Photo by ...Iwonttell in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Six metres underground near the intersection of Bathurst St. and Lake Shore Blvd. archaeologists have discovered what appears be the remains of a 19th century wooden schooner.

Only the keel and the lower part of the hull remain, but experts with ASI Archaeology believe the heavily decayed assemblage of wood, unearthed on Monday, is indeed a sailing vessel, possibly dating back to the 1830s.

ASI tweeted earlier today that they think the remains might be American.

We also found this wooden barrel with the ship, now being processed and analyzed by our lab. #schooner#1830spic.twitter.com/qhGolvWcaY

— ASI Archaeology (@ArchaeologyTO) May 7, 2015

What we do know is that 150 years ago, the area just south of Fort York Blvd. was on the waterfront. Queen's Wharf, a long docking area used by the military stretched into the lake from near the foot of Bathurst St. A lighthouse at its tip marked what was then the only navigable entrance to the Toronto Harbour. In 1917, infill extended the land south, and Queen's Wharf was buried in place.

So far at least four vessels have been discovered deep in the muck along the old waterfront: at the SkyDome and Air Canada Centre. A wooden barrel was also discovered by ASI.

The city stipulates that any new development on the old waterfront conduct an archaeological dig prior to construction. Soon, developers will build two condo towers on the site, the Forward Condos at Concord CityPlace.

Sadly, it doesn't seem like the schooner is in good enough shape to be removed and preserved.

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

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 Chelsea Food Truck launches today and is giving away 1000 free tacos and Mill Street beer samples between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Find the truck permanently stationed next to the Chelsea Hotel (33 Gerrard St.) all summer long.
• The Rotary Club of Whitby hosts 25 food trucks for the 2nd annual Gourmet Food Truck Frenzy from 11am to 9pm on Saturday, May 9, and from 11am to 6pm on Sunday, May 10. The weekend event takes place at Iroquois Park Grounds in Whitby on Saturday May 9th and both parking and admission are free.
• Chefs Richard Turner (Hawksmoor, London, UK) and Matthew von Teichman (Grandview Farms) join Jesse Vallins in the kitchen for an An Ode to Beef at The Saint (227 Ossington Ave) on Tuesday, May 12. Tickets are $85 per person.
• Lisa Marie (638 Queen St. West) teams up with New York's Big Gay Ice Cream for Big Gay Bingo on Tuesday, May 12 from 6pm to 8pm. Tickets are $45 and include an ice cream treat and a signed copy of their debut cookbook, Big Gay Ice Cream: Saucy Stories & Frozen Desserts.
• Beast (96 Tecumseth) presents a collaborative dinner featuring culinary rock star chefs Scott Vivian and guests Shaun Hussey and Michelle LeBlanc (Chinched Bistro), Mike Barksy (Bacalao), Terrence and Courtney Howell (Grates Cove Café), Katie Hayes (Bonavista Social Club), and Five Brothers Cheese. Tickets are $104.
• Kanpai Snack Bar (252 Carlton St.) hosts guest chefs Tawfik Shehata (The International Centre), Nuit Regular (Pai) and Jim Poris (former editor of Food Arts Magazine) at 7pm on Wednesday May 13 to offer creative riffs on Tawainese street foods. Tickets are $50.
• On Wednesday, May 13, Jump (18 Wellington St. West) presents (re)Discovering Flavor with Chefs Anthony Walsh and Luke Kennedy (Jump Restaurant) and guests Jair Tellez (MeroToro) and Mark Shatzker, author of The Dorito Effect.Tickets are $120.
• Actinolite (971 Ossington Ave.) presents a seven-course Nordic tasting menu on Wednesday, May 13 from 6pm. Tickets are $150 including wine pairings by Anders Selmer from Fiskebaren, Copenhagen.

UPCOMING

• Andean Flavours, a Peruvian culinary event and pisco tasting takes place on Friday, May 22 from 5pm to 10pm at 2nd Floor Events (461 King St. West). Tickets are $20.
• CraveTOfood fest is on Friday, May 22 at The Burroughes Building (639 Queen St. West) and bills nine food vendors like Junked Food Co., NaanSense, and Oyster Boy, plus five beer vendors. General admission is $15.
• In Conversation with Cory Lee (Benu) and David Chang (Momofuku) takes place on Wednesday, May 27 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts (290 Adelaide St. East). Following the discussion, there will be a reception catered by Momofuku while Corey Lee will sign copies of his new cookbook (included in the $75 ticket price
• The Sake Institute of Ontario hosts Kampai, a celebration of sake on Thursday, May 28 at the historic fermenting cellar in the Distillery District. Ticketholders can look forward to tasting 120 top sakes from Japan and North America plus international foods from 11 Toronto restaurants like Zakkushi, Kingyo, and Guu.

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 Chelsea Food Truck launches today and is giving away 1000 free tacos and Mill Street beer samples between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Find the truck permanently stationed next to the Chelsea Hotel (33 Gerrard St.) all summer long.
• The Rotary Club of Whitby hosts 25 food trucks for the 2nd annual Gourmet Food Truck Frenzy from 11am to 9pm on Saturday, May 9, and from 11am to 6pm on Sunday, May 10. The weekend event takes place at Iroquois Park Grounds in Whitby on Saturday May 9th and both parking and admission are free.
• Chefs Richard Turner (Hawksmoor, London, UK) and Matthew von Teichman (Grandview Farms) join Jesse Vallins in the kitchen for an An Ode to Beef at The Saint (227 Ossington Ave) on Tuesday, May 12. Tickets are $85 per person.
• Lisa Marie (638 Queen St. West) teams up with New York's Big Gay Ice Cream for Big Gay Bingo on Tuesday, May 12 from 6pm to 8pm. Tickets are $45 and include an ice cream treat and a signed copy of their debut cookbook, Big Gay Ice Cream: Saucy Stories & Frozen Desserts.
• Beast (96 Tecumseth) presents a collaborative dinner featuring culinary rock star chefs Scott Vivian and guests Shaun Hussey and Michelle LeBlanc (Chinched Bistro), Mike Barksy (Bacalao), Terrence and Courtney Howell (Grates Cove Café), Katie Hayes (Bonavista Social Club), and Five Brothers Cheese. Tickets are $104.
• Kanpai Snack Bar (252 Carlton St.) hosts guest chefs Tawfik Shehata (The International Centre), Nuit Regular (Pai) and Jim Poris (former editor of Food Arts Magazine) at 7pm on Wednesday May 13 to offer creative riffs on Taiwainese street foods. Tickets are $50.
• On Wednesday, May 13, Jump (18 Wellington St. West) presents (re)Discovering Flavor with Chefs Anthony Walsh and Luke Kennedy (Jump Restaurant) and guests Jair Tellez (MeroToro) and Mark Shatzker, author of The Dorito Effect.Tickets are $120.
• Actinolite (971 Ossington Ave.) presents a seven-course Nordic tasting menu on Wednesday, May 13 from 6pm. Tickets are $150 including wine pairings by Anders Selmer from Fiskebaren, Copenhagen.

UPCOMING

• Andean Flavours, a Peruvian culinary event and pisco tasting takes place on Friday, May 22 from 5pm to 10pm at 2nd Floor Events (461 King St. West). Tickets are $20.
• CraveTOfood fest is on Friday, May 22 at The Burroughes Building (639 Queen St. West) and bills nine food vendors like Junked Food Co., NaanSense, and Oyster Boy, plus five beer vendors. General admission is $15.
• In Conversation with Cory Lee (Benu) and David Chang (Momofuku) takes place on Wednesday, May 27 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts (290 Adelaide St. East). Following the discussion, there will be a reception catered by Momofuku while Corey Lee will sign copies of his new cookbook (included in the $75 ticket price
• The Sake Institute of Ontario hosts Kampai, a celebration of sake on Thursday, May 28 at the historic fermenting cellar in the Distillery District. Ticketholders can look forward to tasting 120 top sakes from Japan and North America plus international foods from 11 Toronto restaurants like Zakkushi, Kingyo, and Guu.

421 The Kingsway is a contemporary glass mansion, with six bathrooms, four bedrooms, three fireplaces, two terraces and one backyard fire pit, all yours for $4,980,000. Built in 2002 and designed by Toronto-based Altius Architecture, the modern multi-level abode is a rare find tucked away in the Edenbridge-Humber Valley neighbourhood near The Kingsway and Islington Avenue.

The house is literally overflowing with bespoke features--almost too many to list--and a backyard oasis overlooking a private golf course. Not too shabby.

The house features a range of purposeful and surprising design--a loud purple entrance way, dining room with exposed metal and wood beam ceilings, concrete floors, Douglas Fir trim and a second floor glass catwalk to complete this love nest. There's multiple fireplaces, heated floors, an upper and lower washer and dryer and two kitchens, because one is never enough. Obviously.

While the interior is stunning, the backyard upstages the rest of the home with its 0.65-plus acre playground and a view of the fourth green. With a pool and multiple outdoor spaces, it would be tempting to spend all day outdoors. Just be mindful of flying golf balls and onlookers. Check out the photos.

SPECS

• Address: 421 The Kingsway
• Price: $4,980,000
• Lot Size: 100 x 286 FT
• Bedrooms: 4+1
• Bathrooms: 6
• Parking: 10
• Taxes: $30,154 (2014)
• Walk Score: 43

NOTABLE FEATURES

• 8,000 square feet
• 2 terraces
• Nanny suite
• 2 kitchens
• Heated driveway
• In-ground pool and fire pit

GOOD FOR

Movie shoots. This residence offers star power with several movies and commercials filmed inside the home and around the property. One such flick is the TV movie, The House Next Door, (ironic since the mcmansion is far from the home next door) and stars '90s heartthrob Mark-Paul Gosselaar (a.k.a Zack Morris). A major selling feature if you are/were a Saved by the Bell fan.

MOVE ON IF

The high taxes makes you want to jump off the deep end of that exquisite swimming pool. It's not surprising the annual taxes and land transfer fees are hefty, given the lot size of the $5 million estate. The house has been on the market for awhile, originally listed for $6,495,000 with multiple price reductions since then. Perhaps the owners are willing to negotiate and the new buyer will score a (slight) discount.

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

Thanks to Bosley Real Estate Ltd, Brokerage for sponsoring our House of the Week. All content and editorial selected and written by blogTO.

This newly opened Italian restaurant is swanky enough for a business lunch but still amenable to the condo dwellers that live above. The menu features rustic Italian favourites like hand-made pastas, pizzas, and show stopping salumi boards.

Read my profile of Via Vai in the restaurants section.

The best places to drink a pitcher of beer in Toronto run the gamut from cozy pubs to dive bars. Beer selection and reasonable prices come first - but a good atmosphere, quality bar snacks, friendly service, and extras like patios and pool tables don't hurt, either.

Here are the best places to drink a pitcher of beer in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Beer Selection in Toronto
The Best Cheap Drinks in Toronto
The Best Sports Bars in Toronto
The Best Pubs in Toronto

Road closures in Toronto for the weekend of May 9 and 10 rounds up the key transportation shut-downs affecting the city, including street and TTC closures.

KEY ROAD CLOSURES IN TORONTO

Elizabeth: Gerrard-Elm. From 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, parts of Elizabeth Street will be closed for Meagan's Walk.

Sporting Life 10K: Various streets. Between 5 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 8, expect the following closures for the Sporting Life 10K run: Yonge between Lawrence and Eglinton, Yonge between Eglinton and Richmond, Richmond between Yonge and Peter, Peter/Blue Jays between Richmond and Front, Front between Blue Jays and Bathurst, Bathurst between Front and Fort York Blvd., Fort York Blvd. between Bathurst and Fleet.

TTC CLOSURES

Line 1: St. Clair West-Downsview.No subway service between St Clair West and Downsview stations on May 9 and 10, and May 30 and 31 due to track repairs. All trains on Line 1 will turn back southbound at St Clair West Station. Replacement buses will not enter Eglinton West Station due to road construction, but will stop at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Eglinton Avenue West.

97 and 320 Yonge Buses will divert around the Sporting Life 10k run where required via Lawrence Avenue, Mt. Pleasant Road, Eglinton Avenue and Bloor Street, Church Street and Adelaide Street from 7 am to 10:30 am, May 10, 2015.

511 Bathurst and 310 Bathurst. Streetcars will divert in both directions via Bathurst Street, King Street, Spadina Avenue, Queens Quay, Bathurst Street and Fleet Street during the Sporting Life 10k run from 8 am to 11 am, Sunday, May 10, 2015. Buses will divert in both directions via Bathurst Street, King Street West, Strachan Avenue and Fleet Street.

ONGOING CLOSURES

506 Carlton From 6 am, May 9 to 5 am, May 18, 2015 streetcar tracks will be closed on Main Street, just north of Gerrard Street East. Cars will turn back at Coxwell and customers must transfer between streetcars and replacement buses at Coxwell Avenue and Gerrard Street East.

510 Spadina Streetcars replaced by buses until Sunday, May 10 due to track replacement at Spadina Avenue and College Street. 510 Spadina buses replace streetcars on Spadina Avenue from Spadina Station to Queens Quay/Spadina Loop.

Lake Shore: Park Lawn. Westbound right lane closed at Park Lawn Road for road widening, resurfacing and sidewalk construction.

Park Lawn. Northbound and southbound left lanes closed for road widening, resurfacing and sidewalk construction until June 30.

Over and above the special closures this weekend, construction projects across Toronto result in numerous other road restrictions across the city. For a comprehensive list of such closures, you can consult the official map maintained by the City of Toronto (also available as a PDF.)

Suicide Squad, the new DC Comics blockbuster starring Will Smith and Jared Leto, has been filming in Toronto for a few weeks now, but not too many production photos have made their way online. That changed recently after a nighttime filming session under the Gardiner, a favourite location for directors after a gritty urban landscape.

In this glimpse of Toronto as Midway City, we get a decent peek at Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Naturally it's hard to make out exactly what's going on in the shots, but it there's a beatdown of some sorts involved (one of many in the movie, one presumes).

Photos via Margot Source

There is no shortage of decent shopping malls in Toronto: sleek, glittering temples to capitalism, stomping grounds of bargain hunters, vibrant centres for local communities. And then there's the others - typically marked by half-empty hallways, drab (or nonexistent) food courts, gross-coloured tile, and Cash For Gold carts.

While the latter do often provide a necessary function in their communities, particularly those with limited funds or mobility, it doesn't mean a coat of paint wouldn't do them a world of good.

Here are my picks for the top malls in need of a makeover in Toronto.

Agincourt Mall
Agincourt is a pretty popular hangout spot for the over-75 crowd, but if you're in the mood for a leisurely browse (that doesn't involve a Wal-Mart or a No Frills), you're out of luck - and the dingy, dismal atmosphere won't entice you to spend any more quality time with the local grandmas.

Centerpoint Mall
Years ago, Centerpoint was known as "Towne and Countrye Square". While it's not the worst spot in town to shop (it's one of the city's largest malls), it's seen a major decline over its days of fancypants extra vowels. Its anchor tenant, a Hudson's Bay location, is outshone by the downtown locations - but even that's better than the gaping void left by Target.

Galleria Mall
There was a time, way back in the 1970s, when the combination of mud brown and institutional tan was considered visually appealing, and the Galleria Mall is a poorly-lit (if well-trafficked) holdover from those heady days. There are some signs of development, however - most notably the new Planet Fitness gym.

Lawrence Square
It's perpetually a ghost town inside this shopping centre at Lawrence West station, where bargain-basement shoes and cell phone stores abound; their one saving grace might be the Cosmetics Warehouse, which carries all the discontinued $2.99 lipsticks you can handle.

East York Town Centre
Acoustic tiles, fluorescent lights, and an over-reliance on ramshackle-looking temporary fixtures: Though East York Town Centre does its job to keep locals fed and clothed, it ain't much to look at, and the recent vacancy left by Target didn't help. (Time will tell as to whether the incoming Costco will bring more traffic to the area or drive the mall further into the ground.)

Peanut Plaza
The goofy name of this north-end strip mall does not inspire a ton of confidence (apparently it's actually shaped like a peanut), and neither do most of the stores. While there are a few bright spots - Allan's Pastry Shop and the original Mr. Jerk, for example - it's essentially Fairview Mall's sketchy kid brother.

Shoppers World Danforth
This Danforth and Victoria Park mall/plaza is due for a reinvention (and not just because of the recent vacancy left by Target). Thankfully, community activists are hoping to convert the empty space into a social enterprise that benefits local communities.

Bridlewood Mall
This Scarborough mall has its regular visitors - mostly seniors looking for something to do, grocery shoppers, and folks hungry for dirty burgers from Burger Palace - but the drab, dated decor definitely isn't winning them any new fans. (There's also the space left vacant by a Target store that didn't even manage to open before the chain went under.)

Albion Centre
The LCBO and Beer Store might be the biggest draws among the no-name stores in this Etobicoke shopping centre (though, if you ask the locals, they'll probably tell you that LCBO isn't so hot either).

Honeydale Mall
Toronto's only dead mall opened in 1973, took a downturn after its Wal-Mart store closed in 2003, and eventually shut down entirely ten years later, with a No Frills, a flea market, a dental office and a restaurant its only tenants. It's been shuttered since then as the owners push to redevelop the land into a residential area. It looks like the bulldozer for this one.

Did I miss any? Leave your picks for malls in need of a makeover in Toronto in the comments.

Photo by Jeremy Gilbert in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Night markets in Toronto are ephemeral events that pop-up for a single night or at most a weekend in the summer months. Once the sun sets, these street food-centric markets are the place to be to experience a diverse and delicious array of sights, sounds, smells and tastes.

Here are five Toronto night markets that should be on your radar for 2015.

The Stop Night Market
This fundraiser event in support of The Stop Community Food Centre takes place on June 16 and 17 from 7pm to 11pm and will see the barren parking lot at 181 Sterling Road transformed into vibrant night market populated by a lineup of 48+ food and drink purveyors that are unique each night. AYCE tickets go on sale May 13 for $100 and are sure to sell out fast. Here's what it looked like last year.

Night it Up!
Modeled after night markets in Taiwan and Hong Kong, the 14th annual event returns to the Markham Civic Centre (101 Town Centre Blvd.) from July 24 to 26. The weekend event will be packed with unique Asian street foods, food trucks, game booths, merchandise vendors and live performances. Ticket sales and details to be announced. Here's what it looked like last year.

T&T Waterfront Night Market
This open air night market will be held August 14 to 16 in the parking lot of the Cherry Street supermarket. Expect a vibrant bustling atmosphere featuring a multitude of vendors hawking stinky tofu, steamed buns and grilled seafoods on skewers. Here's what it looked like last year.

Twilight Tuesdays at the Drake One Fifty
Taking place weekly throughout August in support of Out of The Cold, this after work market in the Financial District will feature small plates for sale from Drake One Fifty, Momofuku, Richmond Station and a few new restaurants still to be announced. Also look forward to a Drake General Store pop-up and live performers every week.

The Midnight MRKT
This small scale, recurring market is held monthly in the summer at 2nd Floor Events (461 King St. West). The DJ'd event generally offers an array of local retailers, street foods and craft cocktails. The next edition takes place on Friday, May 29, from 9pm to 1am. Admission is $5 at the door, cash only. See our previous coverage here.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for Toronto night markets in the comments.

Photo of the T&T Waterfront Night Market

Looking for party ideas for your Toronto wedding? Maybe you're looking to make your big day one everybody in attendance will remember - and just having a band / DJ /trendy starch bar won't quite cut it. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to inject a little extra personality into a post-wedding bash - and make your reception as unique as you are, you crazy kids.

Here are my top ideas for your wedding party in Toronto.

Go beyond Instagram with a photo booth
Documenting your special day is essential (heck, you spent all this money on a party - may as well take good photos of it), but why not let some of your guests get in on the fun? You can rent an old-school photo booth from Snapz or PhotoboothTO or one set into the back of a tiny Volkswagen from Van Go, or go the indie-handmade route with Something Blue.

Bankroll your own viral wedding video with drone photography
Turn your wedding into a Michael Bay movie with some dramatic overhead photos and videos. Videodrone hires out camera-equipped drones for events and other shoots, giving a bird's eye view of your ceremony or afterparty.

Add some Brazilian flavour with Axe Capoeria
Did you know Toronto's top capoeria school also does weddings? If you think your guests might need a bit of inspiration to bust some moves on the dance floor the team at Axe will get the party started with a performance that can range from 5 to 45 minutes.

Go retro with cotton candy
Nostalgic snacks are all the rage in event planning these days, with cotton candy the latest to get a trendy makeover. (Take that, cupcake towers.) If you've got a sweet tooth, Fancy Pufs will show up at your ceremony with their adorable retro push-cart, whipping up flavours like chai tea, earl grey, or salted caramel.

Go trendy with Ice cream sandwiches
Every party is improved by ice cream sandwiches. Sweet Sammies, the folks behind ice cream parlour Scoop Shop, will bring the ice cream parlour experience to your reception, handing out a selection of ice cream sandwiches and ice pops from their cart.

Feed the need for caffeine with a latte booth
A little caffeine jolt can do wonders after a couple of hours of dancing (and a couple glasses of champagne). If your venue doesn't come with an espresso machine, the Latte Booth will bring their own handsome wooden bar and pro-grade equipment and whip up lattes, cappucinos and americanos for your guests.

Hire a portrait artist
Artist Olga Pankora specializes in painting scenes from events - she'll paint live throughout your reception, and you'll have a beautiful painting to take home at the end of the night. If you'd rather give your guests something to take home, maybe a carnival-style caricature artist is more your speed - check out The Nose for a sampling of artists.

Let your guests see their future with a tarot or palm reader
So you've made everyone at your wedding super jealous with how totally in love you are - maybe you'd like to give your guests a little reassurance that they, too, will meet a tall, dark stranger. If you're into the spooky stuff, call up Tara Greene, a "corporate psychic specialist" who also reads at weddings.

Go old school with cigar rollers
If it's just not a special occasion unless you're smoking a stogie, enlist the services of the Fernando Service Group, who specialize in lending a Cuban touch to events and can roll up cigars for your guests. (They also do mojito bars!)

Book a food truck
There's plenty of great event catering available in Toronto, but you can't beat the novelty factor of having a food truck pull up in front of your wedding late into the night. Many of Toronto's trucks will cater private events - to find out who's available, use this handy form on Toronto Food Trucks.

Did I miss any? Leave your picks for wedding reception ideas in the comments.

Photo via Gail Edwin Aguiar in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The top bars with cider on tap in Toronto are ideal summer destinations. More and more Toronto bars are offering this fruity and gluten free alternative, which ranges from the sweet to the refreshing. There's even a few local offerings that have made their way onto cider lists around the city.

Here are my top picks for bars with cider on tap in Toronto.

Three Speed
This Bloorcourt bar has officially put Canadian cider Waupoos back on tap for the warmer weather. Grab a spot on their busy backyard patio and drink a pint of this semi-sweet and dry cider.

Tequila Bookworm
Tequila Bookworm is now offering two 100% Ontario made ciders, Duxbury from Meaford and Revel from Hamilton. But, if neither of those tickle your cider fancy, they also have a rotating list of bottles and cans to choose from. They also offer cider flights if you're not sure which one to choose.

The Hogtown Cure
Brickworks Cider is quickly becoming a staple for bars and restaurants around the city, and you can now get it on tap at The Hogtown Cure on Dundas West. A dry cider pressed right here in the city, it's a must try for local cider lovers. They recently added the Brickworks Peach premium cider as well.

Hitch
This Leslieville favourite always has a cider option for those who prefer to skip beer. The West Avenue Heritage dry cider (a family run Toronto made cider) is currently on tap but they like to change things up every once and awhile. I'm crossing my fingers for the West Avenue Blueberry Scrumpy Cider. Grab a pint and head to their secluded back patio!

The Only Cafe
The Only Cafe has long been a favourite for craft beer lovers. Their extensive beer book (24 taps and 1 Cask) is very impressive and includes more than one cider. Ironwood, Spirit Tree and Druxbury are all available here. Taps do however rotate fast, so I wouldn't be surprised if some new ones were available later on in the summer at this Danforth staple.

WVRST
WVRST is updating their classic beer hall style by adding a ton of new and local ciders into the mix. A quick glance at the beer book shows nine different canned ciders available, and their rotating taps are always offering a different selection. Currently they're pouring Twin Pines Cider, but check their twitter feed @WVRSTbeerhall to see the latest selections.

Bar Volo
Bar Volo has established itself as a real champion of craft beers and over the years, which has now expanded to include ciders as well. If you're over the popular dry apple ciders, check out the West Ave Cherriosity Cherry cider they have on tap. It's a little more tart than its apple or pear counterparts, but just as thirst quenching.

The Bristol
Cider lovers looking for a more traditional pub style experience should head to The Bristol. They've got the sweeter West Avenue Cider and a drier option in the Waupoos. One of these local ciders will be great with the traditional British and Indian fare on the menu.

Clinton's
Clinton's substantial patio can be enjoyed with a pint of West Avenue on tap. If the weather makes a turn for the worse you can take it in to either the tavern side or (from Thursday to Saturday) one of their epic dance parties.

The Tennessee:
Parkdale's The Tennessee keeps things local with Brickworks Cider on tap. Enjoy this local press on their cozy back patio or take in one of their live music or open mic events.

What places did I miss? Let us know in the comments below.

Photo from the Tennessee by Jesse Milns.

College Street's bar scene is on the rise. While longstanding favourites like Sneaky Dee's still anchor the street, new arrivals like Track & Field and Bar Raval have brought College's drinking scene in line with its neighbours to the north and south in Dundas and Queen St. From divey Tex-Mex to bocce and board games, College St. has it all.

Here are my picks for the top bars and pubs on College St.

No One Writes to the Colonel
Named for a novella by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, No One Writes To the Colonel is a cozy bar that makes a great mojito. DJs and bands on the weekends and a small patio for warmer weather key attractions here.

Emmet Ray
This cash only bar is a whisky lovers dream, with an extensive list to keep you interested all night long. Live music (mostly jazz) almost every night and a sedate and relaxed atmosphere make it a great spot to catch up with friends. A small snack menu of comfort foods is served Monday to Friday with late-night and weekend meal specials on Saturday and Sunday.

Sneaky Dee's
Pre-game one of Sneak's live music events with a pitcher and one of their many nacho options, and if your night gets a little more wild than you expected come back in the morning for the best hangover breakfast in the city. Sneaky Dee's is the epitome of dive bar, laid back and casual with an eclectic vibe. Live music is a staple upstairs.

Track and Field Bar
Who would have thought that a basement bar would be the lawn games spot of the summer? Two lanes each of mini bocce ball and shuffleboard are the focus of this outdoorsy sports/cocktail bar. You can book one of the lanes, but the other stays open all night on a first come first serve basis. If retirement style games aren't your thing, the beers and cocktails will keep you satisfied.

Weldon Park
Fun and sweet cocktails, old school hip hop, and eclectic astroturf topped stools cultivate a friendly and casual culture here. After a couple shots (with homemade chasers to follow), head to the second bar to dance your evening away.

Fat City Blues
This is an old-fashioned southern-style bar with a slight nod to the voodoo past of NOLA. Tuesday to Sunday there's live jazz and blues music, which really adds to the atmosphere. Make sure to try the po' boys.

LoPan
The upstairs counterpart to DaiLo, LoPan is a dim sum and cocktail bar. Let me say that again so it really sinks in, dim sum and cocktails. How can you go wrong? This narrow second floor bar is a great place to hang out, but get there early as seating is limited.

Bar Raval
The cocktails at Bar Raval are as intricate and interesting as the decor. The sister spot to popular Bar Isabel took over the former Teatro space before an amazing reno. There's an excellent tapas menu, and if you not sure what to pair the food with, you can always talk to the sommelier.

Snakes and Lagers
Have you ever been at Snakes & Lattes and thought "I could really go for a beer"? Well that's exactly why Snakes & Lagers exists. It's a great spot for meeting up with that online date; you can learn a lot about someone by checking out their Settler's of Catan strategy.

The Caledonian
This is a taste of Scotland on College Street. With over 250 whiskeys, Scottish ales and, yes, haggis, I can almost hear the bagpipes as I write this. For those looking for an upscale pub night, this is the spot. The private backyard patio is one of the best in the neighbourhood.

What are your favourite College St. hangouts? Let us know in the comments. Photo of Lopan by Jesse Milns.

Restaurateur Dave Sidhu has added another member to his ever-growing family of Mexican restaurants, this time with a cozy joint in Corktown featuring food inspired by homestyle Mexican cooking. With slow-cooked meats sold by the pound served family style, affordable daily specials and a bar focus on mezcal, this might be Sidhu's most authentic and unpretentious offering yet.

Read my profile of Cocina Economica in the restaurants section.

Twitter's new Toronto office has found a home on King West. Previously located in a temporary space on King-Spadina, the Toronto team, mostly focused on media partnerships, moved into their new suite a mere month ago.

One of the benefits of working for a company that has over 30 offices worldwide is having a specialized team that goes around to different cities to open up new offices. The staff got to step in to their space completely furnished without any pending construction work.

Keeping with the social media site's theme, each Twitter office gets a dedicated hashtag all its own. The Toronto office has #OCanada. It's displayed in neon lights in their open work space and was the main theme on the t-shirts they gave away at the launch party on Wednesday.

A mix of open office workspaces and meeting rooms, the Twitter office is built to host media partners who will be the most frequent visitors in their space.

Their kitchen and dining area easily converts into an events or all-hands meeting space. Some of the Twitter-branded paraphernalia around the office includes branded gum balls, cardboard hashtags, #hydrate water bottles, and a toaster that brands your slice of bread.

Big on transparency and collaboration, all the rooms and areas in the office make use of glass exteriors with a few enclosed cubbies for quiet work scattered around the floor.

The Toronto staff got to vote on the themes of their meeting rooms, which range from neighborhood names like "The Annex" and "Beaches" to names of famous Canadian towns like "Banff."

During my tour, I discovered that when Twitter partners up with brands like Dove and La Voix (the insanely popular French version of the TV show, "The Voice"), the brand's internal team and Twitter's partnership teams get together and craft responses and tweets inside war rooms in Twitter offices worldwide.

Some meeting rooms around the Toronto office are set to transform into such war rooms based on projects being worked on.

Twitter had its IPO in November 2013 and has similar partnership-focused offices around the world. Their Toronto office is the only Canadian office. The company's headquarters are located on Market Street in San Francisco, where all the product and engineering work takes place.

Photos by Jimmy Lu

El Patio, the aptly named backyard patio space belonging to King West taqueria El Caballito might be offering the best bar snack in the city - and it won't cost you a dime. Every midnight from Monday through Saturday, the bar dishes up free tacos to everyone in attendance.

Since its official opening last week the patio has being doing brisk business. Instead of entering from the regular King West entrance to the restaurant, circle around back to 145 Pearl St where you'll spot what looks like a green-tinted shipping container with the words El Patio painted in bold white letters.

Inside the entranceway there are tables, a bar and a little taco truck serving up tasty street eats. Follow along using the hashtag #MidnightTaco on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates.

Photo via El Caballito on Facebook.

Photo by BruceK in the blogTO Flickr pool.

George Gooderham had his fingers in many pies. As a son of the co-founder of the Gooderham & Worts distilling company and later a partner in the internationally renowned business, the English-born amateur yachtsman had the financial backing to pursue all manner of additional projects.

During his lifetime, Gooderham was both a director of the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway and the Bank of Toronto, a shrewd investor in mining operations, and co-founder and later president of both the Manufacturers' Accident Insurance Company and Manufacturers' Life Insurance Company.

His offices were located inside the famous Gooderham Building (nicknamed "flatiron" after the larger and more famous New York building it resembles,) but it's the King Edward Hotel, which turns 112 this week, that perhaps best encapsulates the prolific businessman's legacy.

During the latter decades of the 19th century, every major city in North America aspired to become home to a "palace hotel"--a luxury residence capable of hosting royalty. New York had the Waldorf, Quebec City had the Château Frontenac, and Montreal the Windsor. Toronto had the Queen's Hotel, but "it wasn't a place where you'd be proud to have the actual Queen stay," writes Mark Osbaldeston in Unbuilt Toronto 2.

With a view to rectifying the situation, the board of the Toronto Hotel Company held their first meeting on May 1, 1899. The group of 17 prominent businessmen had appointed themselves the task of getting an as-yet unnamed luxury hotel venture off the ground. An earlier proposal to build a grand hotel at the northwest corner of King and Simcoe by the same group had fallen through, and the parcel of land at King and Leader Lane represented a chance to start fresh.

The company initially approached New York architecture firm Harding and Gooch, which dutifully produced a design for a seven-storey, 325-room structure with a grand entrance on Leader Lane flanked by a pair of grand towers, a retail arcade facing Victoria St., and a luxurious rooftop garden

Instead of proceeding, the Hotel Company directors opted to hire Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb, the creator of the Fisheries Building at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 and several other important buildings in the U.S.

Cobb set up a branch office in Toronto and hired E. J. Lennox, the designer of Old City Hall and Casa Loma, to work alongside him. Lennox's most conspicuous contribution, Osbaldeston notes in Unbuilt Toronto 2, was the addition of two terra cotta-clad floors to the blueprint after construction had begun. According to historian Sally Gibson, Gooderham chipped in elements of the design, too. His signature is on a 1901 plan for the rotunda.

Construction began in earnest in September, 1901 under the supervision of Illsley & Horn, general contractors. Original estimates pegged the total cost at $800,000, but that would soon prove insufficient. As the building began to rise, so too did expenses. Compounding the worsening financial situation, only $500,000 of the bonds issued by the hotel company had been sold--$100,000 of them to George Gooderham personally.

Fearing the project might fail entirely, Gooderham bought the entire remaining $1 million of bonds in 1902. Cobb left and E. J. Lennox became the principal architect soon after the Antwerp-sourced steel frame of the building began to rise. By the end of 1901, the ground floors had been clad in brick and the structure was beginning to take shape.

Work progressed through the winter and in the late summer of 1902 a mock-up of one of the hotel suites and the main dining room was presented to the public at the CNE. The bedroom had mahogany-panelled walls, and English Wilton carpets. Wedgwood china was arranged on a dining table with Rogers steel cutlery and cut glass drinking vessels. The dinner, oyster, and bread and butter plates each carried the hotel's coat of arms, which was created by the winner of a public design competition.

Each room was to be fitted with a mahogany dresser, mirror, and writing desk, and the chairs were upholstered in flowered velour. Long distance and inter-room telephones and adjustable radiators were also expected to be standard.

"This King Edward Hotel is going to be a delightful and most complete place," gushed the Globe.

The King Edward Hotel opened to little fanfare on May 11, 1903 (the grand opening ceremony was scheduled for a week later to coincide with the Royal Canadian Yacht Club's lavish annual ball.)

George Gooderham was the first name in the register, followed by the directors of the company that had seen the project to fruition. John A. Davidson, who supplied the marble work for the main entrance hall, was given the honour of being the first member of the public to sign in. The Chicago-based superintendent of construction, J. E. Graham, joined Davidson in handing over the first payment--a U.S. bill that was kept and framed.

"All day long the procession [of visitors] continued in and out, up and down, through the corridors," the Globe wrote on opening day. "On every side were heard expressions of wonder and admiration for the beauty of the building and the appointments ... the bar was well patronized, in fact so well that at one time in the afternoon it was necessary to close it until the staff could overtake their work."

Of all the King Eddy's features, the lush Palm Room attracted the most attention. Up a set of stairs from the rotunda, the lush, plant-filled room was furnished with comfortable chairs and couches on which the society ladies of Toronto could drape themselves on. An English woman, "Mrs. Cornish," was imported from London especially to oversee the luxurious surroundings.

For men, there was a combined cigar shop and newsstand, a luxury barber shop, and billiard room. The Bar and Gentlemen's Cafe on the main floor had antique oak panels, writes Sally Gibson, oil paintings of hunters pursuing their prey, deep leather chairs, and, of course, a stock of Gooderham &Worts whisky.

The popularity of the hotel in its early years necessitated the construction of a 500-room extension to the east end of the building. Completed in 1921 at a cost of around $2 million, the new 18-storey wing included a top-floor banquet and convention hall--later known as the crystal ballroom (and now unfortunately derelict.)

Gooderham wouldn't live to see it his hotel expanded, however. He died in 1905 of pneumonia.

Happily for Toronto, the King Edward was listed as a historic structure in 1973, 23 years after becoming a Sheraton hotel. A plan to demolish the building for a 30-storey office tower was successfully seen off in 1974, saving the "grand old lady of hotels" from an ignominious end.

A $40 million restoration of the lobby is due to wrap up later this summer, the hotel's 112th year.

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

Images: Globe and Mail, December 13, 1902; Toronto Public Library, 986-2-2 Cab; City of Toronto Archives (postcards,) Series 330, File 407.