Vegan Instagram accounts from Toronto are some of the most popular out there. From recipe gurus to restaurant-goers who will guide you to the best plant-based eateries in the city, these users bring #foodporn to new and healthy levels.

Here are a few Instagram must-follow accounts for Toronto vegans.

blueberrypancake
Amanda Lynn fashions some of the prettiest plant-based plates right in her home kitchen and snaps pics for the world to see. Her account also features vegan fare from well-loved Toronto eateries like Wilbur and Pizza Libretto to give you inspiration for your next meal out.

dougmcnish
Most Toronto vegans are well aware of the name Doug McNish due to the success of his plant-based eatery, Doug's Public Kitchen near Eglinton West. His Instragram, unsurprisingly, flaunts some of the best looking food you'll find on the internet. The feed is filled with parfaits, tostadas, salads, and a bevy of other masterfully-crafted dishes.

hotforfood
Hot for Food, run by John Diemer and MuchMusic VJ Lauren Toyota, is stacked with creative plant-based options like asian noodle salad and baked falafel sliders. Offering meal pics that are far more interesting than your average kale salad, this one is worth a follow. Check out the duo's blog and youtube channel for more.

vegangirlfriend
Vegan Girlfriend is the brainchild of Toronto-based foodies Megan Stulberg, Alexandra Courts, and Aine Davis. The aesthetically-pleasing feed will clue you in on where to get the best vegan eats in the city and give you a ton of recipes to try at home along the way. Expect to find everything from jackfruit tacos to drool-worthy donuts. Check out its parent blog here.

truenorthvegan
Carly's feed is a well-curated mix of dishes ranging from sweet to savoury. You'll find it filled with colourful plates stacked with seasonal fruits and veggies. Plus, her attention to detail is akin to that of a seasoned food stylist.

humbleherbivore
This U of T student is eating anything but the typical diet of Kraft Dinner and pub grub. Her profile showcases the versatility of veganism, with eats like oven baked taro chips, chickpea curry and buffalo cauliflower "wings."

unbakedcakeco
If you have a sweet tooth, you need this Instagram in your life. The feed is chock full of hand-crafted raw, vegan cheesecakes, cupcakes, and tarts. Luckily, you can get your hands on some of these treats by heading to Marvel Coffee on the Danforth.

theveganchef
Run by Ashley Sauvé, a nutritionist and wellness chef, this salad-heavy feed will have you wanting to eat your greens. Find the profile filled with immune-boosting eats like nori wraps, green smoothies, and veggie-packed bowls. Check out her recipe blog, Kitchen Nutrition, for more.

addictedtofruit
Katrina has one of the biggest followings when it comes to Toronto vegan food Instagrams, with a whopping 56.1k fans. Her feed proves that vegans eat more than just vegetables, with sweet treats like donuts and ice cream appearing in abundance. She also runs a food and lifestyle blog, Mindfully Bliss.

lovewildlivefree
Look forward to salads, sushi, and smoothie bowls on your feed if you follow lovewildlivefree. Her profile is peppered with healthy eats that look almost too good too eat. For more lifestyle and food advice, check out her blog by the same name.

veganeatstoronto
This account posts a little bit of everything: recipes, reviews, and tips. You'll find snaps of a number of homemade meals - from pastas to salads - as well as a smattering of eats from Toronto restaurants like Hibiscus Cafe and Kupfert & Kim.

torisbakeshop
Tori's Bakeshop, a Beaches outpost, is well-loved by the vegan community for its mouthwatering baked goods and savoury dishes. The shop's Instagram features a selection of photos (taken by staff and customers) of the best that they have to offer. Expect to see tons of cupcakes, salads and coffees.

murrs_menu
Murrs Menu flaunts a wide range of dishes, with raw, cooked, savoury, and sweet options. Upon following, expect your feed to blow up with photos of delectable plant-based meals like raw zucchini pasta, acai bowls, and mini pizzas. If you want to check out her recipes, head to her blog.

thevietvegan
The Viet Vegan posts pics of simple and delicious home made meals, from pho to avocado toast. She also searches the city for vegan eats, finding comfort foods like vegan kimchi fries, Bi Bim Bap and ice cream from Bunner's. For recipes, check out her blog by the same name.

rawcology
If you want to fill your feed with freshly picked fruits and vegetables, follow rawcology. Tara Tomulka's feed is filled with colourful meal options that will have you eating the rainbow. You'll find snaps of everything from blueberry cheesecake bites to maki. Check out her blog here.

What did I miss? Add your favourite account in the comments.

Photo by Horst Finkbeiner in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Free events in Toronto will let you live up the last days of summer at free street festivals. Taste of the Kingsway, Cabbagetown Festival, and the Bloorcourt Arts & Crafts Fair will be bringing all the regular festival shenanigans, from live music to car shows. If you're more into technology, there's also a wearable tech event early in the week, so you can get your geek on.

Here's what to do if you're bank account is in the negative.

Life & Tech Wearable Technology Expo (September 8)
Head to Dundas Square this Tuesday if you like to keep up-to-date with the latest and greatest technological advances. 30 exhibitors will be showing off new advances in wearable tech. Once you're done perusing the goods, stick around for wearable tech fashion shows, panels, and demos.

Taste of the Kingsway (September 11-13)
Each year, on the weekend after Labour Day, the Kingsway comes alive with midway rides, beer and wine gardens, live performance and samples upon samples of local food. The street festival will run from Prince Edward Dr. to Montgomery Rd.

Cabbagetown Festival (September 12-13)
The Cabbagetown Festival returns for its 39th year this Saturday and Sunday. Expect to find Parliament Street buzzing with buskers, a car show, a dog photo booth, over 30 live bands, and much more. A huge bonus, there will be a free morning of pancakes, so dining won't cost you a dime (providing you get there early).

Bloorcourt Arts & Crafts Fair (September 13)
If you haven't had enough of fairs and festivals this summer, head to Bloorcourt for the Arts & Crafts Fair. Don't worry, vendors are only a part of the event. There will also be plenty of free live music and family-friendly fun.

Toronto Bicycle Music Festival (September 13)
If you're not into the idea of spending your Sunday at an art fair, try out the Toronto Bicycle Music Festival. Happening in three of our city's green spaces, cyclists will move from location to location to catch some top notch musical acts. Allan Gardens, Grange Park and Christie Pits Park are the destinations, but check the schedule to make sure you'll be at the right place at the right time.

Have a free event you'd like to plug? Submit it to our Toronto events calendar using this form.

Nobody knows the TIFF line-up better than the programmers who help curate the films that make it into the festival every year. They especially know their respective programmes inside and out, which is why I asked them to recommend the must see films at the top of their lists.

Here are the 20 must see films at TIFF 2015 according to its programmers.

The Apostate
A comedy about a man trying to officially renounce his faith in the Catholic Church, gets lost in an endless maze of religious bureaucracy.

Black
A Romeo & Juliet meets City of God tale about a teenage girl in a Brussels gang who falls in love with a man from a rival gang.

Concerning the Bodyguard
Narrated by Salman Rushdie, this short film follows the life of a henchman.

A Copy of My Mind
This Indonesian film focuses on a young woman who accidentally steals a DVD that features evidence of presidential corruptions.

Demon
Based on the Jewish legend of dybbuk, Demon finds a groom being possessed by a spirit, and slowly unraveling at his own wedding.

The Endless River
Set in South Africa, a grieving man whose family has been murdered finds potential comfort in a sweet, but also damaged, waitress at a local watering hole.

Eva Doesn't Sleep
Everybody knows the story behind Eva Perón - Argentina's First Lady in the 1970s who inspired the musical Evita - but not many know the strange, seemingly unbelievable, story about what happened to her body in the years after. Eva Doesn't Sleep dramatically portrays that story.

Evolution
A ten-year-old boy lives in a town where, strangely, no adult men are around, and boys his age undergo mysterious medical procedures at the local hospital. He begins to investigate and discovers something he never could have imagined.

Five Nights in Maine
A man (David Oyelowo) seeks to fulfill his wife's dying wish that he meet her estranged mother, Lucina (Dianne Wiest). When he seeks her out, he discovers she is both cruel and dying of cancer, but he still tries to connect with her while there's still time.

HURT
Renowened documentarian Alan Zweig looks at the life of Steve Fonyo who once was a hero of cancer research, and now lives in disgrace.

The Mask
A Cinematheque screening of a 1961 horror cult classic, restored and in 3-D, about a cursed tribal mask that produces horrible visions when worn.

Minotaur
A microscopic look at the lives of three roommates as they go about their daily lives and a kind of love triangle forms between them.

Mountain
Set in Jerusalem's Mount of Olives, an Orthodox woman struggling with isolation finds a kind of community among the headstones of the cemetery.

Mustang
Five Turkish sisters play innocently on the beach, but an observer reports them to their guardians - their grandparents - for having acted scandalously, and the girls are then subjected to the oppressiveness of old-fashioned moral values.

My Skinny Sister
When Stella notices that her sister, Katja, begins acting strange - especially during meals -she confronts her sister in the hopes of helping her. In the process their sisterly bond is tested, as Katja's health may be increasingly at risk.

One Last Night
In this short film, two punks have one last night together before one leaves Tel Aviv for Berlin.

Our Last Tango
A documentary about the seventy-year run of Argentina's greatest tango couple, Juan Carlos Copes and Maria Nieves.

Sleeping Giant
Set in Ontario cottage country, Sleeping Giant looks where three male best friends spend their summer days, and their dynamics become suddenly threatened when a girl becomes too much a part of the group.

Starve Your Dog
A washed up journalist hopes to reclaim former glory by interviewing a controversial Moroccan interior minister, but faces conflict and possibly mutiny from the camera crew.

The Whispering Star
From one of Japan's craziest directors, Sion Sono, comes this film about a robot who travels throughout space delivering packages.

What's your must see film at TIFF? Let us know in the comments.

Still image from Black.

King and Bay in the heart of the Toronto financial district is one of the most modern intersections in the city. Unlike King and Yonge a block to the east, the intersection is dominated by glittering 1960s and 70s high-rise bank towers.

The decade would see the rise of Commerce Court West and crisp white First Canadian Place, which shifted the focus away from architect Mies van der Rohe's wonderfully dark TD Centre. This is a period when Toronto's skyline underwent profound changes, adding new bank towers and skyscrapers practically every year.

The photos below chart King and Bay's sudden skyward trajectory, starting in 1970.

The lay of the land in the 1960s, before the rise of the bank towers. The building on the left of the photo with the green-ish roof is the headquarters of the Toronto-Dominion Bank that was razed to make way for TD Centre. Opposite that are the Toronto Star and Bank of Montreal buildings that were cleared for First Canadian Place in the 1970s.

Commerce Court West was the first high rise of the post-TD Centre era. Architect I. M. Pei originally gave the tower a flared base that, had it been included in the final blueprint, would have brought the base of the tower flush with the sidewalk on Bay St. This fish-eye view, taken by Toronto Telegram photographer Norm Betts, looks west over the excavation site towards King and Bay.

Commerce Court West nears completion. The tower was the tallest building in Canada for five years before it was pushed into second place in 1976 by First Canadian Place. Before the CN Tower rendered it obsolete, the tower had an 57th-floor observation level. Guests were enticed to pay the 50-cent admission fee by panoramic views of the city, a tropical bird collection, and lush music piped over a stereo.

The main tower of the First Canadian Place complex was completed before the banking pavilion at the corner of King and Bay. The picture looks northeast across the FCP construction site opposite TD Centre to the back of the original Bank of Montreal building at King and Bay. Is was demolished to make way for the FCP banking pavilion after the main tower was completed.

The original Bank of Montreal office during demolition. The FCP tower, visible in the background, replaced an art deco skyscraper once occupied by the Toronto Star.

First Canadian Place nearing completion in March, 1975. The tower was broken into four zones during construction. The lower floors were constructed, decorated, furnished, and opened to Bank of Montreal staff while the upper zones were still a steel skeleton. FCP became the tallest office building in Canada on January 13, 1975, a title it retains to this day.

The 1937 Toronto Stock Exchange building before it was absorbed into a westward extension of TD Centre. The moderne structure is best known for its exterior frieze by artist Charles Comfort that depicts "a processional of industry." The TSE quit the building in 1983 and the structure was partially absorbed by TD Centre in 1992.

The finished product, c. 1976. Scotia Plaza, the Bank of Nova Scotia's contribution to the financial district's tangle of skyscrapers, was added in 1988. TD Bank didn't like it, though: the bank waged a public war against the tower in the local press.

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives (as marked;) Commerce Court fish-eye: Toronto Telegram fonds, F0433, ASC06616; Brookfield Properties.

This new Toronto bar combines stiff drinks, cheap eats and retro video games for a three-pronged entertainment experience.

Read my review of Nightowl in the bars section.

Eating out on a student budget doesn't mean you need to subsist on some fast food "value menu." This new class of eateries offers some pretty astounding variety; filling up on the cheap has never been so easy.

Here are my picks for the top new cheap eats in Toronto.

Otto's Berlin Doner
The house specialty at this Kensington Market spot is the doner stuffed with shaved meat, veggies and yogurt. For just $7.95 you'll almost cover all the food groups. A heartier more indulgent option is the currywurst over fries or salad for the same price.

Za Pizzeria
Scarfing down a slice need not be synonymous with greasy regret. This pizza parlour in the Annex serves up a rotating selection of fresh slices, including options like the classic margherita for $3, the Oh Canada (with maple syrup, bacon, and potato chips) for $4.25, and seasonal specialties like a grilled cheese and tomato soup themed slice for $3.75.

Apiecalypse Now!
All-vegan pizza and snack food is exactly what this Christie Pits establishment delivers. Stop by for a slice of Pepperphony ($3.20) or the Mac & Charlie ($4.25), then use the rest of your pocket change to indulge in one of their doughnuts.

Curry & Co.
This food court vendor at Yonge and Dundas serves up cheap Indian food. Thali combos ($7.49-$8.79) with rice or naan offer ample variety with a single order, but then there's also wraps ($6.79) and naan pizza ($4.99). Customize with a dozen hearty options including tandoori chicken, chana masala, and butter chicken.

Fresh East
This takeout spot across from the Ryerson Student Learning Centre serves deli sandwiches ($4.09 and up) while house specialties like falafel, shish tawouk or chicken shawarma start at $4.79 and can be had on a bun or in a pita. Flash your student card and get any 6" cold cut sub with a drink for $5.

Fresco's St. Clair West
Fresco's second Toronto location on St. Clair West offers the usual fried fish and chips ($11-$18) as well as an array of more wallet friendly foods including chili bowls (from $5), po'boys ($9), and poutine (from $4.50).

Veggie D'Light
Hearty vegan Caribbean food in Kensington Market comes in customizable wraps or combos from $6. Select from jerk seitan, curry chick peas, or split pea roast, over rice or quinoa pasta, then douse the whole dish with the fiery scotch bonnet hot sauce.

Baguette and Co.
This banh mi shop in the Junction Triangle offers four different sandwiches priced between $3 and $4. There's grilled pork, beef, chicken, or tofu to choose from, and then they'll dress it up with pickled daikon and carrots, pate, and fresh sprigs of cilantro.

Loga's Corner
Head to Parkdale to fill up on aloo momos ($1 each), parathas stuffed with curried potato and green onion (two for $5), and beef or veggie steamed dumplings (10 for $6).

Smoke's Weinerie
At Spadina and College, this poutine and hot dog chain serves up steamies (two at a time), standard dogs or footlong sizes done-up donair-style, like nachos or with pizza toppings at prices starting at $4.49.

What did I miss? Add your favourite new cheap eats in Toronto to the comments.

Photo of Otto's Doner by Hector Vasquez.

Wellington county is sprawling predominantly rural region about an hour west/northwest of Toronto that's home to places like Erin, Guelph, Fergus, Elora, and Aberfoyle. Given its proximity to Toronto, it's naturally a feeder for the city, with tons of kids who pack up and head east once they can afford to do so. You can take the kid out of the country, but still we remember our old stomping grounds.

Here are 10 signs you grew up in Wellington County.

1. You remember The Zoo Club ... and were likely kicked out for underage drinking, or knew someone who's older sibling was.

2. One of the closest brushes you've had with death involved the Water Tower Hill.

3. Guelph is pretty nice, Orangeville was better when you were a kid, and Brampton is to be avoided at all costs.

4. You know where Alton is.

5. You refuse to refer to county roads by their newer, friendlier, names. 22nd Side Road will always be 22, and tourists will just have to figure it out.

6. You knew at least three people who had an hour-long bus ride to school.

7. You've snuck into the Rockwood Conservation Area more than once.

8. You know that cow-tipping is complete BS, but you enjoy convincing your city friends that it's totally wild and you've absolutely done it (it is, and I have!).

9.Stone Road Mall was a destination.

10. You've closed out The Legion on a weekend.

What did I miss? Add your Wellington County memories in the comments.

Writing by Adam Beck.

The 66th Canadian International Air Show took off this weekend, capping the final weekend of the CNE with a show that was faster and louder than we've seen in the past few years. With the United States military budgets freeing up funding for demonstration teams again, old favourites like the F-16 and F/A-18c Navy Hornet have returned north of the border, joining our own CF-18 Hornet and perennial crowd pleasers the Snowbirds.

Check out all the aerobatics in this photo gallery.

Writing and photos by Hamish Grant.

Good news if you decided to dispute a parking ticket - the city of Toronto announced today they decided to cancel about 880,000 unpaid parking tickets that were issued between 2002 and 2014. If you disputed a ticket or were awaiting a trial chances are you're off the hook.

The action is a result of City lawyers concluding they didn't have a reasonable chance to win the disputes since it has taken so long to bring the cases to trial. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ensures the right to a trial within a reasonable amount of time, historically 12 to 16 months for parking tickets.

Essentially, the City is avoiding the administration costs and inevitable failure in trying to pursue tickets that have exceeded this time frame and have no reasonable prospect of conviction.

The City says the withdrawn tickets represented an estimated $20 million in revenue that will now go unrealized.

Want to know if your ticket was canceled? Just go here and enter the parking infraction number, your driver's licence number or a Registrant Identification Number (RIN). If your ticket has been withdrawn you'll see "Cancelled, Withdrawn, Complete" in the status box. This means the ticket does not need to be paid.

Do you think it's a good idea for the City to cancel these parking tickets? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Steve M in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Photo by Phil Marion in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Labour Day events in Toronto will give you one last chance to visit the CNE and all the action in the Air Show. If you want to skip the long lines, head to Echo Beach for the Mount Woozy Festival. And, if it's fireworks you're after, you best (only) bet is to head up to Canada's Wonderland, where they'll be blowing up 6,000 bright little rockets at around 10pm.

For more events, click on over to our events section. And for information about what's open and closed this Labour Day, check out our roundup post.

• CNE (Exhibition Grounds)
• Canadian International Air Show (western waterfront)
• Mount Woozy Festival (Echo Beach)
• Electric Island (Hanlan's Point)
• Artfest Toronto (Distillery District)
• Old Man Gloom & Mare (Lee's Palace)
• Hispanic Fiesta (Mel Lastman Square)

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

Photo by David Williams in the blogTO Flickr pool.

This family-owned bakery has been in the same spot for more than 40 years, featuring everything from fresh bread and desserts to a hot table. But perhaps the most interesting item on offer is the gelato-stuffed donut panini.

Check out my profile of SanRemo Bakery in the bakery section.

During the 1920s and 30s, Toronto experienced an Art Deco building boom. Luckily for us, several prime examples from this period are still standing, and in many cases have also benefited from respectful renovations.

Here's a roujnd-up of some of the most prominent Art Deco buildings in Toronto.

Eglinton cinema
There are numerous glorious Art Deco movie houses in Toronto but none stand out as much as the luxurious former home of the Eglinton cinema. The grand 775-seater single-screen movie palace opened in 1936, boasting air conditioning and a smoking section with ashtrays built into the seats. The Eglinton survived until 2002 when Famous Players balked at the cost of making the building wheelchair accessible.

Toronto Stock Exchange
For more than 50 years, the TSX called this imposing building home. Completed in 1937 to designs by architect Samuel Maw, the limestone facade features an intricate frieze by Canadian sculptor Charles Comfort that depicts muscular men of various industries hard at work. In 1992 the building was incorporated into the base of the west tower of TD Centre. It's now the Design Exchange.

Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario
It's hard to spot among the tangle of medical buildings on the west side of University south of College, but the Hydro Electric Power Commission of Ontario is certainly worthy of close inspection. A pair of waterfalls are carved either side of the main entrance, hinting at the source of our power. Interestingly, the upper 12 floors were added five years after the structure opened in 1935.

Tip Top Tailors
The Tip Top Tailors building on Lake Shore still looks, well, tip top. Colourful decorative tile above the upper windows, giant concrete piers with pyramidical roofs, and some seriously elaborate carvings of people and mythological animals around the main entrance are what make this 1925 Art Deco masterpiece special.

Maple Leaf Gardens
It took builders in 1931 just five and a half months to construct Toronto Maple Leafs owner Conn Smythe's shrine to hockey. Despite their haste, the stadium that rose from the ground at the corner of Carlton and Church is an Art Deco delight. Decorative stonework around the massive vertical rows of windows and fancy brickwork prove that the Gardens was meant to be a source of pride.

Tower/Balfour buildings
Architect Benjamin Brown's pair of downtown warehouses--the Balfour and Tower buildings--face each other across Spadina at Adelaide and feature some of the same defining elements: large rooftop spaces designed to house water towers, stone ground floors, and big windows.

Toronto Postal Delivery Building (Air Canada Centre)
It wasn't built for hockey, but the Toronto Postal Delivery Building at Lake Shore and Bay would up becoming the third home of the Maple Leafs in 1999. Many of the features that made the former Canada Post facility an architectural gem survived the transition to hockey. Enter off of Bay St. for the best view of the old building.

Eaton's College Street
It's hard to look at Eaton's College Street store (now known as College Park) and not wonder what might have been. The first phase in what was meant to be a massive shopping, office, and entertainment complex, the Eaton family's grand plans were nixed when the Great Depression began to bite in Canada. It is still, however, one of Toronto's best examples of Deco architecture.

Automotive Building
The Automotive Building on the CNE grounds was designed to be shrine to the private automobile. Finished in 1929, the two-floor Queenston limestone structure is peppered with ornamental mouldings depicting flowers and other designs common to Art Deco buildings, but there are elements of neoclassical architecture, too.

Lawren Harris House
Private Art Deco residences are rare in Toronto, and that's what makes the former home of Group of Seven painter Lawren Harris especially important. Completed in 1930 to designs by architect Alexandra Biriukova, the two-winged structure with its large central window is a little piece of sun-soaked Miami transplanted into the leafy streets of Forest Hill.

For more information on this topic, it's well worth diving into Tim Morawetz's book Art Deco Architecture in Toronto, which supplied the bulk of the information for this post.

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

Images: City of Toronto Archives (as marked;) Maple Leaf Gardens: Toronto Public Library, 979-38-1 Cab; Balfour Building: ira t/blogTO Flickr pool.

The top cafes for students in Toronto are key resources during the school year. These cafes serve alternately as study halls, sources for free WiFi, caffeine, sustenance or sometimes just a reprieve from your roommates.

Here are my picks for the top cafes for students in Toronto.

Balzacs
Location. Location. Location. Balzac's has the golden rule of real estate covered in spades thanks to its prime locations on Ryerson Campus and at the Toronto Reference Library. Lots of seating, fresh brewed coffee and a variety of snacks also make it a winner in my books.

Black Canary
This cafe has two locations close to university campus. The second floor spot in the Silver Snail on Yonge St. lets Ryerson students ogle over the latest Marvel release while they sip a well-made Americano. Meanwhile, the cozy outpost on Sherbourne sports a communal table large enough for George Brown students to congregate around for an impromptu study session.

Rooster Coffee House
The King East coffee shop is a beacon for George Brown students who saunter over between classes to kill time with a cup of budget-friendly drip coffee ($1.50 to $2.25). Sandwiches and baked good also make it an affordable lunch option.

Bicerin Espresso Bar
This Baldwin Village spot is a good spot for both UofT and OCAD students to hunker down and get some work done while soaking up the free WiFi and coffee made from single origin beans. Lunch and breakfast options help round out the offerings.

Bulldog Coffee
A short walk from Ryerson campus, this cafe is a lifesaver for anyone with an early morning class. Seating is limited so it's not the best place to camp out but if it's espresso and fancy latte art you're after, these guys do it right.

Manic Coffee
This College St. cafe near UofT campus offers ample seating, but no WiFi, which can be a blessing when you're trying to get through required readings but have a tendency to procrastinate the hours away online. Better still, the espresso drinks, gelato and baked goods here are top notch.

Moonbean
The Kensington Market stalwart pre-dates every cafe on the list and is a long time favourite for students. Baked goods and tea options abound and coffee is roasted on-site. There's also plenty of patio seating in warmer months.

CSI Coffee Pub
Housed in the Centre for Social Innovation at Bathurst and Bloor, this Annex cafe acts as an extension of the communal workspace. Espresso based drinks, sandwiches, soups, salads, and baked goods help fuel study sessions.

Rise Espresso
This grab-and-go espresso bar is close to Ryerson making it a perfect pit stop for students who need a jolt of caffeine between classes. Well-made espresso drinks are offered alongside decadent snacks brought it from Von Doughnuts.

Dark Horse Chinatown
Students love the communal tables at this Spadina cafe but when a bit more privacy is required you can always snag a seat behind the coffee bar where two tops offer a slightly quieter atmosphere for sipping espresso and poring over course materials.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for student-friendly cafes in the comments.

Photo of Moonbean by Jesse Milns.

Toronto Beer Week is a collection of beer-related events taking place in Toronto that runs for roughly--wait for it--a week. This year TO's weeklong(ish) tribute to everyone's favourite beverage runs from September 18th to 26th and includes over 70 different venues pouring beer from over 35 participating breweries.

And despite what you might think, it really isn't possible to hit them all (what are you crazy?). So, with an eye to making the most of your TBW, I've curated a list of my picks for the best event each night of the celebration so that you might plan your afternoons and evenings (and mornings after) accordingly. All you have to do is find your favourite drinking t-shirt.

Thursday September 17th

The Beer Experience
For the unofficial launch of TBW about 1300 people will fill Berkley Church for one of the most underrated beer events in Ontario. Here they'll be unveiling the official TBW beer: Rye Porter that was aged in Four Roses bourbon barrels. Beer tickets are $1 and two to four tickets will get you some food.

Friday September 18

WVRST Craft Invitational
Running all weekend long, WVRST's third annual tribute to emerging brewers will feature a selection 18 up-and-coming breweries from whom you can vote for your favourite. No cover and an important chance to try brews you can say you liked before they were cool.

(Note: The "official launch" of TBW is also this night at Amsterdam Brewhouse where they will [again] tap the TBW week beer, this time with Iain MacOustra, the guy who made it)

Saturday September 19

Zwanze Day
At 3:00pm Bar Volo will join 56 other locations across 17 countries who will simultaneously tap a keg of limited one-time-ony lambic beer made by Belgium's Brasserie Cantillon. They are again combining this year's Zwanze Day with their 5th Annual Funk Night, featuring 32+ funky, sour, and barrel-aged beers along with funky tunes and eats. Tickets are $25.

GLB and Friends Danforth Pub Crawl
If you're among those who don't buy up Zwanze Day tickets in minutes, there is also a great pub crawl happening on the 19th wherein Great Lakes Brewery, Left Field Brewery and Junction Craft will lead thirsty folks on a tour of the East that includes The Wren, Sauce, Morgans, Rails and Ales, The Only, Court Jester, and Factory Girl. No cost to tag along and there will be giveaways.

Sunday September 20

Mill Street's TBW Brewmasters Dinner
Always a great beer/food events, this Mill Street Brewmaster's dinner will feature five meals that each represent something from a Toronto neighbourhood, paired with a unique beer. There will also be live entertainment from The Clearing. Tickets are $69.99.

Monday September 21

The Amsterdam / Indie Alehouse Farmhouse Beer Dinner
Back before seasonal ales became a mandatory marketing ploy, the area along the Belgian-French border was known for beers made by farmers who brewed beer to provide their seasonal workers. Sip six beers made in this traditional style alongside a three-course, family-style meal made by Amsterdam's Chef Avaughn Wells and Indie Alehouse's Chef Todd Clarmo. Tickets: $60

Tuesday September 22

Great Lakes / Nickelbrook Tap Takeover
Great Lakes Brewery is teaming up with Nickelbrrok to takeover the taps at The Wren. There will be six beers from each brewery including a The vaguely offensive sounding GLB Nickelbrook collaboration "Creepy Bitch." Mmm? No admission fee.

Wednesday September 23

The Golden Tap Awards
Something like the people's choice awards for beer in Ontario, the Golden Taps celebrates everyone's favourites in a variety of beery categories, including Best Brew Pub, Best Seasonal Beer, and more. Don't forget to cast your vote for your favourite beer writer (AHEM) who may or may not be looking to repeat the honour of being named the Best Beer Writer in Ontario.

Thursday September 24

Craft Your Change
From 7pm - 10pm The Loose Moose will play host to a one-night event that brings 15 great causes to a space where you can enjoy a beer and learn about places to volunteer in the city. Each organization will speak for one minute about their cause, then you'll have the opportunity to chat with them and discuss what you can offer. Tickets are $15 and include your first pint.

Friday September 25

With just two official events scheduled as the time of this post, I'm not going to make a pick for this day. Check the official event calendar early next week and choose your own adventure Friday night. What, do I have to do everything for you?

Saturday September 26

Mill Street's Oktoberfest
Close out your Toronto Beer Week experience by ushering in the myriad Oktoberfest events that are about to put your liver through the paces all over again. The 3rd Annual Mill Street Oktoberfest party will feature live music, polka bands, bavarian dancers, and, presumably, lots of beer. Tickets are $25 and include entry, a commemorative stein, and three beer tokens.

What did I miss? Add your most-anticipated Toronto Beer Week events in the comments.

Ben Johnson also writes about beer over on Ben's Beer Blog. Vote for him as your favourite beer writer in the 2015 Golden Tap Awards and he'll rub your back.

The best restaurants for private dining in Toronto offer the perfect backdrop for birthday parties, stags, wedding showers and corporate events. The restaurants on this list offer private spaces, customizable menus and, best of all, the ability to leave the party planning, prep, and ensuing mess to professionals.

Here are the best restaurants for private dining in Toronto.

TIFF 2015 is here and whether you've purchased tickets in advance or intend to score rush seats, you're going to get hungry. Between hopping from theatre to theatre and queuing up early to get a good seat, festival-goers need to be strategic about where to eat.

Here are my picks for the top places to eat near TIFF 2015 movie theatre locations.

TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX
During the opening days of the fest, King West in front of the Lightbox is closed to vehicular traffic so the best thing to do is grab takeout from a nearby spot like Union Juice or O&B Canteen and park yourself at a picnic table. Not as time starved or in need of libations? Mascot Brewery, Bar Hop or Khao San Road could be the answer.

ELGIN/WINTER GARDEN THEATRES
Need a jolt of caffeine or sandwich between screenings? Walk south to Dineen. Little Fin, Richtree Natural Market or Urban Eatery will work well if you're in a rush and don't need anything fancy. For something more substantial, join the crowds at Paramount, Bannock or Santouka Ramen. For a glam date night The Chase or Richmond Station are your best bets.

SCOTIABANK THEATRE
Get caffeinated at Dark Horse or stop by Kanga (savoury handheld pies) or Me Va Me Express (laffa sandwich) when you need to fill up while waiting in line. Dinner and a movie date nights should check out PaiByblos or Peter Pan. Thoroughbred couldn't be more conveniently located for after screening cocktails. For beer and highlights of the Jays game there's The Ballroom or Queen St. Warehouse.

PRINCESS OF WALES and ROY THOMSON HALL
Just east of the TIFF epicentre, these two venues will be screening many of the galas and big buzz films. Get into the festive spirit with tacos and tequila on the patio of El Patio or indoors at El Caballito. For pizza and a movie your best bet is Pizzeria Libretto while Momofuku Noodle Bar, The Drake 150 and Ja Bistro are all popular date-worthy spots within short walking distance.

AGO
The Village By The Grange food court is your friend during TIFF offering an abundance of quick and easy edibles just steps from the theatre. Try Mean Bao if you're unsure where to start. If you're not in a rush head up McCaul to Baldwin Village where you'll find Kinton Ramen slinging bowls of noodles soup and Kekou scooping up Asian inspired gelato.

ISABEL BADER
Located on UofT campus means this theatre is slightly removed from the action. Your best bet is to head up to Bloor and dine in style at La Societe or Museum Tavern. Slightly more wallet friendly options include Asuka (sushi), and The Oxley (pub food). For a star spotting kind of night book well in advance to get in at Yorkville hotspots Buca or Kasa Moto.

THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
The theatre in The Annex is well equipped to keep festival-goers fuelled on the cheap. Ghazi situated at the mouth of the theatre has all your juice needs covered, while The Common is a great alternative to all the chain coffee houses in the 'hood. If you've got time to kill between screenings get a table at Guu, but if you're in a hurry snag a slice from Za Pizzeria or falafel from Sarah's Shawarma.

RYERSON
Head to Bulldog Coffee or Balzac's when craving a coffee before queuing up. Quick bites are best had at Banh Mi Boys or Fresh East, while sit down spots Raijin, Guu Izakaya, Reds Midtown and Salad King are within walking distance. When your midnight screening lets out in the wee hours head to Lou Dawg's or Big Slice for some late night grub.

What did I miss? Add more places to eat during TIFF to the comments. Top photo of Mascot Brewery.

Photo by b.m.a.n. in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto you can hit up live shows at some of the city's most beloved venues. INDIE88 is hosting their weekly Nu Music Night with The Budds, Navigate the Sky, and The Classy Chassys taking the stage. Or, if you're jonesing for some street eats, the John Fluevog lot will be hosting food trucks for lunch and dinner services.

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

• Until the Ribbon Breaks and Summer Heart (The Drake Lounge)
• The Budds, Navigate the Sky, and The Classy Chassys(Horseshoe Tavern)
• Click, Bait & Switch (The Second City)
• Boards and Booty (The Steady)
• The Keyhole Sessions: Phoenix Rising
• Tell Me Something Good
• The EW Reading Series
• Life and Tech Wearable Technology Expo

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

Photo of Navigate the Sky via their Facebook page.