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Salsa on St. Clair


Car free streets and events in Toronto this summer

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car free torontoCars may dominate most streets in Toronto, but there are still plenty of places for pedestrians to roam free. Last year's TIFF showed us what King West would be like without traffic and the recently revitalized Queens Quay and Union Station plaza now provide ample space for those on foot. And, don't forget to take advantage of the opportunity to party on the street at one of the city's various outdoor festivals.

Here are a few more ways to go car free in Toronto this summer.

Open Streets TO
On August 16 and September 6, large stretches of Bloor and Yonge streets will be closed to cars, becoming the city's biggest "paved park." Modeled after the Ciclovia open streets program native to Medellin, Colombia, Open Streets TO is unlike other street fairs that focus on entertainment; it's about encouraging Torontonians to get active while building a sense of community.

Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market
On the last Sunday of every month until October, pedestrians rule in Kensington Market. This 12-year-old initiative has even led some to question whether Kensington should go car-free permanently. For now though, you can enjoy these monthly events that fill the market with performers and an art fair, which premiered last year.

John Street
The city is planning to transform John Street, between Front and Stephanie streets, into a "cultural corridor" that'll hopefully prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars. Currently however, planters stationed from Adelaide to Queen cut motorists off from much of the road. This open space features bright yellow Muskoka chairs for you to relax in.

Toronto Islands
Hop on a ferryboat and spend a day walking, biking or just lounging around on the entirely car-free islands. While you're there, take a stroll through the William Meany Maze, the restored labyrinth that's finally back on Centre Island.

Distillery District
As a pedestrian-only area, the Distillery District's cobblestone streets, lined with Victorian-era industrial architecture, are charming and vaguely European. With a number of free and ticketed events and concerts planned for Panamania, you'll want to visit this car-free neighbourhood over the summer.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions in the comments.

Photo of Open Streets TO by Greg's Southern Ontario on Flickr

Toronto Bike Share network to double in size

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bike share torontoThe Toronto bike share network is set to double in size, as Metrolinx and the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) announced a new partnership and expansion plan this morning. The transit agency will purchase $4.9 million worth of bikes and docking stations, with plans to deploy the expanded fleet by December 2016 (not exactly the most ideal month for a roll-out).

While the bounds of the new network have yet to be disclosed, the focus will be on installing stations near to transit stations and in dense areas most likely to support high usage. The vast majority of the expansion will take place within Toronto, but a pilot project will also witness some docks installed in Hamilton.

Bike share advocates in Toronto have long called for an expansion of the network, which is currently heavily focused on the city's downtown core. The value of the system should increase significantly with this expansion, with an eye towards attract more than the the current 4,000 active users of Bike Share Toronto.

Photo by Chris Yao in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The top 5 weekend getaways five hours from Toronto

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weekend getaway torontoThere are a host of weekend getaways in the five hour driving range from Toronto. Regardless of which direction you head, you'll find an escape to suit your style - rural or urban, adventurous or serene. At this distance, you can completely escape the city and its surrounding areas for an experience that's altogether different.

Here are my picks for the top weekend getaways five hours from Toronto.

Camp on Pelee Island
Often hailed as one of Ontario's best kept secrets, Pelee Island is a perfect escape from urban life. It's saturated with nature, plus it boasts a thriving community of artists, boutiques and restaurants. Make sure to hit up some of the local wine producers in the area.

Catch your own dinner at Lady Evelyn Lake
Ellen Island Camp is a remote fishing lodge on the pristine waters of Lady Evelyn Lake. Retreat to this northern Ontario spot and spend your days upping your fishing game before retiring to one of its cosy cottages for some rustic charm and a nighttime fire.

Practice your French in Montreal
Montreal is a natural getaway from Toronto in the five hour range. With festivals year-round, booming nightlife (this NYC-style cabaret is fun), food trucks, tons of historic and cultural sites to visit, and a culinary scene that rivals our own (this popular bistro offers cheap meals after 10 p.m.), you might want to reserve three days to explore here.

Feel like you're at camp again at Old Forge, NY
The cool thing about this picturesque corner of New York State is that you can go to find some peace and quiet or to seek thrills. Located in the Adirondack Mountains, you can set up in a chalet as home base, and from there go cycling, take a scenic train ride, try out a water safari, go horseback riding... It's like camp for grown-ups.

Get the best of both worlds in West Michigan
The crystal-clear waters and sugar sand beaches of West Michigan are known as one of America's treasures. If you want to combine your beach adventure with some urban exploring, set up in Grand Rapids and drive to the beach for the day before returning to the city to eat, drink and take in the nightlife. This is a city that's (back) on the rise.

Subaru 2015 XV CrosstrekThanks to the Subaru 2015 XV Crosstrek for sponsoring our weekend getaway adventures.

What did I miss? Leave your suggestions in the comments.

Photo of Grumman 78 courtesy Midnight Poutine.

Yonge & Gerrard to get stunning bridged towers

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yonge and gerrard towersTwo major towers have been planned for the southeast corner of Yonge and Gerrard for some time, but recently released renderings reveal an ambitious design that features an eye-grabbing bridge that will connect the structures.

Quadrangle Architects have already released images that reveal plans to preserve the facade of existing historical structures at the intersection, but this is the first glimpse at the soaring towers, which will peak at 73 and 62 storeys respectively. The development already looked promising, but the tower design paired with the bridge could be a real show-stopper.

yonge and gerrard towersThe height of the towers is still subject to approval from the the city, but given that the neighbouring Aura is 78 storeys, it's not as if density is frowned upon at this intersection. Let's hope the final product looks as good as these renderings.

Bad first date in Toronto gets live tweeted

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Bad fist date tweets torontoIn the age of social media, a bad first date can be a hell of a lot more awkward than what spawns from one-on-one interaction. Suppose the person sitting at the table beside yours live tweets the whole thing for thousands to read. We've seen it with bad breakups in Toronto before, but this probably takes the cake.

Writer Anne Thériault had both the pleasure and misfortune of being a first hand witness to this coffee date, which I presume she recorded for posterity as something of a coping mechanism. It's a hell of a lot less embarrassing to suffer through such an awkward social interaction if you can turn it into laugh out loud comedy merely by providing a play-by-play.

Have a look and prepare to laugh and cry at the same time.

Toronto looks to change bylaw to protect taxis vs. Uber

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toronto taxis uberJohn Tory wants to "level the playing field" when it comes to the fierce competition between Toronto taxicabs and Uber. After a meeting with representatives from the city's cab companies and the technology company, the mayor noted that the city would likely file an appeal after a judge ruled that it didn't have the grounds to prevent Uber from operating in Toronto.

An emergency meeting of Toronto city council could happen as early as this week to debate the by-laws that govern the taxi industry. One of the chief sticking points is which side should budge: Tory's language sometimes indicates that existing by-laws should be loosened to help cab companies, while there are also loud calls for Uber to be treated as a cab operator.

In any case, it appears there won't be any major taxi strike or protest during the Pan Am Games. Be this on account of the fact that the mayor is in dialogue with the two sides or because the top brass at Toronto's cab companies understand that holding the city hostage would be a PR disaster, it's still good news.

Two thirds of city council would have to agree to an emergency meeting for it to take place. The odds of that happening aren't especially good, particularly with assurances from cab leaders that they will hold off on immediate protest activity.

Photo by Scott Snider

Wine won't be sold in Toronto supermarkets this year

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wine supermarket torontoWhile beer is scheduled to hit grocery store shelves in Toronto and the rest of the province by December, new regulations for the sale of wine continue to lag behind.

Premier Kathleen Wynne's top business advisor Ed Clark had already foregrounded a delay in overhauling provincial wine regulations, but apparently the process is even more complicated than the former president of TD Bank had initially envisioned.

A report in the Toronto Star indicates that Clark's recommendations for changes to wine sales in Ontario won't be complete until November, which would mean that it's unlikely wine would get onto grocery store shelves until mid 2016 or later.

Trade regulations are one of the chief obstacles delaying reform of wine sales, which means it's still unclear what exactly will happen to the existing 268 licences to sell Canadian wine outside of the LCBO. The chance still exists that some (if not many) will be repurposed to highlight Ontario wineries producing VQA-designated wine, but that's not a sure bet at present.


Toronto Wing Festival is back this summer

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Toronto wing festivalLocal chicken wing fanatics can breathe a sigh of relief as the Toronto Wing Festival has announced its return for another season. Going down at the Daniels Spectrum on September 12 and 13, the festival pits a host of Toronto pubs against one another in a battle for wing supremacy.

This is the 4th annual edition of the charitable event, which supports the Rotary Club of Toronto Skyline. Last year's event drew 2,000 people out, with a whopping 5,000 pounds of wings served over the course of two days. Live entertainment is also planned in addition to the outright wing-eating carnage.

Admission is $30 (sold in time slots), which gains you entry as well as 10 wing tickets (don't worry, you can buy more). Remember, it's for charity. So eat your drums and flats while giving back.

Photo by Morris Lum

Amaya the Indian Room to close later this month

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amaya torontoAmaya the Indian Room, the eight year old restaurant on Bayview Avenue, will close its doors for good after participating in Summerlicious one last time this July. Owner Hemant Bhagwani announced that July 26th would be the last day.

The Amaya Express at 1574 Bayview and the various food court stalls that bear the Amaya name will continue on - although the outposts on Leslieville and Ossington shuttered earlier this year.

This followed other failed locations on Davenport as well as Yonge and Lawrence. Amaya has also been a repeat offender of the city's DineSafe restaurants inspection program which we report on this site on Tuesdays.

But all is not lost at 1701 Bayview Avenue. While Bhagwani remains tight-lipped, he promises something exciting at the location that started what has become a mini-empire of restaurants.

Will you miss Amaya the Indian Room? Let us know in the comments.

Photo via Amaya on Facebook.

15 great street eats from the Taste of Lawrence festival

7-Eleven giving away free slurpees this Saturday

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free slurpee day7-Eleven Canada is celebrating their 46th birthday this Saturday, July 11th and they want you to get in on the action. Not only will 7-Eleven be giving away 33,000 free Slurpee drinks across Toronto stores between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., but they're also doling out $150 gift cards. One of them could be yours.

Get all the contest details here.

Salsa on St. Clair brings the party to the street

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salsa on st clairSalsa on St. Clair was back in Hillcrest Village for the 11th straight year this past weekend. The two day festival is one of Toronto's more unique summer events combining food, music and plenty of dancing. While things heated up on the dance floor local restaurants kept pace and served up plenty of tasty street eats for fuel to keep the party going.

Check out the highlights in our photo gallery from Salsa on St. Clair 2015.

Luminous Night

Today in Toronto: Boards and Booty, Summer Vibes SixStyle, Spelling Bae, TSO Free Concert, Andre Kertesz

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today in torontoToday in Toronto it's time to show your smarts at The Ossington's Spelling Bae. You can compete in the spelling bee for a dollar, or you can sit on the sidelines and judge while you throw back a few beers. If you'd rather see someone else take the stage, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is performing at Roy Thomson Hall, and you don't have to drop a dime to get in.

For more events, click on over to our events section.

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events section.

Photo of Cavern Bar


This Week on DineSafe: Ali Baba's, Sage Cafe, Thai One On, Crawford Market, Super Noodles Express

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dinesafeFollowing the Canada Day-shortened week, DineSafe is a little light this week. Mercifully, there were no closures, though Ali Baba's on The Danforth is back on the list with its third conditional pass since January.

See which other establishments landed on DineSafe last week.

Super Noodles Express (358 Spadina Ave.)
Inspected on: June 29, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Thai One On (500 Queen St. West)
Inspected on: June 29, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Sushi Ocean (1010 Eglinton Ave. West)
Inspected on: June 29, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 3, Significant: 4, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Crawford Market (569 Crawford St.)
Inspected on: June 29, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2, Crucial: 2)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to wash hands when required. Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Sage Cafe (166 McCaul St.)
Inspected on: July 2, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Ali Baba's (117 Danforth Ave.)
Inspected on: July 2, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Note: The above businesses each received infractions from DineSafe as originally reported on the DineSafe site. This does not imply that any of these businesses have not subsequently corrected the issue and received a passing grade by DineSafe inspectors. For the latest status for each of the mentioned businesses, including details on any subsequent inspections, please be sure to check the DineSafe site.

10 venues created for the Pan Am Games in Toronto

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pan am games torontoThe Pan Am Games will be taking place at a number of different locations in and around Toronto but not all of them have been here for long. Toronto has worked feverishly over the last few years in preparation for this international event, making sure there is ample training and competition space for the 7,000 athletes coming to the city.

Here's a round-up of 10 new venues and facilities created for the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games in Toronto.

CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Aquatics Centre and Field House
This Scarborough building is one of the largest sport venues ever created for the Games. The Aquatics Centre has two 10-lane, 50-metre Olympic-size pools; a 5-metre deep diving tank; and a dry-land dive training facility. The Field House includes a large gymnasium that will be used for fencing and sitting volleyball during the Parapan Am Games.

Centennial Park Pan Am BMX Centre
The BMX Centre is a new addition to the park and will host all of the BMX competitions during the Pan Am Games. Riders will launch from an eight-metre ramp and then have to navigate a complex looped 350-metre track. After the games, the centre will be used by the public and a five-metre start ramp will be built for beginner riders.

Atos Markham Pan Am/Parapan Am Centre
This sporting venue can host a multitude of events with its triple gymnasium and Olympic-size pool. Located on Main St. in Markham, the Atos Markham Centre will be facilitating the badminton, table tennis, and water olo events during the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.

Pan Am/Parapan Am Fields
These two field hockey pitches can be found at the University of Toronto's St. George Campus. The turf is classified as water-based, which apparently reduces friction on the ball and makes the field ideal for field hockey specifically. During the Parapan Am Games, the fields will be used to host two football competitions.

Etobicoke Olympium
This facility near Centennial Park was completely renovated to be used as a training site for athletes competing in swimming, water polo, diving, and synchronized swimming.

CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium
Located at York University, this stadium has a 400-metre track and an infield for throwing and jumping sporting events, making it the perfect place to host some of the more iconic Pan Am events like track and field, javelin, shot put, pole vault, and the high jump. The CIBC Stadium will also be used for the opening ceremonies of the Parapan Am Games.

Toronto Track & Field Centre
The Track & Field Centre, located near the Athletics Stadium, will serve as a practice and warm up facility for the Pan Am and Parapan Am athletic events.

Birchmount Stadium
The indoor and outdoor tracks of Birchmount Stadium in Scarborough have been replaced for training purposes. Athletes training for track and field, as well as the triathlon, will be able to use this facility.

Cisco Milton Pan Am/Parapan Am Velodrome
This venue has a very specific purpose - cycling. The Velodrome has a 250-metre timber track with two 42-degree banks, making it the only facility of its kind in Canada. Located on Pan Am Blvd. in Milton, the Velodrome will be open all year round after the Games.

CIBC Hamilton Pan AM Soccer Stadium
Obviously, this stadium will be used for soccer (or football). The site chosen has some historical value - in 1930 the grounds were used to host the British Empire Games - and the design was meant to preserve that heritage. After the games it will host professional and amateur sports,as well as international events.

What do you think of these venues? Let us know in the comments.

Photo of the CIBC Pan Am/Parapan Am Aquatics Centre and Field House via olympic.ca

Cask ale to be sold at the Brick Works farmers' market

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Kind OrganicsCask ale will soon be available alongside Ontario produce at the Evergreen Brick Works Farmers' Market. Cask Days, the organization that already brings its once-a-year eponymous real ale festival to the Brick Works, has announced that, beginning this Sunday, they will be showcasing a small selection of cask-conditioned beer every week for the next 10 weeks.

In partnership with Evergreen, Cask Days will bring in a different Ontario brewer every Sunday (with one week dedicated to cider) to bring you libations to sip and sample while you shop for seasonal fruit and veggies (sorry, there won't be any "take home" beer. We're not quite there yet, this is still Ontario).

Breweries featured will include Toronto's own Amsterdam, Granite, Great Lakes, Left Field, Black Oak, Indie Alehouse, and Junction Craft Brewing. They'll be joined by Burlington's Nickelbrook Brewery and, on August 16th, the Cask Days booth will feature four great local cider makers.

The series starts this week with Cask Days offering up beer from barVolo's own House Ales nano brewery.

Ben Johnson also writes about beer over on Ben's Beer Blog. Tweet him pictures of your economically sustainable meat and veg @Ben_T_Johnson.

Local group wants shared streets in Kensington Market

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shared streets kensingtonKensington Market is already well known for its Pedestrian Sundays, which shut down the neighbourhood to vehicular traffic once a month throughout the summer. A local group now wants to expand on this idea by bringing shared streets to the Market.

Kensington United thinks this is an ideal area to implement this concept, which is popular in European cities. "Shared streets are designed to be shared by pedestrians, cyclists and cars BUT on walking terms," the group's web site reads.

"This encourages folks to pay attention to others and navigate the area through eye contact which in turn creates a safer and pedestrian friendly environment."

What's interesting about the idea is that Kensington already functions this way. If the idea is that shared awareness of each user's presence keeps everyone safe, I'd argue that we're halfway there.

Cyclists riding the wrong way south on Augusta, for instance, don't seem to cause much trouble, and there certainly seems to be more priority given to pedestrians than elsewhere in the city.

As far as specifics go, the implementation of the concept would be very simple. "Augusta Ave, Kensington Ave, Baldwin St and St Andrew St will each be painted a different colour (so you can tell your friends to meet you on the "red street")," the web site explains.

"The bold graphic will extend the Market's vibrant graffiti to your feet and alert drivers that they are entering a heavily pedestrian zone. The instantly recognizable look will cement Kensington Market as a truly one of a kind Toronto destination!"

Photo by Chang Photo in the blogTO Flickr pool.

House of the week: 4 Jersey Avenue

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4 Jersey Avenue TorontoIt's hip and funky and under a million at the crossroads of the Annex and Little Italy. This back alley house at 4 Jersey Avenue comes in at $739,000., which in today's pricey real estate market is a rare find. (Note: the home was listed for $649,000 just last week before upping the price significantly).

Laneway houses are an interesting breed in Toronto with many modern and cottage-style homes hidden away in the alleyways. Jersey Ave. is a mix of houses and garages, beginning just south of Bloor, backing onto Clinton, to almost College.

4 Jersey Avenue TorontoLike a handful of other laneways, Jersey is considered a real street and serviced by the city with water, snow removal, and, at least for now, mail delivery.

4 Jersey Avenue TorontoThe home packs extra pizzazz into the small property. Tight and cozy at 13 feet wide, the main floor features a good size combined living/dining room, reno'd kitchen (note the vintage Honest Ed's sign above the stove), and walkout to a fenced-in backyard patio.

4 Jersey Avenue TorontoThe second floor boasts a long, narrow hallway leading to the three bedrooms and a black spiral (walk-with-caution-when-you're-tipsy) staircase to the third floor.

4 Jersey Avenue TorontoNice digs if you like back alley houses, and at this price, this house will be sold before you can say gelato.

4 Jersey Avenue TorontoSPECS

  • Address: 4 Jersey Avenue
  • Price: $739,000
  • Lot Size: 13 x 50 FT
  • Bedrooms: 3+1
  • Bathrooms: 2
  • Parking: 0
  • Taxes: $3,011.33
  • Walk Score: 91

4 Jersey Avenue TorontoNOTABLE FEATURES

  • Laneway house
  • Skylight
  • Renovated kitchen
  • Third floor bedroom
  • Fenced-in patio

4 Jersey Avenue TorontoGOOD FOR

Privacy. Living in a back alley has its advantages--it's quieter and more private than most city streets. People aren't likely to walk or drive past this cul-de-sac on a Saturday night.

4 Jersey Avenue TorontoMOVE ON IF

You need parking. There's no parking (or street parking) on this property. You'll have to snag a spot on Clinton Street, if you can find one.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
4 Jersey Avenue Toronto4 Jersey Avenue Toronto4 Jersey Avenue Toronto4 Jersey Avenue Toronto4 Jersey Avenue TorontoRead 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.

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