and fringed chandeliers distinguish this vegan chain’s largest location yet, on Front near Church.

The designers of Sara wanted zero distractions for visitors, so the space is simple and monochromatic. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Sara

Eliminating distraction was the aim of designers ODAMI and MiiM when it came to this clean space on Portland where phone cubbies are incorporated seamlessly into the tables.

Narami's design sets it apart from your typical sushi spot. Photo by Hector Vasquez. 

Narami

Sushi is placed centre stage at this restaurant on Ossington by Toronto’s Navigate Design, with a 360-degree wraparound bar encircling the chefs and oversized graphic Japanese wallpaper floating overhead.

This popular brunch spot used to be in Leslieville, but now calls this sleek space home. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Lady Marmalade

Omar Gandhi pumped this space in East Chinatown dating back to 1885 full of Baltic birch, clad the outside in cedar and created lofty skylights that freshen up the new location of this old brunch favourite.

The eclectic Regulars is lined with interesting artwork, which give it a fantastic visual character. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Regulars

If pop art, neon, and sculptures of pallets loaded with money are your style, you’ll have a ball gramming the night away at this King West bar.

Brilliant colours at SoSo give it a fun vibe that sets it apart. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

SoSo Food Club

Pastel colours and retro Hong Kong influences are the main features of this dreamy new Chinese restaurant on Dundas West.

The unique ceilings at Quetzal give it an almost space-age vibe while remaining grounded. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Quetzal

Low ceilings that are intended to mimic the flowing ceilings of market tents set this new Mexican effort in Little Italy apart.

Situated inside Andorre House, Constantine is a stunning modern display. Photo by Jesse Milns. 

Constantine

A main dining room surrounded by traditionally glass-blown vases revolves around an open kitchen at this ground floor boutique hotel restaurant near Yonge and Bloor.

Did you just get a weird notification on your phone accompanied by one of the most terrifying sounds you've ever heard?

Congratulations! You've been chosen to survive in the event of a national emergency.

Well THAT just scared the bajoopees out of me!! #EmergencyAlertpic.twitter.com/BZdh0VX5su

— ❄️Peady❄️ (@Peady) November 28, 2018

Just kidding. The Canadian government clearly wants everyone to be safe, should we (knock on wood) be faced with any sort of natural, biological, civil or alien-related disaster.

That's precisely why you, and hopefully everyone around you, got an Alert Ready notification at 1:55 p.m. on the dot this afternoon.

Did you just receive an emergency alert system test? #AlertReady

— blogTO (@blogTO) November 28, 2018

If you didn't get pinged, don't stress. This was only the second-ever test of Canada's national emergency alert system that went beyond TV and radio broadcasts to include cellphones.

Back in May, after weeks of hype for the first Alert Ready phone test, many people in Ontario were disappointed to report that they hadn't received anything either.

Things appear to have gone much better this time around, though, in terms of people getting the notifications, as evidenced by everyone freaking out on Twitter right now.

Or hear. Or breathe. pic.twitter.com/fAucHb6pJ0

— Natasha Madison (@natmadis) November 28, 2018

As the wisest among us had already predicted, no amount of media coverage or forewarning could prevent today's jarring "beeeeeep" from scaring scads of smartphone owners.

That emergency "are your bowels working" test works like a hot-damn. #EmergencyAlert

— Anna Gustafson (@annakgustafson) November 28, 2018

Within minutes of the alert going out, both "#EmergencyAlert" and "#AlertReady" shot to the top of Twitter's trending topics in Toronto.

this emergency alert scared the living shit outta me mans were trynna take a nap and i thought my phone was a bomb yo

— Kobe Bryant (@djkavss) November 28, 2018

Many were proud to show off their own screens, especially given that this was the first real successful test of the wireless public alerting (WPA) system.

Got the Ontario Emergency Alert. Time to see everyone’s background pictures and carriers lol #EmergencyAlertpic.twitter.com/lqDG0vRVU2

— Ayman Shams (@publicsafetygta) November 28, 2018

Others scrambled to find GIFs that could express what they were feeling.

Well THAT scared me to pieces!
And yes, I was expecting it!#AlertReadypic.twitter.com/2ai9GKpaqB

— myra! (@lifeasajourney) November 28, 2018

And it wasn't only people who had no idea the alert was coming. A lot of people fully knew and got spooked anyway.

Knew it was coming. Knew what time it was coming and it still scared the hell out of me just now. #AlertReady

— 🍷Willy Bouchard🇨🇦 (@KidVenis0n) November 28, 2018

Like I said, that air-siren alert tone is really scary.

Though fortunate that the emergency alert system works, I've never startled and scared as much as the horrifying noise this alert gives... Thanks #Ontariopic.twitter.com/bXQU4P0MfG

— Alexander Sullivan (@AlexJSully) November 28, 2018

Those who are upset that they didn't get an alert should contact their wireless providers for more information, as per Alert Ready's instructions.

Everyone else can take comfort in knowing that they weren't alone in jumping out of their chairs this afternoon.