When the first of the new TTC streetcars hit the rails Aug. 31 a new map showing both streetcar and subway routes will begin to roll out. Historically, the TTC has resisted mixing streetcar and subway lines on its subway maps, partly for clarity. The current streetcars do not have maps, for reasons that aren't entirely clear.

"We wanted to make sure people understood where they were on the network relative to other major routes, like subways" says TTC spokesman Brad Ross. "If you're on the 501 you know that you're going to touch Queen and Osgoode stations, or the 504 or 505 are alternatives."

The map, available in full here, marks regular streetcar routes as thick red lines and limited service routes as dots. In order to use the map, a rider needs some knowledge of the road grid, because stops and city streets are left off entirely.

"Our streetcar network is an incredibly important one. We carry 250,000 people a day on it. With the new car, the size of the car, and the fact the operator is in a separate cab, the streetcar network map is really important to help customers navigate the system."

The TTC expects the map to be in all its streetcars in the next few months.

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

Toronto Men's Fashion Week (TOM) made a debut appearance on the Toronto fashion scene this week. From August 12 to 14, the Fairmont Royal York was swarmed by gents - ranging from dapper to avant-garde on the style spectrum - and other fashion fans looking to take in the collections of up-and-coming menswear designers from around the globe.

As with any new event, it wasn't without its speedbumps - occasionally less-than-smooth logistics (including an awards-show delay they called on Stacey McKenzie to liven up) and one honest-to-goodness media snafu in the form of L'Uomo Strano's off-again, on-again collection. But the lineup of dozens of designers - many of whom were totally new to the fashion scene - was still a breath of fresh air, bringing collections that ranged from the beautiful to the shocking to the unusual. (And they definitely didn't shy away from the unusual - but then again, that's why we're looking at it on the runway, and not buying it at the Gap.)

Here, in no particular order, are 10 of my favourite looks - and five of the wackiest ones - from the first-ever TOM.

David C. Wigley
The common thread in Wigley's collection was feminized athletic influences: teeny-weeny shorts, voluminously-tailored tops with linebacker-like shoulders, and a few Tumblr-appropriate flower crowns. It may be flashy, but if every dude in Toronto started walking around in floral bomber jackets, hot-pink shorts, and Doc Martens tomorrow, I would be thrilled.

Paulo Succar
I'm a sucker for prints, and Paulo Succar's collection of vivid, oversized insect motifs was repeated and remixed over and over throughout his collection. Bug patterns on bug patterns - it's the new monochrome!

Sons of Odin
Toronto-based Sons of Odin delivered a strong show to their hometown crowd - a collection of monochromatic basics beautifully updated with rich texture, pattern (ropes 'n' roses), and leather details. There's nothing flashy about this mid-length tweed jacket, but the tailoring, details and drape are all spot-on - this is a brand doing practical casual menswear right.

L'Uomo Strano
The week's most contested collection was equal parts feminine and futuristic, with the latter seen in pieces like this sculpted coat. All told, it was one of the week's most out-there shows (hell, the line's name means "the strange man") - but given designer Mic. Carter's stance on exploring gender roles in masculinity, it was also one of the most intriguing.

Som Kong
Som Kong was the clear audience fave at the Emerging Menswear Designer Awards, though the top prize went to the still-deserving Joao Paulo Guedes. The texture and layering in Kong's show-ending look (check that subtly shimmering grid in the jacket) made it an undeniable winner, even with the Bane face mask.

Andrew Coimbra
Poppy pixel prints broke up the clean tailoring and squeaky-clean details in this EMDA finalist's collection - like classic camel trenches and shorts (a major shared thread throughout the collections).

Noel Crisostomo
Crisostomo did crisp, structured casualwear right, with sharp-edged colour/pattern blocking and unique takes on a classic houndstooth pattern (think tiny cutouts, or black houndstooth shapes stitched onto a white background). The real killer here, though, is this punchy bomber jacket, which would slot nicely into any modern, urban dude's wardrobe. Someone send one of these to Drake or something.

Christian L'Enfant Roi
The Danish designer (props for calling your line "Christian the boy-king", btw) showed a flowing, minimal line with touches of equestrian and martial artist-reminiscent details (think "Jedi-chic".) Though the paper-bag silhouette of these pants is unusual in menswear, with a black buttown-down, the challenging silhouette reads as surprisingly wearable and neutral.

Patrick Salonga
EMDA finalist Salonga's collection of jersey sportswear separates was marked by a series of graphic designs that may or may not have been a secret message written in Gallifreyan. With coordinating bandannas and shirts sent out on the runway together against basic black pieces, it's a great example of a simple motif done well.

Benji WZW
The Lady Gaga-approved designer served up another round of surreal, pop-art-inspired pieces. The collection revolved around roses - both with blooms stitched into jackets and jeans, and the word "ROSES" printed in italic Arial across the backs of jackets. This gold moto, complete with stitched-on black Plexi smiley faces, falls into the latter category. (The designer himself walked around with this piece draped over his shoulders for the rest of the fest.)

THE WEIRD

Pedram Karimi
Karimi's collection, featuring androgynous, belted tunics with hand-drawn graphics, wasn't wild by TOM standards - it was the models' makeup that put things over the top. Pieces of Scotch tape were placed on each face, with a few of the models' lower lips taped down to create a strange grimace. I will relive the magic of TOM forever as this particular gent's thousand-yard stare makes guest appearances in my nightmares.

Wearable Tech show
TOM gave the techies some love this week, with a wearable tech pavilion and a runway show featuring the latest in futuristic fashion. The wackiness factor of this boyshorts-and-headgear look is obvious, but I also want to see a sci-fi movie in which someone wakes up in an isolation chamber wearing this exact outfit.

Luca Galardo
We saw a lot of tighty-whiteys on the TOM runway this week, and Luca Galardo's iridescent, transparent bodysuit was absolutely no exception. But, in small doses, this futuristic finish was a showstopper - Galardo's athletic, sleeveless tank, made out of the same material, was one of my favourite pieces on the TOM runway.

Lafaille
In an oh-so-shocking concept I think may have been plucked from the pilot episode of Ugly Betty, Montreal designer Benjamin Lafaille showed a collection inspired by car crashes, complete with fake road rash makeup. Easy there, David Cronenberg.

Paul Nathapol
Playing with proportion and tailoring is key in a fashion collection - but I found myself just wanting to tuck in guy's shirt for him. Is it just me? Anyone? Bueller?

What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

Photos 1, 6, 15 by Arthur von Tyrpa. Photos 2, 5, 8, 11, 14 by Shayne Grey. Photos 3, 12 by Paolo Musa. Photos 4, 9, 10, 13 by Constantine Digovets. Photo 6 by Jowel Villa. All photos courtesy TOM.

Sharing shisha in Toronto is a social way to relax, whether enjoyed at a laid back cafe or licensed lounge. In Toronto the centuries-old tradition of smoking via hookah pipes is alive and well often available late into the night at clubs, coffeehouses and other Middle Eastern establishments.

Here's my list of the top places to get your shisha on in and around Toronto.

Café Awtash
Enjoy drinks and share shisha at this dimly lit lounge on College at Bathurst. Here, the experience starts with a choice of 17 tobacco flavours like coffee, cherry, or watermelon, and is made better still by the menu of Persian snack foods like mixed olives, dips,fruit slushies, shakes, teas, coffees and a full alcohol menu.

EFS
The rooftop patio on King West is as much a high-class hookah destination as it is a party spot (the cabanas lining the lounge come complete with bottle service). The initial set-up and first flavour (of which there are fruity and minty selections) starts at $50.

Roxy Lounge
Try to snag the leather couches at this Scarborough shisha lounge and settle in for a couple sessions coupled with Turkish coffee, tea or Mediterranean snacks. The nargile menu lists flavours like vanilla, kiwi, strawberry, peach, double apple and special house tobacco blends.

Cabana Pool Bar
Shisha, bottle service, tropical cocktails and nibbles are offered in this Polson Pier lounge's cabanas, should you want to get your smoke on in a bikini. Daily hookah rentals start at $35 per day and if poolside lounging takes you from day to night, you might want to re-up with additional tobacco flavours for $20.

Bampot Bohemian House of Tea
Kick back at this tea house on Harbord where the novel entertainments include hookahs, available weekdays after 6pm and all day on weekends. Lounge in the cozy bohemian atmosphere with friends over a cup of tea, and while away the hours over boardgames and tobacco-free shisha in flavours like double apple, mint, lemonade, summer rose and grape, each sold for $13.

70 Down
Clubby and very Yorkville, this newly-opened lounge is a magnet for a lively crowd. Aside from shisha (available inside or on their front patio), expect the bar to be stocked with premium spirits while a resident DJ spins house or top 40.

Shishalicious
Over 70 hookahs are waiting to be packed with flavoured shisha ($13.50-$17.50) at this laid-back Middle Eastern cafe on Jarvis. Aside from the water pipes, the cozy coffee shop offers burgers, apps, smoothies, teas and Turkish coffees. While it's not licensed, the place stays open late, encouraging guests to linger until at least 4am on weekends.

Red Nile Cafe and Hookah Lounge
Embroidered cushions and gilt-covered wallpaper sets the scene at this lounge in North York. Open from 6pm to 3am, Red Nile is at its liveliest late at night, when plumes of fruit-scented water vapor fills the dimly-lit room. Choose from 18 flavours, priced between $12 and $15.

Tea Ve See
Recently relocated from North York to a spot slightly north in Vaughan, this upmarket shisha lounge offers a wide range of flavours and blends like the B52, a mix of mint and chocolate smoked in a milk-filled hookah.

Shiraz Shisha
In Richmond Hill, this licensed lounge offers a menu featuring Persian food and exotic shisha flavours. Fresh fruit hookahs are the most impressive. Enjoy watermelon champagne ($15) or pineapple pina colada ($15).

Did I miss any? Let me know your favourite shisha spot in the comments.

Photo of Cabana Pool Bar by Jesse Milns.

Free events in Toronto this week include a party on a boat - something us penny pinchers usually only dream about. The catch is you're supposed to wear all white - maintaining white clothes being an impossibility for us in the trenches. Don't worry as there are plenty of parties here that won't mind our dour black attire, but if you really want to ride the boat, Honest Ed's might have white snuggies.

Some of these events will expect a small donation from you've got amid the crumbs at the bottom of your dirty pockets (see the event pages). Do chip in what you can for the promoters and talent: "PWYC" also stands for "Probably Wearing Yesterday's Clothing."

Here's where to go if you already spent your laundry change on food this week in Toronto.

MONDAY

• Nerdy Talk (Monday, Social Capital Studios)
• All White Party - Industry Night (Monday, River Gambler)
• Vegan/Vegetarian Comedy Potluck Extravaganza #6 (Monday, Loft404 Inspired Gatherings)
• Sedge and Bare Claws (Monday, Sneaky Dee's)
• Blue Coffee Reading Series #8 (Monday, Magpie Taproom)

TUESDAY

• Summer CInema at Fort York - Ghostbusters (Tuesday, Fort York National Historic Site)
• MDFF presents Jake Mahaffy's WELLNESS (Tursday, Double Double Land)
• Don't Get Bored of Us and Leave (Tuesday, The Ossington)
• Blue Collar Beaver (Tuesday, The Beaver)

WEDNESDAY

• 5th Annual Wild Blueberry Festival (Aug 20 - 24, Evergreen Brick Works)

THURSDAY

• Music in St. James Park: Union Duke (Thursday, St. James Park)
• How to Get a Project Grant (Thursday, South Asian Visual Arts Centre)

FRIDAY

• Movie in Liberty Village Park - Mrs. Doubtfire (Friday, Liberty Village Park)
• Black Beauty Breed film screening (Friday, TIFF)
• Nerdy Karaoke Party Hosted by Nerdy Toronto Polly Posse (Friday, Cardinal Rule)
• Tune Your Ride Bicycle Music Tour, Toronto Launch (Friday, Dufferin Grove Park)
• Fashion Friday (Friday, Market 707)
• cleo: vol. 2, issue 2 (Friday, Elevator)
• Bryan McPherson + WinnieBrave (Friday, Bar 1718)
• The 1893 Chicago World's Fair Hip-Hop Pavilion (Friday, Magpie Taproom)

SATURDAY

• Festival of South Asia (Aug 23-24, Gerrard St. East)
• Bannister! Signing at Little Island Comics (Saturday, Little Island Comics)

SUNDAY

• PAWS in the Park 2014 (Sunday, Woodbine Park)
• CPFF Days of Summer: Rear Window (Sunday, Christie Pits)

Also check out these regular free events

• Elvis Mondays at the Drake
• Foosball Battle Royale, Monday, Disgraceland
• Art Gallery of Ontario free evening, Wednesday, 6-8:30pm.
• IFOA Weekly, free for supporters, students, & youth under 26, Wednesday, Harbourfront Centre
• Skin of My Nuts Comedy Show, Thursday, Sonic Espresso Bar
• Canadian Opera Company's Free Concerts series
• While nearly all art galleries in the city are free to enter, it's worth noting The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA) is always PWYC.
• The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) offers discounted tickets on Fridays ($10).

Do you want everyone to know about your kinda random free or pay-what-you-can event? Submit it to our event section. (You can also submit your for-money events here, greedy-pants.)

Photo via Facebook

Brunch with kids and the family in Toronto. It's an idyllic (or necessary) scenario for those with kids (Mommy needs a mimosa, OK?) and a potential horror show for those without. Either way this is bound to be a useful list whether you're in need of a resource for where to find cheap, cheerful and kid-friendly eats, or doing your best to avoid the toddler set before noon.

Here are my picks for the top restaurants to brunch with kids in Toronto.

Uncle Betty's Diner
Children up to 13 years are entitled to cheap and cheerful selections like the "kid's all day breakfast" ($4.50), featuring one egg, one slice of toast and a choice of bacon, sausage or peameal, and fluffy pancakes ($5.50) with blueberries or chocolate chips. High chairs, booster seats, crayons and colouring sheets are all available too.

Hello Darling
This sunny cafe at Lansdowne and Wallace is equipt with stroller parking, boosters, high chairs and change tables. The menu offers a customizable kids plate for $6 where kids can assemble their own brunch from a choice of any three; eggs, sausage, bacon, avocado, sweet potato mash, toast, yogurt, fruit or pancakes. Toys and activities are there to entertain little ones so that adults can get that first coffee fix of the day in relative peace.

La Cubana
Bring your ninos to this Cuban diner on Roncy for brunch served on weekends from 10am to 3pm. Let the little ones enjoy a mini Cuban breakfast ($8) complete with pork, rice, beans, tostones and a poached egg, or let 'em opt for the pressed cubano ($6) with plantain chips, or french toast ($6) served with maple syrup and bananas.

The Good Fork
Munchkins can brunch for just $7 at this neighbourhood spot in Bloor West Village where high chairs, boosters and colouring sheets are on hand for family dining. Kid meals include juice or milk and choices like mini pancakes, cheddar omelette, one egg breakfasts, french toast, grilled cheese or a mini-burger with fries.

Starving Artist
The kids menu at this waffle house lists mini waffles with fruit ($5), hot dogs and baked beans ($6),or waffles turned into a grilled cheese ($4). Go to the St. Clair outpost, it's large enough to fit more strollers and roomy enough to pull-up a high chair.

Prohibition
Kiddies under 10 eat free with an accompanying adult at this Riverside restaurant. Here a portion of the menu is dedicated to little ones featuring options like scrambled eggs, french toast, mac and cheese or pizza. They also offer free balloons, colouring pages, cartoons on TV, plus the essentials like high chairs, booster seats and even stroller parking. Don't worry if kids out number the adults at you table either, every item on the kids menu is priced at just $4.

3030
Parents like the "build your own brunch option" at this Dundas West locale because almost every component is priced at under $1.50 - little tummies can order up just one egg or one strip of bacon at a time. Bringing your own booster seating is recommended if required, though you'll find a couple high chairs on site. Instead of colouring sheets, here they've got classic '80s board games like Jenga and Battleship, plus pinball arcade games.

Windup Bird Cafe
The brunch menu for ages 12 and under at this College St. cafe was developed by kids for kids at the Kidchen Confidential cooking club. The morning menu features tested and approved recipes including a breakfast sandwich ($5), grilled cheese sandwich ($4), and banana chocolate parfait ($5). The casual spot is outfitted with the essentials (high chairs and booster seats), and while they don't do colouring sheets on Saturday mornings at brunch there's a live magic show.

Vi Pei Bistro (Cliffside)
Parents in the know like this Eurpoean bistro with three locations in the North and East Toronto because it's casual and accomodating to families. The brunch-time menu features reasonably priced staples that'll satisfy the whole family while little ones can choose from $6 options like pancakes, eggs or omlettes with bacon or sausage, french toast drizzled with caramel sauce or potato latkahs with apple sauce and sour cream.

Sunny Morning
Start the day off at this bustling breakfast nook near Yonge and St. Clair where families can fuel up with out worrying too much about noise levels. A casual kid-approved menu offers pancakes or french toast with a fruit cup ($4-$4.50), scrambled eggs with bacon, toast and homefries ($5.29), and grilled cheese ($4.49). Colouring sheets are well stocked, but the midtown location is outfitted with only one high chair and one booster seat, so it might be wise to bring your own.

What did I miss? Add your favourite brunch spot for kids in the comments.

Photo by David Williams in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto head to Momofuku Daisho for drinks and snacks at their second summer party in support of worthy charity The Remix Project, or hit up Belljar Cafe's sad Monday salute to the end of summer for the Chairs Missing / Wicket Records pop up and a performance by Abi Rose.

Early Monthly Segments' film screening series is back at the Gladstone with Berlin-based filmmaker Ute Aurand's 16mm works, including new film To Be Here. Gunvor Nelsons' My Name is Oona will also screen. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Food: Momofuku Summer Party (Momofuku Daisho)
• Film: Early Monthly Segments (Gladstone)
• Music: So Long Summer (Belljar)
• Comedy: Nerdy Talk (Social Capital Studios)
• Lit: Blue Coffee (Magpie)

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

Photo of Momofuku by Jimmy Lu

Keeping cool is essential, so we challenged our readers to share what's quenching their thirst this summer. Cocktails, beers, slushies, fresh pressed juices? I happen to like ash_ley_sees' style - double-fisting draft negronis at Red Sauce for the win. For her entry, ash_ley_sees will receive a Pure Leaf Real Brewed Kit. Cin cin!

Check out all the submissions in our summer drinks photo stream.

We're on a serious roll when it comes to international chain stores, Toronto. First, shoe discounter DSW took itself out of our dreams and into the GTA with two brand-new stores; now, another brand is set to knock itself off our wish list (and this one will make a way bigger impact on your place than just the shoe closet).

The Globe and Mailreports that Muji, that Japanese purveyor of all things functional and minimal, from clothing to housewares to gifts, is looking to set up shop near the Eaton Centre by mid-December. Two additional stores set to follow for the end of next year. The chain is a cult fave around the world (including in many U.S. cities) for their sleek yet affordable approach to everyday essentials that are sure to play nice with all your IKEA finds. (Meanwhile, as of press time, the wind still gently whispers "Uniqlo".)

Photo via Muji on Facebook.

The best lighting stores in Toronto illuminate our lives as if by magic, linking Edison with design and architecture to provide that perfect glow. Lighting really deserves more accolades: it protects your eyesight, shows your best side (all celebrities are sticklers for good lighting - Marlene Dietrich's success was attributed to Joseph Von Sternberg's face-defining lighting), and brightens all the dark corners of your room, life and soul. Take one step into any of these showrooms and you'll be singing "I'm gonna swing from the chandelieeer!"

Here are the best lighting stores in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Furniture Stores in Toronto
The Best Vintage Furniture Stores in Toronto
The Best New Design Stores in Toronto, 2013

Sad news today for Toronto's squirrel population, which is short one of its most noteworthy members, a white squirrel from Trinity Bellwoods Park. We received a tip over the weekend that the poor critter had been electrocuted in the power lines above the park, a fact which is confirmed by a grainy but convincing photo of the aftermath. It's an unceremonious end for a creature that enjoys near mythic status in Toronto.

This isn't the end of white squirrel sightings in the park, though. Despite continued references to the white squirrel of Trinity Bellwoods, park experts insist that there are at least two such creatures, who have been spotted together on numerous occasions, no less. So while that's good news for this bit of urban folklore, one wonders about the future of the line. Will we ever see little baby white squirrels running around? Perhaps there are more than two adult squirrels, and these white anomalies will propagate and continue to offer themselves up for rare sightings around the park.

Let's hope so.

Nighttime photo by Matt Murphy and Amil Niazi

This weekend marked the 5th annual zombie car wash, a lead-up event to the annual Zombie Walk, which draws thousands out to the streets of the Toronto. The car wash is a decidedly more intimate affair, with a smaller number of undead on hand to wash mess up people's vehicles. It remains, however, one mighty bizarre-looking scene for those passing by who have never heard of the event. What the hell is a zombie car wash, more than a few people must have wondered to themselves. As always, some of the makeup jobs were of movie-grade quality, and the gory scene was as fun as it was bloody.

Check out all the blood and suds from this year's zombie car wash.

Summer events and activities in Toronto aren't winding down just yet. Technically there's over a month of summer left, and there's no reason to lament the cool mornings and nights. To some, this is the best weather of the year, and it's definitely well-suited for getting outdoors and doing stuff. The CNE has started, of course. August plays host to lots of good live music, and food trucks are still out in full force.

Here are 10 things to do in Toronto before the summer is over.

Visit Ireland Park
One of Toronto's most haunting places, Ireland Park is once again accessible after nearby construction closed it for years. But the window will be short. With more work planned for the southern dock wall, the park is likely to close again for at least a year. Dotted with sculptures that commemorate the Irish famine, there are few place better suited for quiet contemplation in the city.

Take a craft beer cruise
End the summer in style with Toronto newest beer event, a cruise with a host of craft brewers on the River Gambler. A $39.95 ticket gets you a mug and five 4oz samples (you can buy additional samples individually) to try over the course of the three hour-long cruise through the Toronto Harbour. Participating breweries include Left Field Brewery, Junction Craft Brewing, Great Lakes Brewing Company and the Kensington Market Brewing Company (to name only a few). September 13th, one cruise at 3:30pm and a sunset offering at 8:00pm.

Catch some air at Toronto's new bike park
Sunnyside is now home to a world class BMX park, tucked between Lake Shore Blvd. and the Gardiner Expressway. Designed by the much-lauded Jay Hoots, the park is an off-road rider's dream with ramps and jumps galore. Beyond the thrill factor for riders, what might be the coolest feature of the park is that it was built with fill from Toronto condo developments and the wood elements are (mostly) fabricated out of downed trees from the ice storm last winter. How's that for re-use? Free to use (first come first to ride), it's a little gem for those who take their rides with a dose of air.

Indulge your vintage fetish
The former Lomography store has been turned into a huge vintage pop-up with over 5,000 pieces on offer. While the sale runs into the fall, you'll want to make a stop while the weather is still warm to ensure that you have your pick of what's on offer, which features items that date back to the 1920s all priced at $80 or less. You'll find everything from dresses, coats and various accessories to men's suits, tuxedos and shoes. The shop is open Monday through Sunday, 10am to 9pm.

Hit up a new patio
Making sure to spend some quality patio time before nighttime temperatures require wool coats is an obvious one to have on your end of summer checklist, but rather than hitting up the old reliables, why not check out something new for this year. It's remarkable how many patios were added to our roster this summer, from rooftop decks among the trees to huge entertainment district spaces to those that resemble secret gardens.

Gorge on food truck eats at AwesTruck 2014
Last year's AwesTruck was a rainy mess, but here's hoping the the major food truck festival enjoys a bit better luck this year. The venue has changed from Fort York to Mississauga, but with over 30 trucks in attendance and no admission cost, it's worth the short hop over to Celebration Square to indulge in tacos, poutine, dressed up corn, and a whole host of other gourmet eats. September 5th and 6th.

Enjoy the sun at a street festival
The street festival circuit has lots coming up for the end of August and beginning of September, and in some sense, these late summer weeks are the best time to spend a day in the sun nibbling away and checking out a given neighbourhood. Temperatures are more comfortable and you feel hungrier because you haven't been guzzling water all day. On tap over the next few weeks, you've got the Festival of South Asia, Taste of the Kingsway, the Toronto Ukrainian Festival, and the always-popular Roncesvalles Polish Festival.

Chow down at the Financial District mini night market
There's still two weeks to check out the mini night market on York between Richmond and Adelaide. Running every Tuesday in August, the event features foods from Momofuku, Drake 150, the Gabardine and Richmond Station. And it's a bit less upscale than you'd think. Food and drink items go for five bucks per, and all the food revenue goes to charity. You had me at Momofuku's steamed buns.

Try out La Carnita's take on ice cream
La Carnita's ice cream pop-up came and went last week, but if outlandish frozen treats are your thing, you can try the taqueria's unique offerings like cotton candy ice cream, a ridiculous-looking take on rocky road, and this caramel-drenched affair at Tres, the restaurant's annual party, which takes place in the parking lot next to the College St. restaurant on Saturday, August 23rd, from 2pm through 10:30 pm. Tickets are $20 and available at the door at La Carnita, 501 College Street.

Buy corn direct from a farm
Few things signal the end of summer more than ripe, sweet corn. And while you can get your hands on Ontario-grown corn at your local grocery stop, that's just not as satisfying as buying it direct from a local farm and cooking it up right away. Fortunately, we're flush with options when it comes to farms and farm stands both within and close to the city.

What did I miss? Add your end-of summer suggestions to the comments below.

What the hell happened to our summer? The three hot months we were promised have been washed down the drain in buckets of rain. Should I be surprised that I woke up on Saturday morning to another grey day?

The Wavelength crew obviously believe that summer is a state of mind, and sought to convince the enthusiastic crowd at new mini-festival Endless Summer just that much. The eclectic mix of artists central to Wavelength's tenet was out in full force.

Held at Vintage and Flea Outdoor Market on Dundas West, Endless Summer lived up to its promise of providing a unique street level experience. Music met with live video games by the Hand Eye Society, projections from longstanding Wavelength collaborator General Chaos Visuals, and the vintage clothing and goods for sale.

As I approached through the rain to what I thought was The Birthday Party playing over the sound system, I was happy to find the area was tented. It turns out what I heard was Alpha Strategy in the middle of their set. Their unbridled enthusiasm and impressive wardrobe overshadowed their obvious homage (tipping their captain's hat with a Birthday Party cover) to Nick Cave. I couldn't help imagining singer Rory Hinchey's celebrity doppelganger Elijah Wood fronting a similar band.

New Horizzzons bizarre follow up was hard to describe - what was billed as a record release doubled as an incense release, as the band's new album download came with a package of incense, or rather "the package of incense comes with music" singer Robert Dayton was quick to point out.

Infinitely quick witted, Dayton transformed the tent in to an Olde Time Revival or maybe more accurately a crazed circus sideshow. The best moment came when he called out all the iPhone documentarians with the raucous chorus "Did you see me? Did you see me? I was there. I was there." I slowly slipped my iPhone in to my back pocket.

With Steve Shiffman & The Land Of No things took a turn towards the melodic. Former front man for 90s Toronto band 4-Star Movie, Shiffman moved south to New York City and formed this roots rock outfit, feet firmly planted in the Wilco camp. With a similar approach to Jeff Tweedy, Shiffman's band complimented his jangle with the right amount of sonic aggression.

Toronto band Mexican Slang was an intense hailstorm of noise that undoubtedly split the night sky in two. Featuring songs from the recently released Inside The Velvet Castle EP (Buzz Records), Annabelle Lee and crew showed the growing crowd that they are a whole lot more than just a promising new band - they're bound to become a local mainstay.

Although highly anticipated, I was unable to catch the set by Comet Control. Their new self-titled album (tee pee records) is a fresh take on the stoner rock of their previous incarnation, Quest For Fire. With guitarists Chad Ross and Andrew Moszynski bringing their considerable guitar god prowess to the proceedings, I'm sure Comet Control is every bit the showstopper their previous band was. Next time then.

Photos and review by Evan Sue-Ping

This morning was a whole lot different for TTC passengers using Union Station. As reported last Wednesday, the second platform was unveiled to start the work week, and it immediately helped to ease congestion at the transit hub. There's twice the space now, with those headed north to Finch enjoying the brand new boarding area. There was some confusion when many riders first exited trains in the morning, but it was short lived, and there were a lot of staff on hand to provide direction.

Overall, the new platform looks great -- and for $137 million it should. But it's worth noting that there are some rather narrow sections in the middle where the standing area is only about 10-12ft wide. This poses a bit of an issue when the station is packed, but is easily solved by funnelling riders to the wider areas at the ends.

One note about aesthetics. Even though there's still lots of construction in progress around the new platform, I have to say that the TTC did a good job on making this appealing to the eye. The signage is plentiful, the Toronto Subway font looks great (as usual), and the station feels immediately much more modern.

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It was always going to be tough to dig up five totally unknown Rob Ford tidbits. Of all the mayoral candidates, Ford is the only one to have been probed in a bestselling book and countless revealing newspaper and magazine articles. The drugs, the violence, the gaffes, and dubious political moves are, for the most part, common knowledge. With that in mind, it made sense to focus on other parts of Ford's life: his early years, the family business, and his politics.

Born May 28, 1969, Rob Ford attended Scarlett Heights Collegiate and showed a strong interest in playing football. He attended development camps in the U.S., but eventually found himself working at the family business, DECO Labels and Tags, after a brief stint at Carleton University. In 2000, he married Renata Brejniak at the All Saints Roman Catholic Church in Etobicoke. Renata had been briefly married before and the pair dated for several years before their marriage. They have two children: Stephanie (born in 2005,) and Doug--"Dougie"--who was born in 2008.

Rob Ford was first elected to city council in 2000. As staunch and outspoken conservative, Ford was frequently isolated, often attracting attention for hyperbolic outbursts directed at cyclists, Asian people, and one-time nemesis Giorgio Mammoliti. "Outside of council, they don't even talk to me," he told Toronto journalist Brett Ruffell, then a Ryerson University student, in 2004. "They ridicule me and make fun of me. What can you do? I say hi and they walk right by me. What can I do? That's their problem."

"I'll expose every single possible scam that these people are a part of," he continued. "They don't like it, but I don't care. I just worry about the taxpayers want, not what my colleagues want."

His father swam with Marilyn Bell during her famous Lake Ontario crossing
In his youth, Doug Ford, Sr. was a keen athlete. "Standing six feet tall, with his chiselled jaw, thick golden hair, and dashing smile, he looked like a movie star," Robyn Doolittle Robyn Doolittle writes in her book Crazy Town. He loved long distance swimming, and when 16-year-old Marilyn Bell attempted to cross Lake Ontario on Sept. 10, 1954, Ford attempted to swim by her side. "He didn't make it," Doolittle writes. "[He] kept training, and on the side worked as a lifeguard. It was at the local pool that he first caught sight of a beautiful, blond Diane Campbell [the Rob, Doug, Randy, and Diane's mother.]"

In later life, Doug Sr. was the MPP for Etobicoke--Humber from 1995 to 1999 under Mike Harris. "His combative speeches at Queen's Park became something of legend," Doolittle writes. "In one famous incident, he began heckling people who had come to make deputations about not having jobs." Despite fiery incident, Ford commanded respect within the PC party. His single term established the Ford family's political dynasty in Etobicoke.

(Note: On further review, there appears to be some doubt about whether Doug Ford, Sr. took part in the same swim as Marilyn Bell. The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star make no mention of Ford starting the lake swim, which attracted several contenders, including the heavily-favoured Florence Chadwick, Jerry Kerschner, Winnie Roach Leuszler, and Marilyn Bell. Ford may have been in the lake that day, but it's not clear in what capacity. The jury's out on this one.)

Rob's first love was football
Before discovering politics, Rob Ford was intent on pursuing a career as a professional athlete. In Grade 10, Ford was captain of the Scarlett Heights junior football team, though, as Doolittle notes in Crazy Town, the yearbook misidentified him as Doug. Ford attended "a prestigious football camp in the US," Doolittle writes, but wasn't naturally gifted. "He had a lot of heart," a former Scarlett student said.

At Carleton University, where he briefly studied political science before dropping out, Ford tried out for the Ravens' offensive line, but whether he actually appeared for the team is unclear: Ford says he did, but former teammate John Lindsay told Toronto Life in 2012 the pair were frequently benchwarmers. "Robbie was a little guy," he said.

Ford said he didn't ever start a game, but several times appeared as a substitute. Regardless, he turned to coaching, leading the Scarlett Heights Raiders in the 1990s. Famously as mayor, Ford coached the Don Bosco Eagles until being dismissed in May 2013.

Rob was endorsed by the Toronto Star for city council in 2000
Rob Ford the politician emerged in 1997 during an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Gloria Lindsay Luby in Ward 3 Kingsway-Humber. In 2000, promising to run the biggest sign campaign in the ward, Ford ran against incumbent Elizabeth Brown in Ward 2 Etobicoke North. "We suggest Rob Ford, a local businessman who is the son of former area MPP, Doug Ford," The Star wrote. "Incumbent [Brown's] heart is in the right place but she is too often missing in action." Ford ended up capturing 43 percent of the vote to Brown's 31. "The people said they wanted change and they got change," Ford said.

During his first term, Ford opposed funding renovations to Nathan Phillips Square, called funding a program to help squeegee kids "ridiculous," and pushed for cuts to councillors' office expenses, spending just $5 of his $4,917 allowance in the first year. He was also treated twice for kidney stones and earned a mention in the paper for hanging a pre-amalgamation Etobicoke flag in his office upside down.

The Ford family's business, DECO Labels and Tags, is huge
DECO--short for "decorative," but also D for Doug, E for Edwin (co-founder Herriott's first name,) and CO for company--was established by Doug Ford, Sr., then a salesman at a meat packing plant, with the help of friend "Ted" Herriott in the early 1960s. The business specialized in special "pressure sensitive" self-adhesive labels and was a relatively quick success, giving the Ford family status in their Etobicoke community.

By the time Rob Ford became part of the business, DECO had manufacturing plants in Chicago, New Jersey, and 50,000 square foot production facility Toronto. The local plant, according to a 2010 story in Canadian Packaging magazine, generates half the company's revenue, mainly through clients in the food industry.

As a private business, DECO is not obliged to release financial records, so it's hard to put a dollar figure on its level of success. In 2010, a trade magazine put the company's annual sales at about $29 million. Since then, that figure has been put as high as $100 million. On top of that, according to a 2013 Globe and Mail story, the Ford family's real estate holdings are worth in excess of $10 million. Despite owning a stake in a million-dollar company, Ford consistently positions himself as "just an average guy."

Ford says he likes to play board games, pool, and ping-pong in his spare time
The best thing about DJ Deadmau5 taking Rob Ford for a spin in his blue "Purrari" was that it gave us a rare chance to see the mayor relaxed, sober, and unscripted. In the half-hour it took the pair to get Tim Hortons at Leslie and Lake Shore--Ford had trouble having his order of five espressos in one cup understood ("It's good, trust me," he said)--we learned that, apparently, the mayor likes to play Risk (but one of his brothers apparently hates it) and that his family used to enjoy yachting but now spend their time on the lake fishing for salmon.

At the drive-through, Ford found it hysterical that Deadmau5 had to order "a single, a double, and a double" espresso to get the required five shots. He also treated viewers to his thoughts on the lack of suburban planning downtown: "These people down here, you get some councillors that just don't want to have drive-throughs. There are some councillors that do not ... I don't care what anyone says they're car haters. They just don't want cars. They want streetcars and cyclists ... just anti-car."

Photo by Christian Bobak.

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

The top web sites in Toronto for home decor and furniture will help you spiff up your home with that perfect piece you've been searching for. We've got tons of fantastic brick and mortar furniture and design shops in Toronto, but taking your hunt online does have its advantages - you can check out what a store has in stock before you make a crosstown trek to snag it, for example, or you can just order and skip that step altogether.

On top of that, many of the names on this list have elected to skip the storefront altogether (the rent's always cheaper on the Internet), meaning you can shop for awesome products not available anywhere else while still supporting a local business.

Here are my picks for the top online stores for home decor and furniture in Toronto.

Brika
This little Canadian startup is taking over the home decor scene in a major way. Over the past year, they've built a roster of hundreds of handmade items, ranging from ceramics and textile goods to artwork and personal accessories. There's something for literally everyone - I'm partial to these diamond-shaped terrariums and the Object Enthusiast's gold-embellished vases. Bonus: Shipping is free over $75.

Even & Odd
Though Even & Odd have shut down their Corktown boutique, they're mercifully still dealing in home goods through their e-commerce store. Their aesthetic mixes a strong French-countryside influence - think Staub cookware, fussy floral mugs, and kitschy "C'est chaud!" trivets - with industrial touches like wood-slab tables and vintage pieces. (They soon plan to add an entire vintage section to the site.)

Far and Wide Collective
If your design style is less "reclaimed/salvage everything" and more "Oh, this? It's from a market in Marrakesh," then Far and Wide Collective is your first stop. The Toronto-based site wants to connect artisans and buyers around the world through its e-commerce platform, which features textiles, rugs and ceramics from as far away as Tanzania and Afghanistan. Additional cause for excitement: They stock beautiful animal-embroidered otomi blankets and pillows from Mexico, for those of us who still aren't over that headboard from Design Sponge.

Morba
In addition to running Queen West's favourite source for modern furniture and decor since time immemorial, Morba also offers a large portion of their inventory online. Sticklers for authenticity, take note: A lot of the furniture is reproduction, but they also carry a solid selection of Le Klint pendant lights, vintage Danish teak pieces, and tons of quirky accessories.

Mjolk
Mjolk's aesthetic: Stark, spare, and Scandinavian. The Junction shop's offerings, which features pieces from designers in Sweden, Denmark and Japan, trade whimsical design for functional elegance. Much of the stock focuses on beautifully-produced day-to-day essentials like elegantly-turned spoons and simple pottery, with a few glittering touches of copper and brass (like in these gorgeous sunburst-shaped bottle openers).

Haul Home
Located in a by-appointment-only studio hidden somewhere on the west side of Toronto, this webstore offers dozens of well-loved vintage curiosities. There's something for every price point and level of collecting intensity, from a pair of pretty ribbed vanity bottles from the '40s for $33 to a graphic-striped handmade wool rug from Bolivia ($340) to, at one point, a medical cot from the Civil War (it's since sold for $1,100). No matter what comes home with you, it's sure to have a hell of a story to tell.

Pi'lo
Heather Shaw's home decor pieces, rendered mostly in black and off-white with storybook-like images and text, create a peaceful, comforting atmosphere. Shaw deals mostly in textiles, with a few deviations in the form of mobiles and holiday ornaments. (Word nerds, in particular, will love her collection of lined-paper print pieces, including pillowcases.)

Tonic Living
Still got that futon from your college years? (It's OK - we know you do.) Transfer it into your adult years with a brand-new cover from Tonic Living. Their slipcovers are all made in Toronto with a variety of fabrics, including hardy tweeds and on-trend patterns. Top it all off with some cute throw pillows for a look that says "I buy all my ramen in restaurants now, thank you very much."

MADE Design
Dundas West's MADE builds its inventory around small Canadian creators looking to make their name in the design world. The wide variety of makers carried in the brick and mortar (and online) store means wonderfully mixed bag of lighting, furniture, tableware and floor coverings. Look here for your next big investment piece - you're making an investment in the biggest designers of tomorrow, too.

Black Rooster Decor
A semi-recent addition to Leslieville, Black Rooster offers a massive selection of home goods on its site: beds, storage furniture, lighting, rugs, tables and chairs, wall art, and a ton of accessories. The budget-conscious can score some small home updates, like these Danish-designed metallic votives for $26 - but as with most decor stores, the sky's the limit. (They'll also ship anywhere in Ontario for free.)

Thanks to PayPal for sponsoring this post.

Did I miss any? Leave your favourite Toronto-based online decor shop in the comments.

Photo of Elizabeth Olwen "May Flowers" print via Brika.

Today in Toronto you can chose between the ghoulish camp of Ghostbusters at Fort York (the weather looks to be nicer than last week) or a screening of The Big Sleep starring Lauren Bacall at Videofag in Kensington Market. Both screenings are free. If that's too mainstream for your tastes then there's a pwyc screening at Double Double Land of indie flick Wellness, about "a man trying to succeed in a business that doesn't exist."

Toronto artist Jimmy Limit will open a new show today at QueenSpecific Gallery's two by eight foot window display, and aspiring DJs can check out Off Centre's open house. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Film: Bacalling All Angels: The Big Sleep (Videofag)
• Music: Frog Eyes w. PS. I Love You (The Drake Hotel)
• Art: Jimmy Limit (QueenSpecific Gallery)
• Film: Jake Mahaffy's Wellness (Double Double Land)
• Party: Sip! After Work Cocktails with a Healthy Twist (25 The Esplanade)
• Film: Ghostbusters (Fort York)
• Music: Off Centre DJ & Electronic Music Production School - Open House

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

It was not a promising week for diners or cooks on DineSafe this week. Farm Fresh Supermarket on Sheppard is shut down for racking up 14 infractions, which somehow even makes repeat offenders like La Prep and Amaya Express look good (despite having each failed three past inspections in the last year).

Here are the rest of this week's most dire on DineSafe.

The Sister (1554 Queen St. West)
Inspected on: August 11, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated

Magic Oven (127 Jefferson Ave.)
Inspected on: August 11, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

Bocca (26 Baldwin St.)
Inspected on: August 11, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

Amaya Express (1168 Queen St. East)
Inspected on: August 11, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 4)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

Alexandria (1940 Lawrence Ave. East)
Inspected on: August 11, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 4, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

La Revolucion (2848 Dundas St. West)
Inspected on: August 12, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 3, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Vivoli (665 College St.)
Inspected on: August 13, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 1, Significant: 5)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

La Prep (207 Queens Quay West)
Inspected on: August 13, 2014
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Employee fail to wash hands when required. Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Farm Fresh Supermarket (4466 Sheppard Ave. East)
Inspected on: August 14, 2014
Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
Number of infractions: 14 (Minor: 2, Significant: 7, Crucial: 5)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to prevent an insect infestation. Operator fail to maintain hazardous foods at 60 C (140 F) or hotter. Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder. Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated. Employee fail to wash hands when required.

Singing lessons in Toronto will help you tap into that instrument you carry around with you every day. No, not the spoons, you tramp, you - your voice. Whether you want to make it big, front a band, try out for a musical, or just get the confidence you need to rock that karaoke night proper by hitting every note of Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, you have a lot of choices for vocal coaches in Toronto.

Here are my picks for where to take singing lessons in Toronto.

Ori Dagan
Want to hone your vocal skills with Toronto's finest? Voted "Best Male Vocalist" in 2013 by Now, Ori Dagan, often blends his unique jazz vocals to well known pop tunes and can scat (that boop, deep, da, sounds your hear in classic jazz tunes) like no other. Beyond singing, Ori also teaches improvisational skills for those more theatrically inclined. Contact him through his website.

Canada Music Academy
Practice singing in your own living room or, if you're feeling confident enough to sing outside the comfort of your own home, meet for studio lessons. Rates are totally affordable, starting at around $25 per hour. It's also super easy to register, go online, choose a teacher and location and like that, you can take your first steps towards singing stardom. Don't hesitate, visit their website to sign up.

Singer's Edge
Is a one-on-one lesson not exciting enough for you? Take lessons with Singer's Edge and you can have a choice of settings like group lessons and even rocking out with a band. When you feel like you're ready, they can set up a live performance for you to show off your favourite new skill. Prices range from $80 monthly and there are over 10 membership plans to choose from.

Susan Dunstan
Susan Dunstan invites all; beginners to professionals, to join her in her Beaches studio for one-on-one sessions where you can finally belt those high notes you long for - belting is her specialty. Get a bang for your buck buy paying $60 for an hour, but if an hour of belting seems like too much for you to handle at first, you can get a 30 minute class for $35 dollars.

Allegro Music
Better known as a music store, Allegro Music also offers a wide variety of music lessons, including singing. They pride themselves in hiring only teachers who can share their passion for music and have a degree in music. Vocal teachers have a variety of backgrounds in singing, including classical and jazz. Lessons are $27 for 30 minutes, there is no registration fee and no contract, allowing you to make this experience as long or as short as you would like.

Jennifer Taverner
Award-winning soprano, Jennifer Taverner has lent her voice to top classical works like Bizet's Carmen and Fauré's Requiem, and now she can teach you the techniques that allow her to grace the stage with confidence and style. Visit her website to contact her.

Rita di Ghent
Did anyone say jazz? Rita di Ghent's portfolio consists of jazz tunes, both her own and the classics, and she is eager to pass on her expertise. Contact her via email, groovecanada@gmail.com for more information on private tutoring and visit her website to explore the wonderful world of Rita.

Elite Music Academy
The possibilities are endless with the Elite Music Academy. They teach all the genres in the book from pop, hip-hop to R&B and the best part is, you can get a trial lesson for only $20. If you want to get ready to show off, they'll help you reach your goal of actually singing in front of an audience. Fall semester starts in just over two weeks on September 1st, but new students are welcome at any time.

Elaine Overholt and Big Voice Studios
If you have a star-like quality, you might want to choose a teacher who is used to working with shining bright supernovas. Elaine Overholt has worked with Richard Gere and Hairspray's (2007) Nikki Blonsky. She even started her own reality TV series "Big Voice" which aired on The Oprah Winfrey Network. Her studio, located in the east end, offers private lessons as well as workshops, rates start at $85 per hour.

Voice Yourself Singing Lessons
Let Valerie Bastien at Voice Yourself Singing Lessons help guide you through the murky waters of vocal techniques. You can get a free vocal assessment on her website and, for all those perfectionist types, study techniques on her YouTube channel to get tips before stepping into her studio. Valerie accepts beginners and intermediates alike.

Writing by Naomi Grosman. Photo by Marc Hodges in the blogTO Flickr pool.