The annual SummerWorks Performance Festival in Toronto runs from August 4 to 14 at various venues across the city. The curated event is turning 26 this year and to celebrate, it's showcasing 69 projects as well as events and workshops. Like other local theatre festivals, there's usually something for everyone, whether you're looking to sit down and enjoy a show or participate in a site-specific piece.

Here are 5 shows to check out at SummerWorks 2016.

SExT
In this PhD research project turned performance art, young people from Flemingdon and Thorncliffe Park use song, dance, rap and poetry to talk about sexuality in the wake of the controversy over Ontario's new sex ed curriculum. If you're wondering, SExT here stands for Sex Education by Theatre.

Inside
Who are you when you're home alone? That's the question this site specific performance explores. It's structured around a series of one-on-one encounters at a west end apartment, so buckle up for an intimate experience created by Cat Montgomery and Sasha Singer-Wilson.

#7Love
Head to the Paddock Tavern on Bathurst Street to hear from a panel of love experts, between the ages of 7 to 97, as they share stories that'll make you ask, what is love?

Two Indians
This show by Falen Johnson is described "a darkly comedic look at the landscape of being Indigenous." It brings together two woman who try to recreate a ceremony from their childhood in a Toronto alleyway. You can see it at the Factory Theatre.

Empire of Night
Join this communal overnight on August 11 at the Drake Undergound. From 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., you can BYOB (bring your own blanket) and relive your childhood as Adam Paolozza, Matt Smith, Charles Ketchabaw and Kari Pederson throw a sleepover dance party - you may not even get to doze off.

Photo by Dahlia Katz Photography at the SummerWorks launch party via Facebook.

One of Toronto's newest Indian restaurants doesn't mess around when it comes to grilling up lamb kebab, salmon, sausage and tandoori chicken. Too spicy? They do great mango lassis to wash everything down.

Read my profile of Empire Grill in the restaurants section.

The Bus Terminal Diner quietly shut down earlier this year and its former home at 1606 Danforth Ave., went up for lease in late April. There's been almost no press about the closure and little is known how one of Toronto's oldest restaurants suddenly fell on hard times.

With its 1950s-style facade and retro interior, this throwback spot had been a neighbourhood staple for about 68 years - not bad for a spot slinging out simple, but filling eggy breakfasts, burgers and fries.

But what replaces it is unlikely to hone in on its throwback vibes. The 2,100 square foot space is zoned for commercial and retail use. But Michael Sapera, vice president of the The Behar Group Realty Inc. says the current owner isn't looking to lease this storied gem to an old-school restauranteur - instead, they're open to anything.

"Ideally, we would like to get a name brand or a national, somebody who's got some strength behind them," Sapera tells me. Though they'd also be okay working with an independent business owner.

It's worth noting that the nearby Allenby Theatre (or the Roxy) at 1213 Danforth Ave., is now a Tim Horton's and Esso station so there's precedent in this neighbourhood for turning iconic buildings into fast food chains. We'll just have to wait and see what the future holds for this iconic landmark east of Greektown.

How does a $1 million condo in Toronto stack up against other cities? You might be surprised at how competitive units are in this price range across the globe. Adjusted for the Canadian dollar, a million bucks certainly goes a bit further in Toronto than it does in New York and London, but the difference is less radical than you might think.

Here's what a $1 million condo looks like in Toronto vs. other cities.

$1,039,888 in Toronto
This building located on the waterfront and features three bedrooms and an open-concept living and eating space plus building amenities like a sweet indoor pool and exercise room. There's a view of the lake from one side and the Financial District from the other. Maintenance fees are just over $900.

$749,000 US in Manahattan
$1 million CAN buys you a one bedroom apartment on Park Avenue. This unit is far from a shoebox, but space is at a higher premium than it is in Toronto. Maintenance fees in New York are typically significantly higher than in Toronto, but this particular condo comes in at just over $1000, which is quite reasonable for Manhattan.

£650,000 in London
Located just outside of London's core, this two bedroom flat on Tenham Avenue is quite spacious with two bedrooms and an eat-in kitchen. It also features a small outdoor space at the back of the unit, which is roughly the equivalent of the a townhouse in Toronto.

$1,000,000 in Vancouver
This townhouse in West End Vancouver has two bedrooms and two bathrooms spread across two levels. It's an older building near Sunset Beach, but highly attractive for its upper patio and wood-burning fireplace. Maintenance fees are a paltry $376.09 a month.

$995,000 in Montreal
For just shy of a million bucks, you'll get a beautiful two bedroom condo in Montreal's Westmount neighbourhood. This building was completed in 2015 and isn't short on amenities (indoor pool, fitness centre) but it's the ample space that's so attractive about the unit. It also features a sizeable. Maintenance fees are $770 a month.

$779,000 US in Los Angeles
This Los Angeles apartment was built in 1970 and is located near Brentwood. It shows its age a bit, but the condo is quite spacious at 1,547 square feet. This is the type of place that a struggling television actor might camp out at until getting picked up for a new series.

$799,999 US in San Francisco
For a million Canadian, you'll only get a one bedroom in San Francisco, though there is a small den at your disposal. This is a relatively new condo (built in 2002) that's right next to the Bay in the South Beach neighbourhood. As far as usable living space goes, it's spacious enough at approximately 900 square feet.

$730,145 US in Tokyo
This Tokyo flat is two bedrooms and 871 square feet. It features a huge balcony and spacious master bedroom as well as a shared rooftop terrace with a stunning 360 degree view of the city's skyline.

Are there any surprises here? Let us know in the comments.

Toronto in the 1970s was by all accounts a wild place; industrial soot from decades past still coated the city, but a cheery makeover saw new icons appearing at an accelerated rate - The CN Tower, The Eaton Centre, Ontario Place, The Metropolitan Zoo, The Toronto Blue Jays and Citytv, all born in the so-called decade of malaise.

Here are few of the best examples of films and TV shows which perfectly captured that transformation in 24 frames per second, and in some cases showcased the new iconographic Toronto sites better than then anyone since.

Goin' Down the Road (1970)
Everything from Letterkenny to Bob & Doug Mackenzie to Trailer Park Boys owe their existence to this, the original low-rent adventures of two Nova Scotian hosers who set upon 1970 Toronto looking for girls, booze and darts.

The original "Cancon" movie is a grimy glimpse into the endless possibilities Toronto of the 70s could offer, and was directed by none other than Donald Shebib, Drake producer Noah Shebib (aka 40)'s dad.

The Collaborators (1973)
Like a 70s Toronto-set CSI, The Collaborators explored the hot-blooded conflicts between forensic scientists working in Metropolitan Toronto Police Department and the hard-boiled detectives and street cops on the front-line.

With episodes set in the Scarborough Town Centre, seatbelt-less high-speed chases with Yellow police cars and a menagerie of exotic villains that ranged from gay Nazi bikers to roaming gangs of mute children, this series could only have existed in brown and orange haze of 1970s Toronto.

Black Christmas (1974)
A madman terrorizes a sorority house at the University of Toronto, first pestering them with a series of vulgar phone-calls, then murdering them as their fellow students melt away for the Christmas holidays.

Crafted the template for the next decade's slasher craze (erroneously credited to John Carpenter's much more celebrated Halloween), but instead of suburbia or summer camp it's bleak U of T architecture in wintertime.

The Adventures of Timothy Pilgrim (1974)
TVOntario's first foray into kid-friendly Science-Fiction, this surprisingly bleak and gritty time-travel series was filmed in and around the industrial wasteland that was Liberty Village circa 1974.

By climbing into an old trunk, young Timothy travels back to Toronto in 1874, where he befriends travelling elixir salesman Zachariah Gibson as they traverse the equally unpleasant realities of Toronto in the past, and Toronto in the future.

Sidestreet (1975)
CBC's violent, proto-Hill Street Blues cop show was shot entirely on location across the city, giving an authentic flare and coming across almost like a documentary chronicling the mean streets of Toronto. Criminally this series remains a lost relic, never repeated and thus far absent on YouTube. With a dynamite opening theme song by Chuck Mangione, to boot.

King of Kensington (1975)
The opening titles alone elevate this rather patchy CBC show to legendary status. While most of the series was shot on stodgy soundstages, the location footage establishes Kensington as a kind of zenith for Toronto's multicultural harmony, something which until the 70s was never really seen on TV.

Silver Streak (1977)
Set on Chicago-bound train, this Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor comedy-thriller shot its climactic finale - the train smashing through a barrier and into the terminal - at Union Station. Chicago and Toronto have always been correctly comparable, so we'll give this cheat a pass, plus it's great to have this particular incarnation of Union captured on film for prosperity.

The New Avengers in Canada (1977)
TV sequel to the cult '60s tele-fantasy series The Avengers set 4 episodes in Toronto, all of them crackers. Assassins atop the CN Tower, bullet-spraying villains commandeering a Toronto Star delivery van along the Lakeshore, Secret agents rendezvousing at the Eaton Centre, political prisoners at the CNE, this truly bonkers series played out Toronto locals for all they were worth.

Yeti: Giant of the 20th Century (1977)
Gonzo Italian rip-offs of King Kong don't come anymore unhinged than this. A giant Yeti is unveiled to the public out front of City Hall, after which it goes on a city-wide rampage looking for its true love. Sadly for film lovers everywhere he does not climb atop the CN Tower.

The Ugly Little Boy (1977)
The Ontario Science Centre stands in for a futuristic Toronto where nasty scientists have used time travel to bring a Neanderthal child into the future. The Neanderthal child was played by local actor Guy Big, who had famously appeared as mini-Count in Billy Van's Hilarious House of Frightenstein, and who sadly passed away the following year.

Starship Invasions (1977)
Aliens from a dying world attack Toronto - and even land a UFO in front of Robarts library! The Ed Wood style of acting and special effects, and constant shout-outs to the Toronto Star make this a guilty pleasure. The film stars Christopher Lee and Robert Vaughn, who were clearly only in it for the drink money.

The Silent Partner (1978)
A virtual funk-fuelled A-Z of Toronto circa 1978, this crafty crime caper uses a bank in the freshly minted Eaton Centre as its central location. 1970s stalwart Elliot Gould plays a teller, and his cat-and-mouse antics with cross-dressing bank robber Christopher Plummer cover Cabbagetown, the Beaches, the Gardiner Expressway, The Silver Dollar Room, and even a romantic date at Captain Johns!

The Brood (1979)
David Cronenberg's ice cold treatise on divorce, this classic Canuxploitation horror flick features one of the greatest scenes of kindertrauma ever committed to film: Two mutant children attack Brown Public School on Avenue Road near St. Clair and brutally murder a teacher in front of her young pupils.

Anyone who attended a Toronto school in the '70s can relate - their sterile environments were the perfect setting for something awful.

Highpoint (1979)
Filmed at the tail end of the decade but shelved until 1982, this tedious crime film features an explosive finale shot at the CN Tower. After opening fire on diners in the 360 Restaurant, perennial bad guy Christopher Plummer falls off the top of the Tower. The stunt was done by daredevil Dar Robinson, who jumped off the Tower for a cool $150k (he returned the following year to do it again).

What did I miss? Please add your suggestion in the comments.

Ed Conroy's Retrontario plumbs the seedy depths of Toronto flea markets, flooded basements, thrift shops and garage sales, mining old VHS and Betamax tapes that less than often contain incredible moments of history that were accidentally recorded but somehow survived the ravages of time. You can find more amazing discoveries at www.retrontario.com.

If you've been looking for a chic spot to down a few freshly pulled pints while basking in some low lighting and spacey DJ sets, look no further. Fruli, Affligem, and Delirium are available on tap, and Monday is free snack night.

Read my profile of Shamone in the bars section.

Simcoe Day events in Toronto for this holiday Monday include the second night of OVO at the ACC, two beach parties and a giant, artisan market on the water. Just do yourself a favour and install yourself by the lake.

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

• Electric Island (Hanlan's Point)
• Promise (Cherry Beach)
• OVO / Summer Sixteen tour with Drake, Future and guests (ACC)
• Fabulous the Young OG (Same Nightclub)
• Dusk Dances 2016 (Withrow Park)
• Owen (The Great Hall)
• Weekly indie music showcase with Darrell Ricketts and The Northern Greys (Old Nick)
• Waterfront Artisan Market (HTO Park)

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

Photo of Electric Island by Hector Vasquez.

This week on DineSafe, the list might make you rethink your late night snacking destination. Burrito Boyz on College Street and Ali Baba's on Yonge both got dinged with conditional passes.

See which other restaurants landed on DineSafe this week.

Absolute Bakery (589 Parliament St.)
Inspected on: July 25, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated

The Homeway (955 Mount Pleasant Rd.)
Inspected on: July 25, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Ali Baba's (357 Yonge St.)
Inspected on: July 26, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Amaya Express (100 King St. W.)
Inspected on: July 26, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Bitondo's (11 Clinton St.)
Inspected on: July 27, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Burrito Boyz (575 College St.)
Inspected on: July 27, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Harbord Bakery (117 Harbord St.)
Inspected on: July 27, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Artful Dodger (12 Isabella St.)
Inspected on: July 27 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
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.

The best sausages in Toronto give you a reason to fire up the barbecue. Crafted by butchers that care, these bangers, brats and breakfast links feature freshly ground, quality meat and come in flavours from spicy to sweet.

Here's where to find the best sausages in Toronto.

August events in Toronto show no signs of summer slowing down. Forget that Mercury will be at its highest point above the horizon (making it super easy to view the planet) shortly after sunset, this month is all about street festivals, live theatre and of course, the CNE.

Here are my picks for the top events you gotta check out this August.

SummerWorks Festival (August 4-14)
This 11-day Canadian cultural festival focuses on theatre, dance, music, and live art. This is the festival to witness new Canadian works from over 500 artists before they blow up. Tickets are already on sale, and you can view the full list of performances here.

Taste of the Danforth (August 5-7)
Taste of the Danforth is one of the city's most popular street festivals. The food is plentiful, with more souvlaki than anyone can reasonably handle. Greek-themed events, such as archery, plate smashing, traditional dancing are all happening amongst the joyful crowds.

Time Festival (August 6)
Doors open at Noon for this electronic music wonderland at Fort York. Bring your ear plugs 'cause Run The Jewels, Broods, Kehlani, Joey Bada$$, Cold Cave, Everything Everything and so many more takeover the mainstage. There's also the Overtime stage on the grounds. $20 at the door.

YouTube FanFest (August 13)
This totally free one-day festival at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre will let you see 17 YouTubers in the flesh. This year's event will feature lots of Canadian talent as well as Americans, like Kurt Hugo Schneider and Sam Tsui. For a round-up of some of the top Toronto talent in attendance check out this post.

Mad Decent Block Party (August 19)
Mad Decent has yet to release the festival's full line up, but the announced headliners will probably inspire you to hit Ticketweb sooner rather than later. Bishu, Diplo, Grandtheft, Louis the Child, Marshmello, NGHTMRE x Slander and Sleepy Tom are all on board for the August 19 noisy electronic bashment.

Sail-in Cinema (August 18-20)
Watch three films in the theme of "books to big screen" via an extremely large floating screen on the water, while you lounge safely on the mainland around Sugar Beach. 6-10 p.m. all three nights.

Camp Wavelength (August 19-21)
Spend the night camping on the Island before school starts up again at the second annual Camp Wavelength, which boasts an incredible lineup this year. This is one of the few chances to sleep under the stars in one of Toronto's most beautiful places.

Zine Dream (August 20)
One full day (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.) of self published art books, comics, crafts, music, zines from over 90 vendors inside The Great Hall. Small press is the only press worth feeling with your fingers lately, so spend a couple hours with the brilliant minds behind the beautiful works here.

Taste of Manila (August 20-21)
A celebration of Filipino food, culture, entertainment and culture. Here's what it looked like a couple years ago. Key words for this mega-street festival are food and fashion.

CNE (August 19-September 5)
The CNE rolls into town at the end of August and will run until September 5. Expect the regular roster of midway games, rides, exhibitions, outrageous fair foods and about a million ways to spend your hard earned money.

What events did I miss? Add more to the comments.

Every day at around 1 p.m., more than 200 lost and forgotten items from TTC vehicles and properties are delivered to the TTC Lost Articles Office located in the Bay subway station.

Wallets, cellphones, textbooks, booze, umbrellas, jackets, pants (how'd that happen?), towels, hats, jewellery, bikes, and even sex toys get recorded into a database, and then sorted and stored.

Part librarians, part investigators, the TTC Lost Articles team work tirelessly to reunite more than 4,000 items at any given time back to their owners.

"The job is rewarding," says Tara Mercorillo, Supervisor of the Lost Articles office.

"Just a few weeks ago we tracked down a lady who left her purse behind with $6,000 cash. She came in the next day, in tears, giving us all hugs. She was very grateful," Tara recounts.

"People are amazed what a great city Toronto is, what honest people we all are. These stories happen every day."

The most money ever turned in? "$50,000 in cash, stuffed in a backpack."

Another story revolves around an older lady who came in after she lost her dentures. The attendant looked in the database and found a pair recently turned it. She picked them up, tried them on, sloshed them around and pulled them out.

"Not mine," she said.

Each item is held for a maximum of two months; roughly 50 per cent of items are claimed. Unclaimed items get shredded, donated to charity, or passed along to Police Auctions Canada. The money raised goes back into TTC revenue.

"We've seen everything", says Tara.

Other items that you wouldn't expect? Sex toys (which begs the question why are my TTC rides so uneventful?). Currently in one corner sits a framed collection of various brands of condoms, still in their wrappers - a tribute to prophylactics of sorts.

In another corner lie piles of crutches, canes and even a wheelchair.

"A year ago we were delivered a motorized mobility device", says Tara. "We guess the owner just got up and was able to walk away. We call it the TTC miracle."

Guest contribution by Matt Switzer, @MattSwitzerLive.

Lost bikes photo by Sue Motahedin.

July was an excellent month for restaurant openings in Toronto. While new eateries popped up in all corners of the city, the Junction might've been the biggest winner last month; there are new spots for burgers, sandwiches, slow roasted meat and more in this west end neighbourhood.

Here are my picks for the top new Toronto restaurants that opened in July.

Eat BKK
This new Thai restaurant in North York is serving up Bangkok-style street foods. Find noodles, soup and curry, plus an array of fusion foods, such as ramen tom yum, spaghetti curry and American breakfast fried rice on the menu.

Ricarda's
This new restaurant, bakery and cafe is offering customizable salads, flatbreads and pastas along with hearty entrees like cardamom honey glazed muscovy duck breast. On the bakery side of the business, find artisanal breads and all sorts of pretty sweets.

Barrio
Leslieville gained this Mexican cerveceria last month. The new spot boasts a killer patio where beer and margaritas are specialties at the bar. Meanwhile, the kitchen is responsible for tacos, tostadas and quesadillas.

Rudy
This new fast casual eatery in Little Italy is slinging out griddle smashed cheeseburgers, crispy fried chicken sandwiches and ooey gooey poutines.

Guu
This Japanese izakaya is back and doing what it does best. Head to Parkdale to find Sapporo in one litre mugs, steaming bowls of ramen and fresh, snacky foods like beef tataki.

Crafty Coyote
From the folks behind the Victory Cafe comes this Annex-area pub. Expect tables populated with dishes like tandoori chicken flat bread and truffle cheese fries in the evening, while weekends here are all about brunch featuring an abundance of customizable omelettes, bennies and burgers.

Woody's Burgers
The second location from this Etobicoke burger joint landed in Baby Point in July. Flame-licked burgers are what this place does best. Try the Coronary, which features a beef patty stuffed with blue or cheddar cheese and topped with fried onions, smoked bacon and a fried egg.

When The Pig Came Home
A new Eastern European deli has opened in the Junction. Best known in the community for doling out BBQ at the local farmer's market, owner Ryan Gatner is now serving up porchetta, Montreal-style smoked beef cheeks and house-made peameal bacon on a bun.

Angelo's Coal Fired Pizza
This Boston import is introducing coal-fired pies along with family-style, Italian-American standards to Toronto. The pizza is unique, featuring an ultra thin, crispy crust. And don't miss the Sunday gravy, a meat studded red sauce meant to be swiped up with bread.

Wicked Sammich
This sandwich shop in the Junction is serving up a tempting array of hearty handheld meals. Find Thanksgiving on a bun (turkey, stuffing, cranberry and gravy), piri piri chicken on Portuguese rolls, and steak and egg sandwiches on the menu.

Photo from Eat BKK by Hector Vasquez.

Today in Toronto is all about live music. Disclosure throws what is sure to be August's most epic beach dance party at Echo Beach, Michigan's Heaters Grand Rapids are at the 300 club, and more. If music's not your thing on a cheap Tuesday, check out the Social Media innovator talk at Brain Station... it'll change the way you live.

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

• Disclosure (Echo Beach)
• 90s Kid Tuesday's Pokegym Party! (Gladstone Hotel)
• Handlebar 4 year anniversary party! (Handlebar)
• Heaters Grand Rapids (The 300 Club)
• Nothing But Thieves (Velvet Underground)
• Toronto Summer Music Festival: Christopher O'Riley (Koerner Hall)
• Leveraging Social Media w/ Peace Collective (Brain Station)

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

Photo via Disclosure's Facebook page.

Ever wonder what an Annex home for $5 million looks like? This Howland Avenue home - which was listed at 1.97 million in 2013 - is now up for grabs at $4,995,000, after a major renovation and addition to improve the outdated interior.

Equipped with a home automation system, this mahogany panelled century home is filled with modern renovations that will satisfy its new price tag. The kitchen is a high-end addition to the back of the home, a major improvement from the small, dated kitchen from 2013.

The library on the second floor is quite possibly the most luxurious room in the house (or at least on par with the kitchen), boasting panelled mahogany walls along with built in shelves and a fireplace. There's even a wet bar located behind the desk if you run your home office like Don Draper.

With a high-end renovation like this, complete with heated floors and a heated patio, you won't even realize that you're in a century old home in the Annex.

SPECS

• Address: 39 Howland Avenue
• Price: $4,995,000
• Lot Size: 31x127 FT
• Bedrooms: 3 + 1
• Bathrooms: 3
• Parking: 1
• Taxes: n/a
• Walk Score: 98
• Listing agent: Eileen Ferrow
• Listing ID: C3510919
  

NOTABLE FEATURES

• Mahogany panelled library
• High-end appliances
• Sundeck off of master bedroom
• Crestron Smart Home System
• Heated floors
• Sonos Sound System
• Backlit onyx in the kitchen

GOOD FOR

Impressing your pals with a home integration system, spacious backyard and luxurious library/office. With its proximity to Bloor street, it's also perfectly accessible by transit.

MOVE ON IF

You're not into mahogany. With the kitchen cupboards, trim, and panelled library all donning the imported wood, you'll be looking at it wherever you are in your home.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
What do you think of this renovation? Let us know 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.

Former Bar Isabel chef Brandon Olsen has opened a chocolate shop with his partner Sarah Keenlyside, who's an artist (she was responsible for this Ferris Bueller room). With winning flavour combinations like orange blossom & honey and pistachio & bergamot, these unique chocolates taste as spectacular as they look.

Read my profile of Chocolates X Brandon Olsen in the grocery stores section.

Toronto's Ossington Avenue has bid adieu to the longstanding The Saint Tavern in order to make way for a new French restaurant called La Banane.

This incoming eatery is a partnership between the King Street Food Company (which owns well-known spots like Buca, Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse as well as The Saint) and Brandon Olsen (formerly of Bar Isabel).

"In French, the saying 'avoir la banane' means you have a big smile and that you're happy. I want to make people happy through my food," says Brandon Olsen in a press release.

The Saint closed yesterday, but apparently it'll reopen in a new, undisclosed location. Meanwhile, La Banane is slated to make its debut this fall. It'll serve dinner daily as well as brunch on the weekend.

This new yoga studio looks to California for inspiration, from its sun-filled room to the anything's-possible attitude of the staff. Offering a variety of classes based on Vinyasa, there's also a strong fitness component here for those who want to dial up the physical intensity of a yoga workout.

Read my profile of Afterglow Yoga in the fitness section.

The third annual Toronto Food Truck Festival took over Woodbine Park in the Beaches this past long weekend. It was their biggest event to date as over 60 food trucks from across Ontario served up delicious street food.

Check out this photo gallery of our favourite eats from the Toronto Food Truck Festival.

July was a tough month for businesses in Toronto. The city lost a number of notable institutions, including bakeries, bars and diners.. Neighbourhoods such as the Danforth, Leslieville and Church-Wellesley Village were particularly hard hit last month.

Here are notable Toronto businesses that closed this July.

Acko Lounge and Ho Shim
The Japanese-Korean restaurant in First Canadian Place, along with its take-out lunch counter, closed earlier this month with little fanfare.

Byzantium
The Village institution shut its doors this month after an almost 20 year run. The Glad Day bookstore will reopen in its place sometime next month.

Jim's Restaurant
This Leslieville spot used to dole out the city's best westerns before it shut its doors near the end of the month. The site is slated to become condos, meanwhile owner George Dafos is set to take over The Ginger Man restaurant at 1104 Victoria Park.

Lolita's Lust
After two decades on the Danforth, this Mediterranean restaurant shut its doors for good. Owner Sam Scanga is turning his attention to his Leslieville restaurant, Braised.

Me & Mine
This cozy College Street restaurant has been a neighbourhood staple since it opened in 2013. Locals will have to look elsewhere for brunch since the place closed on July 3.

Mother's Dumplings
The Danforth outpost closed this month, meaning east side dumpling enthusiasts will have to venture west to the original location Chinatown location to get their fix from now on.

Pied a Terre
Leslieville's source for quirky vintage finds, antiques and unique decor has moved sales exclusively online. Count yourself luck if you scored a deal as the Queen East store sold off its stock over the past month.

Rock Lobster (Queen West)
The last Rock Lobster location shuttered on July 2. The Queen West address is set to become a new collaboration from The Bovine Sex Club and the folks behind El Furniture Warehouse.

Silverstein's Bakery
This bakery on McCaul abruptly shut down after nearly 100 years in business. Silverstein's was the rye bread supplier to delis and sandwich shops across the city and will be missed.

Sushi Queen
The long-standing Queen West business, and purveyor of pink dragon rolls and avocado boats, quietly shut down this month.

The Cure
Formerly The Hogtown Cure, this Dundas West eatery known for its decadent brunch menu underwent a mini makeover earlier this year before calling it quits in mid-July. Posts on Facebook tell followers to stay tuned... we suspect there's something new brewing already.

The Other Juice Bar
The Fountain of Juice has dried up at the Danforth juice bar adjacent to The Only Cafe. It shuttered this month and now the bar is devoting its focus to beer, brunch and espresso-based drinks.

The Wine Swine
This "gastro wine pub" on Eastern Avenue proved short lived. The restaurant, which focused on brunch, pub grub and wine, debuted in February but closed down by July.

Zipperz/Cellblock
This gay bar closed right after Pride month, following 18 years in the Church-Wellesley Village. The building is slated for demolition and will be replaced by, what else, condos.

Share the Toronto businesses you'll missed most in the comments.

The photos of the month for July in Toronto show off the city in the midst of summer, from colourful costumes at Caribana to dramatic thunderstorms lighting up the sky. There's a palpable sense of heat that these images communicate, which is only fitting given the scorcher of a month we just enjoyed.

These are my picks for the top photos from the blogTO Flickr pool last month.