Toronto has a new crop of restaurants with excellent wine lists. If there's a trend to take note of in this city as pertains to wine - one that started a few years ago at places like Midfield Wine Bar - it's the desire to get a bit weird with selections by showcasing grapes and producers that most people have never heard of. In other words, interestingness has taken over for juiciness. It was about time.

Here are my picks for the top new restaurants for wine in Toronto.

Alo
A restaurant driven by the concept of an elaborate tasting menu demands a diverse and extensive wine list. Sommelier Christopher Sealy has this covered, and doesn't shy away from unconventional, weird, and rare vintages. It's worth a seat at the bar to sample the by-the-glass options.

Figo
Lauren Hall has assembled an impressive Italian-driven list, which gives a nod to accessibility but doesn't shy away from intriguing producers (e.g. Castello di Verduno). If you've got coin, order the 2007 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino ($205). Heaven in a glass.

Cactus Club Cafe
You'd expect a place with original Basquiats and a $20,000 chandelier to have a fat wine list designed to impress Bay Street power brokers, but in fact this is asurprisingly affordable selection of intriguing bottles from the Old World and close to home (Norman Hardie is a fixture).

Concession Road
I'm not sure there's anyone better equipped to assemble a wine list designed to match the creative combinations of French and global cuisine at Concession Road than sommelier Peter Boyd, who's assembled an intriguing and diverse set of of vintages to highlight Masayuki Tamaru's variously delicate and playful dishes.

Bar Raval
The wine list at Bar Raval isn't long, but it's smartly chosen to go along with the tapas-based menu. It leans heavily on Spain (which makes sense) and central Italy, though there are exceptions. One caveat: by-the-glass options are minimal, so plan on splitting a bottle.

Via Vai
One of the most gorgeous new restaurants in Toronto has a wine list to match. It's unsurprisingly Italian in focus, but the range is excellent and the by-the-glass offerings are adequate to allow diners to explore a bit while soaking up the atmosphere.

Chabrol
Sommelier Christopher Madej has assembled a list that shows off the amazing wine produced in the south of France, but doesn't chain the offerings solely to this region. You will have to stay mostly in this country, though (the list is almost entirely French). But since when is that a bad thing?

Taverna Mercatto
Mercatto may have a corporate-y vibe, but you can't complain about the mini restaurant chain's wine program. The latest iteration of the restaurant is a cavernous but warm room near the ACC with a wine list that should please season ticket holders. A small selection of well-chosen local offerings stand alongside a sprawling list of Italian vintages.

Carens Rosedale
The longstanding Carens location in Yorkville closed early this year, but the brand lives on at its new Rosedale spot (formerly Le Petit Castor), which keeps the menu focused on French bistro classics and still boasts a sweeping wine list that focuses on France but not at the expense of offerings from other regions.

Boxcar Social (Riverside)
Tucked just off of Queen Street East, the second Boxcar Social location is something a of a hidden gem when it comes to wine. Although the list here is relatively small, the majority of vintages are available by the glass, the servers know what they're talking about, and the selections highlight intriguing New World producers.

What did I miss? Add your favourite new spots to drink wine in the comments.

Photo of Cactus Club Cafe by Jesse Milns.

The best new bars in Toronto are an exciting and varied bunch. Some channel Barcelona or Paris (or a tropical tiki paradise) while others make you feel like you're hanging out at a friend's well-designed home. Whether you're in the mood for lawn games or live music to accompany your tipple, there's a bit of something for everyone in these drinking hot spots.

Here are the best bars that opened in Toronto during 2015.

Flower delivery in Toronto is nothing new; this long-standing concept has undoubtedly prevented countless fights over forgotten birthdays and anniversaries. But now, it's even easier to impress your loved ones thanks to startups that'll deliver fresh blooms to you or your loved ones quickly.

From artisanal bouquets wrapped in denim and twine to gold-embossed roses, here are some of the companies trying to up Toronto's flower game.

Tonic Blooms
Founded by childhood "besties" Michael Smaye and Raphi Aronowicz, Tonic Blooms promises delivery in two hours or less. Smaye and Aronowicz offer bouquets - named after women in their lives - succulents as well as colourful truffles from Toronto chef Brandon Olsen.

Flowers in the Box
When ordering online from Flowers in the Box, you can expect a delivery within approximately four hours. This local business launched in October 2015, but its owners have more than 30 years in the industry. You can grab bouquets starting at $40 or spring for the $120 "Charming Flower Box," which includes roses, chocolate and mini macarons from Butter Avenue.

Unique Roses
If candy hearts aren't doing it for you, Unique Roses will print a sweet, little message on a Ecuadorian rose for you. While you won't receive these gold-embossed roses immediately, managing director Wasim Qureshi says his company can hand deliver them - if you're in the GTA - within 24 hours.

Photo via Flowers in a box.

This chain of Jewish bakeries is easy to overlook when brainstorming brunch options. While more prevalent in the inner suburbs of Toronto, this downtown location boasts plenty of seating and a host of excellent all-day brunch options and takeout fare, not to mention fresh bagels.

Read my profile of the Richmond and Spadina location of What A Bagel in the bakery section.

You can celebrate Australia Day in Toronto on Tuesday, January 26 by embracing all things from Down Under. From traditional meat pies and Tim Tams to gambling games and counting down the top 100 songs voted by Aussies, you'll find festivities taking place at a handful of ex-pat operated pubs and restaurants across the city.

Here's where to celebrate Australia Day in Toronto this year.

The Gladstone Hotel
The Australia Day party at the West Queen West hotel kicks off with Aussie-themed trivia at 7.p.m. Look forward to Australian lollies, a Triple J Hottest 100 Countdown, Kanga meat pies, $5 pints, and more.

Hemingway's
The Yorkville bar partners with Beau's and Rebels Australian Football Club for a celebration featuring meat pies, snags on the BBQ, and a Blundstones giveaway starting at 4 p.m..

Hawker Bar
The Southeast Asian snack bar on Ossington celebrates Australian Day on behalf of its Aussie chef. Open from 6 p.m., these guys are also doing a Blundstones giveaway, playing Two-Up (just for fun), and slinging meat pies.

Rose & Crown
The midtown pub hosts its 8th annual Australia Day celebration from 5 p.m.. The evening bills an Aussie menu, trivia, and a Tim Tam eating contest.

The Tranzac
The Annex music venue and cultural centre hosts an Australia Day karaoke party that gets underway at 8 p.m. Expect Tim Tams, vegemite sandwiches, fairy bread, ACDC beer, and a catalogue of Australian hits.

Photo from @EatKanga on Instagram.

If you asked the average Toronto resident to nominate the most touristy intersection in the city, most would select Yonge and Dundas. As a central access point to the Eaton Centre and home to one of the city's largest public gathering spots, it draws huge numbers of visitors for its Time Square-ish vibe, but it'd be difficult to track down many locals who are passionate about the place.

Yonge and Dundas may bustle with activity, but it feels corporate, sanitized and highly regulated. Much of this has to do with the presence of 10 Dundas East, the unfortunate and bland structure that towers over the northeast corner of the intersection. It opened in 2007 (as Toronto Life Square), but the previous buildings were demolished about a decade earlier to pave way for the development.

The adjacent square arrived earlier in the decade, opening in 2002. There was about a five-year period when the east side of the intersection was almost barren on account of these two construction projects, which would forever change the character of the city.

Yonge and Dundas, once the heart of seedy Toronto, was officially cleaned up by the time the square opened. This, of course, was the plan. For years, the city had been looking for a way to revitalize Lower Yonge St. and by 1998 the public square was the centrepiece of the project.

The buildings that were ultimately demolished to pave way for modern day Yonge and Dundas aren't much worth mourning. The southeast corner was home to the World's Biggest Jean Store, while the northeast side hosted a currency exchange and pawn shop. Something has, however, been lost in the transformation of the place.

You have to rewind back to the 1970s to get a sense of what Yonge and Dundas was like in its heyday. At this time, the northeast corner was home to the Brown Derby Tavern, which opened in 1949 and was a mainstay at the intersection. A far cry from Jack Astor's, the Derby was a rough-around-the-edges Toronto institution.

In other words, it wasn't a tourist trap. Yonge and Dundas wasn't just a shopping destination; it was a place you could drink. Even the Hard Rock Cafe, which opened a block south in 1978 (four years after the Derby closed), was a more vibrant place back then.

The whole strip of Yonge St. was focused on a more adult brand of entertainment during this period, be that cocktails, live music or lap dances. Closer to Queen St., the Colonial Tavern was the place to listen to jazz, while north of Dundas you could eat indulge in greasy spoon eats at Tops or late night noodles at Sam the Chinese Food Man.

The area was still broadly touristy, but that wasn't its raison d'etre in the 1970s. On the contrary, even through the 1980s you went here to get a dose of gritty Toronto, to expose yourself to the energy that was always pulsing through this corridor of Yonge St.

The shocking death of Emanuel Jaques in 1977 was the first occasion that led to major calls to clean up the street. People might have tolerated and even liked some of the seediness on Yonge St., but the brutality of the rape and murder of Jaques was a sign that the street had gotten out of control.

In the years that followed, this section of Yonge St. gradually became more retail-focused. The theatres closed, the taverns shut their doors, and in came a mix of hodgepodge mom and pop retail. Mr. Sub occupied the old Brown Derby spot through the 1980s, while Coles Book Store had the southeast corner from the late '70s through the '80s.

This was a transitional period, and one which witnessed the area transform to cater to younger people. The arcades blossomed, the head shops proliferated, and the record stores enjoyed a resurgence at Yonge and Gould.

Yonge and Dundas was still cool in the 1980s. Uptown kids would flock down after school to loiter and play games. The Eaton Centre showed cheap movies at the Cineplex, and Lime Rickey's was about as hip as Toronto restaurants got.

The changes through the 1990s were gradual until the city of Toronto appropriated the land for the Yonge-Dundas Square and 10 Dundas East. All of sudden, the whole east side of the intersection was just gone.

By the time the 2000s rolled around most people were happy to see the construction on these projects finally conclude, but it was apparent that Yonge St. was a very different place.

Sam the Record Man closed in 2007, the same year that 10 Dundas East opened. In some sense this is a coincidence. The old record shop was bound to close at some point, but the alignment of these two events is telling of the current state of Yonge and Dundas.

The intersection is still vibrant, marked by street performers and the occasional protest at Yonge-Dundas Square, but somewhere along the way it lost its soul. Perhaps it happened on that fateful night in 1977. Or perhaps it was 2007. In any case, over those 30 years, everything changed.

Photos from the Toronto Archives. Sam the Record Man photo by Lone Primate.

The future of Goodwill may look dire, but that doesn't give you a reason to start hoarding your old clothes. The city has more than a few donation centres, charities and second hand shops willing to take used threads off your hands. If your wardrobe is looking a little over-stuffed and/or you're feeling philanthropic, these places have got you covered.

Here are some places besides Goodwill to donate used clothing in Toronto.

Salvation Army
The Salvation Army accepts donations to its drop bins and thrift stores which have several locations in the GTA. The money earned from donated clothes goes toward the charity's program, services and emergency relief efforts.

Oasis Clothing Bank
If you're looking for a quick and easy way to get rid of unwanted duds, Oasis Clothing Bank has dozens of drop-off locations peppered across the city. The charity gives the donated gear to participants in the Oasis Addiction Recovery programs or are sold in order to fund the charity's initiatives.

Canadian Diabetes Association Clothesline
The Canadian Diabetes Association collects garments right from your doorstep, so you don't even have to move a muscle to do your charity work (or, if you're feeling proactive, you can drop them off at the brick and mortar location). Profits from your resold goods support the CDA, diabetes research, education, programs and advocacy.

Pegasus
Pegasus accepts used clothing (and goods of all kinds) for its thrift shop during store hours. All profits made from the store work to further the work of Pegasus Community Project for Adults with Special Needs.

Yonge Street Mission Double Take
Like Pegasus, the Yonge Street Mission has adopted the thrift store model with Double Take. The shop will take all your gently used clothing, linens, housewares and furniture during its store hours. If you have a particularly large donation, it also offers home pick-up. As expected, all profits go to the Yonge Street Mission.

Jessie's Centre
Jessie's Centre works to help pregnant teenagers smoothly transition into motherhood by providing them with resources and goods. The centre is always on the lookout for baby clothes, clothes for young women and maternity wear.

Fort York Food Bank
Though the name may lead you to think otherwise, the Fort York Food Bank accepts way more than just non-perishable food items. Drop off your old clothes and It'll distribute them at the Community Drop-In Centre.

Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre
Drop off your used clothing at the Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre and it'll go to members that are in need. They are always looking for coats, shoes and boots, but will accept most adult clothing.

Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy
The Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy will come to your house (free of charge) to collect everything from garments to bedding. The money earned from their resale helps fund the organization's programs and services, so give generously.

New Circles
Help out low income families by donating your gently used clothing, shoes and accessories to New Circles. Though the shop will accept fashions for all ages and sizes, it often has shortages of clothing for boys sizes 4-16, clothing for young men and plus-sized womenswear.

The Clothing Mission
The Clothing Mission's efforts revolve around preloved fashions. Donated clothing is distributed to The Scott Mission, several GTA charities that support young mothers and their newborns, Canadian missions outside Toronto and missions abroad.

Covenant House
Covenant House will give your unwanted clothes to homeless youth. If you've got clothing to spare of any kind, they'll take it off your hands. Remember to call ahead as they have limited storage space.

Value Village
Value Village will take your old clothes, resell them and put the profits toward the many local nonprofits it serves. Unsold items are recycled or sent to developing countries, so you don't have to worry about anything going to waste. You can drop your stuff off at any of the many Toronto locations.

Dress for Success
Got a power suit or two that you'll never put to use again? Dress for Success will happily take it off your hands. The charity provides women looking for jobs with professional attire (so consider what you yourself would wear to an interview before donating). They are always accepting for knits, blazers, suits, work-appropriate shoes and accessories.

Dress Your Best
Dress Your Best does a similar thing for guys. It provides economically disadvantaged men with interview-appropriate attire. If you've got suits, dress shirts, blazers, overcoats, belts or ties to spare, donate them here.

H&M
At H&M zero waste is the name of the game. In an effort to avoid filling landfills with goods that could be repurposed, H&M will take all your old clothes off your hands (they don't even have to be from the chain). If the garments are extremely worn down they're recycled and turned into raw materials and new products.

Really Really Free Market
The Really Really Free Market pops up every now and again, offering shoppers the chance to pick up some preloved goods without dropping any cash. If you want to get rid of some clothes (or anything else) keep your eye on its social media to find out its next date.

Kind Exchange
All Kind Exchange locations will accept clothing as a donation and give the funds to the various charities it supports. If you're looking to get more than just good karma for your donations, the store will also buy your clothing from you on the spot or let you trade.

Common Sort
If you're all about making a profit, Common Sort is another go-to. It has locations in both Leslieville and Parkdale where you can trade in your gently used clothing for cash or new threads. How does it work? They'll determine how much they can sell each item for, then offer you half that price in store credit or 25% cash.

What did I miss? Add more places where you can donate clothing to the comments

Photo by Michael Monastyrskyj from the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto has a reputation as a polite and courteous city, but that doesn't mean we always play nice. Over the last number of years, we've witnessed a slew of very public feuds. From frustrated taxicab drivers to transit-related tussles, Toronto has had its fair share of drama.

Here's a round-up of some of the most famous Toronto feuds.

UberX vs. Taxis
This is one of the most heated business feuds to consume Toronto in recent years. During a protest, one taxi driver even attacked a suspected UberX vehicle on camera to vent his frustrations with the unregulated competition.

Cars vs. Cyclists
Toronto's cyclists have spent many years urging for safer streets. However, after Darcy Allan Sheppard was killed in an altercation with Michael Bryant, the fight for better bicycling conditions exploded, with hundreds gathering for memorial rides across the city.

Citizens vs. The Police
The G20 was the backdrop for what surely were some of the darkest days in Toronto history. Peaceful protesters were beaten and detained and many pockets of downtown looked like a warzone.

The TTC vs. Bombardier
In another recent feud, the TTC sued Bombardier for failure to deliver our new streetcars on time. The situation booked over when Bombardier refused the TTC's requests to discuss the state of the streetcar order, leading the Transit Commission to vote unanimously in favour of taking legal action.

Eye Weekly vs. Now Magazine
When Torstar launched Eye Weekly 25 years ago, it also started a circulation war with NOW Magazine - at least according to this delightful CBC clip from 1991. Both weeklies were fighting for Gen X-ers, the "hip, young urban adults" of the time. Eye almost got into legal trouble after it distributed its prototype issue filled with 50 ads lifted from NOW.

Rob Ford vs. the Toronto Star
Rob Ford's feud with the Star started early on during his mayoralty when the newspaper alleged he roughed up one of his high school football players. It grew even deeper when reporter Daniel Dale was apprehended outside the mayor's home. In 2013 the Star had its gotcha moment with the headline Ford in Crack Video Scandal.

Doug Ford vs. Margaret Atwood
When Doug Ford mused about cutting funding to the city's libraries back in 2011, Margaret Atwood started a Twitterstorm and shared an online petition to save the then 98 public library branches. Ford famously quipped, "She could walk right by me [and] I wouldn't have a clue who she is." The dust settled a few months later when the two finally met and posed for a photo together.

Reg Hartt vs. James Gillis
The feud between these two was described as the Toronto poster wars. Hartt, who runs the Cineforum, has long used posters to advertise his events, as has Gillis through his company Dr. Jamie's Events. Hartt claims that Gillis distributed slanderous posters about him, which he says forced him to respond with accusatory posters of his own.

Mirvish vs. Dancap
In 2007, now-shuttered theatre company Dancap had a rocky start, largely because it didn't have its own venue. When the American company that ran the Canon and the Panasonic decided to sell these two theatres, Dancap's president was poised to take over the properties. But Mirvish already had first dibs on them. Dancap attempted to block the sale and tried, unsuccessfully, to sue Mirvish.

Burrito Boyzvs. Burrito Bandidos
While Toronto is now teeming with burrito joints, it wasn't always this way. But in 2008, the original burrito boys Joe Vassallo and Ian Angus split. Vassallo kept the Burrito Boyz moniker and Angus went on to form Burrito Bandidos.

Know of a heated Toronto feud? Share your drama in the comments.

Writing by Derek Flack and Amy Grief. Photo by Jackman Chiu in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto musts for a first timer go beyond a trip to the CN tower, Casa Loma and the Hockey Hall of Fame. While these landmark attractions might be worth a visit, this itinerary will keep you doing what the locals do.

Here are 10 Toronto musts for a first timer.

Explore the ins and outs of Kensington Market
Grab lunch at Otto's Berlin Doner, The Dirty Bird or Seven Lives while navigating the streets of Toronto's most unique neighbourhood. Where else are you going to find this eclectic an assortment of indie cafes, pint-sized eateries, watering holes and vintage shops all within a few blocks.

Go for a walk in a ravine
If you feel the need to commune with nature while out and about in the concrete jungle, head to one of the city's beloved green spaces. They're scattered across the city, so they're never too far from reach. The best part? You won't have to drop any cash to enjoy 'em.

Line-up for brunch
Line-ups may not be fun, but they happen for a reason - because the restaurants are worth it. If you want to hit up the cities well-loved bruncheries you're gonna have to queue up with the rest of Toronto's breakfast-obsessed patrons. Where should you go? Lady Marmalade, Saving Grace, Maha's and Aunties and Uncles are all tried and true options.

Eat a peameal sandwich
The peameal sandwich was born in Toronto, so if you're going to have one anywhere it should probably be here. If you're on the hunt for the perfect one, Carousel Bakery in St. Lawrence Market serves up the best in the city, but Rashers, Lisa Marie and TLP have managed to craft some pretty stellar renditions, as well.

Explore Toronto's big and small galleries
Art-loving visitors to Toronto tend to make a beeline for the big guys when it comes to galleries. While the AGO is most definitely worth checking out, there's more than a few smaller galleries worth hitting up. The Junction Triangle has a thriving gallery scene so head there to check out gems like Clint Roenisch, Arsenal Toronto and Daniel Faria.

Discover the world's second coolest neighbourhood
Toronto's ego was bolstered when Vogue magazine named West Queen West the second coolest street style neighbourhood in the world in 2014. Head there if you want to see the city's most stylish citizens strutting their stuff on the street. While you're in the neighbourhood, you can also pick up some new threads of your own from fashion-forward boutiques like Park & Province, Convey and Sugar & Scruff.

Go for a bar crawl
Get to know a city through its nightlife. Luck for you, Toronto has plenty of good watering holes. Bloor, College and Dundas West are filled with bars, so make an evening of it and hit all the ones you can. Need inspiration? Our list of the best new bars in Toronto is a good start.

Soak up the city's vibrant live music scene
Toronto's music scene is nothing short of awesome. The streets are filled with iconic music venues (Horseshoe Tavern, Massey Hall, etc.) that host concerts on an almost nightly basis. There's also a few new kids on the block that cater mainly to indie lovers and may just introduce you to an up-and-coming Toronto artist.

Grab a drink at one of Toronto's microbreweries
Beer lovers, rejoice! Toronto is home to a roster of microbreweries, all of which serve up house made beverages more interesting than your average Bud Light. If you want to try something new, crowd favourites include Bellwoods Brewery, Burdock, Left Field Brewery and Indie Ale House.

Take a ferry to the Toronto Islands
If the hustle and bustle of the mainland gets to be too much, head to the Toronto Islands for a bit of R&R. You can post up in a B&B for a few days, or, if you feel like embracing your inner exhibitionist, the nude beach at Hanlan's Point is always a hit.

What did I miss? Add your musts for a Toronto first timer to the comments.

Photo by Jae Yang in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today we're opening up voting in our latest Best Of poll. Now you can have your say in 20 categories including ramen, pancakes, cooking classes, animal hospitals, dry cleaners and more.

Take the best of poll here

Voting in the poll ends at 11:55 p.m. on Tuesday January 26.

Today in Toronto it's Robbie Burns Day. There are a ton of special dinners and events going on tonight at places like the Caledonian and the Old Laurel. Here are ten of our top picks. Not into getting your Scottish on? There's also live music - the Big Horn Sheep are playing a PWYC show at The Central - and there's Tinder Tales storytelling at Videofag in Kensington.

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

• Robbie Burns Day events (various venues)
• Big Horn Sheep (The Central)
• Underground Chef Co Winter BBQ Battle (R&D)
• Swiping Right: True Tinder Stories Told Live (Videofag)
• D&D Live: The Legend of T'Rannah (Bad Dog Comedy Theatre)
• U-Feast Presents: Winter Fiesta (Reforma)

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

Photo of R&D by Jesse Milns.

Quietly opening on Queen St. last year this Japanese inspired tea cafe pairs hot chocolate and matcha lattes with fresh made bubble tea, onigiri and vegan cookies.

Read my profile of Nohohon Tea Room in the cafes section.

If you're craving a hamburger in Toronto at 6:30 a.m., you won't be able to grab one at Queen and Spadina. That's because the 24-hour Hero Certified Burgers at the intersection's southeast corner closed down over the weekend.

"After 21 years, the era of Lettieri Espresso Bar and Cafe and Hero Certified Burgers comes to an end in this landmark location. Our lease term at the corner of Queen and Spadina has expired," reads a note, signed by Hero Burgers' Founder John F. Lettieri, posted to the fast food joint's front door.

But don't worry, you can still satisfy your late-night burger cravings in this high-traffic area thanks to the McDonald's kitty-corner from the now-shuttered Hero Burger.

It'll be interesting to watch what moves into the first floor of this heritage building next.

What should replace this 24-hour Hero Burger at Queen and Spadina? Let us know in the comments.

It's surely one of the nerdiest bits of Toronto trivia, but those who know about Toronto's appearance in the 37th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation tend to view the occasion with a sort of pride that outweighs the actual significance of the event.

For the uninitiated, the story goes like this. While investigating the loss of a Federation ship whose computer began to strangely malfunction, the Enterprise stumbles upon a probe sent from an alien race known as the Iconians. Soon Captain Picard's ship also starts malfunctioning.

In an effort to investigate, Picard, Data and Worf travel to Iconia to see if they can uncover something that will help them solve the problem. While there, they uncover the key to what made the Iconians such an advanced civilization: they possess the technology to travel through space via portals.

While the Enterprise away-team investigates a remaining control centre on the deserted planet, they discover one of these portals. As it cycles through gateways to other planets, Nathan Phillips Square appears as one of the options. It's a somewhat bizarre choice, but also completely fitting.

Why fitting?

Because the architecture of Viljo Revell's City Hall is made for a Star Trek episode. One can imagine that under the control of the Federation, this particular brand of futuristic modernism would be the chief architectural style adopted for Earth. Even if this episode was made in 1989, the creators knew they needed an urban scene that would match the aesthetic of the show.

Who knows how many American viewers recognize the building when it appears? I'm not sure that's the point, though. It's the architecture itself that's being heralded here, not the building's location in Toronto or its status as our civic headquarters.

It was also fitting because Toronto was a town that was cuckoo for Star Trek. From massive conventions to community access TV, this city loved the adventures of the Federation, and in particular The Next Generation (TNG) series.

City Hall's cameo is a brief one, happening twice in a five minute span of the episode before the control centre is set to self destruct and the crew use the portal to escape from the Iconian Homeland.

It's probably one of the geekiest chapters in Toronto television history, but I still remember the silly excitement I felt when I first saw it while watching TNG re-runs. If only Picard had taken the portal to Toronto. Now that would have been an historic episode.

The best new restaurants in Toronto represent all types of eating. You'll find flavours that span across the globe at some of these establishments while others take a hyper-regional approach or let the freshness of ingredients dictate which dishes are featured. Regardless of the influence, these places do have one thing in common: they're the crème de la crème of where to eat right now.

Here are the best new restaurants in Toronto that opened in 2015.

Toronto's first ever Something Strange Circus Sideshow Festival premiered this past weekend in front of a large audience at the Mod Club. Organized by mentalist Mysterion and teratological historian J. Tithonus Pednaud, the show brought together a variety of performers, including an aerialist, a sword swallower, a former WWE wrestler and a slew of masochistic gross-out acts.

Check out all the highlights in this photo gallery.

Vietnamese street food is the name of the game as this restaurant that opened in Toronto last year. From DIY fresh rolls to noodle soups there's lots to like here.

Read my profile of Ro House in the restaurants section.

There's lots to love about Toronto restaurants these days, but then there's also a whole slew of sins that make diners want to reconsider where they eat. From charging extra for essentials to just generally being inhospitable, here's a roundup of some of the worst habits of Toronto restaurants.

1. Preset tipping is set to 18%
This becomes even more heinous when done by takeout only restaurants.

2. No cheque splitting
Let's stop pretending your POS doesn't do that.

3. Non-existent/limited veg options
If my non-meat-eating guest only has a side of fries or salad to choose from, then we're going to have to go somewhere else. Kapeesh?

4. Squeezing in extra tables
This is practiced most often around occasions like Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. There's nothing worse than being smooshed elbow to elbow between other tables when trying to celebrate a special occasion. And no, I don't want to hear the specials - I overheard just fine when you told the table next to us.

5. Misrepresenting ingredients
Passing off skirt steak for Wagyu like Azure restaurant did is truly appalling and deceptive, but not exactly unheard of. That veal sandwich? Might be steak. The house-made pasta? It might be fresh, but brought in.

6. Under pouring pints
A 16oz pour, unless properly identified and priced accordingly, is a practice that should be stopped pronto.

7. Umami overload
Is it really a feat to make bacon taste good? Can someone please serve me something that tastes good AND won't kill me?

8. Nickel-and-diming
Want a few hot peppers on that burger? That'll be an extra 92 cents. How about some caramelized onions for an extra $1.83? WTF?

9. Small plates that amount to less food than an entree but ultimately cost way more
Every item on the menu is priced under $10? Great! But I need to order how many? Dear god, I could have had a steak by the time we're finished here.

10. No coat racks
That's cool, I'll just line your banquette with my winter coat and handbag.

11. Insane wine mark-ups
We get that restaurants need to make money from their booze sales, but a $13 wine readily available at any LCBO should never be priced at $55 or more on a wine list.

Add more restaurant sins to the comments.

What was Toronto like during the Roaring Twenties? Thanks to a new immersive theatre production opening tomorrow, you may soon be able to find out.

The Hogtown Experience is taking over the historic Campbell House Museum for one week only and it's bringing together 34 actors, plus a four-piece jazz band to take Torontonians on a choose-your-own-adventure-style journey through this city's storied past.

"The Hogtown is a project that I've been working on creating for the last year and a half," says director, producer and co-writer Sam Rosenthal. "The original idea came when I went to New York and was inspired several years ago seeing Sleep No More."

That New York City production takes place in a Chelsea-area warehouse; it's been running since 2011 and for good reason. Instead of simply watching a performance, audience members trail actors through an incredibly detailed, multi-storey set and become fully ensconced in the non-linear play.

Rosenthal wants to bring that experience here. He and his writing partner Drew Carnwath set Hogtown on New Year's Eve 1926, one day before a municipal election (yes, Toronto used to hold its elections on New Year's Day) between real-life figures Thomas Foster and Sam McBride.

Although, Rosenthal notes he and Carnwath have taken liberties with history, such as setting the election one year before it actually happened. "We've altered the events slightly," he says.

Along with the political drama, Hogtown will shepherd guests through a basement speakeasy and a meeting between an all-female secret society. The show also includes original songs and music.

Each performance has capacity for 80 individuals. But tickets are already sold-out. And Rosenthal isn't surprised. "Toronto's ready for this. People would like to be immersed in the theatre they're seeing."

This isn't the first show influenced by Sleep No More to open in Toronto. Last year, for instance, Sheridan College's production of Brantwood, by Mitchell Cushman and Julie Tepperman, opened to much acclaim when it transformed an old Oakville elementary school into a multi-faceted musical production.

Rosenthal is hopeful that there's an appetite in Toronto for this type of theatre - so non-ticket-holders, don't despair. "Our plan is to have a really successful show, of course," he says. "And if we all feel it's worthy, there are plans in place to run this all summer at the Campbell House and every summer thereafter."

Photo via @hogtownlive.

Today in Toronto Vance Joy is hitting Massey Hall for what's sure to be one killer concert. If you haven't snagged tickets yet, no worries; there are plenty up for sale on the trusty StubHub. If you're in the mood for some festivities, head to one of the many Australia Day bashes happening around the city.

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

• Pitch Talks (The Phoenix)
• Vance Joy (Massey Hall)
• Australia Day Events (Various Locations)
• Figo Pizza Party with La Carnita (Figo)
• Comedy on College (Pour Boy)
• BrewHaHa (Lansdowne Brewery)
• Subculture Futures (Buddies in Bad Times)
• Progress Festival (The Theatre Centre)

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

Photo of Vance Joy by maxfairclough.