Photo by Chris Luckhardt in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto test your knowledge of the year gone by at the Beaver's 2014 trivia night. If can't remember a thing, best get a head start drinking away this year's memories as well. Then Comedy Bar has been hosting funny and free Festival of New Formats over the weekend, which caps tonight with acts like Home Improvement, My Improvised Hypothesis, So You Think You Can Rant, and Late Night After the Apocolypse. Canada's Top Ten Film Festival continues at TIFF with Sol and Tu Dors Nicole. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Comedy: Festival of New Formats (Comedy Bar)
• Games: 2014 Trivia (Beaver)
• Film: Canada's Top Ten Film Festival (TIFF)
• Games: Trivia Club (Hitch)

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

Image from Sol at Canada's Top Ten

A new Roman-style pizzeria has just pulled into the former home of Hey! on Roncesvalles. Boasting a massive pizza oven and a menu of tasty tweaks on Italian antipasti, the new spot is already a popular destination for families and those looking for a different spin in a city saturated with the Neapolitan variety.

Read my review of Lambretta in the restaurants section.

The top Toronto hip hop albums of all time make us proud. It's far from a secret anymore - over the years Toronto has earned its reputation as a hotbed for hip hop talent.

Oh how quickly things change: back in the day Drake was on Degrassi, working on his rhymes on the side while looking up to rap music's legends. Today he's an international sensation and getting punched by Diddy in nightclubs. Although Drake has a lot to do with the spotlight shining on hip hop in our city, before him there were others laying a foundation for the growth of this rich culture.

In no particular order, here are my picks for the top 10 rap albums by Toronto artists.

Dream Warriors - And Now the Legacy Begins
In 1991, hip hop duo Dream Warriors' released their debut album And Now the Legacy Begins. The project was released worldwide on Island Records and received praise from critics globally. Although the album didn't make waves in the USA, it was especially well received in the UK and Canada. Stand out tracks include "Wash Your Face In My Sink," "Ludi," and "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style," which sampled Quincy Jones' Soul Bossa Nova. This album became a true Canadian great and would go down in history as a golden era hip hop classic.

Choclair - Ice Cold
This album is often slept on aside from hit single "Let's Ride," which trickled into the USA and eventually reached #37 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart. Choclair worked with the who's who of Toronto hip hop for this project, with production coming from the likes of Da Grassroots, Kardinal Offishall, Solitair and Saukrates. Ice Cold caught fire in Canada and went gold in just over a month. The only remaining question is - was Choclair really sitting on an ice chair for the album cover?

Kardinal Offishall - Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol.1
Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1 is the second studio album by Toronto icon Kardinal Offishall. This record made him a staple in Canada's entertainment industry. It was his first on a major label and included some songs previously released, such as "Money Jane (remix)" and "Husslin," which initially appeared on a 2000 EP. Quest for Fire also included singles "Ol' Time Killin" and "Bakardi Slang," the latter becoming his first single to chart on Billboard. The album featured production from Toronto's own Solitair and Saukrates, and was nominated for Rap Recording of the Year at the 2002 JUNOs, but lost to Swollen Members' Bad Dreams.

Da Grassroots - Passage Through Time
Kids! If you don't know about this one, there's no better time to dive into one of the finest rap albums to come out of Toronto. Da Grassroots are a production trio composed of Mr. Attic, Mr. Murray and Swiff. This is their only album, though they went on to release a few other singles. In November 1999, the album was released independently through Conception Records in the US. There were a whole slew of Toronto guest appearances on the project, including K-Os, Thrust, Ghetto Concept, Choclair, and Saukrates. This album is the quintessential showcase of the level of production and lyrical talent that existed in Toronto during the late 90's.

k-os - Joyful Rebellion
Dubbed as Canada's king of alternative hip hop, k-os' second album Joyful Rebellion is jammed with hits that crossed over into the mainstream. The album debuted at #7 on the Canadian Albums Chart, and through the success of singles like "Crabbuckit," "Man I Used To Be" and "B-Boy Stance," it would go on to sell over 100,000 units. Joyful Rebellion was praised by media outlets around the world and also won two MuchMusic Video Awards and three Juno Awards in 2005.

IRS - Welcome to Planet IRS
The trio behind IRS (Instinctive Reaction to Struggle) made up of Korry Deez, Black Cat, and T.R.A.C.K.S., hit the metaphorical nail on the head with record. Welcome to Planet IRS is as accessible to the mainstream as it is intelligent with an underground aesthetic that lends nicely to Toronto and its surrounding area at the time. Their style is heavily influenced by west coast gangsta rap, mixed with an experimental lyrical approach.

Drake - Take Care
With a cookbook of top producers, many local, Drake's second studio album was brewed with one purpose: world domination. He took his time, finding a balance between hit singles and tracks where he could effectively drive his signature style into the heads of listeners around the world. Singles like "Headlines," "Crew Love," "Take Care," ft. Rhianna, and "HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right)" made it clear that Drake was here to stay. Take Care won a Grammy for Best Rap album, was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize, and ended up going double platinum in both the USA and Canada.

Maestro Fresh-Wes - Symphony in Effect
Released in 1989, this record put Canada on the map, mainly because its lead single "Let Your Backbone Slide" became the first in Canadian hip hop history to appear on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart, peaking at #14. At a time when our country wasn't making noise on an international level, Maestro was leading the pioneering pack. Eventually the album won the first Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year and almost went double platinum in Canada.

Saukrates - The Underground Tapes
You can't mention Toronto hip hop without Saukrates' body of work. Of all his releases, 1999 debut studio album The Underground Tapes became a classic and set the precedent for hip hop at the turn of the century. The album had some highly respected features for the time, including Xzibit, Pharoahe Monch, Common, and Masta Ace. The 14 track album was first released in the US and later re-released in Canada with an additional 6 songs. Its only single, instant Canadian classic "Money or Love," was nominated for a JUNO. Not only did Saukrates deliver cutting edge contemporary lyricism, but, with the help of a few others, he also produced practically the entire album.

Beat Factory - Rap Essentials Volume One
The only compilation album on our list, Rap Essentials Volume One was released in 1996 on Beat Factory Music and was distributed by EMI. The record featured songs from Concrete Mob, Red Life, Dan-e-o, Ghetto Concept, Choclair, and Kardinal Offishall, among others - providing listeners with a grab bag of Canada's finest selection of hip hop, with a majority of the artists calling Toronto home.

Lead image Maestro Fresh-Wes - Symphony in Effect

As Toronto heads back to work in earnest after the holidays, Mayor John Tory is desperate for everyone to know about his new downtown parking enforcement blitz designed to combat gridlock. He even took a ride in a helicopter this morning to draw attention to the initiative, which could see motorists fined up to $500 for blocking a lane on a busy street (for commercial vehicles the fine could be as much as $1,000).

It's a good idea, and one that should have been put in place quite a while ago given the state of traffic in this city, but let's be a bit careful about thinking that these measures are going to dramatically speed up our commute. There will be an extra eight officers tasked with parking enforcement starting this morning. Will that allow for the blitz that's being advertised? Perhaps. What really remains to be seen is how many minutes something like this might shave off of the average person's trip to work.

Tory wants to build a reputation as the mayor who addressed Toronto's gridlock problems. That's likely better than one whose rallying cry was austerity measures, but let's make sure we keep the pressure on for urgent infrastructure upgrades and not be satisfied with initiatives that were always supposed to be in place anyway.

Photo by Jesse Morgan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

This newly opened British-style public house offers a cozy vibe and menu of wholesome fare and craft beers to match. Most novel is the totally animal-free kitchen, offering easily recognizable comfort foods like curry fries and savoury pies for meatless eaters.

Read my profile of Porter House in the restaurants section.

Does your New Year's resolution involve writing for your favourite local site? We have a number of paid freelance positions currently available. Read on to find out more about who we're looking for and how to apply.

UPDATE JANUARY 5TH

We have received an overwhelming number of applications for many of the roles and are currently reviewing them. We have started getting in touch with applicants and expect to respond to everyone who has applied so far by no later than Friday January 9th. Thanks in advance for your patience.

We are also still accepting applications for the following roles:

FREELANCE WRITER - TECHNOLOGY

We have an immediate opening for a freelance writer to contribute ongoing articles covering Toronto's tech scene. You're in-the-know about the latest local start-ups, consumer-focused apps and other tech related products and services being crafted in Toronto.

Please note that our tech coverage does not include enterprise or business to business products or services, nor does it include any product reviews of gadgets (unless it's something just introduced by a local company).

Additional Requirements:

• A Journalism background or 1-2 year of online writing experience.
• Solid research skills and the ability to write concise, punchy prose in article or list-based formats.
• Good organizational skills and the ability to consistently meet deadlines.
• The ability to write tech related articles that appeal to a general (non tech-based) readership.

FREELANCE WRITER - ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS

We're looking for writers able to contribute to our ongoing signs you grew up in series for Richmond Hill, Markham, Woodbridge, Vaughan, Rexdale or Etobicoke. If you grew up in any of these places and can come up with a funny and insightful list of 10 signs please drop us a line.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested in applying for one of these role? Just send an email to jobs [at] blogto [dotcom] with the following info:

• Send us a bit of information about yourself (how long you've lived in Toronto, what neighbourhoods you have lived in) and your education and work experience. A link to your Linked-In or CV will be helpful here.
• Let us know why you're interested in this role and how soon you can start.
• Send us links to any relevant online content you've created that you think will wow us.

In addition to the above please submit the following depending on what role you're applying for.

Freelance Writer - Technology

• A list of your top 5 smartphone apps that were released this year (and created by a Toronto company).
• A list of 5 Toronto startup companies you think will breakout in 2015.

Freelance Writer - Additional Assignments

• Pick one of the areas (Richmond Hill, Markham, Woodbridge, Vaughan, Rexdale or Etobicoke) and send us at least 5 things you'd put on the list of signs you grew up there.

Thanks in advance to everyone interested in applying to one of the above roles. We aim to respond to all applicants who send us a complete application as per the instructions above.

The top neighbourhoods for shopping in Toronto allow for hours and hours of perusing at your leisure, with each additional store within reasonable walking distance from the last. For these trips, park your car or bike nearby and get your recyclable bags ready for some stuffing, since you surely won't leave empty-handed.

Here are my picks for the top neighbourhoods for shopping in Toronto.

West Queen West
While Queen West has given way to mainstream stores, West Queen West has a bit of everything: carefully curated vintage stores like Cabaret, boutiques dedicated to hard-to-find and cult lines, like Sauvage and Gravitypope, and a dose of slick menswear from Nomad, Sydney's and Frank & Oak.

Dundas West
What was formerly just Little Portugal - a hood littered with churrasqueira restaurants and European bakeries - has given way to fashion havens like the Blue Button Shop and perfectly minimalist spots like Bodega Thirteen. VSP Consignment is a must-visit, along with vintage spots like Bridge + Bardot and Penny Arcade.

Ossington
Sandwiched between Dundas West and West Queen West, Lower Ossington's shopping haunts are scattered among its bars and dining destinations. At boutiques like Annie Aime, Crywolf and Victoire, the vibe is fun and relaxed; step up your menswear game at Lost & Found and Philip Sparks.

Parkdale
Between vintage mainstays like Public Butter and Common Sort, and newer shops like Sylvie & Shimmy, Parkdale mixes old-fashioned surprises and modern variety. Three Fates offers fun vintage and new finds on the cheap, while lifestyle shops Future of Frances Watson and Community 54 are perfect for window shopping and/or dropping serious cash.

Kensington Market
Besides the jewellery, toques, and sunglass stands, Kensington boasts numerous shops dedicated to crafty jewellery and vintage pieces: Courage My Love, Exile, Flashback, and Bungalow. Expect nothing new in this hood - with notable exceptions being Bungalow's front end, Model Citizen, Kid Icarus and Good Egg.

Roncesvalles
If you're looking for those catch-all boutiques that carry great gift items, cards, soaps, accessories, and anything else under the sun, Roncesvalles has a sweet selection. At Likely General you'll find everything from honey to tote bags, while Scout is stocked with super neat things you'd scour for on Etsy for hours. Also of note: Unisex Toronto-based brand Muttonhead.

King East
King East is one of the best spots in the city for high end furniture and other home décor necessities. Klaus by Nienkamper and Kiosk provide all the high-design window-shopping you could ever want, while RADform, Suite 22 Interiors, and Calligaris will satisfy your need for contemporary fixings, i.e. expensive clear plastic furniture that appears to be from IKEA but is definitely much better quality.

Yonge & Eglinton
Midtown's notable shopping destinations are often overlooked by their mainstream neighbours--yes, there's a huge RioCan shopping centre and one outstanding Shoppers Drug Mart - but there's also more than a few spots worth taking a gander at. There's Canon Blanc, Poor Little Rich Girl and Heidi Ho for women's fashions and jewellery; Squint for eyewear and Sporting Life for the whole family.

Yorkville
Yorkville has maintained its rep as the home of luxury brands and designer storefronts. Chanel and Prada aside, the area is also home to Toronto's own Pink Tartan, while men's fashion stores cater to the high-end, tailored types - think Suitsupply and Loding. On the streetwear side, there's Contraband, Uncle Otis, Working Title, and Untitled & Co..

Castlefield Design District
This north-end neighbourhood (near Eglinton and Caledonia) has the space to house the kind of massive home-design stores you can't always find downtown. Check out ELTE's brand new ELTE Market space and Shelter for modern furnishings, as well as vintage furniture stores like The Door Store, Kantelberg + Co. , and Sharon O'Dowd (where you can customize your furniture, too).

Did I miss any? Leave your favourite shopping neighbourhoods in Toronto in the comments.

Photo of Annie Aime by Morris Lum.

Vegetarian and vegan food in the PATH is pretty easy to find - plenty of eateries will happily cater to your desire to counteract all those sedentary hours spent at a desk with a nice, healthy lunch. These grab-and-go options should serve you well after you've eaten at Freshii for the nine millionth time.

Here are the top vegetarian lunch options in the PATH.

Kupfert & Kim / K&K Food Stand
The original vegan, gluten-free eatery, with locations in First Canadian Place and Brookfield Place, specializes in bowls and salads loaded up with grains and veggies. Meanwhile, K&K, their little sister eatery in the Sun Life building, takes the concept a step further with burgers (try the sunflower and hemp burger!) and tacos.

Soup Nutsy
This soup counter, with three PATH locations, ladles out a rotating daily roundup of delicious soups, with vegetarian options (dairy or non-) clearly laid out on the menu board. Personal veggie-friendly faves: Their vegan vegetable soup with quinoa and kale, or mediterranean lentil soup with orzo and Parmesan.

iQ Food Co.
Veggie options abound at these takeaway counters in Brookfield Place and TD Centre. Their lighter menu starts off with snacks like avocado toast (be still, my Pinterest-loving heart) and vegan-friendly soups. For something more substantial, there's their Glow box (which features quinoa, kale, avocado and hummus) or Ssam bowl (with bulgogi flavoured tempeh).

Crave Healthy Habits
In 145 King St. West, Crave puts a spin on the quinoa/rice lunch bowl concept by offering a few steamed in lemongrass veggie broth for a tasty kick. Add on your choice of protein (including tofu and tempeh) and top it off with sauces like pomegranate balsamic and Thai coconut.

Freshwest Grill
Are you having the kind of day only a burrito can fix? Freshwest Grill, with a handful of locations scattered around the Financial District, has you covered, with soy burger listed as a protein alongside the usual omnivore-friendly fixings. Get it as an "inside-out burrito" on rice if tortillas aren't your thing.

Naturally Yours
This combination lunch counter / health food supplement store does grab-and-go items, large salads, soups and rotating hot table specials that are vegan-friendly, if not always light (crowd favourites include the lasagnas and yam burritos).

Urban Herbivore
Doing some shopping on your lunch break? Swing down to Urban Herbivore in the Eaton Centre, where you can grab yourself a coconut-bacon BLT and BBQ tofu sandwiches, some coconut curry, and their famous vegan spelt-flour muffins.

Tamarind - The Indian Kitchen
This Indian spot in Brookfield Place offers vegetarian options galore, including frequent veg-friendly lunch specials (think $8.85 thalis with three veggie dishes, rice and naan).

Greenleafs
Herbivores flock to this takeout counter in First Canadian Place for massive green salads, which usually ring in at about $9. They also offer prepared pasta salads and wraps, and their relatively inexpensive juices and smoothies are a favourite of cost-conscious regulars.

Fast Fresh Foods
Build yourself a sandwich piled high with roasted veggies, vegan spreads, and maybe some cheese (if that's your thing) at this grab-and-go spot with multiple PATH locations. Or head to their salad counter, where you can bulk up yours with nuts, fruits and veggies.

See also:

The top 10 breakfast options in the PATH
The top 10 cheap lunch options in the Financial District

Did I miss any? Leave your favourite vegan and vegetarian-friendly lunch options in the PATH in the comments.

Photo of Naturally Yours by Jesse Milns.

Didn't get to check out the holiday market at Yonge and Gould this holiday season? Don't sweat it - Dundas Square has another market experience coming its way this winter. Ad Hoc (the same folks that ran #localTOmrkt) is taking over the recently-vacated Sunrise Records space at 336 Yonge St. - just across the street from the market grounds - for a two-month-long pop-up.

Organizers are currently accepting applications from local vendors - 16 sellers are set to take over the main floor, with confirmed participants including Queenie's Cards, Wanderlust and Stashbelt. The whole thing is slated to open for business by February 7 and, if there's enough demand, continue through the end of March. Look for them to host events in the space throughout the month.

Photo by PLTam via the blogTO Flickr pool.

The TTC doesn't do new year's resolutions, but if it did, the list might look something like this. Since taking over in 2011, CEO Andy Byford has embarked on an aggressive modernization and service improvement program, overseeing the arrival of new subway trains, streetcars, and a slew of cosmetic improvements--clearer subway signage, decluttered ticket collector booths, new uniforms--that have, by increments, improved the overall perception of the transit provider.

Despite the enhancements, there are still frustrating issues. Fare technology is improving, but buying a ticket is still needlessly complicated. Short turns are a menace and still no-one can hear the drivers of Bloor-Danforth line trains.

Here are 5 things the TTC could do to improve in 2015.

Cut down on short turns
Nothing irks TTC riders more than the dreaded short turn. Being told to get off a perfectly good streetcar or bus because there's a gap that needs to be filled elsewhere on the system, especially in cold weather, is like being told to clear out of a restaurant mid-meal so someone else can sit down. Adding additional vehicles to the 512 St. Clair and 29 Dufferin route and adjusting timing has paid dividends, but new technology and additional vehicles will be required citywide.

Put Presto readers in every subway station
Right now, for reasons that aren't entirely clear, only 15 of 69 TTC subway stations have a basic Presto card reader capable of deducting a $2.70 fare (balance enquiries and top ups are available only at GO stations, via telephone, or online.) Another 11 subway stops are set to get Presto this year, but if installation as simple as bolting one of the a green plastic boxes to one of the turnstiles, every station should get one while riders wait for the next generation of the fare card to arrive.

Roll out Wi-Fi coverage faster
In a little over a year, BAI Canada has managed to install Wi-Fi facilities in nine downtown stations. Outside the downtown core, however, the subway is still Internet-free. The current timetable calls for full service in the downtown loop plus Spadina by the Pan Am Games, though it would be nice to see more in a shorter space of time, especially as ads on the service promise to make the TTC money. (Unfortunately, fitting Wi-Fi to trains and tunnels isn't within the scope of the current Internet service BAI/TTC contract).

Turn up the volume on the subway speakers
It's astonishing that this continues to be a problem. The speaker volume in many of the older T1 subway cars is so low that announcements from the driver are inaudible over the ambient sound of the car and completely lost among in the sound of a moving train. The solution might be as simple as telling drivers to make service announcements while the train is stationary.

Provide fare education for passengers
Now that the TTC has expanded its credit and debit card offerings, added proof-of-payment to the busy King streetcar line, and started adding additional Presto readers, many longstanding fare rules have changed. For example, failing to grab a transfer and lacking any other proof of payment could potentially result in a $425 fine now that fare inspectors are out in force. A solid, engaging public information drive (something like this, perhaps) would go some way to making the new landscape clearer for users who don't follow transit news.

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

Image: Dan...Mr Dan/blogTO Flickr pool.

The best new bakeries in Toronto for 2014 padded our bellies with their fluffy confections this year. Some are vegan or gluten-free, and some are just like grandma used to make. Whatever the agenda, these new bakeries remind us sometimes it's best, when things get low, just to toss up our hands, smile, and say "Ain't life a slice?" before popping in another delicacy into the ol' cakehole.

Here are the best new bakeries in Toronto for 2014.

See also:

The Best New Bakeries in Toronto, 2013
The Best New Bakeries in Toronto, 2012
The Best New Bakeries in Toronto, 2011
The Best New Bakeries in Toronto, 2010

Toronto cartoonist Evan Munday is combining his illustration with activism on Twitter: each day he will be tweeting a drawing of a missing or murdered aboriginal woman at Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Over one thousand Aboriginal women have gone missing or been killed in Canada since the 1980's. Harper has stated it isn't on his radar.

So far, Munday has tweeted pictures of Maggie Lea Burke, 22, Edmonton, Danita Faith Bigeagle, 23, Regina, and Elaine Frieda Alook, 35, Fort McMurray. The artist also plans to tweet links to indigenous-led orgs or initiatives each day.

On Twitter, Munday has added in a series of tweets, "I am aware this project walks a thin line & am trying hard to avoid self-aggrandizement, appropriation of image, or hashtag hijacking. That said, I'll make mistakes. So if I do something that crosses that line, call me out, let me know... Instead of caring about anything I do, you should be visiting the NWAC's website."

Follow Munday on Twitter at @idontlikemunday, and learn more about Native Women's Association of Canada here

Over 1186 indigenous women have gone missing / been murdered in Canada since 1980. There have been outcries for public inquiry. #MMIW (1/3)

— Evan Munday (@idontlikemunday) January 5, 2015

Our PM said an inquiry into the missing women 'isn't really high on our radar.' So I'm trying a small thing to make it higher. #MMIW (2/3)

— Evan Munday (@idontlikemunday) January 5, 2015

Starting on Jan 5, I'll tweet @pmharper an illustration of a missing or murdered indigenous woman daily. To adjust his radar. #MMIW (3/3)

— Evan Munday (@idontlikemunday) January 5, 2015

@pmharper Danita Faith Bigeagle was 23 when last seen in Regina, Feb 2007. She has 2 children, Cassidy & Talon. #MMIWpic.twitter.com/YzuocAQjGn

— Evan Munday (@idontlikemunday) January 6, 2015

Instead of caring about anything I do, you should be visiting the NWAC's website: http://t.co/jKUuEvXTPh

— Evan Munday (@idontlikemunday) January 6, 2015

And follow @gregoryscofield, who has been tweeting the name & photo of one missing or murderded indigenous woman a day. #MMIW

— Evan Munday (@idontlikemunday) January 7, 2015

The recent construction boom in Toronto has gifted the city with an array of architectural gems that would be the envy of any world class city. Love them or loathe them, the razor sharp Royal Ontario Museum crystal, the new flatiron building at the Distillery, and Gardiner Museum are becoming famous tourist attractions and important landmarks in their own right. Who knows, maybe in 30 years the modern structures of today will be as famous as the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, or City Hall.

Here are my picks for the best Toronto buildings of the last 15 years.

Pure Spirit Lofts (2009)
Toronto's original flatiron building at Wellington, Front, and Church was built as offices for the Gooderham family, the founders of the Gooderham and Worts distillery, so perhaps the razor sharp building at the corner of Parliament and Mill is a nod to that piece of history. Either way, the building, which also includes a condo tower, has become one of the most recognizable and photographed additions to the revitalized Distillery District.

The National Ballet School (2005)
The best thing about the design of the National Ballet School is the ability to peer inside from the street. Like an open jewelry box, practicing dancers on three separate floors are visible to anyone curious enough to cast their eyes upward. "The platforms become stages to the city, while the city is acquired as a backdrop to the dancers in training," KPMB Architects write.

Gardiner Museum (2006)
Canada's only museum entirely dedicated to ceramic art got a delightfully modern makeover in 2006. The little modular building, designed by KPMB Architects, tends to be overshadowed by the neoclassical bulk of the Lillian Massey Building next door at Bloor and Queens Park, but it obviously has its fans. This summer it won the Pug Award's "Best of the Best Architecture in Toronto" prize.

Tip Top Lofts (2006)
Built in 1929, the original Tip Top Tailor building, along with the postal facility that was converted into the Air Canada Centre, was one of downtown Toronto's best examples of Art Deco architecture. A considerate and discreet residential conversion in 2006 added an extra six storeys without compromising the grand appearance of the former menswear company headquarters. ArchitectsAlliance even kept the famous rooftop neon sign.

The ROM crystal (2007)
The Royal Ontario Museum's Lee-Chin Crystal takes a lot of flack, much of it unwarranted. Designed by Berlin-based architect and musical virtuoso Daniel Libeskind, the angular glass and brushed aluminium addition to the 100-year-old institution was completed in 2007 to darts and laurels from the public. Personally, I love it. There's nothing else in the city like it.

Bridgepoint Health (2013)
The transformation of the old Don Jail, a place where convicts were hanged until the 1960s, into a modern medical facility saw the addition of a reflective, 10-storey structure that often appears to blend with the sky over the Don Valley and Riverdale Park. Bridgepoint Health is best viewed in direct sunlight or at dusk.

Regent Park Aquatic Centre (2013)
The centrepiece to the ongoing revitalization of the Regent Park neighbourhood, the new $14.7 million aquatic centre is breathing new life into the once rundown post-war housing project. Inside, two swimming pools with large windows open out onto the green space of Regent Park proper, providing an all-important welcoming touch. Globe and Mail architecture writer Lisa Rochon calls the new facility "a beacon of enlightened change" for the area.

River City Phase One (2014)
The first of three buildings to be erected under the River City name in the West Don Lands, the imposing obsidian bulk of the block nearest King St. looks like it could be the headquarters of evil multinational corporation from a dystopian Hollywood future, but in a good way. It's easily one of the best looking condo buildings in the the city.

Fort York Visitor Centre (2014)
Fort York has been through a lot during its more than 200-year history. Blown up, ransacked by invading Americans, and almost destroyed by the arrival of the Gardiner Expressway, the nucleus around which Toronto was formed finally got its centrepiece this year. The rust-coloured armoured structure lurks beneath the elevated highway ready to lure new visitors to the increasingly popular national historic site.

The L Tower (2015)
Another Daniel Libeskind creation, the sweeping 58-storey residential tower that's nearing completion behind the Sony Centre doesn't look half as complex as it really is. In order to create its distinctive curve, complex structural arrangements had to be made behind the building's glazed skin. When it's finished later this year, the L Tower will be a welcome addition to the rigid vertical lines of the Toronto skyline.

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

Image: Yana and Denis, BruceK, Vik Pahwa, Lori Whelan, gable.mak/blogTO Flickr pool.

Photo by Martin Reis in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto sidewalkscreening.MOV, Whippersnapper Gallery, and Pleasuredome are throwing a screening party and series launch at Buddies in Bad Times, which will surely be a lovely gif-t. Sorry. Good Enough's live karaoke band will be at the Garrison every Thursday this month, and best of all admission is free.

Speaking of covers, Hervana is at Velvet Underground for the Year Punk Broke. The Fringe's Next Stage Theatre Fest (January 7 - 18), a smaller version of the warm-weather Fringe but a must-hit for Toronto indie/punk theatre fans, continues. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Art: sidewalkscreening.MOV Screening & Launch Party (Buddies in Bad Times)
• Art: a show about NOTHING (Fountain)
• Music: Good Enough Live Karaoke (Garrison)
• Film: Inside Out Presents: Tiger Orange (TIFF)
• Comedy: Human Life is Worthless (Comedy Bar)
• Music: The Year Punk Broke (Velvet Underground)
• Party: Marcus Visionary & DnB Hive present: RUN DNB (Thymeless)
• Theatre: Next Stage Theatre Fest (Factory Theatre)

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

Image from Cindy Kim, Whipsaw Buddy via sidewalkscreening.MOV

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

OPEN NOW

• Parisian patisserie Le Neuf Cafe has opened a second now open at 181 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market.
• There's a new spot at 263 Spadina named Handmade Ramen, and they're specializing in fresh hand-pulled and sliced noodles.
• Levetto, a new pizza and pasta parlour, is now open at 68 Sudbury St. This is the first Toronto location, though there are three other locations already operating in Southern Ontario.
• The Corner Bank, a massive new pool hall and sports bar and grill is slated to open any day now at 925 Warden Ave. in Scarborough.
• South Street Burger Co. celebrated the opening of its 30th location over the holidays at 1542 Avenue Rd.

RECENTLY REVIEWED

• Lambretta
• Porter House
• The Pearl Diver
• Queen Street Warehouse

OPENING SOON

• One Pizza is slated to takeover the multilevel building at 169 King St. East, formerly the address of Ole Ole, and Kultura prior to that.
• Chelo & Co., a new Persian restaurant promising kebabs, is coming soon to 811 Queen St. West.
• Torito Tapas Bar at 276 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market is sporting a new sign and is set to reopen as Bar Pepe, a Spanish-style pintxos bar.
• b.good is soon to debut at 100 Front St., and already it looks like a second location is in the works at 573 Queen St. West.
• Sleepy Baker is coming soon to 7 Coxwell Ave. at the corner of Queen St. East.

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

Photo via Levetto Waterloo on Facebook.

Take a trip through the spice route at the Aga Khan Museum's new fine dining restaurant that offers upscale versions of flavourful dishes spanning Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Modern twists on traditional recipes are beautifully presented and taste as good as they look.

Read my profile of Diwan in the restaurants section.

New yoga studios in Toronto are stepping away from your average stretch and balance yoga, offering a large variety of yoga-like classes for you to put those yoga pants to good use. (You know that's what they're for...right?) From hot to normal temperature, and on the floor to in the air, these new yoga studios will leave you feeling
fit and limber.

Here are my picks for the top five new yoga studios in Toronto for 2014.

Union Yoga and Wellness
Whether you're a beginner or highly experienced at downward dog, Union Yoga and Wellness in Bloorcourt Village will make you feel welcomed. With a bright, airy space there's a variety of classes, included pre- and post-natal classes, so you and you're baby can become zen together. 

Branch Yoga + Wellness
Branch Yoga and Wellness in Etobicoke takes you beyond your basic yoga moves and takes you into the air. With their aerial yoga class, you'll be suspended from the ceiling in a hammock type device while you practice your yoga moves. They also offer more traditional classes if you're not feeling very daring.

Yoga Tree (Bay and Dundas)
Right in the heart of downtown, this new Yoga Tree location boasts one of the largest yoga spaces in Toronto at 10,000 sq. ft. After you try out one of their signature classes that range from levels 1 to 3, you can sweat it out in their sauna or sit back and relax at their kumbucha bar.

YogaBe
Located on the PATH level of the MetroCentre (so you'll have minimum exposure to the frigid outdoors!) YogaBe is a great place to come on your lunch break to work a little yoga into your day. If you're looking for a more intense workout, they offer a Yoga Bootcamp class which incorporates both yoga and cardio intervals.

Studio Blue Yoga
When you're yearning for some warm, sunny days, Studio Blue, located at Dundas and Dufferin, is the perfect retreat. Decorated with blue accents and sunflower pictures lining the walls, the studio is kept at 26 degrees, so you'll be comfortable when you drop in for one of their array of classes.

Did I miss any? Leave your picks for the top new yoga studio of 2014 in the comments.

Writing by Chynna Wilson. Photo of Union Yoga by Jesse Milns.

At Yonge and St. Clair, a new fish and chip spot is serving up fresh takes on fried seafood. In addition to a gentle, lightly-battered treatment of the British pub classic, your available options include po'boys, tacos, and some unusual sides.

Read my review of Easy Catch Fish and Chips in the restaurants section.