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This week on DineSafe: Bagel Brigade, Burger Hut, Dairy Queen, Legends, Original's, the Friendly Thai

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Dinesafe torontoSome of the things you learn when cruising (trolling?) through the DineSafe database: Toronto is home to an 8-11? It's kind of like McDowell's from Coming to America. Quick thought — if you were going to try to one-up 7-11, wouldn't it make more sense to go with 6-11 (that being an hour earlier on the opening hours the name gestures to)? Also, DineSafe inspectors are inclined to hit up multiple franchises in a given week. So congrats to KFC operators, who managed to keep it clean this time around.

To leave the preamble behind, we have ourselves a red card this week. The bagel brigade has behaved badly, and will now be sent back two steps as other armies advance ahead. The inspectors have, as they say, invaded.

Bagel Brigade
Inspected on: June 26
Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
Number of infractions: 12 (Minor: 5, Significant: 5, Crucial: 2)
Condition(s) for closure: Operator failed to prevent gross unsanitary conditions.

Bulgogii House (39 Spring Garden Ave)
Inspected on: June 24
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional pass)
Number of infractions: 15 (Minor: 3, Significant: 9, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Employee(s) failed to wash hands; Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Burger Hut
Inspected on: June 24
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional pass)
Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 2, Significant: 5, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Employee(s) failed to wash hands when required.

Dairy Queen (5025 Yonge St)
Inspected on: June 26
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional pass)
Number of infractions: 10 (Minor: 4, Significant: 5, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Employee(s) failed to wash hands when required.

Legends (517 St. Clair W)
Inspected on: June 27
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional pass)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Original's (1660 Bayview Ave)
Inspected on: June 26
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional pass)
Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3, Crucial: 3)
Crucial infractions include: Employee(s) failed to wash hands when required; operator failed to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

MBCO Cafe (100 Bloor St W)
Inspected on: June 27
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional pass)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 0, Significant, 3, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

The Friendly Thai
Inspected on: June 26
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional pass)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A


The top 15 foods we ate at Taste of Asia 2013

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Taste of AsiaThe annual Taste of Asia Festival descended on Markham this past weekend where 150 food vendors gathered to serve all manners of obscure, popular and downright delicious street eats from Japan, Korea, China and Southeast Asia. Like the upcoming Night Market (happening July 12th through 14th), the Taste of Asia once again proved that the best Toronto food festivals go down outside the downtown core.

View this slideshow for the best eats we discovered at the 2013 Taste of Asia.

Photos by Javin Lau

New pub worth seeking out on the East Danforth

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The Wren TorontoEast of Greektown the Danforth is slowly making a name for itself as a destination for some of the better east end pubs. Joining the likes of the Only Cafe and Sauce on the Danforth, the latest pub to join the fray serves up delicious Southwestern inspired eats in a revived space that seems like it's been there forever.

Read my profile of The Wren in the restaurants section.

House of the Week: 705 Richmond St. West

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705 Richmond TorontoLocated in the Queen and Bathurst area, 705 Richmond sits tall and modern among an eclectic mix of older homes dating back to the 1800s. The real beauty in this property is that the original stone cottage has been incorporated into the design and now serves as the main floor living/dining room while the addition extends boldly upwards in all its cubed glory. It's a rare thing in this city to not see an old building torn down to make way for something new.

705 Richmond TorontoAnother great feature in this home is the location of the three bedrooms. The master suite occupies the entire third floor with gorgeous en-suite washroom and private balcony while the other two bedrooms occupy the second floor allowing for some privacy from kids or overnight guests.

There are also many adjectives you could apply to this space - edgy, modern, unique, but what this house is more than anything is WHITE. Holy cow there are so many white walls in here! There is however, always a bright side to buying a home with nothing but white walls throughout: you basically have a blank canvas to transform every inch of your home.

705 Richmond Toronto

SPECS:

  • Address: 705 Richmond St. West
  • Price: $1,499,000
  • Sq Ft: 3000+
  • Bedrooms: 3
  • Bathrooms: 4
  • Parking: 1 car
  • Taxes: $3,423 (2013)

705 Richmond TorontoNOTABLE FEATURES:

  • Hardwood flooring throughout
  • Large basement rec room with banquettes for seating
  • Radiant heated floors
  • Custom kitchen
  • Private yard

705 Richmond TorontoGOOD FOR:

Anyone wanting to be near the hustle of downtown Toronto without all of the noise that comes with it. This property sits just steps away from 24-hour transit and a plethora of local eateries like 416 Snack Bar, Arepa Cafe and, for the summer-patio-savvy wine lover, Gusto just to name a few. It would be a shame not to take advantage of all this area has to offer.

705 Richmond TorontoMOVE ON IF:

I honestly can't find much of a reason to move on from this. How can you argue $1.5 mil for a property like this...maybe you'd prefer an additional parking space? There is street parking or...the taxes are a bit much, but not over the top for what you get. Wait, I've got it...you're terrified of white...I don't have it.

Read other posts in this series via our House of the Week Pinterest board.

Street Style: 20 looks from Digital Dreams Music Fest

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Digital DreamsDigital Dreams, one of the music festival highlights of the summer, went down in Toronto over the Canada Day long weekend. EDM fans wore their summer concert casual best as they grooved to the sounds of Bob Sinclar and Porter Robinson (amongst others) at Echo Beach.

Check out all the looks in our Style section.

New Junction eatery does wood burning pizza

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Sagra TorontoA new, casual neighbourhood eatery from the team behind The Slow Room has opened in the Junction. By day, it's a cafe with espresso, panini and pizza, but come dinner time, the menu has a lot more to offer, everything you'd expect from a homey Italian kitchen....Except booze. That's still in the works.

Read my profile of Sagra in the restaurants section.

Highlights from Canada's largest EDM festival of 2013

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Digital DreamsIf you went down to Ontario Place this weekend in hopes of having a quiet picnic by the water, you were in for a big surprise. The Flats at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre — spanning across the east island of Ontario Place — surrendered its gates to thousands of EDM fanatics on hand for the second annual Digital Dreams Music Festival.

For a visual recap of the event, check out this slideshow from Digital Dreams.

Electronic Nation brought back the two-day digital music event, no doubt due to the huge success of last year's festival. And with headliners Porter Robinson and Tiesto, as well as a hot shot line up including Fake Blood, Art Department, Doctor P, Mord Fustang, Flosstradamus, and Dillon Francis, it's no wonder the 25,000+ fans who got into the sold-out event gave exceptionally positive reviews across various social network channels.

Digital Dreams FestivalUnless you're an agoraphobic EDM fan, you were likely in the crowd facing one of the three stages found at the festival. The Echo Beach stage had the best view, featuring a proud rainbow-lit CN Tower backdrop. Saturday's Art Department and Richie Hawtin and Sunday's Dubfire lit up the foreground, keeping fans dancing in the sand.

Digital Dreams EDM FestivalBut the Bacardi House of Boom was where the real groove could be found. The semi-indoor venue featured a laser light show brought to life by Saturday's Doctor P and Excision and Sunday's Flosstradamus and Dillon Francis. Big name Datsik headlined the House, but the crowd was sparse.

Digital Dreams 2013Everybody wanted to be by the main Dreams stage Sunday night to bounce to Tiesto's booming beats as the Harbourfront's fireworks show lit up the sky behind the stage. Before Tiesto, Saturday's Fake Blood, Bob Sinclar, Paul Van Dyk, and Porter Robinson, and Sunday's Mord Fustang and Wolfgang Gartner kept the crowd level heavy at the Dreams stage. It was by far the place to be all weekend.

Digital Dreams TorontoFood trucks, free water stations, and beer tents selling Canadian cans for $8.50 (Happy Birthday, eh?) were situated next to the House of Boom and served as the ideal place for people to have a seat in the middle of the walkway and rest their danced-out legs as others tripped over them on their way to the port-a-potties.

Digital Dreams Music FestivalIf you love EDM but didn't make it to the festival, you can get lost in the over 20,000 Instagram pics tagged #digitaldreams. As is the case with our slideshow, you'll notice that obviously, neon and glow sticks remain the classic wardrobe choice among attendees. A few new trends of note: floral crowns (made of daisies, naturally), fur boots, fringe bikini tops, and DIY pasties — you only need four strips of colourful tape to make a top!

For more photos (including the pasties referred to above), jump to our Digital Dreams slideshow.

All photos by Brian Morton

The top 15 ribs from Toronto Ribfest 2013

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Toronto RibfestToronto Ribfest, the city's biggest annual ribfest, was back this weekend to celebrate Canada's Day in a three day meat bash that saw over 150,000 people at Centennial Park. Hosted by the Rotary Club of Etobicoke, the event saw rib lovers donate $2 at the door to the Rotary Food Initiative to help support child hunger. There were carnival games, a Kidz Zone with face painting, music and magic shows, two stages with bands and entertainment, and of course, lots and lots of ribs.

Sixteen barbeque masters - twelve of them hailing from Ontario - competed for the title of Best Ribs. Speaking with these ribbers revealed a thread of similarity in their approach - ribs were cooked low and slow, smoked over wood, and treated with secret, award winning rub and sauce recipes. It was hard to go wrong with any of the vendors. All things being almost equal, the best ribs came down to a subjective preference for the balance and flavour of the rub and sauce. Nonetheless, there were a few standouts.

Check out this slideshow for a rundown of the top 15 ribs I ate at this year's Toronto Ribfest

Photos by Jesse Milns


65 memories from Toronto Pride 2013

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Toronto PrideToronto Pride has come and gone for another year. The 33rd edition was definitely one to remember and we've got some photos that help tell the story. Thanks to the more than 2,800 of you that tagged your Instagram photos with the #PrideTO hashtag, we've selected our favourites from the Pride Toronto 2013 stream into one easy to browse post below. From dogs to flags to Trudeau spotting, here are our highly curated list of memories from the 2013 edition of Toronto Pride.

See also:

Photos from the 2013 Toronto Pride Parade
Photos from the 2013 Toronto Dyke March

THE FLAG AT PRIDE

Pride Parade FlagPhoto by pierrenick

Pride FlagPhoto by mariabustoss

Pride Flag TorontoPhoto by Hawkshep

Pride FlagPhoto by Patagonia Toronto

Pride FlagPhoto by Chrisario

THE PEOPLE OF PRIDE

Pride peoplePhoto by the2scoops

Pride peoplePhoto by fultz_j

Pride peoplePhoto by loveloki

Pride peoplePhoto by lovesey

Pride peoplePhoto by annietrans2

Pride peoplePhoto by chubbybunnyballgags

Pride peoplePhoto by sarah_faye_

THE SOUNDS OF PRIDE

Pride partiesPhoto by djcajjmerewray

Pride partiesPhoto by jplarocque

THE CROWDS AT PRIDE

Pride CrowdsPhoto by jasonparis

Pride CrowdsPhoto by meryletrouble

Pride CrowdsPhoto by patsearle

Pride CrowdsPhoto by itsmarky5

Pride CrowdsPhoto by jockeyogaguy

Pride CrowdsPhoto by speedisdeceiving

Pride CrowdsPhoto by lolitaandedgar

Pride CrowdsPhoto by che2

THE DOGS AND CATS OF PRIDE

Toronto PridePhoto by carmacide

Toronto PridePhoto by jenniferhollett

Toronto PridePhoto by mrwillwong

Toronto PridePhoto by scottyhons

Toronto PridePhoto by _omgmilo

THE SIGNS AT PRIDE

Toronto PridePhoto by tammy12step

Toronto PridePhoto by nympsam

Toronto PridePhoto by katemccarroll

Toronto PridePhoto by naeedasky

Toronto PridePhoto by missperrotta

Toronto PridePhoto by ssource6

T-SHIRTS AT PRIDE

Toronto PridePhoto by danncarpio

Toronto PridePhoto by thednamag

GOOD EATS AT PRIDE

Toronto PridePhoto by paulinewong_click

Toronto PridePhoto by m_corcoran

Toronto PridePhoto by katlangdon

Toronto PridePhoto by chef123

Toronto PridePhoto by lepeches

Toronto PridePhoto by jillflake

Toronto PridePhoto by yfslocal68

THE ASSES AT PRIDE

Toronto PridePhoto by loveloki

Toronto PridePhoto by emphatical

Toronto PridePhoto by alw1981

Toronto PridePhoto by thebosn1an

THE BEST VIEWS AT PRIDE

Toronto PridePhoto by ascotti10

Toronto PridePhoto by wherewebreathe

Toronto PridePhoto by tinkerkat

Toronto PridePhoto by jthirgood

Toronto PridePhoto by zangtai_taizo

Toronto PridePhoto by andreachiu

THE CN TOWER AT PRIDE

Pride CN TowerPhoto by _anubha

Pride CN TowerPhoto by jabrown0586

Pride CN TowerPhoto by thelacepalette

JUSTIN TRUDEAU AT PRIDE

JUSTIN TRUDEAU PRIDEPhoto by ascotti10

JUSTIN TRUDEAU PRIDEPhoto by cswynne

JUSTIN TRUDEAU PRIDEPhoto by justinpjtrudeau

JUSTIN TRUDEAU PRIDEPhoto by mitchelraphael

ROB FORD AT PRIDE

Rob Ford PridePhoto by jennaygram

Rob Ford PridePhoto by dws416

Rob Ford PridePhoto by jvanilly

View thousands or more memories from Pride in our Pride Toronto 2013 Stream.

Lead photo by the petermao

Pride Dog

Radar: Fringe Festival, Collage Art, Drum Up!, Free Flicks, Ellie Goulding + Bruno Mars

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Free Flicks harbourfrontToronto events on July 3rd, 2013

THEATRE | Toronto Fringe Festival
The 2013 Toronto Fringe Festival begins today! This annual theatrical festival will present close to 150 shows in 35 venues across the city, and is known for giving unknown artists and playwrights a chance to get their work staged and presented to a local audience. Unlike other festivals where a jury is used to select which submissions are staged, a lottery system is used here giving all works a chance. Tonight there are several choices for you, including Aaron Rothermund's Charming Monsters, Aki Kaurismäki's I Hired a Contract Killer, Kristofer Van Soelen's Big Metal Box, and many others. The Toronto Fringe Festival runs until July 14th.
Various TO Venues - July 3rd to 14th

ART | The Collage Art Exhibit
The technique of collage goes way back to the invention of paper by the Chinese a little over two thousand years ago. It became a Western artform of significance and acquired its name in the early 20th Century, however. The recent resurgence of this technique, which has never gone off the radar completely, has led to a renewed interest in it, and tonight's exhibition at Steam Whistle Gallery is just further evidence that this form is alive and well. A group of artists: Laura Clayton, Drew Taylor, Victoria Iles, Mel Coleman, Caitlin Eady, Lloyd Arbour, Sean Gadoury, and Victoria Alstein have contributed works in this medium to a show that begins tonight and runs through July 31st.
Steam Whistle Brewing (255 Bremner Blvd) 7PM

MUSIC | Drum Up! Musicworks + TORQ Percussion
TORQ Percussion plays Drum Up! tonight: a fundraiser at the Gladstone Hotel for Musicworks Magazine. Musicworks is a Canadian publication that focuses on experimental music and sound art, and is proud to launch "Musicworks Editions", a limited edition of artwork by well known Canadian composers and artists. TORQ will be playing an exciting program, including works by Steve Reich, John Cage, and Ann Southam. Your cover charge tonight will also get you a one-year subscription to Musicworks, and will go towards educational outreach programs that the magazine has in place.
Gladstone Hotel - The Ballroom (1214 Queen Street West) 7PM $50

FILM | Free Flicks
If you enjoy the atmosphere at Harbourfront and free movies, tonight you will want to check out the first screening of this Summer's "Free Flicks" series at Harbourfront's WestJet Stage. Every Tuesday night at nine o'clock a different film will be shown, and there's a vote in progress from the film to be shown on the last Tuesday in August. Tonight, the director's cut of Little Shop Of Horrors will be shown. This 1986 film, directed by Frank Oz, boasts a stellar cast, starring Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, John Candy, Bill Murray, and Ellen Greene.
Harbourfront Centre, WestJet Stage (235 Queen's Quay West) 9PM

Also Of Note

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

Photo of Free Flicks at Harbourfront

Morning Brew: Raid files to be released, Metrolinx gets mad on subways, police crackdown on outdoor alcohol, Rob Ford inspires fan fiction, and searching for hipsters

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toronto car washCourt documents possibly linking recent police raids and Mayor Rob Ford must be released to media lawyers before 27 Aug, a judge has ruled. The documents, which could reveal whether the controversy surrounding the alleged crack tape was the impetus for Operation Traveller, will be released with sensitive information redacted. Do you agree with the court's decision?

Metrolinx says Toronto can have a Scarborough subway but only if the city and TTC do it themselves. The provincial transit agency has a signed agreement with the city to replace the aging RT with light rail but there's been talk of changing that plan recently. The news comes as tensions on the project seem to be reaching new highs.

Walking and cycling is on the rise in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, and Vancouver but nationwide the use of a bike or human locomotion to get from A to B is on the decline, according to new figures from Statistics Canada. Though Toronto does OK, the West coast is still the country's cycling capital, it seems. Toronto also ranked highly in public transit use.

Having a few sneaky tins in Trinity-Bellwoods Park is going to get a whole lot harder in future - cops are planning to crack down on outdoor alcohol consumption in the area. A rise in complaints has lead police to devise a plan to keep drinking in check, which means more patrols and more $125 tickets. Kensington Market is also a target for "Operation Green Glasses." Is fining outdoor drinkers a waste of time?

Noticing a smoggy haze lingering over the city? Blame wildfires in Northern Quebec.

A new report says Toronto should consider opening safe injection sites for drug users inside existing healthcare centres in an attempt to reduce the number of deaths. Toronto Public Health says a similar program in Vancouver and other cities around the world has been effective at cutting drug-related deaths. 900 people died of accidental overdoses between 2002 and 2010.

One unexpected consequence from the ongoing Rob Ford saga is a new genre of city hall fanfiction, according to the Atlantic Cities. The new issue of local mag Little Brother includes 11 short stories that explore the allegations of crack cocaine use and its aftermath in Toronto. In one alternate reality, Doug Ford is a whizz with robotics and creates ROB - short for ROBot - a giant, bug-ridden android he must guard at all times.

Finally, Yelp's new keyword search function allows users to find restaurant, bar, and other reviews that mention certain words. Selecting "hipster" (for example) highlights, well, exactly where you would expect. Searching for "cheap" hits Chinatown and Yonge Street south of Bloor. Try it out.


IN BRIEF:

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: oliver.hathaway/blogTO Flickr pool.

This Week in Fashion: Dan Levy eyewear brand, The Sassy Little Craft Show, Vitaly Design Pop-Up

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Vitaly DesignThis Week in Fashion rounds up the week's style news, store openings and closings, pop-up shops, sales and upcoming fashion and design events in Toronto. Find it here every Wednesday morning.

NEWS

Last week, MTV personality Dan Levy launched his own line of fashion-forward frames: D.L. Eyewear. Notorious for rocking the quirkiest of glasses, Dan wanted to fill a gap in the market between high-end and high-street price points. The five styles, all thick-framed with swanky silhouettes, run for $95 each and are available online, at The Narwhal or Jonathan + Olivia.

The Art of Reuse, Toronto's response to the phenomenon of fashion-oriented thrift shopping, has officially launched an online store. Handpicked (and tremendously affordable) clothing and housewares are now available for purchase from your swivelling computer chair, including a python printed tunic ($70) and a strangely shaped mug ($25).

EVENTS/PARTIES

If you're into bargains, mosey on over to Percy Street's Rummage Sale this Sunday (July 7). From 10 am until 5 pm, sift through historic finds at The Percy Bed & Breakfast (6 Percy St) including antique kitchenware, clothing, and jewellery. Plus, a portion of proceeds will go to the street cats shelter program at the Toronto Humane Society, so your new treasures can help more than just yourself.

Spend your Sunday (July 7) from 2 pm until 8 pm at the summer edition of The Sassy Little Craft Show, an event that "ain't your Granny's church basement!" The Central (603 Markham St) will be filled to the brim with food, drink, good company, and most importantly: the work of indie artisans. Admission is free, so stop by and support local!

Caravan Found Objects - a new sister store to Gypsy Found Objects - is opening next Wednesday (July 10) at 812 St. Clair Avenue West. It'll be the go-to home décor spot for all your shabby chic dreams, teeming with antique linens, furnishings, silver, china, and more. They'll also have a selection of handpicked and reclaimed vintage clothing - there's definitely something quaint and quirky for everyone!

Until July 9, Vitaly Design is hosting a second pop-up shop at Oz Studios (134 Ossington Ave). Like the last time around, there'll be DJs spinning and caterers catering, not to mention a slew of Toronto brands like Keyway and Felony Case. Vitaly Design's latest collection will also be up for grabs, alongside samples marked at up to 75% off.

Photo from Vitaly Design's first pop-up shop

Junction Eatery reopens as a slick Cajun bistro

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Roux TorontoThe Junction Eatery has reopened under a new name after a stylish makeover that's refreshed both the interior and menu. As the new marquee suggests, the updated restaurant deepens its ties to the American South offering a menu of familiar comforts like Jambalaya and Fried Chicken, as well as, new additions like Crawfish Ceviche and Catfish with black eyed pea ragu.

Read my profile of Roux in the restaurants section.

Condo of the Week: 630 Queen St. East

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630 Queen St TorontoSometimes it's hard to look past the standard white walls and floor to ceiling windows of new condos in the city, but this low key property on the top floor (there's only eight!) of this new boutique condo building in the ever-growing Riverside neighbourhood has a ton of potential.

An expansive open concept layout, floor to ceiling windows and birch toned engineered hardwood flooring make the space feel even bigger than it is and there is an amazing amount of natural light. Upstairs you'll find more large windows, another seating area and access to a private 250 square foot terrace. Right now there's a lot of white walls, but being barely a year old it's not unexpected and it's nothing a coat of paint or feature wall can't change.

630 Queen St TorontoThe one thing that catches the eye for anyone who enjoys spending time in the kitchen is that this one's not very big, but that's an easy fix by adding a rolling butchers block or island. If you like to entertain, the kitchen layout here also helps keep your guests in one space while still being a part of the conversation because, let's face it, every party ends up in the kitchen anyway.

630 Queen St TorontoSPECS:

Price: $759,900
Sq ft: 1319 + 250sq ft terrace
Bedrooms: 2+1
Bathrooms: 3
Storeys: 2
Taxes: NA
Maintenance: $625

630 Queen St TorontoNOTABLE FEATURES:

  • Built in surround sound with Ipod dock
  • Second floor water bar
  • 2 ensuite washrooms - no need to share!

630 Queen St TorontoGREAT FOR:

The commuter. Not only is there easy access to streetcars that will take you downtown or to the Bloor-Danforth subway line, but the DVP and Gardiner Expressway are easily accessible and close enough you don't need to sit in traffic to get to them, but far enough you won't be burdened by the noise.

630 Queen St TorontoMOVE ON IF:

You're looking to be in more of the action right this second. Riverside is a great community, but it's developing at a slower pace. That's great for anyone who's grown up in the area, but for the young professional who wants to be in the mix and enjoy what the downtown nightlife has to offer, this may not be what you're after - though the Queen streetcar will take you to and fro 24 hours a day.

630 Queen St Toronto630 Queen St Toronto630 Queen St Toronto630 Queen St TorontoRead other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.


15 shows to catch at the Toronto Fringe Festival 2013

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Fringe Festival Toronto 2013The Fringe Festival is celebrating a milestone this year in the form of its 25th anniversary, and is once again set to unleash a torrent of performances on eager Toronto audiences. In its over two decades on the scene, the festival has provided a platform for more than 2500 productions, raising over 5 million dollars for hardworking theatre artists.

Since its inception in 1989, the Fringe has continued to expand, adding the Next Stage Festival every January and the Creation Lab for discount rehearsal space. Here are some festival highlights this year:

Bremen Rock City / Palmerston Library Theatre / Page 14
A promising new musical for the whole family, Bremen Rock City is about an indie band of animals from the farm who journey to the city where rock legends become stars. Band leader Jack, a guitarist donkey, is accompanied by Duke, a dog on drums, Lex, a lazy cat who plays a mean bass, and rooster Simon, who provides the vocals. The musical is a collaboration from Sara Farb, Colleen Dauncey, and Akiva Romer-Segal.

A Midsummer Night's Dream...A Puppet Epic! / Palmerston Library Theatre / Page 15
Shakey-Shake and Friends have been a major FringeKids! highlight the past two summers with their clever adaptations of the Bard featuring a bunch of loveable puppet characters. After tackling The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet, they'll delve deep into the costume trunk for A Midsummer Night's Dream, the playwright's most popular comedy. Their efforts are a fitting intro to Shakespeare for younger audience members, while at the same time still engaging for those who appreciate the source material.

Death Married My Daughter / Tarragon Theatre Mainspace / Page 16
The family Smith-Gilmour are our Canadian clown experts. Having learned the tricks of the trade from masters in Paris, Michele Smith and Dean GiImour, now with their daughter Nina, continue to share the craft with Toronto audiences. In Death Married My Daughter, a play set in the bouffon clowning style, Ophelia and Desdemona come back from the dead to expose their murderers and revisit the sites and situations that caused their untimely deaths.

Radio :30 / Tarragon Theatre Mainspace / Page 18
Chris Earle returns to the Fringe with Radio :30 after its presentation here in 1999 cemented it as one of the festival's most successful shows. In that year, it was awarded the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play, as well as the Chalmers New Play Award. Earle stars as an actor who implodes while in the booth recording a radio ad. The remount reunites Earle with director Shari Hollett for a fringe circuit tour with stops in five Canadian cities.

The Adversary / Tarragon Theatre Extra Space / Page 20
Billed as "Woody Allen stuck in The Wire," Andrew Bailey's The Adversary uses the backdrop of an inner city church to explore our notions of justice when faced with difficult situations. When a dangerous threat makes itself present, a church caretaker who advocates patience and fairness appears in stark contrast to his colleague who prefers punishment and retribution. The play is dramaturged by Atomic Vaudeville's Jacob Richmond and Britt Small.

Alex Nussbaum's Handbook to the Future / Tarragon Theatre Extra Space / Page 20
Funnyman Alex Nussbaum uses his solo show to consider just how intertwined humankind has become with its technology. While he won't be making love to a robot (we hope), he will use monologues, sketches, and illustrations to explore our drive for self-improvement and the role of our machines in helping us achieve all that we desire. A stand up comic by trade, Nussbaum's show is his first ever Fringe foray.

The Oak Room FringeThe Oak Room / Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace / Page 56
Peter Genoway's first play rose to the top as the winner of this year's Fringe New Play Contest, an honour most recently bestowed on Kat Sandler's Help Yourself and Ins Choi's Kim's Convenience. In The Oak Room, a claustrophobic bar in Northern Ontario is the setting for a mysterious conversation between a patron and the owner about the happenings in another bar. This promising new play is directed by Amos Crawley.

The Truth About Comets / Tarragon Theatre Extra Space / Page 22
Ginette Mohr has one of the more hectic Fringe schedules this year. In addition to directing Life as a Pomegranate at the Ulster Coin Laundry, her new play The Truth About Comets, in which she stars alongside Ingrid Hansen, has its Fringe premiere. In the play, a young boy who disappeared in 1958 starts to communicate through the radio and a young girl must work together with her mother to save their family.

trip / Annex Theatre / Page 32
A collection of three short plays on the subject of striking deals with the Devil, trip is the three part journey of one man as he wrestles with grief, considers the talents of rock music legends, and encounters genetically modified monkeys whose intelligence borders on dangerous. The plays are written by three National Theatre School graduates Colin Mercer, Maureen Gualtieri, and Leah Jane Esau, with direction from Outside the March Co-Artistic Director Simon Bloom.

It's Always You: A Musical / Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse / Page 48
Every day at 4:03, an alternate reality begins afresh for the characters in It's Always You: A Musical. Bill, Elaine and Ted are the triangle of lovers in question who swing dance in and out of each others lives depending on the current scenario at play. The musical features a lineup of talented performers, Dan Redican, Sheila McCarthy, and Shawn Thompson in the three major roles.

Polly Polly / Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace / Page 59
An existential crisis turns into a big screen romp for a call centre operator named Polly when a mysterious voice commands the protagonist to find out who she really is. Turning to the poetic voice in her head for answers, Polly is further intrigued by the move-like narration of her thoughts and actions. Playwright and actress Jessica Moss is a summer theatre darling whose performances brim with discovery.

We Are The Bomb FringeWe Are The Bomb / The Paddock / Page 69
Playwright Kat Sandler and Theatre Brouhaha go site-specific this year with We Are The Bomb at the Paddock, Toronto's third oldest bar. The play imagines a Canada in the near future where Prohibition comes into effect. So, like any beer-swilling Canadians would do, the characters proclaim their favourite pub autonomous, a nation unto itself. The Paddock, which opened its doors in 1946, will serve as a cozy backdrop to the revolutionary spirit.

Morro and Jasp: Go Bake Yourself / 918 Bathurst Street / Page 64
There's a reason you can't leave Morro and Jasp off the annual Fringe preview — their shows are hilarious. Whether they're adapting Steinbeck (Of Mice and Moro and Jasp) or letting loose during Spring Break (Morro and Jasp Gone Wild), Heather Marie Annis and Amy Lee, along with director Byron Laviolette, deliver thoughtful and funny stories year after year. Their Dora Award winning hit Go Bake Yourself finds the twosome getting up to all kinds of trouble in the kitchen.

Much Ado About Nothing / Victory Cafe / Page 66
After last year's The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare BASH'd returns to the Victory Cafe for some more contemporary classics in Mirvish Village. Much Ado About Nothing is the play of choice, which showcases the razor-sharp wit of Beatrice and Benedick who dig their heels in when marriage seems inevitable. Expect this treatment to land somewhere closer in resemblance to Joss Whedon than Kenneth Branagh.

Spoon / Glad Day Bookshop / Page 66
Sky Gilbert has been presenting work at the Toronto Fringe since the early days of the festival. Gilbert has the ability to bridge cerebral, academic theories with the more fun and in-your-face themes characteristic of queer performance. Case in point, this year he directs Spencer Charles Smith's Spoon, which uses Judith Butler's performance theories as a jumping off point to consider how the big spoon and little spoon labels are akin to heteronormative roles.

The Toronto Fringe Festival runs from July 3 - 14. Visit the Fringe website for tickets, event times, and additional programming that runs throughout the festival. Download a complete Fringe Festival Program Guide to plan your own viewing schedule.

Images courtesy of the Fringe Festival / Lead image of Much Ado About Nothing

This under the radar Mexican joint is the real deal

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TenochTaco fiends and food thrill-hunters, take notice: this under the radar St. Clair West restaurant offers a wide variety of the closest you'll get to authentic recipes from Mexico City and a torta sandwich whose formidable bulk dares all challengers to step forward.

Read my review of Tenoch in the restaurants section.

Street Style: Toronto Pride Week edition

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Street Style Toronto PrideToronto Pride Week is as good an excuse as any to get creative with your wardrobe and the 2013 edition was no exception. From drag outfits to Korean inspired looks to something more summery or subtle, the looks we spotted at Pride this year were all over the spectrum.

Check out all 17 looks in the Style section

5 wineries to visit in Beamsville, Ontario

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Beamsville Wineries OntarioWineries in Beamsville Ontario might not be "local" according to the strictest definition of the term, but it's the closest high quality wine growing region that Toronto has, reachable by car in about 45 minutes or so if the traffic isn't too heavy. That's not really much of a trek, particularly when one considers just how many top Ontario producers call the Beamsville Bench home. A sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula, the area benefits from its unique topography, both in the form of its sloped vineyards and the relatively consistent growing conditions fostered by the air flow off the lake, which is sheltered by the Niagara Escarpment. If you want a quick introduction to wine growing in this province, Beamsville is the place to start.

Not rich in restaurants or nightlife, this is an excellent area for day trips. It's also a great place to cycle, should you want to park the car and hop from winery to winery on your bike. Even on weekends, the traffic remains fairly low, and there's a generally lazy, wine country vibe in the area. Oh, and if you've ever wanted to see an amazing view of the Toronto skyline, have a look across the lake on a sunny day from Beasmville. It's stunning — and also a reminder of just how close the city really is.

Thirty Bench
Thirty Bench is a must-visit winery for two reasons: 1) they have great Riesling and 2) their wine tastings are some of the best in the province. A personal tasting costs $10, but you'll get to try 5+ wines, a tour of the vineyard, and to ask as many questions as you want of the staff member conducting your tasting. On the multiple occasions that I've visited, the experience has been informative and buzz-worthy (wine in the morning works faster). Of particular interest is a flight of the various Rieslings, from single vineyard offerings to the annual blend: contrasting the flavour profiles is fascinating.

Fielding Estate
Sipping on a Fielding vintage while gazing at the Toronto skyline on the winery's cottage-like back deck is worth the drive to Beamsville. Fielding does full-scale tours of the winery, which take visitors through the entire winemaking operation before supervised tastings in the retail boutique. This is a winery that does a number of varietals well, including Cabernet Sauvignon in warm years. The Riesling is also good.

Angel's Gate
Angel's Gate sits across from Fielding and Thirty Bench on Mountainview Rd. in an old mission-style building that befits the name of the operation and the sweeping vineyards on the Bench. The vibe at the winery is casual, which makes for a nice environment to taste through the various wines on offer, the highlights of which are typically Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling.

Daniel Lenko
Daniel Lenko is a true boutique winery with low yields that result in wonderfully concentrated wines. Unlike other producers on the Bench, the highlight wine here is the Meritage Blend, which benefits from old vines (some of which date back to 1974). It's probably not fair to say that it's a wine that tastes like it was produced elsewhere — because that denigrates obvious potential of the region — but in some sense that's a compliment. Lenko is a passionate and immensely knowledgeable winemaker who you'll almost certainly learn something from on a visit to the vineyard. This one is a must-visit.

Hidden Bench
Hands down my favourite winery in Beamsville, Hidden Bench makes wines worthy of a cult following (try the Nuit Blanche Rosomel Vineyard for proof). Owned (and in a very real sense operated) by Harold Thiel, the commitment to quality is easy to spot as you park your car beside the carefully pruned vines. It's common to see Thiel and his dog in the barn-like tasting area, which is a good thing because he really knows his stuff and is as friendly and engaging as they come when it comes to winemakers. Tours of the state of the art winery can also be arranged and are well worth it.

Thanks to the New Listerine UltraClean for sponsoring our wine-soaked adventures.

Will booze crackdown kill the buzz in Bellwoods?

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drinking bellwoods park torontoTrinity Bellwoods Park is a pretty good place to party. Copious amounts of beer are consumed there during the sweltering heat waves, and groups meet up, hang out, and mingle. It's like a regular old Cheers under the open city skies. And there's not even any litter, because friendly elderly people wander around from group to group collecting empties.

But the gloriousness that is Bellwoods may be about to change, at least to a certain degree. Residents in the area have been making complaints about the apparent wildness going down in the park, so now you can expect more cops on the prowl, prosecuting fun-havers everywhere and making it rain $125 fines.

The crappy crackdown is part of "Project Green Glasses," which is an incredibly nice euphemism, and the name for an initiative police are taking to enforce public drinking laws in a number of public parks (Bellevue Square Park in Kensington is also on the party chopping block).

"We want the regular folks of the neighbourhood to be able to use these parks," Sgt. Ralph Brookes of 14 Division told the Star. "Making the park a favourite destination for children and families is a huge issue. There are summer camp programs in the park. There's a wading pool in there." He said complaints about revelers have been "pouring in" since May.

So, what gives? Young people who want to enjoy a beer in what amounts to their back yard are no longer "regular folks"? People should be ticketed for displays of public drunkenness that put others in danger, that destroy the environment, or that truly disrupt the neighbourhood with excessive noise. But it's individuals who should be punished for making these screwups, not the group as a whole. Let's not be heavy handed here and kill off one of the most vibrant parts of the neighbourhood.

Photo courtesy of suesthegrl via Flickr.

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