Toronto's Lake Ontario is thankfully shark-free. But that can't stop you from getting up close and personal with these fearsome sea creatures.

Yes, Ripley's Aquarium is now offering a Discovery Dive S.C.U.B.A. program in its Dangerous Lagoon - the part of its facility that's filled with sawfish, turtles, fish and of course, sharks.

This 30 minute guided tour happens on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. and it costs $250 per participant. But, according to Ripley's website, it's not open to everyone. "Please note you must be a certified diver, over the age of 16 and complete a medical waiver in order to be allowed to Dive," reads the online sign up page.

If you're not a certified diver, you can always try snorkeling with the stingrays ($120 for two hours). Or, if you'd rather appreciate the ocean's majestic sea life from afar, perhaps the aquarium's Friday Night Jazz events would be more up your alley.

Photo by Andrew Williamson.

Understanding one of Toronto's most influential, talked about and well-attended monthly dance parties is like trying to grasp the idea of a sushi burrito.

It exists today, it's very good, but its mere presence in our collective society is steeped in layer of cultural and culinary influence.

Ok, take out the food bit, but keep the analogy (I also ate a Sushi Burrito for breakfast so it's on the brain). Course Of Time is a monthly party that's been keeping Toronto's dance music gears and chains well oiled for five years. Asking party creators Omar Al-Samadi, Alex Charlton and David King about the origins of the party, the various states of dance music in Toronto's history inevitably come up.

These guys have a deep love and knowledge of the stuff, which is probably why the party is still going strong/isn't going anywhere.

"I think that the state of dance music [in Toronto] is phenomenal despite EDM having this talked about backlash," say Charlton, who is a DJ and producer in his own right. "It's now one of the most popular genres worldwide... it's just to North America it was new a couple years ago and now people talk about it like it's dying.

"The heartbeat of house music is never going anywhere. You hear about music festivals now and the return to live rock, and that's great, I love to see a band, but anyone who's 18 going to a concert and see's a DJ play and the experience you get listening to a giant stack of subwoofers hit you with a kick at the same time... DJs have an effect on that crowd that's amazing."

"The market has become such a big business," King says. "Emerging scenes and styles and individuals aren't able to carve out their own niche as much as they were five years ago. It was a lot easier to come out and say I'm going to throw dance party in a 300 person room and figure it out.

"A lot of what we're experiencing right now in terms of Toronto DJs and Toronto music in general is a result of a lot of much earlier flexibility where people were able to test stuff out."

Al-Samadi chimes in with a different view. "There is an expansion in the market," he says. "You have big players and then younger people coming in and choosing to dig deeper. Whether that means booking more niche or choosing to do events in cooler spaces."

These three different views are what make up Course Of Time, a dance music party for people who love good music, not a specific genre or vibe. The goal is to feature the "best in contemporary dance music" whatever that may be.

"What we've done differently is we're not really associated with a specific style of genre of dance music," King explains. "Whether it was dubstep, moombahton, trap, or it's deep house, nu disco, indie house, tropical house ... these themes come and go and a lot of parties typically get themed around the genre of music.

"Because we all have our own inclinations towards music that's slightly different, it forces us to think, how do we want our party to sound now? And it doesn't have to sound that way forever."

What began as a conversation about throwing a dance night over (many) drinks at Charlton's cottage, very quickly materialized into an event. They started at Supermarket in Kensington Market in August 2011, and moved things to the newly renovated Velvet Underground at the top of 2016. They've now found what they feel is a new suitable home at Drake Underground.

"Our new space offers a place you can come, have some drinks with friends, sit on the sidelines have some food," King says. "Whereas some spaces you have a room, there's nowhere to sit and it's dark and a crazy light show. And you have one option."

"And there's nothing wrong with that too!" Charlton says.

"The great thing with our party is we are dance night that [isn't] super serious about just being in the club. Good music, good people and trying to constantly push new things forward," King says.

Course Of Time has housed many Toronto up and comers, regulars and legends like Zeds Dead, Dinamo Azari and Hunter Siegel.

And it's the combination of their now well known art work (the hourglass graphic symbolizing infinity and changing of time by the trio's good friend Phil Armson) and the ever-changing music and an understanding of a brand that's welcoming but also boundary-pushing that keeps the party relevant.

"We've created a safe space for people to be experimental, that as long as it's focused on the dancefloor we're cool with it," King says.

"People always ask in advance, what do you want us to play and we say?" Charlton continues. "We always say, express yourself. As long as it's dance, express yourself and make yourself move."

"One thing for us that's always been really important is keeping this type of event accessible to any demographic but also keeping it affordable," Al-Samadi says. "We've always prided ourselves on having a place where you can go, hear good music and have an awesome night out with your friends, but not have to spend an arm and a leg.

"With the raising ticket prices for dance music nights in our city and the boom of EDM, people spend a lot of money to go out and see headline acts, but sometimes you just want to have a chill night with your friends and dance to good music."

Which inevitably leads us back to discussing dance music in Toronto. Talking about their party, these three can't help circling back to their passion for the dance scene, all the floating bubbles of talent they hope to float around with and in turn, their own party which has cemented itself in Toronto's dance music story.

All three fellas bring up the idea of inclusion but Al-Samadi highlights the fact that it's a white, male dominated industry and that they hope to change that. They're always on the hunt for female DJs and producers and have worked with quite a few. By creating a community, they're creating family and inclusivity, which is what dance music is all about at it's roots, isn't it?

The boys conclude by finishing one another's sentences.

"People just need to be more collaborative in my opinion, be open to sharing with each other and getting together for the one great cause which is great dance music," Al-Samadi says.

"The scene is vibrant and alive, it's just adapting and changing and that has a lot of to do with the popularity of dance music," King continues.

To which King finally says "rising tides lift all ships. Anyone that pretends that big room EDM is bad for underground dance music isn't really paying attention because I think everything gets bigger together. We've been lucky to be in a space where we can be a lot of things to a lot of people."

Course Of Time party photos by Sean Berrigan from their Facebook page.

Toronto in the 1980s was a transitional time: The city was expanding but retained a small town vibe, while Yonge street still oozed a junior 42nd Street atmosphere of danger. It was a fun, neon, party-loving "People City."

Film and television production was on the uptick, and beyond just hosting the tax shelter and TV junk like in the 70s, the city was fast becoming "Hollywood North."

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

The Littlest Hobo (1979-1985)
Although his adventures technically started at the end of the '70s, it was the early 80s episodes which found the Hobo visiting Toronto on a somewhat regular basis. The highlight was surely a 1983 episode "Ghost Station", which found the titular dog riding the subway (on a Gloucester car, flashing lights and all!) to thwart a diamond thief.

The Kids of Degrassi Street (1979-1986)
Ground zero for the Degrassi empire (which has endured for 5 decades, gasp) spotlighted the serene urban suburbia of Leslieville in low-key stories that hold up much better than the more hysteria driven later series.

The Kidnapping of the President (1980)
During a standard diplomatic visit to Toronto City Hall, the President of the United States (Hal Holbrook) is kidnapped by a crazed South American terrorist, and it's up to hot shot Secret Serviceman Jerry O'Conner (William Shatner) to free him and stop the terrorist from blowing up the city.

Stone Cold Dead (1980)
The grizzled Richard Crenna stars as a detective searching for a sniper icing hookers on the sin strip of Yonge Street. Features lots of great shots of the strip, its multitude of pulsating bulbs lighting up the seedy night, and a few sneaks of the infamous Rio grindhouse theatre.

Double Negative (1980)
Psycho's Anthony Perkins tears the city apart looking for his wide's murderer. Lots of great scenes featuring the city at night, and fun cameos from John Candy, Al Waxman, Joe Flaherty and Maury Chaykin.

Prom Night (1980)
A masked killer ruins that special night for a bunch of oversexed teens. Don Mills Collegiate Institute doubled for the on-screen "Hamilton High School", while the Bluffs appeared in a memorable kill scene involving an out of control van.

Circle of Two (1981)
Richard Burton pursues a romance with a teen girl nearly 50 years his junior in this ultra-creepy romance set in the Beaches and on the Toronto Island.

Scanners (1981)
David Cronenberg's classic Science-Fiction tale is probably best remembered for Louis Del Grande (Seeing Things)'s exploding head, but it also features a showdown at the groovy Yorkdale Subway station.

Seeing Things (1981-1987)
Balding slob Louie Ciccone (embodied by lead actor Louis Del Grande) was a low-rent crime reporter for Toronto tabloid The Gazette who also happened to be clairvoyant. This weird CBC offering was shot entirely on location, and during its run perfectly captured Toronto's gritty '70s hangover evolving into the more pristine city that arrived at the end of the decade.

Today's Special (1981-1987)
Set in Simpsons flagship department store on Yonge street, this legendary TVO kids show didn't venture outside too much - but when they did it was always, ahem, special.

The Edison Twins (1982-1986)
Nelvana's live-action kids-solving-mysteries-through-science show is fondly recalled for its ear-wormy theme song by local rock jock Bob Segarini, but the series remains a picture perfect Polaroid of what it was like growing up in the warm and glowing suburbs of Toronto.

Bells aka Murder by Phone (1982)
Techno-horror was big in the 80s, and this goofy horror film delivered it in spades with deadly exploding phones. The opening scene alone was worth the price of admission, featuring a poor soul murdered by a pay phone on the TTC.

Deadly Eyes (1982)
Giant rats, raised on contaminated corn, terrorize Toronto: first managing to embarrass a local politician during a presser on the importance of Subways, then attacking Spadina's old Golden Harvest theatre in the middle of a Kung-Fu fest.

Lots to enjoy here, whether it's watching Dachshunds and Terriers in rat costumes spray fake blood all over the TTC's abandoned lower Bay Street platform, or trainspotting the use of the TTC's Hawker Siddeley H1s, H2s and H4s

Class of 1984 (1982)
Lots of grim early '80s Toronto scenery to see here, including Central Tech (looking pretty much exactly the same as it does now) and a performance from the Hammer's finest punk agitators Teenage Head, a glimpse of Sam the Record Man and A&As on Yonge Street, a young Michael J. Fox getting roughed up on Elm Street, while the King of Kensington himself (Al Waxman) turns up as a detective.

Strange Brew (1983)
Bob and Doug McKenzie transitioned from SCTV to the big screen in this cult comedy which starts with the brothers ducking out of a screening gone awry at the much missed University movie theatre. Lots of Retro 80s goodness abounds, whether it's a bevy of yellow cop cars, the interior of an old Brewers Retail outlet or the skyline in all of its pre-Condo glory.

Spasms (1983)
The Scarborough Bluffs stand-in for a remote African island where a giant rubber snake is poached and brought back to the city, only to eat the King of Kensington (The mighty Al Waxman, slumming it in b-movies again).

Videodrome (1983)
There is no record of Toronto in the early 1980s eerier than David Cronenberg's prophetic Videodrome. Not standing in as an unnamed U.S. city here, Toronto plays itself in this splatter-fest that ponders what the hell Moses Znaimer's Citytv (here Max Wren's Civictv) may unleash thanks to its zesty no-holds barred programming.

Bedroom Eyes (1984)
This sleazy peeping tom tale filmed in Cabbagetown was once the cornerstone of all good late-night movie shows.

Listen to the City (1984)
Local new-wavers The Spoons provided the soundtrack for this ode to '80s T.O, which also features a bizarre cameo from Jack Layton as a delirious hospital patient.

Police Academy 1-4 (1984-1987)
Recently given shout-outs by none other than Bill Clinton at the 2016 Democratic Convention, the first 4 Police Academy films used Toronto to fill in for unnamed big-city USA. Highlights include a riot in Kensington in the first film, and Tony Hawk's skateboarding crew thrashing through the Woodbine Centre in part 4.

Night Heat (1985-1989)
Night Heat never named Toronto as its setting but made brilliant use of the downtown core and all of its noir-ish trappings. The sweaty show immortalized our 1980s skyline in its memorable opening credits, which featured a terse theme song from Domenic Troiano (The James Gang, The Guess Who).

Dear Aunt Agnes (1985-1989)
Aunt Agnes minds the kids while their parents re-locate to another city. TVOntario's cozy life lessons series was set in the mean streets of Rosedale (Their house was located on Crescent Road) but covered a fair patch of North Toronto during its run.

Youngblood (1986)
1980s hunks Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze starred in this coming-of-age hockey drama, which shot its climatic finale in the Ted Reeve Arena at Main and Danforth.

City in Panic (1986)
Cheap as chips video-nasty about a homophobic serial killer stalking Toronto used the still seedy Yonge street sin to create an almost snuff-movie like atmosphere.

Night Ride/Night Walk/Night Moves (1986)
Non-fiction late night filler, but perhaps the greatest visual time capsule of this era of Toronto history.

Airwaves (1986-1987)
Chronicling the prickly relationship between a radio talk-show host (Roberta Maxwell) and her punky, High-school drop-out daughter (Ingrid Veninger), Airwaves featured lots of Toronto action, including an attempted abduction at Honest Eds!

Killer Party (1986)
Another horror film with some seriously creepy moments maximized by using the neighborhoods surrounding the University of Toronto, much in the same way Black Christmas did in the 1970s.

The Fly (1986)
David Cronenberg horrifies Toronto again, this time using Liberty Village as the lair of Jeff Goldblum's scientist character who in a rage of jealously accidentally splices his DNA with that of a fly.

Degrassi Junior High (1987-1989)
Much revered continuation of the Kids of Degrassi Street further immortalized Leslieville and Queen Street East, with multiple locations popping up in each episode.

Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
Toronto doubles for Chicago in a few shots of this standard '80s VHS-for-a-sleepover title. Dig the Silver Dollar room standing in for a Windy City blues dive (it was also the Blue Oyster in the Police Academy films).

Friday the 13th: The Series (1987)
Horror anthology series that had nothing to do with Jason Voorhees or Crystal Lake, rather a creaky old antiques store located in the now posh Distillery district (at the time was perfect for the horror genre.)

Street Legal (1987-1994)
A group of aggressive attorneys traverse the Toronto legal landscape. CBC's soapy drama was considered mighty provocative stuff when it premiered, and its opening sequence perfectly nailed the city vibe (it was updated to reflect changes every year).

T&T (1988-1990)
Substituting his trademark machine guns and bling for an insightful legal cognizance, Mr. T starred as T.S. Turner, an ex-boxer who was accused of a crime he didn't commit (sound familiar?). Working with his public defender Amanda Taler, T aids wrongly accused criminals in Toronto battle the treacherous legal ecosystem.

Cocktail (1988)
Classic 80s guilty pleasure finds the Cruiser at his most charming. Also notable for turning the Don Jail into a supercool nightclub.

Dead Ringers (1988)
David Cronenberg again turns to Toronto as the setting for this psychological horror about two twins (played to perfection by Jeremy Irons).

Short Circuit 2 (1988)
The sequel no-one wanted was so awful even Steve Guttenberg turned it down. Amusing to watch for how ineptly it tries to pass off Toronto as New York - no attempts are made to disguise licence plates, street signs, newspaper boxes, or to even mask the ubiquitous streetcars.

Millennium (1989)
Bargain bin Sci-Fi about aliens abducting a commercial flight then faking its crash at the southwest corner of Major Mackenzie and Highway 27.

E.N.G. (1989-1994)
E.N.G stood for "Electronic News Gathering" and followed a dedicated breaking news crew covering Toronto a la Citytv's CityPulse.

Destiny to Order (1989)
A truly bizarre story involving a writer whose villainous character comes to life and steals his floppy disks. Worth watching for a career defining, unhinged performance by Michael Ironside, and a goofy twist ending in front of Sam the Record Man.

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.

Toronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious 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

• Feast of St. Lawrence Festival is on this weekend. It kicks off tonight with a ticketed dinner at a 100-foot long table set up on Front Street.
• The Toronto Vegan Food & Drink Festival takes over Garrison Common at the historic Fort York this Saturday. Tickets are $20.
• The Pan American Food Festival at Yonge-Dundas Square is on this Saturday and Sunday. The free event bills itself as a celebration of the Americas and promises food, music and dance.
• The Roundhouse Summer Craft Beer Fest is on this weekend from noon to 6 p.m. at Roundhouse Park. Limited tickets will be available at the gates for $25.
• Sorauren Farmers' Market hosts its annual Free Tomato Tasting on Monday, August 15 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• In the lead up to the Wild Blueberry Festival happening at the Evergreen Brick Works on August 21, Pizzeria Libretto is hosting Wild Blueberry Pizza Night at on Wednesday, August 17.
• Indie retailers and craft food producers will be setting up along Queen Street West between Peter and Palmerston on Thursday, August 18 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m for the Queen Street West Night Market.

UPCOMING

• The August edition of the Toronto Bakers Market is on Sunday, August 21 at the Ralph Thornton Centre.
• Party it up at the Latino Street Food Block Party hosted by Steve Gonzalez of Baro on Thursday, August 25. The outdoor bash is a casual affair featuring AYCE food and drink stations. Tickets are $55.
• Canada's third annual Coconut Festival & Marketplace is happening on Saturday, August 27 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at David Pecaut Square.
  
  Know of a Toronto food event coming up? Email liora@blogto.com

  Photo of Baro

Salad King had been a Thai food staple for Ryerson students for years. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Yonge St. restaurant serves up cheap pad thai, green curry, fried squid, ice tea and beer towers. But does the taste and value still hold up after all these years?

Find out in my profile of Salad King in the restaurants section.

The top new patios for date night in Toronto are ideal for when you want woo your significant other with a night out. These picturesque outdoor eateries flaunt touches like hanging lanterns and fairy lights that'll give romantic evenings out the ambiance they deserve.

Here are my picks for the top new patios for date night in Toronto.

Fring's
Be link Drake and Rihanna and feast on Susur's latest creations at the 6 God's King West restaurant which has a side patio prettied up with patterned carpets, fairy lights and hanging vines.

Figo
Dreaming of a Lady and the Tramp style spaghetti dinner? Fashion yourself a high-class reenactment on Figo's greenery-clad patio. The space is a far cry from the surrounding pubs on John Street; here you can dine on top notch Italian fare and treat you and your loved one to a bottle of vino without being elbowed by aggressive sports fans.

Bar Begonia
If you're looking to wine and dine your better half in the Annex this summer, take them to Bar Begonia's patio. This sidewalk spot is decked out with gauzy white canopies and hanging lights, making it a hell of a lot prettier than the student dominated eateries in the neighbourhood. The restaurant is equipped with a stellar cocktail menu and French fare, adding to its appeal.

El Rey
For those who prefer more casual date destinations, there's El Rey. While it's definitely a step up from most watering holes in Kensington, you'll still feel right at home in a jeans and t-shirt. What's on the menu? Small snack plates, more substantial dishes like ceviche and mezcal cocktails.

Chabrol
Chabrol's chic little patio is the perfect summer date spot in Yorkville. It has marbled two-seater tables, manicured greenery and its own bar (so another bottle of wine is never too far away).

Thanks to Strongbow for sponsoring our 2016 Patio Guide

What did I miss? Add your favourite new patio for cheap drinks in the comments.

We have our share of take out lunch counters here in Toronto but have you ever visited your local sandwich shop and wanted just a little bit more? Here's a place where you can get a truly wicked steak-and-egg fry-topped sandwich and feel like you've made a trip to Boston.

Read my profile of Wicked Sammich in the restaurants section.

The best tea in Toronto is the specialty of a discerning set of merchants. These tea shops source and import tea from around the globe, and often make their own blends in house. You can stop in to these spots for a cuppa, or pick up a bag of loose leaf to go.

Here is best tea in Toronto.

The future of the West Toronto Railpath, which runs next to the Kitchener GO line, looks promising. That's because earlier today, the province announced that it'd be extending it all the way down to King Street.

Currently, the Railpath runs from Dupont to Dundas, but it'll eventually end southeast of the Dufferin Street Bridge. Earlier this year, the city released images of its recommended designs after an extensive Environmental Assessment, but it's unclear what the extension will actually look like or when it's slated to open.

Despite the lack of a timeline, west side residents have been waiting a long time to hear that the Railpath will continue south. This boast from the province will be received as very good news. As CP24 notes, the extension will snake its way through a new park (funded by a condo development) going in just north of Queen and Dufferin.

While it's been a long time coming, this incoming extension will also be boon for those living in congested Liberty Village, which could use some beefed up cycling infrastructure. The Railpath will be accessible by bike and by foot. It'll also include seating and terraces.

Toronto beer lovers are probably bracing for the long-standing Bar Volo to close in order to make way for a 44-storey condo. And while the watering hole at 587 Yonge St., will serve its last pint on October 1, it won't be leaving the neighbourhood for good.

That's because it's slated to reopen at 582 Church St., inside the historic house at the corner of Dundonald (it'll be in the unit right next to the old House Maison space).

Co-owner Tomas Morana tells me that he and his family, which is also behind Cask Days, planned to stay in the neighbourhood even though they're getting ready to introduce a new bar in Little Italy. "Our intention was always to have two places open," he says.

This incoming spot, called Birreria Volo, is moving into 612 College St. Unlike the original Bar Volo, it'll focus exclusively on barrel-aged, saison and sour beer as well as on cider and natural wines.

"Opening up a craft beer bar is pretty simple," says Morana, "but I think we want to do something that's a bit more specifically stylized." He describes Birreria as a hole-in-the-wall tasting room, or the type of place you'd find off the beaten path in a place like Italy, Spain or Portugal.

Accordingly, it'll serve up Italian-style bar snacks and fried chicken sandwiches from PG Clucks, which is opening up next door.

Along with pints, Birreria will dole out 12, 6 and 3-ounce pours. It'll also feature a by-the-glass bottle program, which will include a number of beers that've never shipped to Canada before. Morana won't confirm an opening date, but he says Birreria will likely make its debut within the next few weeks.

As for the new Bar Volo, it'll be ready in the new year. In the mean time, you can visit the 28-year-old outpost on Yonge Street until October 1. And while it'll probably host a farewell event some time next month, you won't have to say goodbye, only see you later.

Photo by Kathy Coleman

Street festivals return in force to complicate traffic in Toronto this weekend, a situation which will be exacerbated by a major subway closure as well. There's only a few weeks left before it'll feel like summer is over, so it's high time to ditch the car in favour of cycling or walking around town.

One week after the hyper popular Taste of Danforth, the eastern stretch of the street will be closed for the annual Wheels fest. Street closures will be in effect between Byng and Warden avenues and along Danforth Road between Danforth Avenue and Landry Avenue from 7 a.m. on Saturday to 1 a.m. on Sunday.

The new Feast of St. Lawrence festival will close down Front Street between Scott and Church streets from 11 a.m. on Friday until 2 a.m. on Sunday. Market Street will also be closed to vehicular traffic between 5 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on Saturday.

The International Street Festival will close down Eglinton Avenue from Dufferin Street to Marlee Avenue from 2 a.m. on Saturday to 2 a.m. on Monday.

Making life a bit more difficult for those who rely on the Danforth Line, the TTC will be doing scheduled maintenance on Line 2 between St. George and Pape stations all weekend, but shuttle buses will be on the street in place of the subway along this stretch.

There are plenty of other closures across the city due to roadwork, which you can check up on using the official city of Toronto map.

Toronto's original Sweet Jesus location might be infamous for its indulgent frozen treats and long, long lineups. But lately, its patio has been getting some heat.

Yesterday, Jake Tobin Garrett, manager of policy and research for Park People, wrote a piece on his website This Land Is Parkland about how the Sweet Jesus patio - which features black fencing and a few seats - is on a privately-owned publicly accessible space, or POPS.

"These are spaces created through the development process in Toronto where developers get extra goodies (height, maybe, or chocolate) in exchange for creating and maintaining publicly-accessible open spaces on their property," he explains on his site.

This means that anyone, regardless of whether or not they choose to indulge in an over-the-top-cone, should be able to lounge around outside Sweet Jesus and La Carnita.

Andrew Richmond, who's behind this ice cream empire (as well as La Carnita and Home of the Brave), claims that he has a permit from the city of Toronto and the AGCO to use the space as a patio. "We're getting to the bottom of it right now. We're actually working with the city right now to figure it out."

Ward 20 City Councillor Joe Cressy, however, tells us there shouldn't be a patio there at all. "That patio and that fencing has to come down, full stop," he says.

Council, he says, approved the condo at 295 Adelaide Street West and 100 to 104 John Street under the condition that the developers include a POPS. An incoming development moving in across the street from Sweet Jesus will also feature a POPS.

"This is part of our John Street cultural corridor work to turn it into a more pedestrian friendly public corridor," says Cressy. Cressy notes that the city's solicitor is now on the case.

Richmond, on the other hand, stresses he and his team are also trying to work things out. "By no means would we ever want to just throw up a patio where it wasn't deemed to be," he says. "Obviously we're going to go through the correct channels."

Photo by Jesse Milns.

Picture sunny Venice Beach, California. All the boardwalk babes and muscle heads have finished flexing and guzzling protein shakes and they're ready to dance. On the beach, there's a palace with beautiful awnings, passages, flowing plant life, and a giant pool next door. It's like a mirage, like a living Beach Boys video on creatine. It's like walking through the gates of summer heaven.

Now picture this in Toronto, tone down the babes and beasts and muscle enhancers, and add some mind blowing dance music.

It exists! It's called the Sunnyside Pavilion and in case you didn't know they've been throwing the city's best outdoor dance parties all summer long inside a waterfront Roman-esque fortress.

"The space itself is the party," Robert Squire says. He'll be DJing the Pavilion's August event and spins at key dance nights (and mornings) around the city all year.

"You can literally walk over from the pool, have a picnic, play some bocce outside and then come into this huge greco-roman style bath pavilion and dance from the day until the night. It just feels like the right space for a party."

Squire isn't exaggerating. The waterside space on Sunnyside Beach has a long history in the city and was part of a 1922 amusement park complex originally built to provide a space for swimmers to change. They could rent bathing suits for 15 cents and towels for 10 cents. Now it's an observation deck, event space and Beaux Arts Style party palace.

"The space is right on the beach, but doesn't feel like a bottle-service beach club," Squire continues. "Last time I was there I caught Carl Craig alongside the homies Dinamo Azari and Stuart [from Basic Soul Unit] just playing the best stuff alongside a top tier legend that has never fallen off.

"It just seems like a pretty culturally diverse group of peoples that aren't too concerned with being cool or whatever. There were some muscle bros and bikini girls, but also some gay kids- male and female - some die hards, a lot of great djs that weren't playing just dancing and chilling, and some normies just getting down. Whoever does the programming does an awesome job."

In comes Richard Brooks, from Captive Audience and Brooks Events. He's the guy behind the programming and overall existence of the space's summer parties since 1998. With a one-year break during the revitalization of the building in 2014, he's thrown events traditionally focused on soulful and deep house.

"The venue itself provides such a great blank canvas to build a perfect event and I have always paid close attention to the decor and experience being provided," Brooks says.

"I have also tried to bring relevant DJs and acts as things in the scene musically change and have changed quite a bit in the last handful of years. It's my goal to diversify my season including many additional promoters and musical acts ... the shows so far in 2016 have been more tech focused."

Dimitri from Paris, The Milk crew, Dennis Ferrer, The Martinez Bros., Sneak and Farina with Black Coffee and Chus and Ceballos all floated through last summer to pretty massive audiences. And it's the audiences that seem as much an integral party to these parties as the music itself.

A crew of people in summer gear dancing as the sun goes down? These are nights that legends are made of and are some of the greatest seasonal dancing events in Toronto history. Brooks will celebrate 20 years at the helm September 24 with Dennis Cruz before we all call it quits for the season.

Why is this such a rare thing in the city? Venues like the more PG-programming focused Harbourfront, the over-the-top Cabana Pool Bar, or the faux-beach HTO and Sugar Beach spaces all seem ripe summertime fiestas. It seems Sunnyside is the only venue that combines consistent programming, sound and audience. Less pretentious and more adventurous than the rest.

So with a massive sound system and only the fish and Paddle boarders of Lake Ontario to complain in an open-air space, they should be untouchable, right? The answer is, kind of. Though Brooks didn't want to get into the city logistics of the space (because it's Toronto so of course there are!), he did give a bit of insight.

"The venue is a city owned building but has a private lease for food and beverage so mostly I deal with the company that has the lease," Brooks says. "I have also been VP of Sales and Marketing for this company and worked booking corporate and wedding events through the years.

"Historically I have done nighttime events that were always amazingly fun, but over the years this was more of a challenge as there were a few issues regarding noise."

Maybe the birds in High Park need their rest, but we can't be shocked that a couple sleepy grumps have shut down all parties post-sunset. Yet despite the ability to party under the stars outdoors, the magic of Sunnyside remains.

"What makes it special is the fact that over the years the events from way back in '99 were the most legendary and I have been able to continue this tradition for almost 20 years," Brooks boasts.

"Some of the best promoters, DJs and punters have played a huge part of the success over the years and for this I am forever grateful."

Squire, who is stoked to be playing the big outdoor summer joint sums things up even more precisely, "I think it is just a combination of the space and the programming. And maybe the fact that it doesn't seem to take itself too seriously."

Photos by Tim Sandik from the Sunnyside Pavilion Facebook page.

The Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve is located about 30 minutes from Gravenhurst on a winding back road that alternates between lush tree canopies and flat vistas provided by outcroppings of Canadian Shield. Established in 1997 as a sanctuary to marvel at the night sky, it attracts thousands of people each year hoping to see distant galaxies, shooting stars, and the Aurora Borealis.

This is where I traveled to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower, an annual display that can feature up to 200 shooting stars an hour. It was a commitment, to be sure, but with astronomical forecasts calling for a spectacular show, it was the right time to explore this intriguing place.

There's not much point in driving two hours to see a meteor shower if you're not willing to do your due diligence. The reason why Torrance Barrens is so appealing for stargazers is that it's tucked far enough away from even small cities that light pollution is at a minimum, a fact which is corroborated by this dark sky map.

But light pollution isn't a meteor hunter's worst enemy. That would be cloud cover. On August 10, the night before the Perseid Meteor Shower was to peak, I paid an impromptu visit to Humber Bay Park West. To my amazement, I saw six shooting stars in a 30 minute period, a rare sighting that was only made possible by the perfectly clear sky.

For much of the next day, I continuously refreshed the Clear Sky Chart for Torrance Barrens. The forecast looked grim. The moon wouldn't set until just after 1 a.m. and the sky was expected to by covered in clouds during the prime viewing hours for the Perseids.

I decided to leave anyway. Cloud cover forecasts can be fickle, and I'd be damned if it turned out to be a clear night and I stayed home. Plenty of people camp for free at Torrance Barrens thanks to its status as Crown Land, but I hedged my bets and opted for a kitschy highway motel in case the skies ultimately refused to cooperate.

For much of the night, it seemed as though that would be the case. The cloud cover forecast initially called for a break after midnight. but there wasn't a star in sight when I left the Gold Pine Inn at 1 a.m. Nearing complete resignation that the meteor shower would be a bust, I finally got a new weather forecast that called for a window of clear skies at 2 a.m. Hallelujah.

After a close encounter with a coyote on the road to Torrance Barrens (a majestic creature unafraid of the car), I finally arrived to a busy parking lot, warning signs for bears, and miraculously starry skies. Exiting the car, I noticed immediately just how dark and quiet it is here.

Flashlights and whispers float through the air in manner reminiscent of the moody aesthetic cultivated in Stranger Things. Hiking towards the lake, I encounter way more people than I expect who have also made the pilgrimage for this celestial occasion. When the first shooting star passes by after my arrival, I hear a chorus of oooohs and ahhhs ring out in the night.

I've always conceived of stargazing as a solo activity or one that's done alongside a few friends, but the palpable excitement that accompanies the collective siting of a meteor lighting up the night sky temporarily restores my faith in humanity. For the next hour, I spot at least 20 such displays streaking across the sky, some of which even have fireballs.

A few hundred people have traveled up to Precambrian slab of rock in the middle of the night to stare at the sky in the hopes of seeing debris from a comet that's centuries old. Everyone whispers and tries to use their flashlights sparingly. While everyone is hidden in their own nook and cranny of the Preserve, there's an unmistakable feeling of togetherness.

The massive outburst of shooting stars never comes. Instead there's a steady stream of 30 to 40 an hour. It doesn't matter, though. It's the collective viewing experience that makes the adventure memorable.

Photos by Derek Flack. The lead image is a composite showing multiple meteors at different times.

Yonge Street is Toronto's most famous thoroughfare, with enough history to pack a few volumes of a local encyclopedia. It's a street that steeped in lore thanks to its seedy past and its central role in the development of this city, but how much do we collectively recall about our main artery?

Here are 10 quirky bits of trivia to test your knowledge of Yonge St.

1. Contrary to popular belief, it's not the longest street in the world. That title goes to the Pan American Highway. The issue is that Yonge St. is not linked with Highway 11 for the entirety of its route, so it only extends a total of 86 kilometres.

2. It is, however, likely the oldest street in Toronto, with roots that date back to 1794 when the Queen's Rangers carved out the route at the direction of John Graves Simcoe.

3. Simcoe is also behind the name of the street, which was bestowed in honour of his friend Sir George Yonge who was a close friend and once Britain's Secretary of War.

4. The demolition of the original Eaton's complex is the largest the city has ever seen, involving over a dozen major buildings and spanning two years.

5. The precursor to the Pride Parade happened near Yonge & College at the St. Charles Tavern every Halloween in the 1960s and '70s when drag queens and queers would strut along the street, often being pelted with eggs by a homophobic mob.

6. Yonge and Dundas Square was designed to rid the street of its remaining sleaze. Then area councillor Kyle Rae campaigned hard for the Square as a means to cleanup Yonge St. In some sense it worked.

7. Before Yorkville became the city's hub for live music in the 1960s, Yonge St. was the city's sonic capital. The entire strip was alive with taverns and hotels that served as live venues through the 1950s.

8. The city's first mall was located here. The gorgeous Yonge Street Arcade was located on the east side of Yonge at Temperance and contained 52 retail outlets.

9. Lower Yonge St. was converted into a pedestrian mall during summers in the 1970s. It started as two week experiment in 1971, but it proved so well received that it was extended to eleven weeks the following two years.

10. We tend to think that subway runs directly underneath Yonge St., but this is only true between College and King stations in downtown Toronto. Because the cut and cover method was used when the subway was first built, much of the line is adjacent to Yonge.

The $1.75 million condo in Toronto is nothing to scoff at, but don't expect a sprawling palace in the sky. You'll need a couple more million for that. At this price point, the local market is stocked with spacious two bedroom units in downtown neighbourhoods and townhouses just outside the core.

Here's what a $1.75 million condo looks like in Toronto.

$1,649,000 in Yorkville
Located on the 19th floor of the Four Seasons, this elegant unit features high end appliances from Miele and Sub Zero to go along with 10 foot ceilings throughout. While there's only two bedrooms and bathrooms, the master/en suite combination is a good size. Maintenance fees are a hefty $1,675 a month.

$1,698,000 at Yonge and Eglinton
This bright unit is found in the Minto Midtown, the development that ushered in a condo boom around Yonge and Eglinton. Its open concept layout isn't particularly dazzling, but the four outdoor terraces with alternating views of the midtown skyline are a unique feature to go along with the excellent amenities of the neighbourhood. Maintenance fees are $1,275 a month.

$1,749,000 at near U of T
$1.75 million might buy you a minimum of space, but it doesn't guarantee a beautifully designed unit. This cookie-cutter looking condo is 1732 square feet, but it's also entirely forgettable save for the south-facing view of the city and the solid location. Maintenance fees ring in at $2,236.20 a month (ouch).

$1,750,000 near Bathurst and King
Looking for a King West party pad? This penthouse unit at the Thompson Hotel will do the trick. There's a sweet terrace and dedicated bar area, but be warned: the interior design will need an update in a few years thanks to its super trendiness. This one tries a bit hard, but a delicate hand could make it worth the asking price. Maintenance fees are a refreshing $1,035.74 a month.

$1,799,000 near Eglinton and Royal York
For the prospective home owner who has no interest in gardening and regular maintenance duties, this four bedroom townhouse is an intriguing option. It's certainly not short on space, there's no fixing up to do, and there's a gas hook-up for a barbecue on the deck. It could be the best of both worlds for some buyers out there. Maintenance fees are just over $1,000 a month.

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

If you're on the hunt for halo-halo in Toronto you won't have to venture too far. This popular Filipino summertime treat can be found at local tea shops, food trucks and restaurants all across the city. Prepare to cool off with the taste of the Philippines.

Here's a round-up of where to indulge in halo-halo in Toronto.

Max's Restaurant
This popular Filipino chain claims to have the largest halo-halo you'll ever eat - it's a super-sized version that feeds 5 to 8 people.

Lamesa
Indulge in a halo-halo packed with rum caramelized banana, coconut, strawberry, pinipig and shaved ice as this Queen West restaurant.

Kanto by Tita Flips
End your visit to this Dundas West food stall on a cooler note with an order of the popular Filipino dessert. It comes with a mixture of shaved ice, evaporated milk, various boiled sweet beans and fruits.

Casa Manila
A visit to this popular Filipino restaurant isn't complete without an order of The Ultimate Halo-Halo. It comes in a huge bowl with shaved ice infused with a creamy mix and pandan essence and topped with assorted fruits, sweet beans, custard, purple yam, ube taro ice cream and rice flakes.

Pinoy Waffles
This Pacific Mall waffle shop's halo-halo is a delicious combination of flan, macapuno, ube, and other assorted ingredients mixed with crushed ice and condensed milk.

Sampaguita Village
This Little Manila mainstay packs vanilla ice cream, boiled sweet beans, coconut, jelly and ube into their halo-halo.

Tinuno
This Filipino restaurant is the place to cool down in St. James Town with a traditional halo-halo made with shaved ice, ube ice cream, jelly and fruits.

Lola's Kusina
This Etobicoke restaurant makes a rendition of halo-halo filled with preserved sweetened fruits and massive scoops of ube ice cream.

Tsaa Tea Shop
This Danforth tea shop might be better known for their tea lattes and selection of loose lead, but don't miss their halo-halo filled with jello, sweet palm, kidney beans, red beans, shredded macapuno, sweetened bananas, corn, shaved ice, leche flan, ube, ube ice cream, rice crispies and evaporated milk.

Feedthe6
You can find halo-halo on special at this Toronto food truck. Their version comes with crushed ice, condensed milk, ube ice cream and assorted jello fruits.

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

Photos by Hector Vasquez.

Toronto's newest hidden restaurant is going to tempt you with a parade of tiny plates. You can can order snacks a la carte, or just settle in and leave your appetite to chance as servers pass by with various skewers and toasts for you to try.

Read my profile of Attico in the restaurants section.

Earlier this month Toronto's most noteworthy underground radio station announced it's pulling the plug at the end of August. While this may not be absolute end of the Toronto Radio Project (TRP), everything definitely needs to be reimagined.

"The simple reason is money - lack thereof," Frazer Lavender, one of the founders of the station says. "City Beat is closing down and we can't swallow the extra rent. This has forced us to look at how we can revamp the project, so that we don't operate on such a shoestring budget."

Lavender started the station back in 2014 after he moved to Toronto and realized there was nothing like it. He posted an online ad looking for interest and Michael Newton answered the callout. They immediately began looking for local DJs and programmers to create content, all the while building the studio in the basement of a Bloordale vintage shop.

In June 2015 the boys and their army of music-minded hosts moved above ground to a tiny space at College and Dovercourt, the former home of Blood and Bandages barber shop. It may have been the size of a closet, but it was effective nonetheless.

"The main two things the move brought was greater visibility in the community, like, physically, as we weren't tucked in a basement anymore, but also the inclusion of City Beat Records, whom we've shared a location with," Newton says.

"You get people popping in, shopping for records and just kinda listening in on the live programs, all a few feet away from where they're happening. I always thought that was a really cool concept to have an open studio. It's more of an old-school radio thing.

"Nobody lets you just drop in on the action anymore, and I think it's important that people got to see that our programmers weren't just playing a tracklist of some automated radio-DJ software. They we're lugging records to the studio or switching things up on the go. It brought a sense of excitement and 'live-anything can happen' to the station."

If you ever walked by the space while a show was happening, there was a buzz outside. Even if you didn't quite know what was going on, you wanted to. It was a miniature musical workshop, where hosts expertly plugged away at creating unique programming unlike anything you'd ever, ever hear on mainstream radio.

"Moving to college felt like we arrived," Lavender says. "It also coincided with us winning Best Online Station in North America at the Online Radio Festival in Zurich. With international DJs coming into our tiny studio to spin, coupled with an ever-expanding, eclectic roster of local hosts we were definitely making an imprint culturally.

Dylan-Thomas Childs is one half of Toronto Disco dynamos A Digital Needle had a show called Beam Me Up with his partner in crime John Michael Joseph McLeod. They're among the 62 other shows the station hosted.

"The experience was wonderful," Childs says of their time there. Their final show will be August 24 from 4-7 p.m. "Complete creative control and terrific support from staff. We were shocked [about the closure], but we knew they were operating on a shoestring. Hopefully this is not the end but simply a hiatus and a new beginning."

So, about the shut down. It happened fast and it happened not only because of City Beat, but a few other factors that make it difficult for an independently run station to exist in Canada.

"If we were to get on-air sponsors on the station, the SOCAN fees we pay shoot up," Newton says. "There's a bunch of grants we're ineligible for because we don't adhere to CRTC broadcasting standards, and for us to adhere to those standards, the entire landscape of the station and what gets played would change.

"That's not to say that there isn't a tonne of local and Canadian talent represented on the station, but it's done naturally as so many of the programmers are also Canadian artists within the music community."

It's the programmers that Lavender and Newton can't stop gushing about. Hanging out with the "ultra passionate about music" day after day and the content that blasted out of the speakers is what gives them hope that TRP isn't actually over.

"I think TRP was, and still will be, important to Toronto as it was an outlet for outsiders to share and present something they love to a decent sized audience," Newton says.

"In a world where with the internet and streaming services and even YouTube where [many] don't care much for audio quality, you can pull up nearly anything you can think of, and listen to it on demand, I think it's really touching so many people chose to listen to us.

"That's 100% because of the strength of our programmers, DJs and hosts. I think it will be missed for that reason exactly. Tastemakers don't often get open, restriction free platforms, and TRP offered one."

When I say Yorkville, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Hippies? Free love? Psychedelic rock? Unlikely these days. Now the area is a high end shopping haven. Home to the "Mink Mile," the neighbourhood was declared the 7th most expensive retail space in North America in 2008. But this was not always the case.

In the 1960s, Yorkville was not a hub for the extravagant shopper, but a sanctuary for the counterculture movement in Canada - an equivalent to New York's Greenwich Village.

The Village of Yorkville was established in 1830 by Joseph Bloore and William Jarvis as a suburban retreat. In 1883 the village was annexed by the city of Toronto and continued for the next 80 years as a quaint residential neighbourhood lined with Victorian-style homes.

By the 1960s, Yorkville had transformed into the nucleus of hippie culture.

The cheap cost of rent in Yorkville led many German and English immigrants to buy property in the area. The charming, but now neglected Victorian homes were converted into coffee houses. At the time, the drinking age in Ontario was 21, and these venues provided an alternative gathering space for Toronto's young, hip crowd.

The '60s was a vibrant era in Toronto's history. The spirit of revolution was celebrated through nonconformity, creativity, drug and sexual exploration. Yorkville was at the heart of it all.

By the late 1960s a network of up to 40 clubs and coffee houses dotted the Yorkville scene. Talent was expressed in all forms; poetry readings, art showings, fashion boutiques, and above all, live music. People from all over Canada - and North America - traveled to the once quiet streets to experience the bustle of the neighbourhood.

The most iconic club during this era was the Riverboat Coffeehouse at 134 Yorkville. The décor included red booths, pine walls and brass portholes. Located below street level, it seated a cozy 120 patrons, creating an intimate setting in which to discover the up and coming names in folk and psychedelic rock: Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young.

These names would become legends. The venue also brought in international acts such as Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor and Tom Rush (to name just a few).

Every coffee house had something different. The Penny Farthing had waitresses in bikini tops while the Mynah Bird had glass encased Go-Go Dancers and featured the now infamous Rick James. Over at the Purple Onion, you might catch a performance by Buffy Sainte-Marie or Carly Simon.

Yorkville was the place to be in the 1960s and crowds jammed the neighbourhood. Club lineups would spill out on to the sidewalks and swing around the block while cars clogged the streets. In response to the increase of vehicles and threat to pedestrian safety, locals took action.

In May of 1967 a "love-in" was held at Queen's Park in support of shutting down traffic on Yorkville Avenue. Over 4,000 people attended. In August, peaceful protesters went one step further and organized a sit-in on Yorkville Avenue resulting in the arrest of 50 participants for traffic disruption.

Police presence increased - perhaps mainly in response to Ontario MPP Syl Apps' accusation that Yorkville was a "festering sore in the middle of the city." Soon a paddy wagon was parked in the neighbourhood on the weekends and a 10pm curfew was enforced for those under 18.

And so began the quick decent of the hippie revolution in Yorkville. By the following summer biker gangs had moved into the neighbourhood selling drugs, and reports of an outbreak of 'hippie hepatitis' prompted the opening of vaccine stations on the sidewalks. As a result, many locals left the area.

Not long after, the construction of the Bloor-Danforth subway increased land values and department stores replaced local shops. Within the blink of an eye, Yorkville transitioned into the monster of gentrification we now know today.

The next time you find yourself in Yorkville staring at the window displays of another flagship store, make sure to pause.

Remember that this was once the mecca of beatnik culture, where some of the most unconventional ideas, sensational nights and greatest musicians once got their start. May the spirit of the sixties live on.

Writing by Celina Johnson. Photos from the Toronto Archives, York University Archives Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections.