Corktown and King East are two of Toronto's oldest neighbourhoods, rising in the mid-1800s as an enclave of primarily Irish immigrants - the area, as the story goes, gets its name from County Cork in Ireland. Now, it's a neighbourhood mostly marked by its proximity to others - a gateway to Leslieville to the east, the Financial District to the west, and the Church-Wellesley Village to the north.

During the day, the area's population swells with an influx of students from George Brown College and office workers from nearby Bay St. But if your schedule hasn't already been pre-scripted for you by work or school, it's a great neighbourhood to explore for a day - and if you're a food lover, or an interior design fanatic, it essentially amounts to a hidden paradise.

Here's how I'd spend a day in Corktown and King East, from early morning to late at night.

BREAKFAST AND COFFEE

The Patrician is a King East standby for its bog-standard diner breakfasts and likeably surly service, but I generally end up heading to the George St. Diner to get my eggs and challah fix (or eggs poached in tomato sauce, if I'm there when the full brunch menu is on).

More often than not, Petit Dejeuner lures me in with the promise of house-smoked salmon Benedicts perched on top of a waffle - or I might walk the extra few blocks to Morning Glory, where hearty breakfast sandwiches come accompanied with a side of spiced housemade ketchup.

If I'm feeling under-caffeinated (or skipping breakfast due to a morning of gluttony - more on that in a second) you'll usually find me at the Rooster Coffee House at King and Berkeley. Occasionally, it hits me that I'm two blocks away from some champion baristas slinging delicious espresso at Fahrenheit - it's the kind of place where they always remember my name, no matter how long I go between visits.

MORNING ACTIVITY

The neighbourhood's most obvious draw is, of course, the St. Lawrence Market, where the snacking options are endless: Peameal sandwiches from Carousel Bakery, perogies and other Euro treats at European Delight, or a lobster roll at Buster's. Of course, I might just get some St. Urbain bagels to go. On Sundays, there's a popular antique market in the northern building that's worth a visit.

If a little "me time" is in order, I might go grab a cheap haircut from the trainee stylists at the Aveda academy - it takes a little extra time, but they do great work (plus, they usually throw in a head massage, and then you get to smell like Aveda products the rest of the day). One of these days, I'm going to go full-on and spend an entire morning hopping between "therapeutic" pools at Body Blitz Spa - and maybe throw in a body scrub, too.

LUNCH

Generally, at this point in the day, I'm after a good sandwich. Market St. Catch does a killer lobster-gruyere grilled cheese; on the slightly less-indulgent side of things, Sky Blue Sky is always a safe bet for cheap eats and good tunes. Gilead Cafe does great locavore food and baked goods. And if all else fails, there's always Schnitzel Queen up on Queen East.

SHOPPING AND CULTURE

King East has made a name for itself thanks to its litany of high-end design stores, which always make for an afternoon of eye-popping browsing. My faves are the conceptually-wacky Klaus and Radform; the laid-back, colourful Suite 22 Interiors; Kiosk, which features three gleaming floors of pieces from venerable modern designers; and the French-inspired whimsy of Trianon. (After that, I'll probably head to EQ3 and pick up something fun with a Marimekko print on it to make myself feel like less of a pauper.)

Sharp-dressed men will be happy to know that the otherwise low-on-fashion area hosts two notable bespoke suiting shops, Garrison Bespoke and MADE, catering to a young, fashion-focused clientele. They don't do womenswear, but I might pick up a bowtie for my collection anyway - then roll over to Optic Zone and try on a few of their most out-there frames.

MID AFTERNOON SNACK

On a nice day, I'll typically mosey through St. James Park and stop at G for Gelato for one of their two dozen rotating house-made flavours, including about five different spins on coconut (my personal weakness). Just note: You have to pay for your gelato before they start handing over the taste-tests. If that's not enough to kill the sugar cravings, I might head down a drab stretch of Victoria to Prairie Girl for a massive cupcake.

DINNER

The area's close proximity to the Financial District means tons of upscale dining options; there's the grand Adelaide St. Terroni (plus sister spots Osteria Ciceri e Tria and La Bettola di Terroni), as well as excellent thin-crust pizzas down at Mangia e Bevi. Carbon Bar walks the line between casual and classy, with hamachi tartares served alongside Labatt brews by T-shirted waitstaff.

If I'm taking someone out and really looking to make a splash, though, my real ace in the hole is Mengrai Thai. The ambience is brick-walled, dimly-lit and cozy - but, more importantly, the chef's special is a red curry with lychee fruit that's served in a hollowed-out pineapple.

DRINKS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Office dwellers from the Financial District and students from George Brown tend to flow out earlier on, but a few neighbourhood hot spots stay bustling late into the evening. C'est What on Front St. is my personal fave, thanks to the cozy rec-room vibe of the basement and 42 rotating taps featuring seasonal brews from all over Canada; many nights, you can catch blues, jazz, folk and comedy shows happening in their back room.

Of course, I'd be remiss to not mention that old King East standby, Betty's, where the service is mediocre, the craft beer is plentiful, and the ill-advised snacks are served late into the night - or their sister bar, Pacific Junction Hotel, which does tasty tequila-filled twists on the Caesar and offers pool and ping-pong tables for your drunken pleasure. It's rare to leave either walking a straight line.

LATE NIGHT EATS

If I've got the late-night munchies post-beer, I typically just stick around at the bar I'm drinking at: Triple A Bar on Adelaide keeps the barbecue going until midnight, C'est What's kitchen goes until 12:30am, and Betty's will serve you right up until a few minutes before last call. Otherwise, there's shawarma at Pita Land near King and Sherbourne. And for the true night owls (or those partying upstairs at Club 120), 120 Diner on Church St. is open until 4am.

Did I miss any? Leave your favourite spots in Corktown and King East below.

Photo by Tanguero Chino in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto the After Dark Film Fest gets underway, with over a week of horror, sci-fi, action and cult films never screened in the city before. See all 20 for $149, or check out our picks from the festival line up here.

X Avant, the city's biggest and best exploration of experimental music, is back for its ninth year the Music Gallery and begins tonight with Laraaji & Diely Mori Tounkara and friends. Check out the full festival line up on the Music Gallery's website. Craft beer, music, and food trucks will be at Wychwood Barns until 11pm - you know what to do. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Film: Toronto After Dark Film Festival (Scotiabank Theatre)
• Music: X AVANT IX (Music Gallery)
• Music: Blue Sky Miners, Them Dang Rattlers, Lowlands, Stonetrotter (Horseshoe Tavern)
• Film: Brazilian Film and TV Festival - BRAFFTV (Carlton Cinema )
• Art: Graham Collins & Jeremy Jansen (Cooper Cole)
• Comics: Jewish Comix Anthology Vol. 1: Book Launch Party (Artscape Youngplace)
• Food: OktoberFEAST 2014 (Artscape Wychwood Barns)
• Party: Queer As Fuck (Steady)
• Party: Rare Beef Presents CAKE-004 w/ Exeter, Mike Din & more (Drake)
• Theatre: The Rocky Horror Cabaret Show (Lower Ossington Theatre)

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

Photo: Suburban Gothic (After Dark Film Fest)

"No fees, no radius clause, paid gigs." TWiMFeST, October 23-26, bears a manifesto one can't help but compare to other festival's fiascos earlier this year - though collaborating promoters Two Way Monologues and The Indie Machine stress they want to keep the focus on the positive, promising bands they love, venues they think are awesome, and forward thinking for all.

The fledgling festival grows out of the success of TWMFEST, presented twice before by TWM and Dan Wolovick, and the Indie Machine (Dave Marskell). Acknowledging this year's NXNE radius clause mess (and possibly next years' Sonicbids mess), there's no fee paid for those who applied, no radius clause, and performers are paid.

Line up wise, alt-troubadour B.A. Johnston, Montreal's Diamond Bones, Persian Rugs, and Calgary's Grandola are among the almost 68 artists showcasing at Rancho Relaxo, The Gladstone Hotel, The Horseshoe Tavern, Charlie's Gallery, Magpie Taproom, and Caplansky's when the fest lands in Toronto October 23-26.

Rather randomly, TWiMFeST is a two-city festival, with the St. John's, Newfoundland (Wolovick's home) event happening at Distortion this weekend. If you can't get to the Maritimes, don't worry - most of the magic is happening here at home.

Here are 5 of the top artists to catch at TWiMFeST 2014 in Toronto.

B.A. Johnston
How large are the washrooms at Rancho anyway? Staff at Rancho may want to know - B.A. Johnston's been known to hold encores in them at shows. He's the hardest working CHUD in Canada who lives in a van and Hamilton's answer to, uh, hating Windsor. B.A. spends most of his year touring, and treating fans to sweat filled, sweat covered (his), beer spewing, beer stealing, naked (mostly) stage diving, Ti-Cat loving, Timmy's hating, GST spending, CASIO playing troubador mastery. And that's for the fans he likes.

Trevor James & the Perfect Gentlemen
Trevor James and Tyson Hiseler have been the main duo through several Perfect Gentlemen member rotations. Having played together first in the band the Architects (2005) in Ottawa, followed by Travel By Owl, which they renamed Trevor James & the Perfect Gentlemen, which later relocated to Montreal, which relocated to Toronto. The current TJtPG four-piece plays rootsy folk rock with lots of melodies and is a favourite of TWM.

Ivy Coast
The Niagara region indie band, Ivy Coast, were recently nominated for 3 Niagara Music Awards including Best New Band. Having started as "The Greg Mashinter band" four years ago, they expanded their sound to include a new drummer, violin, and a powerful vocal section. Mashinter will let you know there was another band name dropped for sexual innuendo reasons (if not, ask). Ivy Coast's new lineup adds a symphonic feel to their pop-alt-rock live shows.

The Holy Gasp
Call the Holy Gasp Afro-Cuban psychedelic surf punk or a mix between Tom Waits and Dead Kennedys - or just groovy. Poet-composer Benjamin Hackman brings his unique beatnik conga performance to, Caplansky's Deli on College St., of all places, on October 24. TWiMFeST pairs him up with Montreal's indie-rock artist Paul Kasner.

Zords
The Toronto three-piece crew of the Zords will bring their Techno-noir show to Rancho for the Saturday 25th night closing set. They produce a dark and danceable mix of synths, new-wave guitar riffs, and disco basslines along with magnetic vocals. Audiences can also expect and outer-space experience along with a 3AM last call.

Toronto's TWiMFeST is October 23-26. Festival passes are $19 for 4 days, single-day pass $15, and individual night cover charges are $10 with possible exceptions. Set times are prompt.

Photo of BA Johnston via This Ain't Hollywood

This empire of yoga studios has expanded to include a new, huge location near Yonge and Dundas. The gorgeous space offers yogis a wide variety of classes geared toward nearly every skill level and schedule - not to mention an in-house kombucha bar.

Read my profile of Yoga Tree in the fitness section.

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.

NOW OPEN

• The much-anticipated Buca Osteria & Bar is finally open at the Four Seasons (53 Scollard St.) in Yorkville. Distinguishing itself from the original King St. location, the new restaurant offers a broader selection of fresh seafood, including house-made salumi di mare, in addition to their much-loved pizzas and pasta dishes.
• Dear Jools (Thai-Tanium was just the latest diversion, and seriously, I can't believe I fell for it again) finally opens its doors this weekend following a one day pop-up market dubbed Bro Appetit happening this Saturday, October 18.
• Prenup Pub is now open at 191 College St. across from UofT, boasting 70 beers on tap.

RECENTLY REVIEWED

• Mr. Flamingo
• Louis Cifer Brew Works
• Fresh Off The Boat
• Nodo

OPENING SOON

• Ovest Cucina, a new Italian kitchen, is coming soon to 788 King St. West.
• Bill Hicks, a self proclaimed tiki rock bar, is soon to open up at 946 Queen St. East., where Swirl Wine Bar used to be.
• Mamaland, a new African restaurant, is in the works at 685 Bloor St.
• Pizzaiolo is moving into the old Gallerywest space at 1172 Queen St. West.
• Papered windows at 320 Sherbourne St. are advertising that Tacorrito, a new spot for cheap Mexican eats, is opening soon.

CLOSING

• Hey! (89 Roncesvalles Ave.) has shuttered (no surprise there) and is soon to become a wine bar and pizzeria.

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

If you've been holding your breath for Benjamin Rivers' graphic novel Snow to see its film adaptation in all its Queen West adoring (and commiserating) splendor, that wait is just about over. Toronto film maker Ryan Couldrey is set to debut his feature of the same title October 27 at the Revue, with free drinks thanks to Gamercamp and all proceeds from the premiere going to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation - and municipal election results to be announced as the credits roll. Free drinks.

The film itself is a black and white, 5K budgeted, mumblecore version of Empire Records, with hyper specific Toronto references abounding and many a streetcar sighting as it laments the basicification of Queen West through the eyes of a scrappy bookstore employee watching high rents lead to independent businesses falling like dominos all around her - and attempting to solve a murder. The shots themselves are echoes of the pages of a graphic novel and the slow pace is soothing, if a little downbeat. (Free drinks.)

You might want to make yourself a double now - Couldrey tells me that the laundromat featured in key scenes in film (and in the poster image) "shut down not long ago. Another one bites the dust."

Snow premieres October 27 at the Revue (400 Roncesvalles). Tickets are $10 and all ticket and raffle proceeds to go to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

Preorders of the film are also available for $9.99 - but since it will be streaming for free online soon, the order includes a "full VOD package" of "the full movie, Snow The Video Game, the full original film soundtrack, a digital edition of the 165 page graphic novel, at least six bonus videos, the script itself, and more."

Couldrey, Rivers, and actress Kira Hall will be at a Gamercamp conference panel October 17th at Hotel Ocho at 2:15pm.

Scarborough is an excellent shape shifter. Over the course of its 200-year history it has been a tiny rural village, a township, a borough, a city, and an amalgamated part of Toronto. From some angles it's familiar postwar, ranch-style suburbia with driveways, double garages, and strip malls, from others it's hardscrabble industrial; railway sidings, highways, and processing plants.

Scarborough is also one of the great immigrant areas of the city. There is Chinese, Filipino, Somali, Indian, and Caribbean culture in abundance here, just to name a few, and plenty of curiosities as well: parks containing pieces of lost downtown buildings, faded motels, hidden suspension bridges, and radioactive soil.

Here are 10 quirky things you might not know about Scarborough.

The city was named for the Bluffs' resemblance to English geography
Scarborough, Pickering, and Whitby are all towns in North Yorkshire that have given their names to communities on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Elizabeth Simcoe, the wife of York founder John Graves Simcoe, appears to have been the first to make the connection. In 1793, Simcoe took a canoe trip to what was then called the highlands of Toronto where she saw the Bluffs for the first time. The off-white rock reminded her of the cliffs near the English seaside town. "We talked of building a summer house there and calling it Scarborough," she wrote in her diary.

The Scarborough Bluffs created the Toronto Islands
Over millennia, the slow and persistent erosion of Scarborough's most famous geographical feature created a lengthy sandbar from roughly the foot of today's Woodbine Ave. to almost level with Bathurst St. In the 1790s, it was possible to walk from the mouth of the Don to the end of spit. First Nations people used the landform for hunting, fishing, and relaxation. The sandbar didn't become the Toronto Island until a storm cut off the connection to the mainland in 1854.

The Rouge River is home to the only suspension bridge in Toronto
The Sewells Road Suspension Bridge was designed and built in 1912, when Scarborough was still a rural township. The single lane, steel structure, located just north of the Toronto Zoo, was the work of civil engineer John Barber, who would later lend his expertise to the record-breaking construction of the Leaside Viaduct in 1927. The suspension bridge is close to another famous Toronto crossing, the Old Finch Avenue Bailey Bridge, which was built in three days following Hurricane Hazel.

The Guild Park and Gardens is home to ruins of lost Toronto buildings
High atop the Scarborough Bluffs, the original Guild Inn was built for Colonel Harold Bickford, a high-ranking Boer and later first world war veteran, in 1914. Decades later, under owners Rosa and Spencer Clark, the site was turned into a residence for artists and craftspeople, at which time it also became a home for pieces of demolished Toronto buildings. Pieces of the old Globe and Mail and the Temple Building, and the former Bank of Toronto building at King and Bay are among the offerings.

Scarborough had the first Tim Hortons
Some caveats here. The first Tim Hortons as we know it opened in Hamilton, but before the former Toronto Maple Leaf hockey star put his name to today's successful coffee and donut chain, he made an unsuccessful attempt to found a similar empire out of a strip plaza on Lawrence Ave. "Tim Horton Do-Nut" was paired with a "Tim Horton Drive-In Restaurant" at Kingston and McCowan, and a "Tim Horton Chicken" location, but the company rapidly foundered in a competitive market in 1964.

Kingston Road home to Toronto's last motel strip
Like Lake Shore Blvd. in the west end, Kingston Rd. is no longer an ideal spot to open a motel. It used to be different before the opening of the 401, when Highway 2 was the principal route between Toronto and Montreal. Hundreds of families in cars would have driven past the front doors of the uniquely styled Hav-A-Nap, Americana, Royal, and Manor motels at their peak. Those four and several more linger on today, a refuge for the precariously housed, as the once life-giving traffic thunders past a few kilometres to the north.

Radioactive soil was discovered in 1980
The residents of McClure Crescent, a street developed by the Ontario Housing Corp. near Sheppard and Nielson, got a nasty surprise in 1980 when an investigation triggered by two student journalists discovered potentially dangerous radioactive soil beneath their homes. It transpired that during the second world war an airplane parts manufacturer had burnt rags and other waste on the site in an attempt to reclaim extremely valuable radium. A lengthy legal battle resulted in 11,000 cubic metres of soil being removed from the site and buried at Chalk River, Ont.

The Toronto Zoo used to have a monorail
OK, spoiler: the Toronto Zoo Domain Ride wasn't technically a monorail, but it certainly looked like one. At its peak, the ride, which opened in 1971, ran in a concrete guideway between five parts of the zoo, providing views of some of the animals in remote portions of the park. Two accidents, one in 1991 and another in 1994, both of which resulted in serious injuries, led to the ride's closure.

An expressway could have replaced Kingston Rd. in the 1970s
Back when Toronto was planning as many expressways as it was subways, one project could have seen the Gardiner extended east along Lake Shore Blvd., up Highway 2, to meet the 401 at the Rouge River. Thousands of homes would have had to be razed and streets reconfigured. Like the Spadina Expressway, the project became the target of significant public opposition and was eventually dropped in the 1990s. The elevated roadway east of the Don that would have fed the highway was demolished in 2001.

The Scarborough RT was supposed to run streetcars
Before the TTC was convinced to buy the flashy linear induction RT vehicles, plans for the line linking Kennedy and McCowan called for Toronto streetcars tethered in a train. The disused turning loop just outside Kennedy station is the most conspicuous relic of this time, though if you look carefully, the old streetcar level platform is still visible in places. The TTC never pursued linked streetcars outside of the Scarborough RT project, but when the vehicles first appeared on Toronto's roads each was fitted with a large coupling device (now hidden behind a little skirt under the cab.)

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

Images: Tom Podolec, Bill Deneau, Loozrboy/blogTO Flickr pool, Derek Flack, Robert Taylor/Creative Commons, City of Toronto Archives.

The lunchtime diners that flock to this takeaway counter near Ryerson definitely aren't coming for the atmosphere - it's the standout Japanese curry that gets them in the door. Breaded chicken, pork, shrimp, fish, even poutine gets served with their in-house curry sauce for addictive results - and the Malaysian dishes, a nod to the owner's heritage, are no less successful.

Read my profile of Kaiju in the restaurants section.

John Tory is six points ahead of Doug Ford with less than two weeks to go before the municipal election, according to a new poll by Forum Research. In the company's last poll on October 6th, Tory and Ford were neck and neck. Forum has the current breakdown of candidates as follows: Tory at 39 per cent, Ford at 33 per cent, and Olivia Chow at 23 per cent.

Tory's numbers have not risen between the two surveys, but Ford has dipped despite the fact that his approval rating remains relatively stable (40 per cent compared to 43 per cent last time). Meanwhile Olivia Chow has yet to make an end-of-campaign surge. This election certainly isn't in the books yet, but it continues to look like it's a two horse race as advance voting has already begun.

Photo by Isaiah Sylvester

The top food events in Toronto this fall will help you bulk up for winter, and pack in as much social dining before the impending polar vortex forces us all into hibernation. Warm up at a food fest dedicated to chowder, start carb-loading during a weeks-long chocolate fest, or show your love for the city's food scene at a number of fundraising events. Tempatures might be cooling, but the forecast is calling for some serious deliciousness.

Here are my picks for the top upcoming food events and festivals taking place this fall in Toronto.

OctoberFEAST
Taking place tonight, Thursday, October 16 from 5pm to 9pm at Artscape Wychwood Barns (601 Christie St.), this food fest in support of the Canadian Cancer Society might be your last chance to catch up with food trucks like Gourmet Gringos and Bacon Nation. You'll also find vendors like The Pie Commission and Hot Bunzz; and beverage purveyors like Toronto Distillery Co. and Junction Craft Brewing. Regular tickets are $25, but you can also purchase a campfire upgrade ($35) which includes a warm drink and special treat, or go VIP ($50) for line by-pass.

Toronto Chocolate Festival
Currently on until November 2, this fest will offer chocoholics plenty of ways to indulge. Of course, there's a choco-centric trade show happening on Sunday, November 2 at Roy Thompson Hall, but the signature events are even more tempting. The Chocolate Ball takes place tonight, Thursday, October 16 at The Eglinton Grand (400 Eglinton Ave. West), and a Chocolate High Tea, hosted by the King Edward Hotel (37 King St. E.), will be offered Fridays through Sundays for the duration of the festival.

Delicious Food Show
The three-day food festival, presented by the Food Network, is on at the Direct Energy Centre (100 Princes' Blvd.) from Friday, October 17 to Sunday, October 19. Along with a sea of exhibitors, expect celebrity stages, chef-led workshops, book signings, food trucks and an Abbey's Kitchen Stadium pavilion. General admission is $20 in advance or $22 at the door.

Cask Days
The celebration of cask-conditioned craft beers, now in its 10th year, stretches from Friday, October 24 to Sunday, October 26 at Evergreen Brickworks (550 Bayview Ave.). In addition to 300 cask ales offered by 150 breweries, raise your expectations when it comes to beer-friendly foods; Porchetta & Co. and Hopgood's Foodliner are just a couple of the vendors. Tickets are on sale now for $35 per session. (Check out our guide on how to enjoy this year's festival.)

Zombie Brunch
The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St. West) gets spooky at Halloween brunch for its third year on Saturday, October 25 from 11am. The menu will feature gruesome specials like scrambled egg brain burritos, zombie flesh bennies and smokin' bloody caesars. Don't even shake off your Friday night hangover - the undead eat for 15% off.

Chowder Chowdown
Toronto chefs will compete at 7pm on Tuesday, November 4 at the Fermenting Cellar
(28 Distillery Lane) for the title of 2014 Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown Champion. Tickets are $56.50 and attendees will have the chance to taste and vote on original chowders paired with local craft beers in support of Ocean Wise, the Vancouver Aquarium conservation program devoted to endorsing sustainable seafood.

What's on the Table
The Stop Community Food Centre presents their 10th annual fundraising event on Wednesday, November 5 from 7pm to 11pm. Tickets are steep, priced at $300 (with a charitable tax receipt issued for $205), but the all-inclusive event happening at Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas St. East) is billing an evening of food and beverage stations manned by top Toronto restaurants like Ruby Watchco, Richmond Station and The Stockyards to name just a few.

Taste of Iceland in Toronto
Experience a flurry of Icelandic cuisine with a special menu at Luma (350 King St. West) from November 13 to 16. Coupled with free concerts at Horseshoe Tavern, this $55 four-course dinner from guest chef Viktor Örn Andrésson and chefs Michael Wilson and Anthony Walsh promises to be a cool night out. Expect the menu to showcase authentic Icelandic dishes featuring exotic ingredients like Icelandic cod, langoustine and viking skyr.

Gourmet Food & Wine Expo
The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo celebrates its 20th anniversary this year at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from Thursday, November 20 to Sunday November 23. The four-day event will featuring tutored tastings, a Food Network chef stage, a spiritology pavilion and, of course, plenty of opportunities to eat and imbibe.

The Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair
Back for its second year on Sunday, November 30, this food fest takes place from 11am to 4pm at Wychwood Barns (601 Christie St.). Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door for an all-inclusive sampling experience and the opportunity to purchase and discover foods from the best artisanal cheese makers, bakers, charcuterie butchers, craft breweries and restaurants.

Photo of Cask Days by Andrew WIlliamson

What did I miss? Plug your favourite fall food events in the comments below.

There's selfies, and then there's drone selfies. Visual producer Jon Corbin sent us this short clip of an attempt at a rather epic self portrait at the Scarborough Bluffs, one that is ultimately sabotaged by a random jogger who creeps into the frame and then stays to mug for the camera at the end. If there's one thing that's particularly noteworthy about the video, it's how stunning the the bluffs look when the drone creeps over the edge and hovers above the photographer at the controls. They look enormous from the perspective of the drone.

Have a look.

Epic Drone Selfie at Scarborough Bluffs from Corbin Visual on Vimeo.

The incentives to vote in this year's municipal election just get better and better. We've already posted about rewards of cheap beer and free ice cream, and now we've stumbled upon something even better - free beer. There is a catch, though. This offer is only valid for the lucky residents of Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina.

PUBLIC Inc. has put together this little reward strategy to increase voter turnout and to get some attention on the work it does. Here's the crucial info: after you've voted in Ward 19 on October 27th, volunteers will award a ticket to a party going on at one of three bars in the area (Brazen Head, Opera Bob's, and The Caledonian). Beau's brewery has crafted a special "Ballot Beer" for the occasion, of which attendees will get one free. It doesn't matter who you vote for, just that you vote.

So it's simple. And what better way to wait for the winner than by dumping craft beer down your throat? Let's hope this free beer thing catches on and happens in other wards.

Weekend events in Toronto is our guide to events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here's what's happening in Toronto this Oct 17-19, 2014.

Waterfront Marathon
Running might be the last thing you want to do to your body in the damp and cold of October, but this Sunday a marathon, half marathon, and various other walks and runs will go on by the lake with, or without you. Personally I'll be doing the stroller run with my pug in the buggy - high five me! No don't, I'm concentrating on the race. Register before Saturday at 6pm, or just show up to cheer from the sidelines. Info on the route of the various events can be found here. Never tired? Saturday's CN Tower stair climb is on too. Sunday, October 19, 8am - 3pm.

FILM

After Dark Film Festival
Toronto's haunted film fest is back from October 16-24. Featuring the Toronto premieres of the greatest in horror, scifi, action and cult, (let's be honest, the only film genres that matter) this year's After Dark looks to have topped itself in its delivery of vomit-inducing gross-outs, stupidly gratuitous violence and pants-wetting frights. From October 16-24 catch a total of 20 films at the Scotiabank Theatre. Look out for our upcoming preview of the gore-fest. AB

See also

• CINSSU's Free Friday Films Presents: C.R.A.Z.Y 2005 (Friday, Alumni Hall)
• Cineplex Community Day (Saturday, Cineplex Theatres)
• Video Vengeance #11 - WACKO 1982 - Free VHS Screening (Sunday, KITCH)

FOOD

Delicious Food Show
The three-day food festival, presented by the Food Network, is on at the Direct Energy Centre (100 Princes' Blvd.) from Friday, October 17 to Sunday, October 19. Along with a sea of exhibitors, expect celebrity stages, chef-led workshops, book signings, food trucks and an Abbey's Kitchen Stadium pavilion. General admission is $20 in advance or $22 at the door. LI

See also

• Mystery restaurant pop-up market (Saturday, 785 Queen St. West)
• Whiskey Live (Saturday, Sheraton)
• After School Club: Harvest Pub Hop (Sunday, Kensington Market)

ART

Michelangelo: Quest for Genius
From October 18-January 11, the AGO is showing a sizable collection of Michelangelo drawings. Big deal, right? Some dead guy who didn't even bother to erase the guide lines he made under his sketches. I kid - while the works in this exhibit will be small, the weight of Michelangelo's skill be something you never forget. Committing the human form to paper with sensitivity of this magnitude has been often mimicked, but perhaps never matched. Well, maybe Rembrandt. Oct 18 - Jan 11, AGO.

See also

• Art Tour Group Opening (Friday, 3030)
• Tom Ryaboi: Cities of the Future (Saturday, Canary Park Presentation Center)
• Open Sesame: Critics Forum Vii (Saturday, MOCCA)
• Toronto Clicks (Saturday, Leon's Roundhouse)
• MOCCA No Art Tours: 1, 2 (Sunday)

MUSIC

Chandra
Chandra Oppenheim, who in 1980's New York City made a splash as a 12-year old fronting a punk band made up of adults, is back. Her EP TRANSPORTATION's obscure release has been given new life thanks in part to TO-based label Cantor Records, and on Friday October 17, Chandra will make a rare live appearance for the Toronto release show at Double Double Land, sharing the stage with local weirdess Bile Sister. Read our interview here. ESP

See also

• Indie Week
• Uma Nota
• Dilly Dally 7" Release Show (Friday, S.H.I.B.G.B.S)
• Hip Hop Karaoke (Friday, Revival)
• Kaytranada (Friday, Hoxton)
• Roundtable Anniversary (Friday, Tattoo)
• The OBGMs Indie 88 Showcase (Friday, Adelaide Hall)
• DIANA (Saturday, Adelaide Hall)
• Lee Paradise (Saturday, Silver Dollar)
• The Wooden Sky's Vinyl Bike Tour (Saturday, Cabin Fever)
• Fat As Fuck (Sunday, Cinecycle)
• Iceage with Father Murphy & Femminielli (Sunday, The Horseshoe)

For more music listings, check out our October Concerts post.

EXPERIMENTAL

X-Avant IX
The Music Gallery's X-Avant Festival is without a doubt what many experimental, pop, jazz, noise, classical, and wtf-ever music fans will call one of the year's most exciting times, and what some other music lovers would hesitatingly call "interesting." Yet the five concerts and three outreach events on the year's (admittedly cliche) theme of "Transculturalism: Moving Beyond Multiculturalism," spanning October 17-19, promise strong enough curation that those even slightly intrigued in expanding their musical horizons will be glad they took the dive. Uma Nota runs this weekend as well.

THEATRE, COMEDY, & DANCE

Flying Bach
Ever wondered what it would look like if a crew of breakdancers threw down to Bach? Me neither - but you'll be able to find out at at Massey Hall between October 16 and 19. The Red Bull-sponsored Flying Bach tour, which has been crisscrossing the globe with an unusual blend of classical tunes and contemporary dance, is set to make its first-ever Toronto appearance. Tickets are on sale now; preview the show below. NM

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See also

• Big City Improv Festival (Oct 17-25, Comedy Bar)
• Mary-Janes of Comedy Stand-up Comedy Show (Friday, Comedy Bar)

For more events on stage, check out our The top theatre productions in Toronto this month post.

URL

Buffer Festival
Toronto's first-ever YouTube-centric convention is back for a second year October 17-19. If the words "like, comment, subscribe" mean anything to you, you'll be thrilled to know that the 2014 roster of guest YouTubers, in addition to returning faces like Charlie McConnell, has been beefed up with additions like Epic Meal Time, Shay Carl, Rhett and Link. I'm taking bets to see if Davey Wavey wears a shirt. Tickets to each event are $15, and going fast for some of the bigger names. (If you're not around that weekend, fast rapper and pale kidWatsky plays the Danforth Music Hall on November 10.) NM

PARTY

Junior Boys
Hamilton electronic pop duo Junior Boys are more known for their moody introspective synth pop than for destroying dance floors, but when the pair do DJ, it's a lot more of a party than their studio recordings might suggest. They're playing a special three-hour set, alongside Breakandenter's Martin Fazekas. October 17, Club 120, 10pm. BB

See also

• Yes Yes Y'all (Friday, RYZE)

For more dance listings, check out our Top Dance Parties in Toronto this month post.

FASHION & STYLE

The Irish Design House Store Opening Celebration
A brand new design store is opening on Queen East, and its focus is not on British design (that's so last spring!) but on Irish wares. Jump on the latest UK design trend before the people in the condo window across the way. Saturday, October 18, 11am-5pm, The Irish Design House (756 Queen Street East).

See also

• C'EST ETHICA Pop-up Shop (Saturday, 944 Queen Street West)
• Fall Community Clothing Swap (Sunday, Evergreen Brickworks)
• The Leslieville Flea (Sunday, Ashbridge Estate)
• Fall Made by Hand Show (Saturday, International Centre)

GAMES

Gamercamp
There's a point in every game where the credits must roll. (Well, maybe not in MMOs, but you get the idea.) So too it is with Gamercamp, Toronto's independent gaming festival and conference, which is set to fold after this fall. Between October 17th and 19th at Hotel Ocho, expect panels of industry experts, a four-floor arcade of playable games, and a Saturday night arcade/bash featuring craft beer. Tickets and passes for the events are available now. Don't miss their Night Arcade Party and a panel featuring the creators behind graphic novel turned movie Snow. NM

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

Contributions by Liora Ipsum, Benjamin Boles, Evan Sue-Ping, Erinn Beth Langille, Natalia Manzocco, Aaron Broverman

Lead photo by Phil Marion

It's raining in Toronto, and that can only mean one thing--a flood. Steady late afternoon rain followed by a series of powerful thunderstorms made rivers out of streets in northern parts of the city, disrupting subway, streetcar, and bus service. Railway underpasses and streets with drains blocked by leaves are currently no-go zones, but things are steadily improving.

Toronto Police says water is blocking streets in the vicinity of Allen and Eglinton, Weston and Finch, Weston and Imogene, Parkside and Bloor, Parkside and High Park, Sentinel and Finch, Ingram and Kincourt, Royal York and Mimico, Dupont and Ossington, Sheppard and Seeley, and Wilson and 401 interchange.

On the TTC, flooding at Lawrence station has closed Line 1 in both directions between Eglinton and York Mills for the remainder of the evening. Shuttle buses are currently operating between those stations. Streetcar service has now resumed on St. Clair but there are still numerous problems on the buses. Check here for flood-related disruptions on the TTC website.

Toronto Hydro is reporting isolated outages in northern and eastern parts of Toronto. Crews have been dispatched.

Here are pictures of the floods.

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

Image: Kent Anjo/Twitter.

Photo by Comeback Special in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious events, festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.

THIS WEEK

• The Delicious Food Show is on this weekend October 17 to 19 at the Direct Energy Centre. The three-day food fest will promises celebrity chef workshops and demos, cook-offs, food trucks and lots of exhibitors.
• Bro Appetit, a pop-up market at the newly opened restaurant Dear Jools (785 Queen St. West) takes place from 11am to 3pm on Saturday, October 18. Admission is free and food items will be $5.
• Drake One Fifty (150 York St.) hosts Montreal chef Emma Carderelli of Nora Gray for a collaborative dinner on Tuesday, October 21. The special Italian menu will feature a variety of a la carte options like farro salad, meatballs, calamari, and rosemary ribs; choose four dishes at a time as a $70 prix five.
• Eat To The Beat returns for its 19th year on Tuesday, October 21 from 7pm at Roy Thomson Hall (60 Simcoe St.). Tickets for are $175 (with proceeds going towards Willow Breast & Hereditary Cancer Support) for this food fest fundraiser featuring the talents of 60 female chefs.
• There's still time to make reservations for Restaurants for Change happening this Wednesday, October 22 at participating Toronto restaurants. Richmond Station, Ruby Watchco and The Saint Tavern (to name just a few) will donate proceeds from the evening's dinner service to Community Food Centres Canada.

UPCOMING

• In advance of Gluten Freedom Week, Porzia (1314 Queen St. West) hosts a wheat-free, four-course pop up dinner on Sunday, October 26 at 7pm.
• The Depanneur (1033 College St.) presents a supper club dubbed Trick or Treat by Chef Dave Mottershall on Saturday, November 1 from 7:30pm to 10:30pm. The $40 BYOB dinner will feature a spooky amuse-bouche and treats like veal carpaccio, maple glazed pork belly and sticky toffee pudding.

Photo of Richmond Station by Jesse Milns.

Toronto has another multidisciplinary, creative retail space, carrying everything from hard-to-find magazines to clothing to custom upholstered chairs. It's a place to spend time, get to know local makers and designers, and find out why Ikea is no match for reclaimed furniture.

Read my profile of Bodega Thirteen in the fashion section.

What goes on inside tech startup offices, really? Google, Facebook, and that fourth season of Arrested Development nobody fully comprehended has given us mental images of warehouse offices and leisurely business meetings held on the company mini-putt course. Mostly, from what I gather, startup life really consists of an office full of people under the age of 40 typing and drinking a lot of coffee. (Like, a lot of coffee.)

If you're keen to check out the glamour of the tech world for yourself, a new event is about to fling the doors of dozens of Toronto companies wide open. As part of Startup Open House on October 30, companies like Shopify, Bitmaker Labs, Hurrier, Tilt, Indiegogo Canada, and Nymi (along with a host of others) will welcome visitors into their offices.

Depending on who you visit, they may hold tours, field questions, and maybe - just maybe - do a little recruiting. Over 1000 people are set to take part in the free event - sign up here to reserve a spot.

Photo from FreshBooks.

There's an influx of new dining options opening in Toronto this season, including new lunch counters, snack bars and contemporary restaurants. While the concentration of new additions to Ossington and Dundas West is running especially high, the east side is due for some notable new destinations as well.

Here are the 10 most anticipated Toronto restaurant openings I'm looking forward to this fall.

Junk Bar
This new snack bar is expected open this fall (though no date has been announced) in the pretty corner lot that was once LeVack Block (88 Ossington Ave.). The collaborative effort comes from Chef Matt Blondin (formerly of Acadia and Momofuku Daisho) and The Food Dudes, who have had a spree of openings already this year.

Borealia
Aiming for a mid-November opening, this new restaurant at 59 Ossington Ave. will offer modernized versions of heavily-researched historical recipes inspired by Canada's indigenous peoples and early settlers.

Han Moto
Swish by Han may have just recently folded, but owners and brothers Leeto and Leemo Han (also behind OddSeoul) are already at work on the next new thing. A new Japanese snack bar is already in the works at at 2 Lakeview Ave. (at Dundas West).

Bar Fancy
Jonathan Poon, chef and owner of the highly acclaimed Chantecler, is soon to open this new, low-key bar (with prospects for an expanded menu on the horizon) at 1070 Queen St. West at Shaw.

Dandylion
This small 30-seat modern bistro from chef/owner Jay Carter (former executive chef for Centro, and Susur Lee's long time chef de cuisine) is looking at a tentative opening date at the beginning of November. Once they open at 1198 Queen St. West at Gladstone, expect a concise nine-item menu and a drink list that focuses on wines, beers and ciders.

NAO Steakhouse
The latest high-profile project from Hanif Harji of Icon Legacy (Weslodge,Patria) is this 120-seat steakhouse, poised to open on November 1 at 90 Avenue Rd. in Yorkville.

CJ's Deli
Smoked meat is coming to the Danforth! Splitting the former location of Zorba's in two, this new delicatessen at 681 Danforth Ave. will occupy the front half, while The Court Jester Pub relocates from down the street into the back space.

Bunas Kitchen
Described as a modern-European, quick-service cafe with a focus on local seasonal produce, this new lunch outfit and catering operation at 388 Richmond St. West is on the brink of opening in the next week or so.

The Contender
This new 115-seat sports bar is a project by Alex Sengupta and John Vetere (both of The Lakeview). Equipped with 25 TVs, 12 beers on tap and a concessions-style menu, the new sport might just become the newest go-to for the next big game ... or any game, really.

Name TBD
Things are happening behind the papered windows at 505 College St., the corner unit where Teatro used to be. While there's no name to announce and only rumours of a fall opening, I couldn't omit this new project from Grant van Gameren (Bar Isabel) and barmen Michael Webster and Robin Goodfellow.

Held over since summer I'm also looking forward to Little Fin, Wilbur Mexicana and b.good.

What restaurants are you excited for this fall? Let us know in the comments.

Photo of Jonathan Poon from Chantecler