One of the greatest joys of the pre-download era was flipping through album art larger than a thumbnail image. (Nerding out with liner notes was fun, too.) You can't always judge an album by its cover, of course, but a good one certainly helps. Subconsciously, great music can make you appreciate the record jacket that much more - and vice versa.

Here are five Toronto rap albums that got me hyped before I even tore off the cellophane.

Kardinal Offishall, Not 4 Sale
The photography is spectacular, the eyes are intense, but it's the barcode over the mouth that is most striking on this 2008 release. "There's energy you can't buy -- the essence of people that can't be bought or bottled, and lives within them. That's how I feel about myself -- I can't be bought," Kardi said at the time.

D-Sisive, Let the Children Die
The framed family photo, the tiny piano, the stork mask... this LP jacket encapsulates Derek Christoff's shedding of his punchline-popping image perfectly. This is where D-Sisive's art and his album artwork starts getting seven shades darker and more interesting.

Marco Polo & Ruste Juxx, The eXXecution
Probably my favourite cover of the batch. Fantastic Toronto producer Marco Polo's under-heard full-length collaboration with Brooklyn gutter emcee Ruste Juxx on Duck Down is packaged in something sinister and slick. It's like Alfred Hitchcock designed a rap album cover.

Frankenstein, UV
Love this image covering producer/MC Frankenstein's 1997 EP. The warmth of his hypnotic beats can leave the listener feeling submerged. Plus, the yellow "UV" pops beautifully.

K-os, Exit
Although the artwork of this album's later copies is well-executed (hey, a lion!), I've always been partial to the paradox of the EXIT sign that glows green, not red. Powerful in its simplicity.

What did I miss? Add your favourite Toronto rap album covers in the comments.

There's good news brewing for local hot chocolate fanatics. Montreal chain Cacao 70 is coming to Toronto, with plans to open its first location at 28 Gristmill Lane in the Distillery District. The space was formerly home to Balzac's temporary location, but you can expect the new tenant to be up and running by the end of October.

Cacao 70 currently operates six locations with four in Montreal but we're told they have ambitious expansion. You can expect the Distillery District cafe to be joined by other locations in downtown Toronto over the next year.

The concept of the chain is unlike any of Toronto's current chocolate specialty shops - they offer 15+ hot chocolate varieties (starting at $9.25) as well as full brunch and dessert menus. They're also licensed for those who want their chocolate spiked or are hankering for a beer.

Among the more noteworthy food offerings is the marshmallow dessert pizza, which features warm pizza crust topped with chunks of chocolate, roasted marshmallows, strawberries and bananas. The brunch options range from the savoury (omelettes and grilled sandwiches) to the sweet (numerous chocolate-topped crepes).

If the Montreal locations are any indication, Cacao 70 will be open reasonably late (10am-11pm during the week and 10am-12am Friday and Saturday).

Photo via Cacao 70's Instagram feed

The top free events in Toronto this week include one of the biggest of the year: Nuit Blanche. Come Saturday night, Toronto will be filled with cost-free exhibitions and crawling with art-lovers from sunset to sunrise. If you'd rather steer clear of crowds, there's also a comedy night, global smoothie day, and more on tap.

Here's what to do if you're desperately awaiting your next paycheque.

The St. Royals (September 28)
Make this Monday a little less boring by kicking off your week with a free concert at the Drake Lounge. Soul and funk music is the name of the game for the St. Royals, so if you like to dance this one's for you.

Comedy on College (September 29)
Having an off week? Lighten it up with some laughs at Comedy on College this Tuesday. The free show will feature stand-up by Ben Hur, Nour Hadidi, Courtney Gilmour, Kyle Andrews, Gerry Hall, and more. If you've got a couple bucks to spare, the food and drinks at Pour Boy are very budget-friendly.

Canada's Walk of Fame Festival (September 29 - October 1)
Dundas Square will be alive this week with performances, food trucks, films, and more from Tuesday to Thursday. Hosted by comedian Johnny Gardhouse, the event will have all your favourite festival activities free of charge.

Global Smoothie Day (October 3)
Head to Trinity Bellwoods this Saturday before Nuit Blanche kicks off for Global Smoothie Day. The event is BYOP (bring your own produce), so you can conjure up the perfect blend. This is the perfect time to clean out your fridge plus there will be free yoga lessons, musicm and more.

Nuit Blanche (October 3)
Nuit Blanche returns this Saturday for its 10th year. There's over 60 contemporary art projects scattered around the downtown core for your viewing pleasure. I would advise spending the day getting some shut eye if you plan to stay out until morning.

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

Toronto never really embraced the aerial walkway. In fact, it's been official city policy for decades to discourage and even suggest the dismantling of such structures.

While Calgary developed the world's largest network of overhead pedestrian bridges, a kind of aerial version of Toronto's PATH network, this city for the most part kept its feet on the ground.

That said, the city did briefly flirt with the idea of vertically separated streets as evidenced by the walkway around the edge of Nathan Phillips Square. In the 1960s, urban planners generally thought that cars, pedestrians, and public transit should be kept apart, and complex networks of bridges and tunnels were planned in urban centres across the continent.

That thinking changed in the 1970s and 1980s when it became clear mixed use streets--ones that allow a variety of uses--tended to be the most desirable. "The more you treat the environment as hostile, the more hostile it will become," said Marc Baroness, the city's director of architecture and urban design in 1990. "What's wrong with crossing at grade?"

Despite the city's plans, Toronto has allowed at numerous pedestrian walkways to be built.

These are my favourite ones scattered around Toronto.

St. Michael's Hospital
Another recent addition to Toronto's aerial footpath scene connects the main St. Michael's Hospital building and the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute on the opposite side of Shuter St. The bridge is about 18 metres long and four metres in diameter and was made in Germany by Gartner Steel and Glass, shipped to New York, and trucked to Toronto before being hoisted in place on October 23, 2010.

Canada Life
Hidden down the back of the Canada Life building on University, a two-tier bridge over Simcoe St. connects the insurance company's famous headquarters to a 10-storey addition that was completed in 1971 to designs by architectural firm Marani, Rounthwaite & Dick. The brutalist walkway is one of the city's oldest such structures.

Eaton Centre
Built during construction of the second phase of the Eaton Centre, the walkway between Simpsons department store and Toronto's downtown mall is supported by two giant steel girders 95 and 110 feet long. It took about three hours to crane the frame of the structure into place in September, 1978. A major renovation is currently in the works.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre
In an effort to keep pedestrians off nearby streets, in 1978 the city built a pedestrian walkway between the subway station and shopping centre at Yorkdale. Starting under the Allen, the structure passes over Yorkdale Rd. and enters the mall parking lot via the GO bus terminal.

The SkyWalk
The aptly named pedestrian walkway was completed in 1989 in the hopes that it would discourage people from driving to the ball park. Plans to build rapid transit in that direction that never materialized, and the SkyWalk promised to help mitigate issues with crowd control. The most famous part of the structure, the barrel-vaulted passage that runs parallel to Station St., is due to be replaced as part of a planned office development.

Ryerson University
The city was initially against the idea of an elevated pedestrian walkway here, claiming it would kill the street life on Church. In protest, a 1,000 Ryerson students crossed Church en masse to illustrate the crowd control issues that could arise if the bridge remained unbuilt. Eventually, it was concern over the safety of wheelchair users that turned the tide in favour of the bridge.

SickKids
The impressive walkway over Elizabeth St. was completed in 1993 to designs by the Zeidler Roberts Partnership, making it a kind of sibling to the Eaton Centre bridge. The design of the atrium represented a significant architectural departure for SickKids: the light-filled structure eschewed the standard institutional look of other hospitals for indoor fountains and trees.

PATH Pedestrian Bridge
The most recent addition to this list might not have the sexiest name, but it sure has a cool view. The PATH extension from the Air Canada Centre down to Queens Quay actually features two bridges that span both the Gardiner and Lake Shore Blvd., allowing users to gaze down at the cars whizzing by below. The final section opened in October 2014.

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

Images: Morris Lum (St. Mike's), Paul Howarth (Yorkdale), brian cameron (Ryerson), twurdemann (SkyWalk), Brian K YYZ (Canada Life), Roof Topper (Eaton Centre), Google Street View (SickKids), WZMH Architects (PATH pedestrian bridge).

Fall sometimes gets overlooked as a beer drinking season. In the summer, a beer goes naturally with patio socializing and in the winter, shut in from the cold, beer provides solace. But who's to say beer isn't just as important when the leaves are changing and the temperature is starting to drop?

Here are my picks for the top Toronto beers this fall (and a suggestion of when to drink them).

Vienna Looping Amber Pils from Junction Craft Brewery, 5.2%
Another under-the-radar beer from Junction Craft, this amber-coloured Vienna Lager is fairly subtle with a crisp finish and just some lingering sweetness. A great autumn alternative to your summer lagers.

Drink one: In the sun after you finish raking leaves.
Find it: Available at Junction Craft's on-site retail store in 500ml bottles for $3.85 and in growlers for $15 (plus a $10 refundable deposit).

Six Boroughs Bourbon Barrel-Aged Rye Porter by Amsterdam Brewery, 10%
Brewed by Amsterdam Brewmaster Iain MacOustra as the official beer of Toronto Beer Week, just 2,200 limited edition bottles of this beer were released in the GTA. Aged nine months in Four Roses Bourbon barrels, this pitch-black porter has all kinds of coffee, caramel, and chocolate aromas and a spicy, rye finish.

Drink one: On the first fall day you feel that winter is truly coming, or on a day you saw too many "winter is coming" meme jokes on Facebook.
Find it: Available in 500mL bottles in the LCBO for a limited time for $7.95.

Dry-Hopped Tripel by Cameron's Brewing Co., 7.5%
Something of a twist on the Belgian Tripel, this interesting beer has a vaguely bubble-gummy, banana aroma and flavours somewhat reminiscent of white wine and citrus. A unique take on a tripel.

Drink one: With a nice Sunday dinner to show your snobby friends that beer can be just as interesting as wine when paired with the right meal.
Find it: Wherever you can. While this beer popped up at a few Toronto Beer Week events, full details of its release have not yet been made available.

Great Lakes Brewery's Pumpkin Ale, 5.5%
While I'm usually no fan of pumpkin beer, GLB's Pumpkin Ale has become something of an example of how the style can be done subtly. There are hints of allspice and cinnamon in the aroma and flavour, but the lasting impression is more bright, fruit flavours than cloying vanilla sweetness.

Drink one: When your next door neighbour comes over to borrow something from your garage but ends up staying really long and telling you his kid has been caught with drugs and that his wife is leaving. This beer will give you something to use to change the subject.
Find it: Available at the LCBO and the Great Lakes retail store. $4.95 for a 650 mL bottle

The Rabbit of Caerbonnog by Indie Alehouse and Bar Hop, 5%
A little-known secret about seasonal beer is that you can actually drink whatever the hell you want regardless of what the weather is like. So this cloudy white IPA with tropical fruit, citrus, and spicy wheat aromas and flavours will suit you just fine this Autumn.

Drink one: After a long soul-searching walk in the woods where you realize you're not at all doing what you want with your life, but then you don't make any changes.
Find it: On tap at Indie Alehouse, Bar Hop, and a handful of other Toronto bars.

Raspberry Uber Berliner Weisse by Nickel Brook Brewery, 5.3%
If you've had Uber Berliner Weisse, you're probably already in your car on your way to Burlington to pick up this version made with raspberries. Blood red, tart, and fruity,this one will have broad appeal from beer fans and newbies alike.

Drink one: After a bitter sweet day picking fruit where you took home a nice haul, but you're pretty sure you lost your good scarf.
Find it: In very limited supply on tap, in growlers, and in 750ml bottles for $8.95 at Nickel Brook's retail store at $7.95 for a 750ml bottle.

Brett Farmhouse Saison by Burdock, 6%
One among many pleasant surprises you'll find at the newly-opened Burdock Brewery, this Farmhouse Saison brewed with brettanomyces is a delightful combination of fruity, pineapple sweetness and barnyard funkiness.

Drink one: After a late season bike ride to Burdock where you sit on the patio, sample everything else they have on tap, then insist on getting have some to take home.
Find it: In 500ml at Burdock's bottle shop for $7.00

Imposter Syndrome Hoppy Farmhouse Ale by Habits Gastropub / Folly Brewpub, 6.8%
The gastropub soon-to-be-formerly-known-as-Habits will shortly officially become Folly Brewpub, and regardless of what name is on the door, brewers Christina Coady and Chris Conway are making an always great line-up of saisons, farmhouse ales, and sours. This aromatic, grassy, citrusy, funky hopped saison is a great introduction to their lineup.

Drink one: After one of those weird transit rides where it's just you and one other person and you forgot your ear buds so you're bored and you just keep staring at them and getting caught.
Find it: Available on tap at Habits, this will hopefully be among the bottles available when Folly Brewpub launches with a retail store in October.

Grandstand Hoppy Wheat by Left Field Brewery, 5.5%
Probably a style more traditionally suited to warmer days, this beer's an excellent way to hang on to summer just a little longer. Aromatic hops impart bright citrus notes and a 50% wheat / malt bill keeps this juicy, fruity glass of sunshine refreshing.

Drink one: After an exhausting chase catching up to and climbing aboard the Toronto Blue Jays bandwagon.
Find it: Still on tap at a few Toronto bars, but fleeting, like the sweet, dusky sunset of summer. Or whatever.

Oaktoberfest by Black Oak Brewery, 4.7%
Back in the day, there were certain times of year when brewing was forbidden in Germany. As a result, brewers made beer in March that could last through summer to the end of season. This style was thus called a Märzen and was traditionally polished off at Oktoberfest. It wouldn't be fall without a nod to the malty, biscuity, toffee-y Märzen.

Drink one: At home, watching football, being thankful you didn't get duped into attending any silly, loud, lederhosen-bedecked Oktoberfest parties.
Find it: On tap in Toronto bars and in 650mL bottles at Black Oak's retail store for $6.95.

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

Ben Johnson also writes about beer over on Ben's Beer Blog. Tweet him invitations to jump in your leaf pile @Ben_T_Johnson.

Photo by Matt Forsythe

The first Canadian flagship of this high-end, boutique bakery from the Taiwanese company behind bubble tea chain Chatime has opened in North York. While Chinese bakery staples like pork floss buns and sausage rolls can be found here, there are also intriguing fusion offerings like kimchi-and-cream-cheese French breads and baguettes covered in fish roe and wasabi mayo.

Read my profile of Bake Code in the bakeries section.

If you wanted to track the profound development that Toronto has experienced since the population boom of the 1970s, you'd probably examine the transformation of the skyline over the last 40 years or check out aerial photos of the city. There is, however, a subterranean way to do this as well: just take a look at the explosion of the PATH.

Before it took the name we currently use, the PATH was known as the Underground City. It doesn't have an official opening date, but its origin point can be traced to the skyscraper boom that began in the late 1960s. When the Financial District modernized and new towers were built, they were linked with one another and an underground network blossomed.

t wasn't until 1987 that the city of Toronto took the reins for coordinating the PATH, which probably accounts for the early reputation it garnered for being impossible to navigate. Some still think that, though wayfinding signage has greatly improved over the last decade or so.

Back in the mid to late 1970s, you just had to gain your bearings via exploration and the modest signs that highlighted the entrance points to new buildings, but even back then you could walk underground from the Eaton Centre to Union Station.

The current north and south points of the PATH are the Toronto Coach Terminal and Waterpark Place at Queens Quay, respectively. A host of interconnections have also been added, and the networks has expanded well beyond University Avenue to the southwest (though the SkyWalk isn't of course underground).

The construction of an underground city in a place with winters like Toronto was always a good idea, but it's remarkable to look back on how modest it was to begin with. There were 14 buildings linked in the system; now the directory spills over a page. While it's lifeless on weekends and late evenings, there's still a world to be explored at our feet.

This summer was the season of music festivals in Toronto with new arrivals like Bestival and WayHome joining the likes of Field Trip and TURF. Even Luminato got in on the fun by landing Polish electronic music fest Unsound which opened up the Hearn to the public with stunning results.

Here are our picks for the best and worst music festivals in Toronto this summer.

BEST

Field Trip
Field Trip has managed to improve every year since its inception in 2012. Comedy showcases, vendors, art installations, VR demos, food trucks and yet somewhere in there 30 bands managed to perform on two stages. MF

Unsound
When news broke that Unsound was coming to Toronto and that it would go down at the Hearn, electronic music fans' hearts were aflutter. And it didn't disappoint. A pitch-perfect lineup was highlighted by Tim Hecker's stunning and immersive Ephemera. DF

Panamania
The PanAm Games organizers went all-out when it came to a music line-up for a once-in-a-lifetime event. The Roots, Chromeo, Janelle Monae, Flaming Lips, Joel Plaskett, and hundreds more....for free! Always decent sight lines and sound that worked if you were close enough, Panamania definitely helped buoy the spirits of PanAm haters. MF

WayHome
Being the new (big) kid on the block, critics were ready to hate WayHome. Here's how well it went: after the event, anytime a reviewer could find anything negative to say, it was immediately followed with "but I'm sure they'll fix it next year." I've never heard a festival garner that much goodwill in year one. Believe the hype. MF

Camp Wavelength
Artscape Gilbraltar Point provided the perfect backdrop for Wavelength to continue the tradition of presenting grassroots events that celebrate community. Sets by Anamai, Moon King, Dirty Frigs, Holy F*ck and Do Make Say Think were some of the highlights. ESP

GOOD

Bestival
Bestival came with a lot of hype, which isn't surprising given its ambitious plans for the Toronto Islands. And it mostly delivered. The costumes were wacky, the non-musical entertainment was above average, and the lineup was solid. DF

TIME
TIME Festival's attempt at appeasing different crowds landed them in a grey area where fans of specific genres were left wondering what to do with themselves during off-sets. Some loved the DJs, some came for the hip-hop, but no one had anything bad to say about the affordable ticket price. MF

TURF
Setting an attendance record on Saturday, thanks in part to Cake and Wilco, TURF knows its target audience. Sunday got a little buzzier with stellar performances by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Pixies, who despite their advancing years seem to be getting fresher. Frank Black easily has one of the greatest screaming voices ever, but maybe a few more hits next time? ESP

Riot Fest
This muddy mess just keeps getting better. This year's lineup was the strongest yet with something for people of all-ages and tastes. Strong sets by Drive Like Jehu, Jazz Cartier, and Weezer kept the capacity crowd on their feet. ESP

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

NXNE
While many lauded the festival's ultimate decision to drop Action Bronson from its lineup, festival organizers took too long to cancel his performance at Yonge-Dundas square. Also, it was one of the weakest lineups in years.

Digital Dreams
Festival organizers cancelled the first day at the last minute much to the ire of attendees who had already headed down to the wet, muddy grounds. Day two was still a mess but the party went down anyway, ruined shoes and all. DF

How would you rate the music festival in Toronto this summer? Let us know in the comments.

Contributions by Matt Forsythe, Evan Sue-Ping, and Derek Flack

Today in Toronto Just for Laughs is in full swing and funny men and women are taking over comedy clubs across the city. Who's performing tonight? John Hodgman, Paul Virzi, Rachel Feinstein, and more. If comedy's not your thing, head to Miss Thing's to kick back with a cocktail and watch the Miguel Torres Pisco Competition go down.

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

• Just for Laughs (Various Locations)
• Bring Your Own Vinyl (Pour Boy)
• St. Royals (Drake Lounge)
• Miguel Torres Pisco Competition (Miss Thing's)
• Future Legends at The Horseshoe (Horseshoe Tavern)
• Art House Monday (Harlem Underground)

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

Woofstock returned with a bang, er bark, this weekend with hundreds of canines and their owners showing off doggy costumes that ranged from the wacky to the dainty. Of course, not every dog was dressed to the nines, but the cuteness factor was out of this world even for those pups who were au natural.

Check out all the heart-melting pups in our style section.

On Saturday night, members of the non-violent animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) staged a protest at the Keg Mansion for their #DogMeatPlease campaign. As diners munched on steak, the small group walked through the restaurant holding signs that read, "It's not food. It's violence," while one member shouted about the inhumane treatment of animals.

In a Facebook post, DxE explained why they protest in this manner. "First, our goal isn't so much to disrupt the people who are in an establishment, or even to disrupt the establishment itself (although obviously we are disrupting both).

Our goal is bigger. Our goal is to disrupt the society and the social norms that make the exploitation of animals acceptable. By taking videos of our actions and sharing them on social media, we reach and provoke discussion with the broader public - who we are really trying to disrupt."

A video submitted to Reddit by ilovedillpickles and posted to YouTube by Vegan Gains captures the whole scene, which might be painful to watch if you're not so good in socially awkward situations.

What do you think? Is this an effective way to spread the group's message?

This old school Jewish deli on McCaul doesn't do smoked meat. Sure the staple from Montreal might be more famous, but this deli sticks to the iconic Toronto tradition that is pastrami. If you're unfamiliar, this is the place to try the old school deli meat served warm and sliced ultra thin then piled high between rye bread.

Read my profile of Sid's Deli in the restaurants section.

If you're noticing an influx of pesky little insects, you're not alone. But don't worry. While annoying, these bugs, known as chironomids (or more colloquially as midges), won't hurt you. Although, you may want to mind your drinks or take caution while cycling and running over the next few days.

That's because it's mating season for the midges. Each spring and fall, and up to four times per year, female midges fly about in swarms trying to find apt male partners. You can usually see lots of them by the lake, but the wind can carry them northbound. And, since hatching midges like to hang out by light sources, the CBC notes that they're often attracted to the condos by Lake Shore.

The attack of the midges won't last long and we'll hopefully see less of these non-biting bugs over the next few days. Until then, keep your mouth shut and your doors closed. Sorry.

Photo by Andy Carroll in the blogTO Flickr pool.

In the same vein as this win a Vermont Inn essay contest, Toronto restaurateur Ruthie Cummings has launched a contest to win Das Gasthaus, the German gastropub she's trying to unload prompted by the noble intent to leave town to care for her aging parents.

For an entry fee of $150 (or a 500 word essay on the topic of "How can the quality of care for seniors be improved in Canada?) would-be restaurant operators will be entered for a chance to instantly own the Danforth establishment, complete with licenses, furnishings and equipment (a value determined to be $144,550).

What happens to the restaurant after it changes hands is up to the winner. Whether to carry on as is, change the menu and/or restaurant name, or simply liquidate the prize are all options outlined in the contest press release.

While the official rules read that "there are no liens, taxes, or debts associated with the prize," the winner will still be required to qualify for a lease take-over and obviously assume all operating expenses... and expend every other ounce of resources to make the place profitable.

There are 4,000 entry spots being reserved for the contest, which, if taken, would net Cummings $600,000. The question is, of course, how many people will actually enter? The prize sounds enticing at first blush, but are there thousands of people out there hankering to run or sell a restaurant?

Does it sound like a dream come true? Or more like a viable premise for a 2015 remake of The Money Pit?

The top events in Toronto for October will offer you the chance to celebrate Halloween at Wes Anderson's iconic hotel, The Grand Budapest (but really the Gladstone). Dress up in your finest Lobby Boy outfit, or head to Church Street for their annual party (which never disappoints). Before that, there's everything from a poutine eating contest to a lightsaber battle - so really, all the bases are covered.

Here are my picks for the top events in Toronto this October.

Nuit Blanche (October 3)
Nuit Blanche returns for its 10th year on October 3. There's over 60 contemporary art projects scattered around the downtown core for your viewing pleasure. I would advise spending the day getting some shut eye if you plan to stay out until morning.

World Poutine Eating Championship (October 3)
If you can't get enough of Canada's favourite salty snack, Dundas Square is where to be on the first Saturday of the month. Competitors will go head to head, devouring mountains fo poutine to determine the most gluttonous eater. If you're not a contender,Smoke's Poutinerie will be serving up free poutine from 10-4, which is pretty sweet.

X Avant X (October 15-18)
While there are more than enough killer concerts happening this fall, X Avant is where to go if you're looking for a music festival this October. Head to The Music Gallery to catch shows by Absolutely Free, Tyondai Braxton, and many more over the course of the four-day event.

Toronto After Dark (October 15-23)
The annual horror, sci-fi, and cult film fest is rolling back into town on October 15th for a 9-day stint. There won't be any star-studded galas (a la TIFF) accompanying the films, but if you're into all things petrifying and paranormal, this one's for you. Check out the full list of films here.

Big City Improv Fest (October 16-24)
Admittedly, Just For Laughs, ending October 3rd, is a hard act to follow for any comedy festival. Big City Improv won't, however, go gently into that good night, as it's bringing many comedic greats to the city. Expect to see the likes of Colin Mochrie, Scott Adist, Deb McGrath and tons more funny men and women when the shows kick off on October 16th.

Art Toronto (October 23-26)
Art Toronto takes over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for one weekend per year to present modern and contemporary art from around the world. For the 2015 edition, it's spotlighting Latin America with a curated section of galleries and projects from Mexico as well as South and Central America.

Buffer Festival (October 23-25)
The Buffer Festival is like TIFF but for Youtube. The event showcases international video content from Youtube's finest creators through theatrical screenings and gives fans the opportunity to meet some of their favourites. Also look forward to a red carpet gala event and free meetups prior to screenings.

Cask Days (October 23-25)
If you're only going to attend one beer event this fall, it's got to be Cask Days. Arguably the best annual beer event held in Toronto if not all of Ontario, this year the 11th annual tribute to real ale returns to the Brickworks over five separate sessions featuring 150 participating breweries and over 300 beers. Tiered access tickets range from $35-$80 and are already selling fast.

Ligthsaber Battle Toronto (October 24)
If you can't wait until the new Star Wars movie premieres later this year, you can awaken the force earlier thanks to a showdown that'll pit Jedi versus Sith for an epic-sounding lightsaber battle happening in the nearby galaxy of Toronto. Organized by homegrown company Newmindspace, the battle is scheduled to go down on October 24.

The Grandstone Budapest Hotel (October 31)
On October 31st say goodbye to The Gladstone and hello to The Grand Budapest Hotel. The venue is being transformed into the iconic establishment, complete with Gustave the concierge and a Mendl's Patisserie (aka Glory Hole Doughnuts). Wes Anderson isn't everyone's cup of tea, so if you aren't up for crafting a Lobby Boy costume, head to Church Street for the annual bash.

What did I miss? Let us know what us know what events you're most looking forward to this October in the comments.

With contributions from Maria Vanta, Ben Johnson, and Amy Grief.

Photo of Cask Days.

Toronto's first Cider Festival cropped up this past Saturday at Yonge and Dundas Square. Despite its location at one of the busiest intersections in Canada, organizers tried to give the fest a country feel by laying out straw, hay bails and barrels throughout the fenced off section of the public square. Attendees seemed to arrive on theme wearing an abundance of plaid.

Like the Ontario Cider Week, this festival gave enthusiasts and newbies a chance to taste this country's delicious and fruity offerings. Upon entering the evening session (the second of the day-long event) I got a mini mason jar stuffed with drink tickets, each one redeemable for a sample. I took a seat at one of the tables surrounding event sponsor Angry Orchards' booth to participate in the VIP food and cider pairing led by Doris Miculan Bradley.

Afterwards, I joyfully spent my remaining tickets trying various Canadian craft ciders. A standout was the County Cider Company, known for its Waupoos Premium Cider. For the festival, the Prince Edward County-based company infused its pear cider with ginger to create a refreshing, yet satisfyingly spicy beverage.

Other participating brands included Thornbury, Forbidden, Spirit Tree, Grow A Pear, Brickworks Cider House, Shiny Apple Cider, Ironwood, Revel Cider Company, Duxbury Cider Company, Pommies Cider Company and Okanagan.

Alongside the cider, Calvados Boulard served up sample shots of its sweet, yet potent apple brandy. These definitely helped festival-goers warm-up as the sun went down.

On the food truck front, Tdot's Naansense, The Salted Pig and Mustache Burger, as well as The Mighty Cob, were on hand to ensure that there was plenty of food available to soak up all the hard cider. And, all four vendors accepted sample tickets as payment making it easy to go cash free.

DJ SoundBwoy provided the soundtrack for the night. During the earlier session, which ran from noon until 4 p.m., Fleetwood Mac cover band Fleetwood Mix entertained the day-drinking crowd. Organizers placed nostalgic games such as Jenga and Connect Four atop barrels to let all of us unleash our inner grade-schoolers as we sipped on our grown-up apple juice.

Throughout the evening I heard the occasional mechanical whirring noise. When I located the source, I foundGerald Guenkel creating chainsaw sculptures. Artist Olga Pankova did live paintings while I was there and Vera Malitskaya did the same at the earlier session.

Despite a long lineup at the door, and at some booths, it was relatively easy to get samples. For its inaugural year, the Toronto Cider Festival ran smoothly and even sold out for its evening session. It was difficult to differentiate between each of the ciders after trying a few. However, that could be remedied by adding more variations in the coming years.

Jim Karygiannis isn't a fan of Uber. In July, the Ward 39 councillor warned Uber users that they could face fines up to $20,000 for hailing the ride sharing service. Less than one month later, he confronted an UberX driver who was picking up a passenger in Scarborough.

On September 24, he released an open letter to the Prime Minister alleging that Uber doesn't pay HST. Since Toronto city councillors are so fond of Twitter, he tweeted it out on the same day and subsequently received mixed feedback.

Redditor Fla_fla_flunky posted a particularly eloquent part of the online conversation after Karygiannis replied to Twitter user @HarryEatsBagels in the wee hours of the morning.

The subsequent discussion on Twitter hinges on two issues (well, three if you include the all-caps response from Karygiannis): 1) whether Uber drivers are legally on the hook to pay HST because as independent contractors, they'd need to file it only if they made more than $30,000 in a 12-month period, and 2) whether or not licensed taxi drivers are skipping out on HST when they make pre-arranged cash-fare deals.

We compiled the Karygiannis conversation below. Let us know what you think.

Old City Hall at Queen and Bay streets could be turned a shopping mall when the provincial and municipal courts clear out of the building some time in the next decade.

Nothing has been decided yet, but a real estate brokerage firm hired by the city believes opening up the building to retail, food service, and leisure-focused businesses is the best way to generate money from the 116-year-old heritage structure.

A report that's due to be considered by the city's Government Management Committee on Oct. 5 suggests tenants might be selected based on a theme, such as technology and innovation, arts and culture, or "the best of Toronto."

The courtyard/parking lot in the centre of Old City Hall, which was previously set aside for use by a museum of Toronto (should there ever be one that requires a physical space,) may end up being used for another, as yet unknown purpose.

Museum artifacts, the report states, "could be integrated into the tenant program for Old City Hall if a museum, or dedicated museum space, is not viable."

Old City Hall ceased to be Toronto's municipal headquarters in 1965, when New City Hall opened on the other side of Bay Street. Infrastructure Ontario has leased some of the space on behalf of the provincial courts since 1972.

A new, purpose built court facility is due to be completed by 2023, but right now the city is only willing to allow Infrastructure Ontario to remain at Old City Hall until 2021.

What do you think? Could a retail centre geared towards promoting Toronto businesses be a winner?

Follow Chris Bateman on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: Ben Roffelsen/blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto will have you making the most of Just For Laughs before it wraps up in a few days. Kurt Braunholer, John Hodgman, Aparna Nancherla, and many more will be doing stand up across the city. If that's not your cup of tea, you can always opt to take in some live music at Small World Music Festival.

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

• Just For Laughs (Various Locations)
• BoardAgain (Cardinal Rule)
• Comedy on College (Pour Boy)
• First Tap Finale w/ Oast House Brewers Tap Takeover (Tequila Bookworm)
• Small World Music Festival (Small World Music Centre)
• Andy Warhol Revisited (77 Bloor St. West)

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

DineSafe didn't hand out any red cards this past week, but several popular eateries received conditional passes. Frequent offender Riviera Bakery is once again on the list with a yellow card this week after racking up a half dozen infractions.

See which other establishments disappointed the health inspectors this week.

Ali Baba's Middle Eastern Cuisine (229 Church St.)
Inspected on: September 21, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Amato (1056 Queen St. East)
Inspected on: September 21, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 2, Significant: 4, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Curry Kitchen (117 Dundas St. East)
Inspected on: September 21, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

KOS Restaurant (61 Bellevue Ave.)
Inspected on: September 21, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Riviera Bakery (576 College St.)
Inspected on: September 21, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous foods at 60C (140F) or hotter.

Sabai Sabai (225 Church St.)
Inspected on: September 21, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Drums N Flats (1980 Avenue Rd.)
Inspected on: September 22, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Chatime (132 Dundas St. West)
Inspected on: September 23, 2015
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 1 (Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

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.