Imagine dancing in a park or street with headphones synched to a music playlist that everyone around is listening to at the same time and, even, around the world.

This is the mission of Silent Disco Squad, a worldwide phenomenon attracting global attention about people reclaiming the streets, one city at a time. From NYC, London, Montreal and Los Angeles, silent disco is transforming public spaces into silent dance parties.

Toronto's first Silent Disco took place last year during the inaugural 100in1Day but now it's back for an encore. On July 18 at Bellevue Square Park in Kensington Market everyone is invited to what the Silent Disco Squad is calling their Pan Am Games Spectacular. Arrive at 2:30 p.m. and start dancing at 3.

Will you be attending the Silent Disco? Let us know in the comments.

Writing by Trent Lee. Photo via the Silent Disco Squad Facebook page.

It finally happened. Someone managed to lease the uniquely shaped and long-vacant space at 252 Dupont St. that used to house Nite-Caps by the Castle. It's been empty for as long as I can remember, but come late fall Anthony Rose hopes to have his sixth restaurant up and running here, which will go by the name of Bar Begonia.

"I couldn't say what the deal is with the design of it, I know the same family has owned it for years and years and it was built at a time when they probably thought that look was cool," Rose tells Swallow Daily.

"We're maintaining the shape though and making a Parisian style bar. There is a parking lot in back but we're getting rid of it and going to do this big, beautiful grassy knoll with bocce ball and tetherball, very casual and picnic-y. It will be a bar and the focus will be mostly on cocktails with a little bit of food."

The building is an empty shell right now, but looked a lot worse six months ago when it was covered in wood paneling. I'm not sure if the grey plaster is the best choice, but it cleaned the building up enough to get a deal done. The landlords were reportedly looking for $4500 a month in rent, which is one reason why the site stayed vacant for so long.

With Swan set to open in about a week and the ink fresh on what many thought was an impossible lease, Rose is certainly on a roll. And you can bet the bocce ball will be popular.

Miami has one. So does Venice and Berlin. Heck, even Vancouver has an arts biennale although chances are you haven't heard of it. Now, it looks like Toronto might get in on the action.

Last night, a motion passed at City Council for city staff to look into the feasibility of hosting an arts biennale as soon as 2017.

Whether Toronto's biennale ends up looking more like Berlin or Vancouver remains to be seen. A lot of work needs to happen between now and then to tap into the local arts community for their vision and ideas of what this could look like. Money in the form of government funding and big time sponsors (hello Scotiabank) would also be a key ingredient.

Would you like to see Toronto host an arts biennale? Let us know in the comments.

Photo via the Venice Biennale Facebook page.

The only thing that might be better than pie? Free pie. To celebrate the launch of their new Dundas West location, The Pie Commission will be giving away a free braised beef rib pie (or vegetarian) to the first 100 people waiting in line starting at 11 a.m. on on Thursday July 16.

There's a reason The Pie Commission tops our list for the best meat pies in town. For anyone who has visited their two year old Etobicoke outpost they'll know that the savoury, personal-sized pies here are well worth the $6.95 price tag. Now, downtown dwellers will be even closer to the source.

Technically the new location at 887 Dundas St. West is already open but the free pie giveaway marks their official opening and a nice way to welcome themselves to the neighbourhood.

Photo by Natta Summerky

Weekend events in Toronto will have you celebrating the Pan Am Games. The opening ceremony is this Friday and PANAMANIA will be in full swing. If you're boycotting the games due to HOV lanes, government spending or general pessimism, there's plenty of non-Pan Am fun happening around the city. Stop by one of the many food fests or get your EDM fix at Echo Beach.

For more events this weekend click on over to our Events section.

FESTIVALS

Franco-Fête (July 10-24)
Franco-Fete is an opportunity for Toronto's French-speaking residents to get together and celebrate what makes their culture special - and teach others about them too. The festival, at Yonge-Dundas Square, will include a heavy dose on French music.

Beaches Jazz Fest (July 10-26)
The Beaches Jazz Fest continues to expand, this year encompassing three weekends at Woodbine Park, on top of the annual street festival, while still remaining free for everyone. See performances by the Lula All Stars, Chris Thomas King, Ogguere, God Made Me Funky, The Boom Booms and many more.

Taste of Downsview (July 11-12)
Taste of Downsview is a two-day fest in Downsview Park. There will be free live performances and plenty of of streets eats to chow down on including food trucks.

TO Food Fest (July 12)
Now in its third year, the TO Food Fest has become a summer staple for Toronto. Vendors will include poutine empire Smoke's Poutinerie and newcomers like the Heirloom Food Truck.

Toronto Bastille Day (July 12)
Head to David Pecaut Square to celebrate French culture. There will be tons of live entertainment and traditional French dancing. You can bring your own picnic, or if you feel like spending a few bucks, you can buy some French food.

PAN AM GAMES

Pan AM Games Opening Ceremony (July 10)
The city seems to have spared no expense for the games, and the opening ceremony is no different. The highlight of the night will be Cirque du Soleil performing their world class acrobatic show.

PANAMANIA (July 10-26, August 7-12)
The Pan Am Games aren't just about sports. You'll be able to see acts like The Roots, Flaming Lips, Chromeo, Jann Arden, USS, Lights, Janelle Monae, Colin James, tons of world music artists and lots more - all for free at Nathan Phillips Square and the CIBC PanAm Park. Check the schedule and show up early.

FOOD

Junction Night Market (July 11)
Looking for a budget-friendly way to spend your Saturday night? Head to the Junction for the Night Market where you'll find prepared food vendors from the weekly farmers' market, local restaurants, breweries, and more. The best part? Everything is $5.

Northern BBQ (July 12)
If you didn't get your fill of BBQ at Ribfest, Northern BBQ is here to help. The event promises to serve you up BBQ greatness in every form imaginable: grilled, fried, smoked, sandwiches or stuck on a stick.

MUSIC

Full Flex Express (July 11)
Skrillex, Zeds Dead, Jack U and more will be taking the stage at Echo Beach this Saturday. You're gonna have to act quickly if you want to snag tickets, there's not many left on Ticketmaster so you may need to turn to StubHub.

ENTERTAINMENT

Party on the Block (July 10-12)
The Harbourfront Centre is hosting a cost-free three-day block party inspired by neighbourhoods around the world. Expect to find everything from Egyptian and Syrian traditional dancing to live music performances.

SHOPPING

Mirvish Village Sidewalk Sale (July 11)
This event has all the bells and whistles of a neighbourhood street fest: local food vendors, retail booths, and live music. The fest is free, so if you just want to do some window shopping you don't have to spend any of your hard-earned cash.

For more events this weekend click on over to our Events section. Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit it for free using this form.

On any given day during the Pan Am Games in Toronto, there could be up over 20 sport competitions. It's going to be an exciting two weeks, but it will also be absolutely jammed packed with games. There isn't a single moment not planned for these athletes, but for us spectators, it makes things a bit complicated. It can be difficult to choose which games to see - do I want to go see diving, cycling, squash, or soccer?

Here are my top picks for the top events to see at the Pan Am Games in Toronto by calendar date.

JULY 11

Football (soccer)
The Canadian Women's soccer team will play Ecuador in Hamilton. The Under-20s team is predicted to go far in the competition. Players to watch out for include two FifaWWC 20154 all stars - Kadiesha Buchanan, who won the Best Young Player Award and Ashley Lawrence, who scored against Netherlands.

Rugby Sevens
The Canadian men's rugby team is looking to defend their 2011 title. This is also the Pan Am debut of women's rugby, so be sure to check it out.

Water Polo
Can Canada keep the pressure up? This session began on July 7, and so far Canada is doing well. The women's team tied with Brazil 7-7 in the opening round. July 11 is the last day of preliminary games before the finals.

JULY 12

Mountain Biking
This is a one-day event, so be sure not to miss it. Catherine Pendrel from Fredericton, N.B. is a reigning world and Commonwealth Games champion and hopes to gain a spot on the podium. Also watch out for Canadians Max Plaxton, who won silver in the 2011 Pan Ams, and Amanda Sin, who won bronze.

Women's Gymnastics
Canada won three silver medals for women's gymnastics in the 2011 Pan Am Games and is ready to try and beat that score. Olympian Ellie Black from Halifax is looking to get on the podium.

Men's Softball
The Canadian team took a hiatus from the Pan Am Games after winning every gold medal in the sport. But, now they're back and are hoping to pick up where they left off.

JULY 13

Men's and Women's Gymnastics
Watch the all-around finals which is said to be the most demanding event in artistic gymnastics. It combines floor-work along with other apparatus such as the vault, uneven bars and balance beam. The men's event will start at 12:45 p.m. and the women's at 6:50 p.m.

Men's Soccer (Football)
Canada won't be playing today, but Mexico will be. The last two times Canada has hosted the Pan Am Games, Mexico has won gold. Tune in around 8:30 p.m. and see if the trend continues.

Diving
Diving is one of the Pan Am Games' more popular events - one that Canada is expected to do very well in. Look for the FabIV (Fab Four) synchronized divers (and yes, they call themselves that): Roseline Filion, Jennifer Abel, Meaghan Benfeito and Pamela Ware. The last Pan Ams saw Canada come second in terms of total medal count. Their Mexican rivals came out on top with eight gold medals.

JULY 14

Men's Baseball
Two international champions will meet on the pitch: Canada, who is defending their 2011 Pan Am win, and Cuba, who has 12 gold medals under its belt. The first ball will be thrown at 7 p.m.

Men's and Women's Judo
It is the last day of competition for the Heavyweights in this competition. Brazil and Cuba are expected to go far, each one accumulating a number of gold medals in the last Pan Am Games.

Swimming
The first swimming session begins today and it's bound to be an intense competition. Two-time Olympic medalist Ryan Cochrane from Victoria, B.C. is expected to do very well. But, it's not just the Canadians you should watch out for. American swimmer Natalie Coughlin will be interesting to watch. She has 12 Olympic medals and 18 Pan Am medals under her belt, making her difficult to beat.

JULY 15

Rowing
The rowing medal rounds will be incredibly competitive. The 2011 Pan Am Games saw four countries, including Canada, win eight or more medals. The first event starts at 9 a.m.

Men's and Women's Gymnastics
Watch the Apparatus Finals in men's vault, horizontal bar and parallel bars, and the beam and floor for the women.

Men's and Women's Beach Volleyball
Nothing makes it seem more like summer then watching a good game of beach volleyball - and these games will be good! During the 2011 Pan Am Games, Brazil won gold in both the men's and women's events, so they are the team to beat. Sessions start at 9 a.m.

JULY 16

Men's Soccer (Football)
The Canadian team will continue to fight for their first Pan Am Games medal in a match against Panama at 8:30 p.m. For a full day of soccer, check out the earlier 5:30 p.m. game featuring Peru and Brazil, a four-time Pan Am Games champion.

Women's Volleyball
The volleyball competition begins on this day at the Exhibition Centre. Canada will face the Dominican Republic in the evening, followed by the United States against Peru. Both are games you don't want to miss.

Women's Tennis
The medal games begin today in women's singles and doubles. The teams are all evenly matched in terms of athleticism and success, so it should be a close competition.

JULY 17

Men's Baseball
Canada will face off against the United States around 7 p.m. The last time these two teams played each other at the Pan Am Games, Canada won by a single run. It may get a little intense.

Rhythmic Gymnastics
This is the first day of this sporting event, and Canada is expected to do very well. Patricia Bezzoubenko, a 17-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., won six medals at last year's Commonwealth Games. Five of them were gold.

Men's and Women's Wrestling
The qualifying matches begin in the afternoon and by the evening, athletes will be competing in the medal rounds. Keep an eye out for Canadian freestyle wrestler Carol Huynh, who won gold in the 48g class in the 2007 Pan Ams and a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics.

JULY 18

Modern Pentathanlon
You have to watch this just because it is possibly the coolest sport in existence. It has everything - fencing, swimming, show jumping, shooting, and cross-country running. Olympic medalist Yane Marques from Brazil won gold in the 2007 Pan Am Games, and is looking to do it yet again.

Men's and Women's Trampoline
Team Canada is full of Olympic athletes - Rosie MacLennan and three-time medalist Karen Cockburn will be among the women and reigning Pan Am champion Keegan Soehn and medalist Jason Burnett will be representing the men. Tune in around 7 p.m.

Swimming
This is the last day for the swimming competition, and is therefore the best day to watch because a number of the medal rounds will be held today - including the 4X100m Medley Relay and the 1500m Freestyle.

JULY 19

Women's Softball
Canada will be playing Brazil around 4:30 p.m. while their United States rivals will face off against Puerto Rico at 7 p.m. Canada has won silver in the last four Pan Am Games, and will be looking to finally add a gold medal to their roster.

Women's Soccer (Football)
There will be two great games being played at Pan Am Soccer Stadium. Canada will face one of their biggest rivals, and then Ecuador will play Costa Rica right afterwards.

Volleyball
Classification and semi-final matches for beach volleyball begin today. The men's indoor volleyball team will also be playing today against Puerto Rico in a preliminary competition.

JULY 20

Men's and Women's Boxing
Women's boxing made its debut during the 2011 Pan Am Games, where Canada's Mandy Bujold won gold in the women's flyweight and Mary Spencer won gold in the women's middleweight division. These quarterfinal games will be happening all day.

Waterski and Wakeboard
Ready for some water tricks and jumps? This is the first day of the waterski and wakeboard competition at Ontario Place West Channel. Team Canada and Team U.S.A. will most likely be neck to neck throughout the competition.

Women's Volleyball
There will be a number of volleyball matches throughout the day, starting with Canada against Argentina. The teams have quite a bit of history - Canada beat them in the 1995 Pan Am Games, where they won a bronze medal. The team hasn't been able to beat that win, but they are hoping this will be the year.

JULY 21

Track and Field
Arguably one of the most popular events of the Pan Am Games, track and field begins today. This means that athletes will be competing in a variety of events like long jump, the 5000m, pole vault, javelin, hurdles, triple jump, among a few. It's said that Canada has an excellent group of athletes competing this year.

Men's and Women's Taekwondo
This martial arts sport is great to watch because it's so fast - meaning you can watch elimination rounds, the semi finals, and the medal matches in the same day. Canada has previously won three gold medals in taekwondo. Watch for Ashley Kraayeveld (-67kg) and Marc-André Bergeron (+80kg), who are both competing today.

Men's Basketball
Canada will compete against the Dominican Republic at 7 p.m. followed by the United States and Venezuela. The Canadian team is filled with three NBA players - although many of the all-stars were kept away from the Pan Am Games. Keep a special eye out for Toronto Raptors star Greivis Vasquez on the Venezuelan team.

JULY 22

Track and Field
In addition to hosting the first of the decathlon events, a number of athletes will be competing in the semifinals and finals of their sport, including the 100, 500 and 800 metres, high jump, and the 400-metre hurdles. Watch for record-setter and Canadian sprinter Andre DeGrasse.

Men's Boxing
Watch the semi-finals for the five weight classifications. at 7 p.m. at the Oshawa Sports Centre.

Men's and Women's Indoor Volleyball
The quarter-final sessions will take place today at 130 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Exhibition Centre.

JULY 23

Track and Field
Yet another day of exciting sport competitions including the men's and women's 200 metres and men's 1,500 metres. Later in the evening, the competitions will include women's pole vault and men's discuss.

Men's Soccer
Two semi-final games will be played today at the CIBC Hamilton Pan Am Soccer Stadium. The first match begins at 5:30 p.m. The Canadian men's soccer team has yet to win a medal at the Pan Ams, and are hoping to make it to one of these games.

Karate
While most other sports are finishing up, men's and women's karate is just beginning. It works like a round robin, with each team in a specific weight category competing throughout the day until the finals in the evening.

JULY 24

Track and Field
There is yet another smorgasbord of events happening at the Pan Am/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium. The highlights will be the semi-finals in the 4x400-metre relay and the men's 110-metre hurdles.

Women's Baseball
Canada will face off against the United States in the last preliminary round. Both teams are real contenders for gold, and could move on to compete in the medal rounds on July 25-26.

Boxing
Athletes will be fighting for one of the six gold medals up for grabs at this evening competition.

JULY 25

Track and Field
These medal finals include the conclusion of the heptathlon, and finals in the men's 5,000 metres and high jump and the women's 1,500 metres.

Equestrian
This is the final day for Equestrian jumping. All eyes are on Canadian Ian Millar, who has nine medals and is hoping to make it to the double digits.

Road Race
This is a one-day cycling event consists of a 165-kilometre course for men and 82.5 kilometres for women.

JULY 26

Men's Indoor Volleyball
Four teams - three medals. The pressure is on. It's the last day of competition and these athletes will be ready to give it their all. Make sure to tune in between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Racquetball
Athletes will compete in 10 final racquetball matches. This game is fast, intense, and entertaining to watch. Not only that, but it's bound to get competitive. Canada, Mexico, and the United States are all expected to do well and make it to the finals.

Closing Ceremonies
It's going to be quite the party. Produced by Live Nation Entertainment, this celebration will have music, dancing, and a "cultural exhibition." The show will start around 6:45 p.m. and will end with the Torch passing on to Lima, Peru, who will be hosting the 2019 Pan Am Games.

What did I miss? Add your Pan Am Games picks to the comments.

Photo by Kotsy in the blogTO Flickr pool.

An apartment for rent posted to Kijiji earlier this month is getting attention for all the wrong reasons. A thread on Reddit has broken out where the mood suggests the apartment looks more like a crime scene or former meth lab than somewhere one would actually want to live.

It's possible that the listing itself is just a prank but if taken at face value it represents a sad state of affairs for the rental market in Koreatown.

While the description is enticing (5 bedrooms, 2 washrooms, separate entrances, washer and dryer, dishwasher, central air conditioning, extra storage), the Bloor and Manning apartment has photos that show the interior in a state of disrepair. The monthly rent comes in at $3,100.

"Renting to students is a good racket" writes one commenter on Reddit. Another responds "At least it is accurate. I hate searching for apartments only to find the pics are of one staged unit, and the real unit looks more like this."

Would you rent this apartment? Let us know in the comments.

It was the day of the dead raccoon in Toronto as roadkill quickly turned into a roadside shrine and then a trending hashtag. It all started early this morning when a dead raccoon was left for naught near the corner of Yonge and Davenport.

With no sign of animal services a samaritan with a sense of humour started to create a shrine. First a note, then a rose and a photo, then a card - it grew over time. Eventually someone started the hashtag #DeadRacoonTO.

Former Deputy Mayor Doug Kelly got involved - he tweeted at Animal Services asking for someone to take the raccoon away. Hours went by and the raccoon was still there. Then the hashtag started to trend.

Catch up on all the #DeadRaccoonTO action in our Storify below.

Did the dead Toronto raccoon unite the city? Let us know in the comments.

For those who missed the drama there were a few tense moments in Toronto tonight when it looked as if the CN Tower was on fire. Turns out it was just smoke from fireworks as part of a rehearsal for Friday's Pan Am Games opening ceremonies.

In the brief moments while confusion reigned, Twitter and Instagram were lit up with photos of the smoke and concern about what might be happing at our famous landmark.

Thankfully, Toronto Fire Services swiftly confirmed the cause of the disturbance while admitting that the smoke was a lot larger than they expected. A Pan Am Games media rep expressed some surprise at the reaction noting that they had announced earlier in the day that the rehearsal was to take place.

Catch up on some of the drama you might have missed below.

Top photo by Ashton Lawrence on Twitter.

Photo by Mitul Shah in the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

THIS WEEK

• The Junction Night Market is happening on Saturday, July 11 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Pacific Avenue, just north Dundas St. West. Expect an evening of local food, craft beer, cider and wine priced at $5 each. Participating vendors include Farmhouse Tavern, Hogtown Charcuterie, When the Pig Came Home BBQ, and Honest Weight (to name just a few).
• Northern BBQ presented by Kensington Brewing Co. is on Sunday, July 12 at the Dynamic Funds Tower Courtyard (1 Adelaide St. East) between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Look forward to vendors Buster Rhino's, Bespoke Butchers, The Rolling Pin, Triple A Bar, and more serving up dishes for $5 to $7. Admission is free but limited - arriving early is advised.
• Also free to attend, TO Food Fest happening from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 12 at the Chinese Cultural Centre Of Greater Toronto
• (5183 Sheppard Ave. East) in Scarborough. The list of vendors includes Liko's Hawaiian Barbecue, Moo Milk Bar, Heirloom Food Truck, and many more.
• Concession Road (760 St. Clair Ave. West) hosts a Summer Winemaker's Dinner on Wednesday July 15 at 6 p.m. Priced at $75 per person, expect a five-course dinner featuring pairings from Southbrook Vineyards.
• For the duration of the Pan Am Games, Mr. Ciao (598 Gerrard St. East) is offering 20% off to ticket and pass holders.

UPCOMING

• The third annual National Hot Dog Day in support of the Jays Care Foundation is coming up. Taking place on Thursday, July 23, Fancy Franks at 326 College St. will be offering free wieners between noon and 6 p.m.
• Tickets are on sale now for Kitchen Bitches, a conference to address the patriarchy in the world (and in the world of restaurants). Taking place on Thursday, September 3, from 5:30 p.m. At Revival (783 College St.), tickets are $50 in advance and will include all panel discussions, silent auction, and extras.

Photo of Buster Rhino's

Toronto's lack of excitement over the Pan Am Games is the subject of a recently published New York Times article that characterizes the city as indifferent or apathetic, depending on which version of the headline you trust (the former word replaced the latter at some point online, though it's still preserved in the url).

"Some residents are annoyed by how much the city has spent to get ready -- the total budget is 2.5 billion Canadian dollars, or about $2 billion -- and others by the risk of snarled streets," writes the Times Canadian correspondent Ian Austen.

"But many seem to be reacting to the arrival of the event in their city this week the way they would to a new tattoo discovered the morning after a wild night. The Pan-Am Games have landed in Toronto, it seems, with a thud."

Austen searches for the source of Toronto's apparent indifference to the Games, and eventually lands on the idea that even organizers view them as merely a precursor to the Olympics.

"Canada is a country where winter sports predominate, and the Pan Am Games have never been of immense interest, not even when they were held in Canada in 1967 and 1999," he writes. "Toronto's bid to host this year's games seemed to have more to do with trying to lure the Summer Olympics than with any interest in uniting the Americas through sports."

That may be true, but I suspect it's a bit more nuanced than that. In Toronto's fierce desire to be a world class city, the Pan Am Games are viewed as a consolation prize to previous unsuccessful Olympic bids. Throw in some dubious marketing and a city that loves to complain, and you have the cool reception we've seen to the arrival of the Games.

Why do you think Toronto lacks excitement for the Pan Am Games?

Photo by jmaxtours in the blogTO Flickr pool.

If you've ever wanted to pretend you're in an Archie comic, this is the place to do it. With good ol' fashioned pies, milkshakes and floats served up by authentically uniformed soda jerks, this sweet place harkens back to a seemingly simpler time.

Read my profile of Bean and Baker Malt Shop in the restaurants section.

About 800,000 Pan Am Games tickets have been sold to date. For those of you last-minute planners, never fear! There are still lots of tickets available, but it just means that the medal rounds are selling out fast. So far, 100 Pan Am Games events, including about 75 medal events, are fully sold out.

Curious what have been the most popular events so far? We checked in with Pan Am Games organizers to get the scoop.

See also:The top 48 events to see at the Pan Am Games in Toronto by calendar date

LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE

Men's basketball
There are still lots of tickets for the preliminary rounds, and a few left for the medal rounds. Ticket prices range from $25 to $45.

Men's soccer
Take a day trip to Hamilton and watch one of the men's soccer games. They are going to be very competitive this year, and are hoping to win their first Pan Am medal. Tickets range from $20 to $40.

Women's softball
There are very few tickets available for the women's softball medal games. Preliminary tickets start at $20 while medal games can be close to $40.

Men's baseball
Despite being one of the cheaper sports to watch at the Pan Am Games, men's baseball tickets are still up for grabs. Most of the preliminary games are still open while the "Not Many Tickets" notice is flashing on the medal rounds. The medal events can cost up to $40 per ticket.

Beach volleyball
There are more tickets available for the women's medal events than the men's; although both are nearly sold out. Check out a preliminary game for only $20.

Indoor volleyball
Almost all of the preliminary games have tickets available, but the final two medal rounds are nearly sold out for both the men's and women's competition. Medal rounds cost $40 to $50.

Track & Field
The medal events on July 25 - which include the heptathlon, the men's 5,000 metres, and the women's 1,500 metres - are nearly sold out. But, there seems to be quite a few tickets available for the medal rounds on July 26! It is a bit more expensive, an evening medal round can cost up to $140 while a morning medal round is about $70, on the higher end.

Water Polo
One of the earlier events, water polo ends on July 15. The medal games can cost around $45.

Diving
It's surprising that such a popular sport like diving - at the reasonable cost of $20 to $40 - hasn't sold out yet. It's close though. Most of the games are nearly sold out, but there are still a few preliminary games that are completely open.

SOLD OUT

Canoe/Kayak Slalom
It's unfortunate that this sport is already sold out, as it's making its Pan Am Games debut. The finals are on July 19, so hopefully you can tune in to a broadcast.

Cycling - BMX
This two-day event will be held in one of the newly built Pan Am Games venues. Medal sessions begin at 4 p.m. on July 11.

Cycling - Track Cycling
This event will be held at the new Velodrome. Tickets are sold out, but it should be a televised favourite. Finals will be held on July 18-19.

Equestrian - Dressage, Eventing, Jumping
Equestrian is one of those sports very few people watch on television, but they will travel far and wide to see in person. Most of the games except for the very early preliminary sessions are sold out.

Modern Pentathlon
The modern pentathlon takes place over two days and doesn't have any preliminary rounds. That's probably why it sold out so fast.

Triathlon
The triathlon is also a popular Pan Am Games sport. It is a two day event - one for women and on for men. With no preliminary rounds, they probably sold out quickly.

Waterski & Wakeboard
The preliminary and medal games are sold out at the moment although I'm sure if you were to head near the Ontario Place West Channel, you may be able to spot the athletes.

Trampoline
Most gymnastics events are selling quickly, so it's not a surprise that the trampoline event is sold out. Canada is expected to do very well in this competition, and that could have fueled ticket sales.

What event are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.

Photo via Baseball Canada.

The Flying Beaver has been grounded. Closed on account of an electrical fire since February, the business will shutter permanently according to a Facebook post from the owners.

"While it appeared at first that [fire damage] could be remedied quickly, that was not the case," the note reads. "Mostly, the delay was caused due to extensive issues at the property that were not caused by or part of the fire. Nor were they our responsibility to remedy... As we've been closed for over four months now, we've decided it's time to move on."

The Cabbagetown spot will be missed for its reliable brunch and commitment to live entertainment (some of which was produced by co-owner Maggie). The closure has also displaced Psychic Brunch in Toronto, which called the pub home. I suspect, however, that the folks running this event knew about the impending closure all along.

Among the many legacies that Jeff Healey left behind, the Toronto club that bore his name is perhaps one that's not fully appreciated by those who weren't immersed in the jazz or blues scenes in Toronto. Open from 2001 to 2008 following the guitarist's death, the Jeff Healy Club played host to loads of big name talent, and it's now the subject of a documentary film.

The doc features interviews with many of the musicians who played the club regularly as well as rare footage from performances that took place in its heyday. The running narrative, of course, is that it was Healey's immense talent -- and the possibility that he might be jamming at any given time -- that attracted so many to the venue.

If you're interested in the history of the blues and a certain brand of classic rock n roll in Toronto, this should be a treat. There are two screenings of the doc at the Carlton Cinema on July 25 and 26, after which time it's destined to air on the CBC. Check out the trailer below.

Photo by Arve Johnsen on Flickr

The best sangria in Toronto is a hotly contested category, with plenty of great spots stirring up their own unique takes on this summertime staple. Whether mixed to order, or slowly brewed for a few days, these premium wine punches are real crowd pleasers on the patio.

Here is the best sangria in Toronto.

See also: The top 10 cheap sangria in Toronto

Road closures in Toronto for the weekend of July 4-5 rounds up the key transportation shut-downs affecting the city, including street and TTC closures.

KEY ROAD CLOSURES IN TORONTO

Pan Am Games Opening Ceremony

The conclusion of the Pan Am Games torch relay and subsequent opening ceremony will come with plenty of road closures around the city. Here's a glimpse of streets to avoid:

1 p.m. to 12 a.m.

• Eastbound lanes, Front St., from Blue Jays Way to Simcoe St.
• Westbound lanes, Front St., from Blue Jays Way to Simcoe St.

3 p.m. to 12 a.m.

• Westbound lanes, Bremner Blvd, from the Metro Convention Centre to Van De Water Crt.
• Eastbound lanes, Bremner Blvd, from Van De Water Crt. to Lower Simcoe St.
• Northbound lanes, Rees St., from Lakeshore Blvd. to Bremner Blvd.
• Rees St. south of Lake Shore Blvd. will be closed

5:45 p.m. to 12 a.m.

• Front St. to Wellington St. from Cherry St. to John St.
• John St. from Wellington St. to Front St.
• Front St. from John St. to Parliament St.
• Parliament St. from Front St. to Lake Shore Blvd.
• Lake Shore Blvd to Cherry St.
• Cherry St. from Front St. to Villiers St.
• Villiers St. from Cherry St. to the Don Roadway

PrideHouse TO
Church St. will be closed from Alexander St. to Gloucester St. on Friday, July 10 from 6 p.m. to Monday, July 13 at 6 a.m. The Church and Wellesley intersection will be open to traffic during this period.

Bloor West Village Festival
There will be closures to Windermere Ave., Beresford Ave., Glendonwynne Rd., Armadale Ave., Durie St. and Kennedy Ave. in the vicinity of Bloor on Saturday, July 11 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

TTC CLOSURES

There are no TTC subway closures scheduled during the Pan Am Games.

ONGOING CLOSURES

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.)

Photo by Jack Landau in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Beers, lazy afternoons, and a kitschy, cottage-inspired menu is the focus at this newly opened bar from the folks behind Tallboys. The laidback new spot opened this week and is offering an escape from Toronto's sometimes-too-serious culinary scene.

Read my profile of Wenona Lodge in the restaurants section.

Drake has made good on a sort of promise issued via "Come Thru" on his second last album Nothing Was the Same. In it, he observes that "rap game, crack game, ain't that different, ya know?" hinting at the fame that would later greet Toronto Mayor Rob Ford following a very public drug scandal.

Fast forward to Drake's freshly released video for "Legend" and we've come full circle as the local hip hop darling does a turn as Ford in the notorious photograph that ran when the controversy broke loose. There's something both fitting and creepy about this little moment, two of Toronto's most notable celebrities rolled into one persona.

It's all part of a mercurial performance in which Drake also plays Oprah, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, and Barack Obama (amongst others). Each role has its own comedic creep value, but for sheer Toronto laughs, the Rob Ford segment is, well, legendary.

You can check out the whole video on Drake's Apple Connect page.