We've got ourselves a closure. Marissa's Place gets a red card with seven infractions. This week also has some noteworthy names with conditional passes, including Owl of Minerva (Dragon City location) and Fran's on College Street. The latter of the two iconic 24-hour restaurants failed to properly wash equipment, among other things.

For details and the other offenders, check out this week's DineSafe hit list below.

Marissa's Place (4915 Steeles Ave. E)
Inspected on: September 12
Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to prevent an insect infestation, operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated

Bola Bar (1608 Dundas St. W)
Inspected on: September 11
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Cafe Moda (555 Richmond St W)
Inspected on: September 10
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder, operator fail to maintain hazardous foods at 60C (140F) or hotter.

Fox & Fiddle (280 Bloor St. W)
Inspected on: September 12
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 4)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Fran's Restaurant (20 College St)
Inspected on: September 9
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Owl of Minerva (280 Spadina Ave)
Inspected on: September 13
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Significant: 2, Minor: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Keeffaa Coffee (368 Queen St E)
Inspected on: September 9
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Magic Oven (360 Queen St E)
Inspected on: September 9
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Windsor Arms Hotel (18 St. Thomas St)
Inspected on: September 11
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

15 Ridgewood Road, located on a cul-de-sac in Forest Hill South, is a loud spot in a quiet neighbourhood. Flaunting over 7,000 sq. ft. of floor space, it's spacious, bright, and only slightly reminiscent of a Brampton banquet hall. The house was custom-built in 1992 and, well, it shows. Other things built in 1992: Splash Works at Canada's Wonderland, the CBC building on Front Street, Miley Cyrus.

Like many 20-somethings, the house is currently suffering from a mild identity crisis. The brick exterior complements other classic properties on the street, but inside the house teems with disparate styles--and a whole lot of beige. You'll find spiral staircases with gold and Lucite railings, a kitchen covered wall-to-wall in magical marbled laminate (the fridge disappears!), a washitsu with tatami flooring and an indoor koi pond (do the fish come with the house?) If you're prone to dizziness, try to avoid the endless hall of mirrored closets and the nightmare-inducing mirror tile bathroom.

The deep ravine lot features an in-ground pool, hot tub and a knockoff of Michelangelo's David. It's worth noting that you can see a busy stretch of Bathurst St. from the backyard. The property was listed in early 2013 for over $4 million but has undergone many incremental price drops since then. Interested buyers would be wise to hold out a little while longer before biting--and use the savings to buy a few extra koi, for good measure.

SPECS

• Address: 15 Ridgewood Rd.
• Price: $3,598,888.00
• Sq Ft: 7,000
• Bedrooms: 5
• Storeys: 2
• Bathrooms: 9
• Parking Spaces: 8
• Taxes: $30,485.00

NOTABLE FEATURES

• Ensuite bathroom for every bedroom
• Two sunrooms and a rooftop deck
• Indoor waterfall and watercourse
• Indoor sauna

GOOD FOR

Someone who wants to hold an address in one of the city's most established neighbourhoods (bear in mind this street can only be accessed from Bathurst) and really, really likes gold accents. Go all out and install some Liberace-style gold swan neck faucets in the bathtub.

MOVE ON IF

You own multiple cats. Cats and koi are a tragic combination. Also, give the house a pass if you like the location but find the gilded décor truly appalling. $3.5 million is too much to invest in a property that will ultimately end up a gut job. Instead, take a look through Forest Hill for properties that are less expensive and more refined.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Writing by Leslie Bank

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

Terroni's recently opened bakery majors in hand crafted breads, panini and other grab and go items, but the pizza might just be the showstopper here. Shaped and cooked in the Roman style, it's then sold by the slice. There's also an array of sweets and of course, espressos to be sipped standing counter-side just like they do in Rome.

Read my profile of Sud Forno in the baked goods section.

A new chapter may be about to unfold in the epic saga of the Bloor Street bike lanes. Prompted by emails from residents and advocacy groups, a group of councillors is asking city staff to reume a halted environmental assessment into curb-separated bike lanes on Bloor from Sherbourne to Keele.

"The conversation around bike lanes and completing the bike network in the City of Toronto is an ongoing one, it seems to be forever evolving," says Cllr. Kristyn Wong-Tam, one of the signatories. "That's what the letter does, it basically asks staff to start the [environmental assessment] process one more time."

The assessment would delve in to the merits and possible disadvantages of bike lanes on one of downtown's busiest east-west arteries, covering the effects on turning, intersections, businesses, and other elements of the street.

Six members of city council whose wards cover Bloor - Ana Bailão, Mike Layton, Pam McConnell, Gord Perks, Adam Vaughan, and Kristyn Wong-Tam - signed the request asking city staff include the lanes on their list of transportation projects for 2014 in May. The item was deferred until after the summer break at city hall.

Despite annual rides in support of more cycling infrastructure on the street, there has been no official movement on Bloor since the incomplete environmental assessment was binned in July 2011 with the Jarvis Street lanes.

Now, more than two years later, Jared Kolb from Cycle Toronto is "cautiously optimistic" council will vote to resume the EA, even if the cycling advocacy group would prefer an investigation that covers the Danforth as well.

"What we're saying is 'that's not quite enough,'" he says. "We would much rather see the original terms of the EA brought back, which was for the entire corridor of Bloor-Danforth, and we are also pushing for a pilot project ... we don't need to wait around for a multi-year EA."

That pilot project, visualized above, would involve converting the south side of Bloor at the Annex in to a fully separated bike lane at the expense of street parking. The results would be measured and used to inform future policy, Kolb hopes. At time of writing almost 800 people had signed a Cycle Toronto petition in support of resuming the assessment.

"I think it's really important to note that there is a difference between 'let's put these bike lanes in tomorrow' versus 'let's study the feasibility, let's determine the impact, let's determine the best type of lanes,'" cllr. Wong-Tam says. "All of that will come out of the environmental assessment."

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

Image: Cycle Toronto, Eric Robinson/blogTO Flickr pool.

Photo by Jamie Hedworth in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto events on September 18th, 2013

ART | Ghost Dance: Activism. Resistance. Art.
The Image Centre at Ryerson University presents an exhibition of "indigenous" art, entitled, Ghost Dance. This show has been curated by Steven Loft, and will feature both multimedia artwork, and photographs from the Black Star collection, an extensive archive of photographs from the New York-based Black Star agency, dating back eighty years. The focus of this show is the empowerement of indigenous people and the role of the artist as 'activist', even in a seemingly passive role, as events are chronicled, and communities struggle for control of their own land and destiny. Artists to be featured include Sonny Assu, Vernon Ah Kee, Scott Benesiinaabandan, Dana Claxton, Cheryl L'Hirondelle, Alan Michelson, and others. Ghost Dance runs until December 15th.
Ryerson Image Centre (33 Gould Street) 6PM

MUSIC | Pere Ubu @ Lee's Palace
Pere Ubu hits town tonight for a show at Lee's Palace. Pere Ubu was one of the bands that formed after Cleveland's Rocket From The Tombs disbanded, another was the well-known CBGB mainstays The Dead Boys. Pere Ubu had an experimental slant from the outset, and quickly became a cult favourite, influencing many bands who became far more popular, and only bleeping on the mainstream radar when Peter Murphy covered their classic Final Solution in 1986. At that time the group had disbanded for several years, but shortly thereafter reformed, and has been playing since, albeit with a lineup quite different from the original. Their latest release, Lady from Shanghai, came out at the beginning of this year.
Lee's Palace (529 Bloor Street West) 8PM $20

LECTURE | President's Speaker Series: Bill Shannon
American artist, Bill Shannon, will deliver a lecture at OCAD University tonight, as part of the school's "President's Speaker Series". Shannon is based in Brooklyn, and hails originally from Nashville. Having attended the Art Institute Of Chicago, he relocated to NYC where he found his artistic voice, after becoming influenced by the city's culture which even involved a skateboarding scene that impacted Shannon, who was born with a degenerative hip condition. Shannon has created installation art, videos, and choreography on an international level. He has received a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, and has also collaborated with Cirque du Soleil, among many others.
OCAD University (100 McCaul Street) 6:30PM

BOOKS & LIT | Pivot Reading Series Fall Debut
The Pivot Reading Series, a regular gathering that showcases local literary talent, begins its fall events at The Press Club tonight. Tonight's lineup should get things going on the right foot. Stanley Louis Dragland, a fiction writer and poet, is one of tonight's guests, and Dragland has quite a history in our literary scene, especially as an editor and champion of small presses. Sara Peters will also read tonight, and she is an emerging writer, originally from Nova Scotia, whose first book, 1996 was published this year. Also reading tonight is Robin Richardson, a poet who recently published Knife Throwing Through Self-Hypnosis. Come out and support local literary talent!
The Press Club (850 Dundas Street West) 8PM

Also Of Note

Moving Frames, Shifting Boundaries: Artistic Experiments and Innovation in Film and Video
Rae Spoon's "My Prairie Home" Launch

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

Photo of the interior of the Ryerson Image Centre

The three Toronto Zoo elephants scheduled to move to a sanctuary in California will finally be on the road after the Thanksgiving weekend, according to zoo staff. The three female African elephants - Toka, Thika and Iringa - were originally going to fly to the PAWS sanctuary in the U.S. but talks stalled with Department of National Defence. The trio will travel by air-conditioned vehicle instead.

This summer's epic rainstorm that caused widespread flooding and trapped a GO train in the Don Valley cost the city $65 million, a staff report calculates. The assessment is still ongoing, but city manager Joe Pennachetti notes the rain cost $10 million to manage and caused about $55 million in damage. City divisions will be able to draw on an emergency fund set up in 2009 if they cannot absorb the cost.

The development company planning to build a Walmart on Bathurst Street near Kensington Market is appealing an interim control bylaw enacted by the city that prohibits new businesses opening on the street for one year. RioCan filed an appeal with the Ontario Municipal Board, a judicial body that has authority over city decisions, in an attempt to build its three-storey, 12,000 square metre retail complex on the site of old Kromer Radio lands.

A delay obtaining noise data for the new Bombarider CS-100 jets could delay Porter's plans to fly non-propellor planes out of the Island airport. Transport Canada told city staff it won't have the noise data for the planes until mid-2014, several months after a report is due to city council for consideration. Porter says it will have enough information to finish the report in time.

Rob Ford is promising faster food at this weekend's Ford Fest event. Long lines at the first of two events earlier this summer meant some people waited almost hours for a burger. Doug Ford says students from George Brown will help with catering at Centennial Park this Friday.

Speaking of food, the city wants your input on food trucks in Toronto. Municipal Licensing and Standards wants to know if the city should regulate the food truck industry and what changes could be made to enhance the street eats scene in Toronto. The information will be used to inform future policy.

Finally, here's graphic designer and letterer Ben Johnson painting a graphic mural at Project:Rhino, a co-working space at King and Bathurst. Inspired by Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Johnson created the font by himself and used only black paint and markers.

IN BRIEF:

• Toronto Police Chief hits deadline for Sammy Yatim probe [Globe and Mail]
• 2 more smash-and-grabs at GTA stores [CBC]
• 'Violent death' came 2 days after minor Toronto collision [CBC]
• Pair sought in violent Harbord St. home invasion, shopping spree [Toronto Sun]
• Dickey shuts out Yankees in Blue Jays' 2-0 win [CTV News]

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

Image: Michael Leckman/blogTO Flickr pool.

This 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, World MasterCard Fashion Week announced its preliminary calendar for the spring/summer 2014 season. From Monday, October 21 through Friday, October 25, both established and emerging Canadian designers will dazzle the tents at David Pecaut Square. Mackage, Joe Fresh, Beaufille, and Thomas Balint are just some of the names on the roster. BMO is also presenting Fashion Saturday (October 26) -- a new public event highlighting the best looks of the week as well as a shoppable designer market. For the full (yet tentative) schedule, visit the official website.

After making noise on Queen Street West, Sauvage (644 Queen St W) is ready to take things to the next level. They're officially launching their fully revamped website and new online store this Friday (September 20), so you can shop their quirky-modern womenswear from the comfort of your own home (read: curled up in bed, laptop in tow). They'll be offering free shipping on domestic orders over $150 -- a line you'd know isn't hard to cross if you've ever set foot in the boutique.

EVENTS

Tomorrow (September 19) marks the launch of Todd Snyder's fall 2013 menswear collection, designed in collaboration with Champion and manufactured right here in Toronto. Stop by Over The Rainbow (101 Yorkville Ave) from 6 pm until 9 pm to celebrate -- toast to the new season, peruse the preppy-athletic pieces, enjoy complimentary drinks, and mingle with the designer himself.

MIDNIGHT MRKT is back for its fifth bi-monthly round. If you haven't been, it's a traditional eclectic market, but in night-time party style. This Friday (September 20), shop from 8 pm until 1 am on the 2nd floor of 461 King Street West with local brands including Opal Doily, NOZO, Blackbird, and more -- and then stay a little longer to dance to DJs Lucie Tic, Beam Me Up, MembersOnly (Evening Standard), and Para-sol. Entrance is $5 at the doors.

From noon until 4 pm on Saturday (September 21), Arts Market (846 College St) will be home to a poppin' clothing swap party. The event's not only an overhaul for your closet - it's also a sustainable and socially conscious way to give and take back from the community. Entrance is just $5, so lug your gently used clothing to Little Italy and walk away with a brand new set of gear for the fall season.

For one day only this Saturday (September 21), Norman Felix Gallery (627 Queen St W) will be home to yet another edition of the Rigorous Mess & Friends Pop Up Shop. This time around, they'll be featuring fall gear and a $10 rack from seasons past, as well as a slew of local vendors like Parkdale Butter and Cloth & Water -- so spend the day from 11 am until 7 pm sifting the great finds over snacks, tunes, and good company.

A pop-up shop curated by Pharrell Williams opened earlier this month at Holt Renfrew Yorkdale (3401 Dufferin St), containing a visual installation of his most coveted personal items, including fancy sunglasses and exclusive sneakers, of course. And, as this year marks the 10th anniversary of his clothing line Billionaire Boys Club, he'll be making an appearance at the space this Saturday (September 21) from 2 pm until 3 pm. If you've got an undying question for Pharrell, this one-hour is your chance to get an answer. The pop-up shop will be open until the end of October, so if you miss out on the Q&A, you can at least be in the presence of his lavish belongings.

This year's Parkdale Nightcrawl falls on Saturday (September 21) - so you'd better gear up for an evening of art, performances, brews, music, and good company. Stores and spots between Dufferin and Roncesvalles will be open from 8 pm until midnight, each hosting a different kind of party. Elevator (1273 Queen St W) will be featuring a semi-secret interactive art piece, an exhibition by local artist Julia Dickens, and two fall/winter trunk shows by Canadian labels RUNE and String Theory. Find a full list of participating venues on the Queen West Art Crawl website.

Once a place to grab falafels, this Kensington Market spot has ditched the chickpeas in favour of halal cheesesteak. With a unique product and hefty portions, the Market seems to have taken to Big Al already.

Read my review of Big Al's Flyin' Phillys in the restaurants section.

The Toronto Public Library has just given another reason to love having a library card, and to enjoy this benefit you won't even need to leave your house. TPL has partnered with leading digital newsstand provider Zinio to give members access to digital magazines for free.

Libraries are increasingly becoming digital hubs due to the mass adoption of e-readers and tablets so this program is right on trend for Toronto. With just a library card and internet access, Toronto card holders will can digitally borrow over 300 magazine titles from both US and Canadian Publishers - anything from Canadian staples like Maclean's and Canadian Living to popular US mags like Cosmo, Men's Health, The Economist and even O Magazine.

The great thing about this service is that there is no limit to the number of magazines you can borrow. There is nothing to return. No late fees. And you can keep the magazine for as long as you want. The use of the term "borrow" is really misleading because really TPL is letting you download the magazine for free - but either way this is just semantics, and who cares when you get to read trashy mags like US Weekly for free, right?

To get started, you'll need a library card of course and then will have to register in two spots. The first step is to use your library card to create an account on the TPL RBdigital site. Then when you have selected the magazine title you are interested in and go to check-out, you will be sent to the Zinio site where you can either use your existing Zinio account (if you used the same email for RBdigital) or create a new one. The process is clunky but totally worth it to get access to a pretty amazing magazine catalogue.

Zinio can be accessed online or through apps that you can download for your PC, Mac, or smartphone and tablets (Android, Apple and Windows).

I guess if there was a downside to this program it is that there is no access to back catalogues. You are only able to borrow titles which are found available at the time that you visit the TPL magazine site. The catalogue is wholly dependent on the magazine publishers decisions on what magazines they wish to offer through the Zinio Library services.

If you are interested in this program, TPL staff will be giving live demos at Word on The Street on Sunday September 22 at Queen's Park. This fall, district libraries will also have digital kiosks installed to demonstrate e-magazines. Or you can head on over to www.tpl.ca/zinio and check out some digital mags today.

Free public WiFi is once again being discussed in Toronto thanks to Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 22), who wants city staff to examine the feasibility of installing WiFi in key public areas, including parks and civic areas like Nathan Phillips Square. This request takes place around a decade after an ill-fated plan by Toronto Hydro to make WiFi available throughout the downtown core, and has met with both enthusiasm and skepticism. It sounds like a promising idea to many residents, of course, but there are concerns about what it will all cost given that the first attempt quickly became a pay per use service. Some also question whether or not citizens need another reason to be plugged-in, but Matlow's argument that such public hotspots would help to make Toronto a more tech-friendly city are also worthy of consideration.

We put the question to our Twitter followers for feedback. Here's a selection of responses. Weigh in with your comments below.

Photo by BruceK in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Opened a few weeks ago in Parkdale, this locally focused preserve shop and cafe offers a selection of jams, teas and afternoon scones that are impossibly fluffy and creamy. Although the selection is small, the ingredients and subsequent products are of the highest quality.

Read my review of Kitten and The Bear in the grocery section.

Fall concerts in Toronto are right around the corner. There's already a chill in the air, and the cardigans are coming out — okay that was a bit of a tease, since no Swedish sweater-named bands are coming through Toronto this fall. But luckily, a lot of amazing acts are: from Janelle Monae and Drake's birthday show to Nine Inch Nails and Slayer, this autumn promises concerts for everyone.

For a visual roundup of fall shows in Toronto, check out our slideshow.

Or read on for a more audio-friendly version of the post.

Sept 19 - 21 | Canada's Walk of Fame (Burton + Maestro etc) | Various Venues
While there is seemingly something inherently awkward about Canadian awards ceremonies (perhaps we're just too modest?), the lineup at this quickly upcoming festival should temper that. As part of Canada's Walk of Fame Festival slated between September 19 - 21 (congratulations, Terry Fox), you'll have a chance to see Burton Cummings, Serena Ryder, Maestro Fresh Wes and other great Canadian artists.

Sept. 25 | Pet Shop Boys | Sony Centre
Grab some west end girls and head (a bit) east to Sony Centre on September 25 for a glory-filled trip back in time with the Pet Shop Boys. While their best years are arguably behind them, the boys haven't lost an inch of showmanship, and you can expect audio/visuals at this one to be as stimulating as the venues allows. Tickets are $50 to $100, which is pretty much exactly what you'd expect this show to cost.

Sept. 27 | Austra | The Phoenix
One of Toronto's hottest bands right now, the constantly on-tour Austra will play the Phoenix on September 27, so this is your chance to impress that cute hipster boy you've had your eye on all summer. Beyond that noble task, you'll get the chance to soak in the dark, brooding sounds of the band's second LP, Olympia. Singer Katie Stelmanis knows how to handle a crowd, so don't be surprised if you see some dancing as well. $25 gets you in the door.

Oct. 1 | Action Bronson and Danny Brown | Danforth Music Hall
Having released a new EP this year, Action Bronson keeps hitting higher heights of the hip hop scene, and he'll be bringing Danny Brown and his loquacious lyrics to us on October 1 at the Danforth Music Hall. Tickets are $43.25 in advance. Correction: Danny Brown will not be available for this concert due to border issues.

Oct. 3 | Kid Cudi | The ACC
Ohio hip hop artist Kid Cudi will be joined by Big Sean and Logic to at the ACC in October, and the show will be all ages. See the Grammy winning lonely loner free his mind up close and personal (or from like one hundred people away, whatever). Tickets run from $39.50--$69.50.

Oct. 4 | Nine Inch Nails | The ACC
Returning from a long hiatus, (closer to) god of all things spooky Trent Reznor is back, and bringing Nine Inch Nails to the ACC on October 4. Do you own enough black clothing? You might want to get some more. Tickets will cost you between $66(.66?)-- $112.75.

Oct 11 | Goblin | The Opera House
Italian psych creepers Goblin are coming to town, and if the soundtrack (or colour pallette) of your life is anything like that of a Dario Argento film, you'll want to be at the Opera House on October 11. You could drop anywhere from $27.50--$75 on this one.

Oct 16 | Bonobo
Much like the giving ape he is named for, British producer/DJ Bonobo is coming to the Sound Academy on October 16 to give us a taste of real pleasure. We'd make a joke about monkeying around, but we're so lost in these basslines... send help. This show will only set you back $22.

Oct. 17/19/20 | The Weeknd | Massey Hall
Get ready to start your weekend early when R&B's moodiest son Abel Tesfaye comes back to serenade his masses of (screaming) hometown fans October 17, 19, and 20 at Massey Hall. Fingers crossed for extra special surprise guests, and not ending up next to someone who has a cardiac arrest if Tesfaye looks in their direction. Ticket prices go from $45--$75.

Oct. 19 | X AVANT feat. A Tribe Called Red | BLK BOX
ImagineNative Film Festival is teaming up with the Music Gallery's X Avant series to put on this highly anticipated show: Polaris nominated aboriginal DJs A Tribe Called Red will take over BLK BOX October 19th. Read our take on why they should win the Polaris Prize here. Tickets are $20 advance.

Oct. 19 | Janelle Monae | Kool Haus
Our favourite Archandroid and current Electric Lady, Janelle Monáe, will entrance the Kool Haus on October 19. Gold hearted Monáe is an amazing performer and a gem for contemporary pop music, along with her boisterous, swinging, grinning, dancing Wondaland Arch Orchestra, so if there's anyway you can see this show and bring all your favourite people along, do it. Tickets are a cool $25 a head.

Oct. 24 | Drake | The ACC
It'll be hard to top what he did at OVO Fest this year, but hometown boy Drake is playing the ACC come October 24 (his birthday, no less), and he's bringing his good friends Miguel and Future with him. Expect a full house, expensive sweat suits on the merch table, some deafening noise when Miguel takes his shirt off (or kicks some lovely gal in the face), and Drizzy to on top of his game as the proud birthday boy. The show is sold out.

Oct. 27 | Cyndi Lauper | Massey Hall
So when was the last time you just had fun? 'Cause it might be that time again. Cyndi Lauper will be in town on October 27 at Massey Hall touring off her latest album, Memphis Blues. Lauper has had remarkable staying power in a career that's spanned over four decades witnessed the singer-songwriter shift genres multiple times and blossom into an accomplished musician in addition to her history as a '80s pop icon. This bit of fun will cost $45--$75.

Nov. 1 | Braids | The Great Hall
After releasing their second album this summer, Montreal's gentle pop experimenters BRAIDS are still making waves in the indie world. Check them out the day after Halloween at the Great Hall. Tickets are $13.50.

Nov. 5 | My Bloody Valentine | Kool Haus
On the heels of their triumphant return this spring, My Bloody Valentine is hitting the stages, and before November 5 they'll be sure to sell out Kool Haus. Should you manage to snap up tickets, a moody, distortion-filled show awaits. MBV isn't big on gimmicky visuals, but the old school lighting and fog are a perfect complement to the band's material, both new and old. Tickets come in at $45.

Nov 12 | Kanye West | Air Canada Centre
Kanye's Yeezus blew the minds of, um, everyone, and if you missed his guest appearance at OVO Fest, this is your chance to have the ground breaking rapper all to yourself. It also promises to be one of the biggest shows of the year, and then there's the matter of Kendrick Lamar being on the bill. Tickets will cost you between $51.75--$211.75.

Nov 16 | Mazzy Star | Danforth Music Hall
Mazzy Star's newest album, Seasons of Your Day, is already being pre-released on NPR. Their concert on November 16 at the Danforth Music Hall, and if you've ever wanted to sway gently and fade into Hope Sandoval's presence, this is not to be missed. Tickets run between $32.50--$47.50.

Nov. 21 | Slayer | Ricoh Coliseum
Still loud and feisty, Slayer will be in town November 21 at the Ricoh Coliseum. After the death of Jeff Hanneman (RIP) earlier this year, Tom Araya, Kerry King, Gary Holt and Paul Bostaph are on this tour. Tickets are fairly affordable, running from $49.50--$69.50.

Nov. 22 | Born Ruffians | Danforth Music Hall
Having released a stellar fourth album this spring, Toronto-based indie rockers Born Ruffians are set to play an awesome show at the Danforth Music Hall on November 22. The show will only set you back $18.50--$20.

Nov. 30 | Hayden | Danforth Music Hall
Reclusive Hayden will end his fall tour with a hometown show at the Danforth Music Hall on November 30, sharing his eclectic genre-bending sound and material from his latest release, Us Alone. The Toronto-based artist doesn't play live a whole lot (though he did perform at his label's Field Trip Festival this summer), so the chance to catch him at this venue is one that fans should cherish — it might be a long wait until he comes out of hiding again. $32.50--$39.50 and you're in the door.

BONUS

Dec. 16 | Beyonce | The ACC
It's not really going to feel like a fall show per se, but we figured you should know that Beyonce is coming to town on December 16, and you should be at the ACC if you want to see her and her single ladies. Bey shows are a huge spectacle, and while ticket prices aren't kind to one's wallet at $63.25 to $268.25, you're guaranteed a strong performance from this queen of pop. You might even spot Jay-Z hanging around. A seat will cost anywhere from $63.25 to $268.25.

Check out our slideshow for a glimpse of what these bands will look like live.

Lead photo by Bruce Emberley

Toronto's hardiest photographers have been hauling tripods, lenses, and film stock on to the city's rooftops for centuries. Though it's certainly been taken to new heights recently by local photographers and others, there's always been something edifying in taking a step back and observing the city from a distance.

The first rooftop images of Toronto were taken in 1856 by the firm of Armstrong, Beere & Hime as part of a bid by the city to become the capital of the Province of Canada. It worked, too. Toronto was the designated capital - as it had been previously from 1849 to 1852 - until 1858 when Quebec City and finally Ottawa nabbed the title.

Since then, there have been countless images taken of the city from the tops of buildings, each one capturing our metropolis in a constant state of flux. Toronto's landmarks are being built in the background, streetcar tracks are appearing, and sidewalks and roads are growing ever busier.

Later, parking lots, weaving train lines, and endless concrete dominate the landscape as the city's first skyscrapers and the CN Tower claim the skyline.

Look closely and spot the differences to today.

Osgoode Hall and York Street from the roof of the Rossin House HotelNorthwest from the Rossin House HotelNorth up Bay Street to Old City HallThe lost University Avenue Armouries, home of the Toronto Regiments of the Canadian Army. Eaton's and the Ford Hotel are in the background.Island airpot and original terminal buildingThe dirigible R-100 over the Canadian Bank of CommerceFront and Wellington and the Gooderham Building (Flatiron)Old City Hall, likely from the roof of the Temple BuildingLooking west from the roof of Old Union StationThe Royal York Hotel under construction opposite new Union Station Spadina Avenue and One Spadina CrescentThe Toronto Star building and next to the former offices of the Globe on King WestLooking east on Front Street past the Queen's Hotel, a precursor to the Royal YorkA dizzying look down at King and YongeA view up a tree-lined University Avenue from the Canada Life buildingThe site of current City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square from the Canada Life buildingYonge Street at nightA bleak scene on Front Street East featuring the old north market buildingKing and Simcoe before the rail sidings were removed for Roy Thompson Hall and Metro HallA similar view, slightly later, showing the site of Metro Hall and the Princess of Wales TheatreThe cars are the most colourful things in this dreary shot of the Sony Centre, then the O'Keefe CentreKing and Bay streets before TD Centre and First Canadian PlaceYonge and College/Carlton from the roof of the College ParkYonge and Dundas and beyond before the square arrivedThe Bathurst Street bridge squeezes multiple rail corridors before the condos arrivedCity Hall before the Sheraton and Eaton Centre - the Simpson Tower is still under constructionThe Metro Toronto Convention Centre and the SkydomeChris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Images: City of Toronto Archives

The best shoe stores in Toronto are promise lands for all types of shoe connoisseurs; whether you're copping super sleek Alexander Wang joints or knock-offs straight from the high street, a quick/leisurely waltz in is bound to send you head over heels. I, myself, am a self-proclaimed collector of (strictly) impractical footwear - my closet is filled to the brim with metallic platforms, sky-high stilettos, and enough printed wedges to daze a small army. So, in my humble, shoe-oriented opinion, it's safe to say these shops are solid spots for anything from a locally designed masterpiece to a jazzy, imported lil' number.

Luckily, many are muddled along the same strip, making the hunt for a new pair of foot-dazzlers as simple as a stroll down Queen Street West. Wait no more, sneakerheads and heel hoarders alike - here are the best shoe stores in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Sneaker Shops in Toronto
7 stores to find unconventional footwear in Toronto
5 Places to shop for shoes on Queen St.

Photo by Jonathan Castellino in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto events on September 19, 2013

COMEDY | Just For Laughs Festival
Sit in a chair in a badly lit room, drink beer and laugh--it's a pretty easy task to attend a comedy show. Just For Laughs Festival launches today and over the course of nine days, 42 acts will perform, maybe even bomb, at venues across the city. Purchasing a pass, which begin at $69, gets you in to see one of the three headliners--Aziz Ansari, Sarah Silverman and the cast of Family Guy--as well as a minimum of 4 smaller but never lesser shows, which include names like the great Janeane Garofalo with her usual marathon of shows, Bill Burr, Hannibal Buress and the boys of Picnicface, Mark Little and Kyle Dooley. Passes are available at JFL42.com.
Various locations across Toronto

MUSIC | Canada's Walk of Fame Festival
Honouring the best in Canadian entertainment, Canada's Walk of Fame Festival launches today with a Massey Hall performance by six-time JUNO Award winner and old school rock n roller Burton Cummings. All weekend long, Canadian musicians like Serena Ryder, Maestro Fresh Wes, Classified, K-OS and Kardinal Offishall will perform at Massey Hall to celebrate the latest inductees on the Walk of Fame. The festival rolls through the weekend with screenings of A-list Hollywood films starring famous Canadians and the awards show on Sunday night.
Massey Hall (178 Victoria Street) 8PM $59-$89.50

FILM | Beer Hunter
Michael Jackson is the Beer Hunter, the man responsible for changing the craft beer industry, and in this documentary feature film, audiences follow Jackson on his travels around the world as he discovers, samples, and writes about beer. A legitimate connoisseur of craft beer, the event will honour Jackson with commemorative cask ales by Cheshire Valley Brewing and Great Lakes Brewery, who will be around to sign copies of his latest books "The Pocket Beer Guide" and "The World Atlas of Beer." Ticket prices include two beers, food and the screening.
The Rhino (1249 Queen Street West) 7PM $20

ART | Have I Told You Lately
Artist Lisa Perlman uses fragmented text, figurines, birds and flowers, and patterned wallpaper to communicate the unsaid. Highlighting the close relationship between love and anxiety and the communication barriers in a family home, Perlman debuts her first solo exhibition at The Gladstone Hotel gallery tonight. Working primarily in paper drawing and print media, Perlman's work is evocative of human relationships and all the pretty things we put in between our problems. The show runs until October 1st.
The Gladstone Hotel, 2nd Floor (1214 Queen Street West) 7PM Free

BOOZE | World's Largest Tequila Tasting
Tequila is delicious and it makes you feel good. Tequila is your friend. So help support tequila getting in the record books with the World's Largest Tequila Tasting at El Tromba Warehouse tonight. Dozens of tequilas will be available to sample and food will be provided by some of the city's finest Mexican and non-Mexican establishments. $39 gets you four tequilas and 2 tacos from Fonda Lola. Drink your money's worth and then grab additional food from Rock Lobster, Playa Cabana, La Carnita and Gourmet Bitches to soak it all up--you'll get your name in the books!
El Tromba Warehouse (260 Geary Avenue) 6:30PM $39

ALSO OF NOTE:

• Espressions
• William Kurelek's The Maze
• Grassroots Canning Workshop
• A Streetcar Named Desire

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

Photo of Bill Burr from his Facebook page

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

OPEN

• Hunters Landing opens today, Thursday, September 19th at 82 Fort York Boulevard in the Cityplace condo block. On the menu are shareable pub standards like wings and sliders, along with salads, pizza and pasta.
• Crave Healthy Habits a new, healthy fast food chain has opened its first location in The Path at 145 King Street West and is now serving serving salads and rice bowls for take away.

OPENING SOON

• Drake One Fifty will start previewing its offerings at 150 York Street in the next couple weeks and could be open by the end of the month.
• 420 Smokehouse at 420 Parliament is under construction now. When the new BBQ destination opens in the coming weeks they'll bring onboard, pit master Ryan Gatner of When the Pig Came Home the pop-up smokehouse and larder, who's a fixture at the Junction and Riverdale farmers.
• Soos, a new Malaysian eatery is slated to open at 94 Ossington Avenue. (via Post City)
• Il Panettone, a new Italian bakery cafe is readying itself on 320 Queen Street East at Parliament.
• Hot and Spicy Asian Fusion is in the works at 226 Queen Street West at the corner of McCaul.
• Brooklyn Tavern is opening this November in place of the now shuttered, Fare Bistro at 1097 Queen Street East.
• Rhum Corner (923 Dundas West) the new Haitian restaurant from Black Hoof's Jen Agg is previewing dishes on Instagram. I have no confirmed opening date for you, but rumblings say end of the month.

CLOSING

• Come And Get It, the semi-permanent, sandwich/poutine/salad pop-up is nearing its final days at Queen and Spadina. The shop has yet to announce a new site, but will close at the current location on October, 25th.

OTHER NEWS

• The Shore Club (155 Wellington Street West) celebrates their two year anniversary this month.
• Valdez (606 King Street) now does lunch on weekdays from 11am to 3pm.
• The Richmond Rogue (284 Richmond Street East) underwent renovations (again) over labour day weekend. Along with the new look, the 15-year old pub is rolling out a new menu featuring thing like prime rib on Fridays.

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

Photo from Crave Healthy Habits Facebook page

The Globe & Mail revealed a major change in plans yesterday when it comes to the site of their future headquarters. The original plan was to construct the new Globe building on land near their current home at Front and Spadina as part of a larger, mixed use development with a variety of developers including RioCan and Tribute Communities. That project remains in the works but will no longer involve the offices of the paper. Instead, The Globewill migrate to King East, across from the recently renovated Toronto Sun Building.

The already under construction Globe & Mail Centre is set to open in late 2016 at 351 King Street East, and will boast 500,000 square feet of space spread over 17 storeys, of which the paper will occupy floors 13 and up. The tower is the second of two designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects as part of First Gulf's King East Centre. Needless to say, the area is in the midst of a development boom. Over and above the Toronto Sun building and the King East Centre, a number of condo projects are in development as well.

Here are some additional renderings of the project. What do you think?

Toronto loves to talk about building subways lines. The province loves to talk about building subway lines. But, for all that talk, we hardly get anything done (the Spadina extension is great, but it only scratches the surface). While other cities move forward with transit expansion — be it subways, LRT, or even BRT — we're mired in conversation. It's enough to have one listening to Morrissey tunes. That's a pretty mopey headspace to occupy, so on the heels of the creation of another advisory panel and gloomy talk from Karen Stintz about the feasibility of a Scarborough subway line, we asked our followers what other infrastructure projects might be built in this city before a new subway line breaks ground.

Weigh in with your ideas below.