Today in Toronto some of the best that June has to offer goes down. Party-goers and creative types will hit up AGO's First Thursdays and Pride's collaboration. Bruce LaBruce is curating the gallery-wide bash, so prepare yourself to see the space in a very x-rated way. The Power Ball also goes down tonight for other art-partiers.

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

• InspiraTO 10 minute play festival (Alumnae Theatre)
• 4th annual Scarborough Worldwide Film Fest (Woodside Square Mall)
• Pride launch party at AGO First Thursdays (AGO)
• Power Ball (The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery)
• Pitch Talks Toronto (Phoenix Concert Theatre)
• Colleen with Picastro and Justin Small (Ratio)
• Cave Singers (The Garrison)
• Lip synth battle (Nightowl)
• Alone Time (Bambi's)

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

Photo from previous First Thursdays party.

36 Hazelton Avenue is a two bedroom, three bathroom suite in the heart of Yorkville. With an asking of $5,500,000, the new listing is timely for a spring sale, one of the hottest times to sell in the city's soaring condo market.

A project by Quadrangle Architects, the boutique seven-storey building was constructed on the former site of a school, keeping its original net-gothic architecture and featuring 20 private residences with in-suite elevators and underground parking.

The development gained media attention, largely thanks to potential celebrity buyer Mark Wahlberg who was rumoured to have purchased the seventh floor penthouse for $12 million.

While the buzz turned out to be false, it would have been interesting to have Marky Mark and his entourage as your next door neighbour.

SPECS

• Address: #2A - 36 Hazelton Avenue
• Price: $5,500,000
• Square feet: 2,700
• Bedrooms: 2
• Bathrooms: 3
• Parking: 2
• Taxes: $10,237
• Maintenance fee: $2,700/monthly
• Walk Score: 98
• Listing agent: Chloe Leibel, Forest Hill Real Estate
• Listing ID: C3502609

NOTABLE FEATURES

• Multi-levels
• Fireplace
• Private elevator
• Wine fridge
• Balcony
• Amenities like a wine bar and car wash

GOOD FOR

Wine connoisseurs. The building offers VIP amenities like a residence-only tasting room and wine cellar, a holistic area (whatever that means), and even a dog washing station.

MOVE ON IF

You need more outdoor space. You're shelling out $5.5 million and the unremarkable balcony basically overlooks a brick wall. Let's just say the Views from the Six are not stellar.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
Worth the asking? Have your say in the comments.

Thanks to Bosley Real Estate Ltd, Brokerage for sponsoring our House of the Week. All content and editorial selected and written by blogTO.

Once a staple of West Queen West, this record shop called the busy retail stretch home for 24 years before rising rents made the street less attractive than a new destination. Now re-opened, the shop is as busy and fully stocked as ever and still one of the best spots in the city to score concert tickets.

Find out more in my profile of Rotate This.

Toronto Restaurant Openings highlights the latest restaurant openings and closings in Toronto and also gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

OPEN NOW

• Big Crow ...but smaller, a new place for BBQ and picnic provisions is now open in the alleyway behind the Rose & Son's near Bellwoods at 892 Queen St. W.
• Rasher's all bacon sandwich shop has opened its second location at 182 Ossington Ave.
• Little Piggy's, a new Korean BBQ joint, is open for business at 469 Bloor St.

RECENTLY REVIEWED

• Cho Sun Ok
• Pi Co
• Teara Lab
• Te

OPENING SOON

• Big Tuna Poke Bar is coming soon to 599 Bloor St. W.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to liora@blogto.com

Photo of Big Crow by Jesse Milns

Toronto's food truck season is in full swing. New trucks have rolled out along with our past season's favourites. You may have noticed long lines at some of them and we have too. Based on our highly unscientific assessment of which trucks have the longest lines, here's a list of the most popular food trucks in Toronto right now.

Eva's Original Chimneys
After news broke of their doughnut cones coming to Toronto the city went wild on how can they get their hands on them. People are now spending their weekends lining up for a taste of these must-try cones, just check your Instagram for proof.

ME.N.U. Food Truck
A visit to this Asian fusion truck guarantees a wait in line. However, you should be patient as their rice balls, roti tacos and poutines are among some of the most delicious food truck eats you can find in the city.

Fidel Gastro's
If you see a huge line-up and hear chants of ole you've arrived at Fidel Gastro's food truck. Matt Basile and his team have been slinging out of this world sandwiches, tacos and pad Thai fries for years and the truck has no signs of slowing down.

SUSHITTO On the Road
Hitting the streets just last month this truck has been thrusted into Toronto food truck stardom. Their epic sushi burritos can be seen all over Instagram and people on Twitter are constantly on the search where they will be next.

feasTO
Toronto was blessed by the city's first dumpling food truck last summer. Now the truck is back in action for 2016 and people are eagerly lining up for their pho beef dumplings, shrimp wontons and banh mi sandwiches.

To find out where these trucks will be next visit the Toronto Food Trucks website or download the Food Trucks app for iPhone or Android.

Photo by Jesse Milns.

Toronto's heading back to the future this summer thanks to a new virtual reality (VR) cinema that's slated to open up in July.

Unlike traditional movie theatres, this one - called Vivid VR - will hold only 20 people. And instead of sitting in the dark and watching a movie all together, each audience member will get their own Samsung Gear VR headset to enjoy the show.

Co-founder Gary Tam, a movie lover who works in marketing, was impressed with VR technology after he tried it out - it provided an all encompassing sensory experience that he wasn't getting through (now) commonplace 3D films.

"I was just so mesmerized by how immersive it is," he says of VR. "And the idea of bringing that to life through a cinema and getting that to audiences, and the potential that it has to like kind of create a brand new experiences is just so exciting to me."

Each Vivid VR session will cost $20 and will include an intro to virtual reality as well as three five to ten minute-long VR programs, including titles like Jet Lag and the horror flick Sonar. You can start buying tickets on June 20.

This newfangled cinema will run out of the Milk Glass Co. art gallery as a two month pop-up from July to September. If all goes well, Tam and his two co-founders hope to open a permanent location later this year.

Image via Sonar 360

Toronto loves Big Macs so much that local burger joints, vegan eateries and Asian snack bars are all riffing on this classic dish. While you can find the iconic combination of beef, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on pizza, poutine and stuffed into dumplings, Toronto eateries are also doing crafting their own double-decker burgers.

Here's where to get an indie take on a Big Mac.

The High Priest at Burger's Priest
This beast of a burger is bigger and greasier than the classic from McDs. Its two beef patties comes topped with cheese, pickles, shred-uce, diced onions and secret sauce on a non-sesame seed bun.

The Big Chuck at Holy Chuck
The description for this burger is pretty much this song. It might be twice the price of the original, but it's made with fresh, hand-rolled patties. Oh, and you can wash it down with an apple pie milkshake, so there's that.

The Hambaoger at Lucky Red
This burger on a steamed bun isn't double decker, but it comes in pairs so you can either share or hoard both kalbi beef patties. This duo will satisfy a mac attack with its classic accoutrements.

The Big Stack at Big Moe's
The Big Stack is a halal version of the signature McDs sandwich and while it sounds identical; two beef patties (house ground triple A Angus), topped with cheese, lettuce, pickles and onions, it's way bigger... and messier.

Vegan Big Mac at Doomies
This double-decker burger is nearly identical to the original; we're all half expecting a lawsuit to drop at any moment. You won't find it on the menu though - just ask for it by name. It comes dressed with shredded lettuce, pickles, onions, vegan cheese and secret sauce.

Thanks to Budweiser for sponsoring this post.

Photo of Doomie's by Hector Vasquez.

May might have been a great month for openings in Toronto, but there are just as many notable closures to report. While some are just shuffling down the street to make way for new developments, others are gone for good.

Here's a roundup of Toronto businesses that closed this past month.

Two Bite Saloon
The slider-centric snack bar in Bloorcourt went out with an AYCE hog roast before closing its doors on the first of the month.

Farmer's Daughter
The child of Farmhouse Tavern shut down on its second anniversary. Owner Darcy MacDonell sold the Junction Triangle restaurant and it's weeks away from becoming Love Chix, a new fast-casual spot serving up roasted chicken, porchetta, brunch and other comforting fare.

Union Juice
The juice bar with locations on John Street and in the Annex suddenly shuttered. When reached via email, company rep commented said, "For most people, a juice or a smoothie is a treat that some might indulge in one or twice a week, not daily."

No Frills at Coxwell and Gerrard
The grocery store in Little India left shoppers stranded when it unexpectedly closed mid-month for building repairs and renovations. The closure won't be permanent, but until it reopens, residents have been redirected to the location at Carlaw and Gerrard.

Drift Bar
The bar at Bloor and Havelock has quietly ceased operations and is now sporting a "for rent sign" in the window.

Valdez
This full-time Latin street party on King West shut down to make way for condos. While the glorious rooftop patio won't be an option this summer, the restaurant is expected to reopen in a much grander, four-storey space at 485 King St. W.

Sushi Bar Sushiya
The sushi bar from the same folks behind Zakkushi and Ramen Raijin closed its doors on May 15. The company website indicates that a new concept is in the works.

Big Slice
The greasy late night pizza joint on Yonge closed its doors this month to make way for a new condo development. Quelle surprise? Don't be too gutted because word on the street is that it'll be reopening just down the street.

Vertical
This luxurious restaurant in First Canadian Place closed its doors this month after a 10-and-a-half year run.

Spiceman Mexicana
The Mexican eatery hasn't been able to shake the curse of rapid restaurant turn-over that's plagued this College and Clinton address.

Photo of Farmer's Daughter by Jesse Milns.

Weekend events in Toronto will keep your belly full and your dancing feet busy. It's the second Mac and Cheese Fest, but this time it's at Ontario Place, which will hopefully help to address kinks experienced last year. Field Trip also goes down this weekend with Robyn at centre stage. Get out those dancing shoes that you don't mind getting a little dusty.

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

FOOD

Kampai Toronto (June 3)
This is Toronto's one-day Sake festival featuring 150 varieties of rice wine from Japan and North America. It all goes down at the Distillery District from 6 to 10 p.m.

Empanadas Festival (June 4)
There will be empanadas galore from Maryu on St Clair West. There will also be music and drinks and admission is free.

Mac and Cheese Festival (June 3-5)
Don't worry everyone! Mac and Cheese fest is going to avoid the horror that was last year's event by holding the competitive gooey food fest on the Ontario Place West Island grounds. It's the first time an event is happening here since it closed five years ago. Over 75 food, drink and artisanal vendors will be spread out over three days and 600,000 square feet.

FESTIVALS

1 in 100 Day (June 4)
This is a really cool idea. A city-wide do-it-yourself type fest that asks people and small organizations to make their communities a better place, by doing something good. Events include a queer foodie event at Fabarnak, a Pape Avenue park and playtime intervention and a Graffiti Alley party. Check out all the urban interventions on the official website.

Field Trip (June 4-5)
Robyn and The National headline this laid back, early-summer music fest at For York. The grass is still green at this point, the crowd is friendly and there's lots of food and art vendors. Here's what it looked like last year.

Riverside Eats and Beats Fest (June 4)
10 city blocks are closed down for a day of non-stop music and food. The area extends from the DVP to just past Degrassi Street along Queen East.

Fair Trade Show (June 4-5)
This show gives a voice to ethical sourcing and social enterprises. Vendors specialize in things like housewares, olive oil, bananas, coffee, apparel and accessories. A basic ticket is $10, but there are more pricing options on their website.

DiversityFest (June 5)
From 1p.m. to 10p.m. celebrate what it means to live in the most diverse city in the world at Yonge and Dundas Square with music and shows highlighting South Asian, Chinese, Filipino and Arab arts and cultures.

FILM

Toronto Smartphone Festival (June 3-4)
Now in its 5th year, this is the largest smartphone festival in Canada and received over 217 film submissions from 34 different countries. Here's praying they don't play all of them or no one will ever go home.

SPORT

Becel Heart & Stroke Ride for Heart (June 5)
I'm mentioning this massive bike ride for a cause because it's a special one. 15,000 riders take over the Gardiner Expressway and the DVP, car-free, to help raise money and also completely mess-up downtown weekend traffic, which is great. There's also a run/walk at the same time down the Gardiner.

ART

Chroma Lives (June 3-30)
Both an art exhibit and archival project, this art instillation beast explores Toronto's 1983 exhibition Chromaliving: New Designs for Living through the eyes of 150 artists. Part art show, part performance and part history hub, check this strange and wonderful thing out.

Riverdale Art Walk (June 4-5)
Starting at Jimmie Simpson Park (Queen Street East at Booth Ave), from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. join over 170 artists as they display their finest works for sale. This is one of the first major outdoor art shows of the season and also features a guided art tour along Queen East, indoor booths in the Jimmy Simpson Community Centre, food and drinks along the way.

ON STAGE

Stars Wars burlesque tribute (June 4)
Probably the closest thing to a reenactment of that super hot Star Wars p0rn I saw a few months back, this is a Stars Wars themed burlesque show starring some of city's best like Betty Quirk, Dr. Orifice and Delicia Pastiche.

Yas Kween (June 5)
The first Sunday of every month, Yas Kween happens. It's a night of stand up, improv, and sketch featuring funny women of colour. The cost is $10 and it starts at 9:30p.m.

Toronto Monologue Slam (June 5)
This is basically a unique way to watch real actors at their finest - delivering monologues on a stage to a small audience. 12 locals pros give it everything they've got starting at 6 p.m.

MUSIC

With the exception of bad ass Bryson Tiller, this weekend's music pack is heavy on the rock side.

• Hooded Fang (June 3)
• Bryson Tiller with Anderson .Paak (June 3)
• Seize the Day (June 4)
• Meat Loaf (June 4)

DANCING

I unofficially declare this weekend, Robyn dance weekend! Not only will I be dancing to her many amazing albums in my kitchen starting tomorrow night, there's also a Robyn dance party at the new Velvet Underground in advance of her Field Trip show on Sunday.

• Robyn video dance party (June 3)
• Dressed up disco (June 3)
• Big Primpin' (June 3)
• Sharing dance day (June 3)
• Goddess (June 3)
• Tapette (June 4)
• With it (June 4)
• Lemonade Views (June 4)
• Steve Angello (June 5)

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

Photo of Field Trip by Matt Forsythe.

Drinking wine in Toronto takes many different forms, from an easy-drinking glass at home with dinner to a pimped out Bordeaux at one of the city's finest steakhouses. Beer culture has tended to hog the spotlight in this city for the last few years as a full-scale craft brewing movement has taken shape, but the city's wine options deserve plenty of attention as well.

The world of wine can be intimidating for novice drinkers. Staring at a sprawling 20 page wine list or aimlessly wandering the aisles at the LCBO without a few go-to options is unnecessarily stressful and often leads to us all spending more than we need to.

With that in mind, here's a guide to drinking wine in Toronto.

WHERE TO BUY WINE

As much as we might love to drink wine out, most of us buy the majority of our wine at the LCBO. Given that this is the case, it's worth knowing which locations are the best and which products offer the most bang for the buck.

In terms of selection, the best LCBO locations for purchasing wine are those with the largest VINTAGES sections. These would be Summerhill, Queens Quay, the Manulife Centre, Leaside, Bloor and Royal York, Bayview Village Mall, and Avenue Rd. (south of Wilson).

If you're buying from regular stock and not looking to spend a lot of money, this list of 10 wines under $11 at the LCBO might serve as your go-to buying guide. Each of the bottles on the list is an excellent value.

One thing that tends to burn wine buyers at the LCBO are the company's business hours. The majority of locations close by 9 p.m. even on Friday and Saturday nights. It's worth noting, then, that the LCBO at Weston and the 401 is open until 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

WHERE TO LEARN ABOUT WINE

Wine education in Toronto isn't reduced to classes for burgeoning sommeliers. There's plenty of opportunities for newbie wine fans to learn a little while also having fun in a social setting. These are the top wine classes and programs in the city to help you get started.

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST WINE BARS

The wine bar trend never caught on in Toronto to the same degree that it did in a city like New York, but that's not to say that we don't have some excellent spots. Two in particular stand out: Midfield Wine Bar and Archive Wine Bar, both of which are on Dundas West. The former has a more European vibe, while the latter features lots of local wines.

The best of the rest are less bar-like, but still have superb wine lists and extensive by-the-glass options.

WHERE TO DRINK WINE ON THE CHEAP

There are two ways to drink wine on the cheap in Toronto - by knowing which restaurants have standardly well-priced wine lists, which ones do day-of-the-week discounts, and which offer free or low-fee BYOB.

In terms of the first category, Le Paridis has the best value-driven French wine list in the city while Nodo takes the crown in terms of Italian wines. Cactus Club Cafe also has surprisingly inexpensive offerings by the glass. Gusto 101 is also worth a visit for its buck and ounce deal on draught wine.

Wine specials are harder to keep track of because restaurants and bars tend to change them often. There are, however, some longstanding half-price specials that are exceptions.

Sunday: Globe Bistro
Monday: Ascari Enoteca
Tuesday: L'Unita
Wednesday: Gladstone Hotel
Thursday: The Yukon (before 10 p.m.)

BYOB policies and pricing are also notorious for changing often, but there is a site dedicated to corkage specials and fees in Toronto that does a decent job of keeping up with the various deals around the city.

WHERE TO SPLURGE ON WINE

Not all of the best wine lists in Toronto are ridiculously expensive, but if you're looking to play big spender or are celebrating a special occasion, there are a few cellars that standout. For sheer selection, you could spend hours reading the wine lists at Via Allegro, Barberian's, Le Select, and Opus.

If you're looking to splurge on wine that's less big-money than it is hyper-interesting, I'd suggest Alo, Edulis, Figo, and the Coravin selection at Midfield Wine Bar.

WHERE TO CELLAR WINE

If you've become a fanatical wine collector whose condo just can't contain all of your bottles at the proper temperature, you might be a candidate for the Fine Wine Reserve, a sprawling private cellar near King and Spadina that rents locker space. It's not cheap, but your wine will also be safe and properly stored.

WHERE TO BUY WINE ACCESSORIES AND STEMWARE

Those looking to start a home cellar will do well to visit the Enostore, which sells everything from ice buckets and stemware to ridiculously expensive oxygen-controlled serving machines (a.k.a. the Enomatic).

If it's just top quality wine glasses you're after, the William Ashley Warehouse Sale is always a god way to stock up on Riedel products for cheap. Otherwise the Bay and other department stores are a good bet. And, yes, good glasses really do make the wine taste better.

WHERE TO VISIT WINERIES NEAR TORONTO

Given the proximity of the province's largest wine growing region to Toronto, there are some amazing winery experiences to have within a comfortable drive of the city. For quick trips, your best best is to head to the Beamsville Bench, while Prince Edward County is more of a weekend getaway destination.

Did I miss anything? Add your tips and tricks for wine drinking in Toronto via the comments.

Lead photo of Cactus Club Cafe by Jesse Milns. Subsequent photos by Derek Flack, Jesse Milns, and courtesy of Via Allegro.

Have you seen anyone riding a drill-powered skateboard around Toronto? It may not be the chicest-looking mode of transportation, but apparently, it gets the job done. And it's a cheaper alternative to the $1,000 (and up) Boosted electric skateboards. Well, at least according to local YouTuber Igor, who runs the channel Inspire to Make.

In his latest DIY video, he teaches viewers how to fashion an electronic skateboard for less than $500. He uses a power drill as his motor and creates a goofy device that actually seems pretty fun to ride.

While it may not be Marty McFly's hoverboard, it's still cooler than these self-balancing scooters.

Leslieville is getting another weekend market. And this one's going to be located inside a long vacant lot right next to Stratengers on Queen East.

On Saturdays and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., starting on June 4, the Leslieville Community Market will take over 1134 Queen St. East. This market will stick around until the Thanksgiving long weekend in October.

For its inaugural weekend, you can expect to see a variety of vendors selling an array of goods, including produce, art and baked goods.

This local, grassroots initiative is transforming an overlooked space into something that'll benefit the community. What's more delicious than that?

With quirky decor, craft brews, tasty cocktails, shareable eats, board games and a real-life "missed connections" board, this new snack bar has all the ingredients for a fun and irreverent night out.

Read my profile of I'll Be Seeing You in the restaurants section.

John Tory's SmartTrack is finally winging its way into existence. As the Toronto Star reports today, city planners will likely recommend building seven new stations when they release a massive transit report in two weeks time.

The SmartTrack would run along a GO corridor and would utilize stations there. The new ones include St. Clair West, Liberty Village, Unilever, Gerrard and Pape, Lawrence East, Ellesmere, and Finch East. This plan features 15 stops in total between Mount Dennis and Milliken.

As the Star writes, during the 2014 election, Tory promised a 22-stop SmartTrack route with 13 new stops. This one is markedly smaller, however, it'll still alleviate some of the congestion on the Yonge subway line during peak hours. It'll also be super convenient for those who need to travel into the downtown core from areas such as Liberty Village.

Map source: City of Toronto / Toronto Star

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

THIS WEEK

• Toronto's Finest has launched a $5 Sweet Tooth Crawl running now until June 30. A dozen Toronto restaurants are offering $5 desserts if you have digital passport ($10). You can buy one through Toronto's Finest App.
• Mac 'N Cheese Festival is on at Ontario Place this weekend from June 3 to 5. Admission is free and VIP tickets are available for $25 for those that want early access and an express line for tokens and food vendors.
• The annual Eats & Beats street festival returns to Riverside on Saturday June 4 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Expect an afternoon filled with tasting plates from local eateries and musical entertainment alongside the 18th annual Riverdale Art Walk.
• The Toast pop-up in the Distillery District is sticking around another month. It's open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 45 Mill St.
• TIFF's Food on Film series at The Bell Lightbox is screening Good Things Await followed by a discussion with food activist, journalist and author Danielle Nierenberg. For a limited time, buy three tickets at the Steve & Rashmi Gupta Box Office and get a $50 gift card to Momofuku.

UPCOMING

• Hawthorne Food & Drink hosts a Conquistador Dinner on June 10 and 11 to highlight the Spanish influences on Filipino and Latino cuisines. Chefs Rossy Earle (Supicucu) and Rudy Boquila (Kalsada) will join Hawthorne's Ricky Caspie for this collaborative feast.
• The Session Toronto Craft Beer Festival kicks of Ontario Craft Beer Week on Saturday, June 11. General admission is $40 (or $50 at the door) and includes a commemorative 8-ounce festival glass, five tasting tokens, access to 100-plus craft beers and collaborations and live music. The Society Of Beer Drinking Ladies is hosting a session from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Take A Trip Across Espagna at Torito (276 Augusta Avenue) on Thursday, June 16. Reserve a seat ($50) for an evening of pinxtos, montadito boards and tapas.

Photo by Jesse Milns.

The $300K condo isn't what it used to be in Toronto. Yes, you'll still get a nice space at this price, but unit-size depends on neighbourhood. In the city's most desirable areas, you might only be able to purchase a studio in this range. Move out of the core, however, and it's possible to get a two bedroom.

Here's what kind of a condo $300K gets you in Toronto right now.

$292,500 in the Junction
Part of the massive condo complex just west of Keele St. in the Junction, this unit isn't remarkable in any way, but it has very little to complain about. It's a one bedroom in a solid brick building (so theoretically less worries about construction quality) with maintenance fees that top out just above $200. Naturally the amenities aren't extensive, but there is an exercise centre.

$298,900 at Richmond and Peter
If you want to buy a condo for $300K in the heart of downtown Toronto, you're not going to get a lot of space. This studio unit is tiny, but there's a spacious balcony with a decent view that will help considerably in the summer. Maintenance fees come in at $250 a month, though there's nothing noteworthy in the amenities department.

$299,999 on West Queen West
This West Queen West condo is noteworthy for the fact that it has two bedrooms, a trait that's not common in such a desirable neighbourhood at this price point. These bedrooms are, however, characterized as "efficient," which you can just take as "small." Condo fees come in at $340 a month, though from an amenities standpoint, this building is no frills.

$309,000 on the Queensway
Located at Highway 427 and the Queensway, this rather plain unit offers one decent-sized bedroom and a den. Perhaps what's most significant here is that you get two parking spots, though you'll also have to cough up almost $600 in maintenance fees for a building that's not flush with amenities.

$309,900 near Eglinton and the DVP
This one bedroom plus den is located in a mature building on Wynford Drive near the Aga Khan Museum. It offers a stunning view of the city and close proximity to the DVP, but until the Eglinton Crosstown is complete, the transit access ain't the best. You do, however, get a parking spot with the unit. Maintenance fees are high at over $500 a month.

$315,000 in the West Don Lands
Part of the second phase of the stunning River City complex, this condo has sweeping city views, top end appliances, and ample bike parking. Architecturally speaking, the building is one of the nicest featured here, though it's worth noting that the unit is relatively small. The one bedroom space is bolstered by a storage locker, though there is no car parking.

Would you buy any of these units? Let us know in the comments.

Free outdoor movies in Toronto this summer are rampant. I hope you've invested in some sizeable picnic blankets, or low-sitting lawn chairs because they'll get a lot of use if you follow this guide. Parks, waterfronts, parking lots and massive public spaces play host to free films this year.

Here's a round-up of free outdoor movies in Toronto for summer 2016.

Bollywood Classics Series
Location: Aga Khan Museum

The Bollywood Classics Series happens all summer, and most films are inside the gorgeous museum. Two films however are being shown outside in the courtyard for free.

• Saturday, June 11: Pakeezah
• Saturday, August 13: Jodhaa Akbar

Harbourfront Free Flicks
Location: Lower Simcoe St & Queens Quay, Harbourfront Centre

The ideal activity for balmy Wednesday nights, the Harbourfront Centre's Free Flicks series runs the entire summer season. Now in its 14th year, the festival keeps things mostly light for a little lakeside chill-out.

• June 22 : Mean Girls (In partnership with Pride Toronto and TIFF)
• June 29: Strange Brew
• July 6: The Visitor
• July 13: A Little Princess
• July 20: The Grand Seduction
• July 27: The Mighty Quinn
• August 3: The Last Dragon
• August 10: The Good Lie
• August 17: Chef
• August 24: Sense and Sensibility
• August 31: Audience Choice! between Gravity, The King's Speech or Slumdog Millionaire.

Christie Pits Film Festival
Location: Christie Pits Park

The sixth year of the outdoor screening series is called Stranded in Christie Pits! and features films "exploring themes of isolation, confinement, escape, and perseverance" beginning June 26 and running every Sunday until August 28.

• June 26: Gravity, New Summer - Young Galaxy
• July 3: My Prairie Home, The Little Deputy, Handsome & Majestic
• July 10: Duel, Blind Spot, While I'm Here: The San Diego Highwayman
• July 17: Mustang, Winter, Home Away, Savage
• July 24: I Put A Hit On You, Long Branch, The Lamp
• July 31: William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, Flesh Without Blood (Grimes), Bodies at Bay (Cold Specks)
• August 7: The Truman Show, Entangled
• August 14: Meek's Cutoff, The Surveyors
• August 21: Cast Away, Dredger

August 28 is the scheduled rain date.

City Cinema at Yonge-Dundas Square
Location: Yonge-Dundas Square

Every Tuesday at Yonge-Dundas Square starting June 28 - August 30, catch free funny films (this year's theme) on the giant screen surrounded by other giant screens. Films start at sundown (around 8:30, 9 p.m.) and are all preceded by a film chosen by the National Film Board.

• June 28: Bridesmaids
• July 5: Coming to America
• July 12:For Your Consideration, Best in Show
• July 19: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Jerk
• July 26: Space Balls, Blazing Saddles
• August 2: Stripes
• August 9: Wayne's World, The Ladies Man
• August 16: There's Something about Mary
• August 23: Tommy Boy
• August 30: Airplane!, Dracula: Dead and Loving It

Movies in St James Park
Location: St. James Park

Every last Thursday of June, July and August there's a free film screening in this beautiful park. St James Cathedral is right next door, so if you need to confess something, get there early. A couple of the evenings feature shows beforehand.

• June 30: Show: Drag show at 8 p.m. Movie: Kinky Boots (in partnership with Pride Toronto)
• July 28: Movie: Inside Out
• August 25 Show: The Rattles Movie: Hard Days Night (part of Beatles TO 50 event in partnership with Scotiabank)

Cultura Festival
Mel Lastman Square

Every Friday night in July in Mel Lastman Square, Cultura Festival presents a free movie when the sun goes down. Before that you can walk around and enjoy food, busker entertainment, and interactive art instillations. Visit the Cultura website for film listings when they appear.

Under the Stars Screening Series
Location: Regent Park

Happening every Wednesday starting July 13 - August 24 in the big park in Regent Park (620 Dundas Street East), Under The Stars haven't announced the lineup yet, but it will be up shortly. If it rains, the screening moves inside Daniels Spectrum at 585 Dundas Street East. Between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. there is food and culture programming to check out, pre-movie time.

Sail-In Cinema
Location: Sugar Beach

Starting Thursday, August 18-20 at Sugar Beach, the PortsToronto Sail-in Cinema will present three films organized around the theme of Books to Big Screen. This puts pretty much every film ever up as a contender for this year's series, but who cares! It's a floating movie theatre!

Couryard Movies at St. Peters
Location: St. Peters Church

There were free film screenings here last year, and they plan to do it again this year, but no information is available yet. They'll be showing family-friendly films on selected days throughout the summer. Check back on their website for updates.

Movies in the Park - Riverdale Park East
Location: Riverdale Park East

Riverdale Park East Movies in the Park hosts four free screenings to help raise funds for local children's charities. Though the lineup has yet to be announced, these are PG-rated films and the films only take place if enough sponsorship money has been raised. Keep an eye on the their website for details.

The screenings start Sunday July 11 until Sunday Aug. 22 with movies yet to be announced.

Union Summer film screening series
Location: Union Station front courtyard

The summer market at Union Station is back this summer (yay!) and they're growing operations with a Wednesday night free film screening series. Very little information is available as of yet, but stay tuned as we'll be posting updated info as it comes in.

ONE NIGHT ONLY

Film Night at Trinity Bellwoods Park (June 22)
Watch a movie in the dog bowl at Trinity Bellwoods! Please, just watch where you sit down first. At 7:30 p.m. catch a series of National Film Board shorts from the Best of the Best: Especially for Kids series. There'll also be food from Scoop Shop, Odile Chocolate and The Pie Commission.

http://www.blogto.com/events/do-film-night-at-trinity-bellwoods-park/

NOT FREE

Open Roof Festival
Location: 99 Sudbury

The open-air festival celebrates indie film and live music starting June 21 and closing shop with two back-to-back screenings on August 23 and 24. Every Tuesday there will be a musical performance followed by a film screening once the sun has set. Tickets are $15.

• June 21 Film: Everybody Wants Some!! Band: Matrox
• June 28 Film: Sing Street Band: Fresh Snow
• July 5 Film: The Lobster Band: Kayla Diamond
• July 13 Film: Sleeping Giant Band: Bruce Penninsula
• July 20 Film: Off the Rails Band: Tomi Swick
• August 3 Film: TBA Band: Grand Analogu
• August 10 Film: A Bigger Splash Band: Chloe Charles
• August 17 Film: My Blind Brother Band: Sam Drysdale
• August 23 Film: Bonus Screening film TBA Band: Yuka
• August 24 Film: Hunt for The Wilderpeople Band: Most People

Did I clumsily miss a free outdoor film screening in Toronto this summer? Let us know in the comments.

Photo from the Christie Pits Film Fest Facebook page.

The top patios for after work drinks in Toronto will let you relax and take it easy after a long day at the office. Whether you're grabbing a pint with some co-workers or are meeting up some friends, these outdoor spaces will let you escape the nine-to-five grind for a little while.

Here are my picks for the top patios for after work drinks in Toronto.

Mascot Brewery
Head to the rooftop beer garden at this Mercer St. haunt and grab a stein filled with one of the house brews. If you're going to down a litre of beer, you should probably order a snack, such as a pretzel, bratwurst or a burger.

Earls
The patio at this west coast chain restaurant in the Financial District is jam-packed on weeknights. Head here after work to sip on cocktails and pints as you indulge in a little office gossip.

El Patio
This back patio at Mexican restaurant and tequila bar El Caballito features romantic, overhead lighting, a taco food truck and boozy slushies for those hot days when you can't even imagine venturing onto a subway or streetcar during rush hour.

Local Public Eatery
If you live or work in Liberty Village, grab a casual drink at this Vancouver-based pub. There's plenty of beer on tap and if you're looking for fun and games you can try your hand at a little lawn bowling.

Drake Cafe
There are plenty of places to drink at this West Queen West hotel and if you can't make it up to the rooftop Sky Yard, take a seat on the side patio for some excellent post-work people watching.

Thanks to Strongbow for sponsoring our 2016 Patio Guide

Photos by Jesse Mins.

It's heating up all over Toronto, especially in our housing market. Yes, we hit another record last month as the competition to lock down single family dwellings remains fierce, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB).

As the Financial Post reports, nearly 13,000 homes were sold in the GTA last month, up 10.6 per cent since May 2015. In total, 12,870 homes changed hands last month; 4,638 were in Toronto proper and the rest (8,232) were in the suburbs.

Yet despite the record number of sales, there's a shortage of single family homes, writes the Post. In total, 17,412 new listings hit the market last month; that's six per cent fewer than May 2015.

Photo by sssteve.o! via the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto's hottest art-event-meets-fundraising-party returned to the Power Plant last night. Now in its 18th year, Power Ball celebrated all things desirous and pleasurable with the theme Pleasure Principle.

Power Ball kicked off with a VIP party for the first two hours before the main party opened. Held inside the Power Plant, the VIP party featured cocktails from Barchef, snacks from P&L Catering, and performance art from Ryan McNamara.

The Barchef cocktails were fantastic as usual, serving up favourites like their Basil Daiquiri and the Chamomile Julep along with their version of a Mojito. The P&L snacks, much needed after all the booze, were also good, with the Lobster Mac and Cheese ball as the highlight.

The performance act was the perfect combination of esoteric and interesting and weird. Entitled Situation- Specific Intervention, the art focused on periodic interventions from a group of artists throughout the party.

It ranged from the artists doing unexpected trust falls with random guests to the artists running into the room and aggressively spraying tubes of icing on to a cake (perhaps an interpretation of the Pleasure Principle?) in what felt like a ritualistic dance representing some sort of carb-related trauma.

It was the kind of thing where at first, I wasn't fully sure the artists were even part of the performance art but by the end, I couldn't wait for the next intervention.

At 9 p.m., the space opened up to include more rooms and an outdoor section of space. Inside, there was a Bite Beauty lipstick station and plenty of bars.

The outdoor section included more food from P&L (incredible meat, s'mores and a table of confusing sweets), spirits from Toronto Distillery Co., caesars from Walter, and more.

While this art was less of an intervention, it was equally compelling. The standouts included Javon Jones, the 2016 Max Mara Young Visionary Award Recipient who danced in such a beautiful, emotional way to gorgeous choral music that Abby Lee herself, upon watching him, would only be able to silently weep and vow to change her ways.

As well, a sculpture of inflatable pool toys served as a fun piece that also held a message. Inflatable Culture, by Coryn Kempster and Julia Jamrozik of BackOffice, was a reference to childhood memories and our disposable culture, and was one of the most fun and interactive pieces of art as it quickly was dismantled and rebuilt for photo ops (as things are when both Snapchat and booze is involved).

Aside from the art, Power Ball was visually appealing just from a fashion standpoint. Sartorially, I went from my normal wear (everyday look: sentient half-eaten hotdog left on the Spadina streetcar) to an outfit I thought was a bit sassier but within the expectations of the event (sassier outfit: what a Kennedy child would wear if they listened to Good Charlotte).

Upon getting there, I realized my all-black-with-statement-necklace was the least sassy of the bunch. There was a woman in a gorgeous, voluminous nude silk dress with arm openings down to her ribs.

There was someone in a floor-length vest covered in doll clothes. There was a gentleman who was somehow effortlessly pulling off a cowboy hat, a feat not to be taken lightly. Somehow, all the fashion was wildly divergent and yet all perfectly appropriate for the event.

Also worth watching were all the Toronto celebrities in attendance. I spotted Sam James of Sam James Coffee Bar, Kardinal Offishall, Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong of Greta Constantine, and many of Toronto's top gallerists like Clint Roenisch and Jamie Angell.

As the party ramped up, DJ Mark Farina dropped some beats, and guests' blood sugar rose with candy from Squish. As I left, the party was still going strong with some people getting their dance on, lots of people getting their drink on, and almost everyone getting their Instagram on.

I was tempted to take a s'more for the road (yes, and risk having to perpetually explain why my business cards are covered in white sticky film and graham cracker crumbs) but decided with all the amazing food, incredible drinks, and interesting art, I'd had enough hedonism for one night.

Photos by Jesse Milns.