A two-bedroom penthouse is for sale at 22 Stewart Street with an asking price just shy of $4-million. The nine-storey, 59-unit boutique building was erected in 2008 by Freed Developments, and compared to other penthouses of this size in the city, has relatively low maintenance fees.

The space is filled with light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, and has a gallery-like feel with its open concept layout, light wooden floors, and high gloss cabinetry. Sitting at 2,834 square feet, this penthouse takes up the entire top floor of its address, and generously divides its space amongst only a few rooms - offering a massive master bedroom and living room.

With a private heated lap pool on the wraparound rooftop terrace, this spot is the perfect oasis from the otherwise hectic bustle of King West. The brick statement wall, concrete posts and open ductwork add a soft-loft appeal, design features that continue into the lobby providing a great entrance for those that love design.

SPECS

• Address: 20 Stewart St. #PH 901
• Price: $3,995,000
• Square Feet: 2,834
• Bedrooms: 2 +
• Bathrooms: 2 +
• Parking: 2
• Maintenance Fee: $1,706 Monthly
• Walk Score: 100
• Listing agent: Craig Emond
• Listing ID: C3598179

NOTABLE FEATURES

• Private elevator access
• 1,872 sq. ft. wraparound terrace
• Private statement pool
• Two parking spots
• Large, open concept living area
• 2,834 square ft

GOOD FOR

Someone who's after a boutique condo building and wants to know their neighbours. With nine-storeys and only 59 units, you're bound to have people asking to use your private rooftop pool.

MOVE ON IF

You're looking for five-star amenities to accompany your penthouse. This building comes equipped with only a recreation room and a few BBQs - allowing for low maintenance fees but less on-site recreation than you might imagine.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
Would you live in this penthouse? 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.

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

• Pawel Grezlikowski of Hogtown Charcuterie has just opened PG Clucks, a compact new fried chicken shop at 608 College St. (next to the Royal Cinema).
• Japanese street food vendor Gushi is now open at 238 Queen St. W., inside the Queen West Live Fresh Food Market.
• Fourk Restaurant inside Nightowl is now open. Find snack food like sushi sliders and bacon mac on the menu.

RECENTLY REVIEWED

• Canis
• 98 Aroma
• Farside
• Peace Treats
• Shawarma Empire

OPENING SOON

• Kaboom Chicken, a new Korean fried chicken joint, is slated to open in Riverside at 722 Queen St. E., this fall.
• Good Rebel, a vegan grocery store, is coming to to 1591 Dundas St. W.
• Signs in the window at 214 King St. advertise that Lee Chen Asian Bistro will replace Artisano on the building's lower level.

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

Photo from by @fourktoronto.

Toronto pet owners might need to keep their furry friends on a tighter leash. That's because the city's licensing and standards committee is considering changes to Toronto's Municipal Code in order to "promote responsible dog ownership, better prevent dog bites and mitigate risks associated with dangerous dogs," according to a report that'll be discussed at city hall next week.

The city is now looking to make changes to the Toronto Municipal Code in order to put forward a new by-law regarding dangerous dogs - dogs, as Metro writes, that have viciously attacked a person or other animal, dogs that have attacked or bitten more than once, or dogs that are already required to wear a muzzle.

So what happens when a dog's deemed dangerous dogs? Along with having a muzzle, these dogs would be prohibited from off-leash dog parks and would need to wear a special dog tag identifying their dangerous status. Pet owners would also have to post a warning sign on their property.

The licensing and standards committee will debate this item on September 21.

What do you think of these proposed changes? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Photo by Ben Roffelsen via the blogTO Flickr pool.

"I'm like the McDonald's of rock 'n roll and soul music," Steve Rock jokingly says. He's the creative genius behind Motown Party, which is now franchised and operates on a mostly monthly basis across Canada, the U.S., Paris, London and very soon in Philadelphia, L.A. and Tokyo.

The party he started also turns eight this year.

What started as passion project eight years ago in Toronto has grown into the party monster that it is today thanks to a lot of hard work and a passionate team.

"There's a lot of soul parties in Toronto; we certainly weren't the first one to do it, but we were the first ones to make the focus on soul all night long," Rock says. "What we did is play rarities, Northern soul, Stax, not specifically Motown labels... the Motown sound is what we named it after.

"The last hour or halfway through the night what we started doing was a chicken and egg type thing. You play the soul samples which would later become the backbone to amazing '90s hip hop and gangster rap hits." The DJ then plays a bit of the modern track, but always brings the focus back on the soul artist.

"It turned into a fun way to educate but also fuck with the crowd," he says laughing. "People would hear Bill Withers 'Grandma's Hands' and expect it to be BlackStreet's 'No Diggity'. It was fun to see that enthusiasm or look of surprise wash over an entire room."

Captivating an entire room is what Rock and his team quickly became experts at. Incorporating multiple awardwinningDJs playing both vinyl and digital set-ups to Motown dance party style go-go dancers and routines, with projected animations of archival footage (like Diana Ross on the Ed Sullivan show) all make for a completely engaging night of wild dancing.

It's an environment to let loose, where dressing up is encouraged and not taking anything too seriously is almost mandatory.

"It's really campy stuff. It's a visual treat but the focus has always been on the music," Rock says. "We want to deliver something better. Anyone can go out and play some top soul tracks off '60s compilation albums and press play, but we like to take it and do it in our own way with respect to the genre. It's structured but fun."
It's that drive and structure that enabled him to test out the party in Brooklyn and have it stick. It worked well in Vancouver, then blew up in Chicago. It's a formula that never gets old and works well with teams of DJs and promoters in every city working to keep soul music alive.

Rock grew up in a house with music-obsessed parents surrounded by rock and soul, "I was raised by Sabbath and Diana Ross," Rock, who also throws the city's Y2K and Turn Back Time parties says. It's his early appreciation for music and its positive messages and fans that come along with it that help inform the party.

It's a very inclusive party, with zero tolerance for any any ageism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism or racism. He's proud to say there's never been a fight at Motown Party, "You have to be really pissed to want to punch someone in the face to Baby Love," he says.

Where the party has gotten into some trouble are some claiming that Rock is another white guy culturally appropriating a genre of music for financial gain. He's very aware of this and makes sure the party offsets this by donating partial proceeds to the Motown Museum -- an official fund set up by Motown that helps their older artists in need.

They also donate to charities that focus on people of colour, and women. He insists he throws these parties because at the root of everything "this music is so steeped in cultural growth, in civil rights..."

"The beauty of Motown is that it is inclusive, it's meant to bring people together rather than force them apart. Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On,' for example. Spread a message of love and togetherness and we've been able to do that for eight years and we're very very very very happy about it."

Photos from the Motown Party.

You can travel to a lot of major cities and notice traffic is horrible, buildings are beautiful or ugly, and people are nice or grumpy -- that's just city life. It's the specific things you notice about a metropolis when you visit that are the most interesting or hilarious. Toronto has a set of easily discernible quirks that distinguish us from any other city.

Here's what out of towners notice when they visit Toronto.

It's really, really multicultural.
From food, shopping, and cultural activities to just the general population walking around downtown, a visitor quickly realizes this is a city of so many wonderful cultures and traditions. We were named the most diverse city in the world, after all.

There are so many condos being built
Whether you're riding in from the airport, driving down the Gardiner, walking around downtown or .... hell anywhere you go in Toronto there's a crane lifting its long neck into the sky building another condo. It seems like there's an endless amount of towers being built here. We're a hot market!

There are Tim Hortons everywhere
We love our Timmies. It seems they've been everywhere for years as a cheap coffee/doughnut option, but are now on every spare corner we've got. They rival any local coffee shop or Starbucks. Love them or hate them you'll basically be able to find a Tim's no matter what neighbourhood you're in.

There are rules against having fun
When you live here you know there's a lot of fun, creative and exciting stuff happening... but as a visitor or hosting of an out-of-towner, you're quickly reminded Toronto doesn't always like fun. Our patios close at 11 p.m. (and you can't smoke on them), our last call is 2 a.m., and there's a host of other odd by-laws aimed at keeping everyone in check.

People take streetcars
It's shocking, but true, downtowners ride the Rocket when they live in neighbourhoods far away from the subway line. They're often slow, problematic, overcrowded and underfunded, but they're also unique (for now) and can be a legit, cheap way to get around.

Cyclists riding all over the place
We're no Amsterdam, but Torontonians like to bike downtown and around, a lot. Cycling advocates continue to push for more bike lanes, and we slowly get them. But bikes are also on major streets, side streets, down by the water and locked up to everything they can be. Look both ways before crossing!

Get in line
Torontonians like to lineup. For ice cream, cheesecake, whatever food trend seems to be happening or everyday things like getting on a bus and walking into a movie. For whatever reason we're really good at politely standing in an orderly fashion until it's our turn.

Inner city ravines
Toronto's doesn't have the highest ranking when it comes to percentage of urban space designated as parkland , but it's impossible to spend much time here without noticing the massive ravine system that exists so close to the most dense areas in the city. It's as though the city erupted out of its ravines.

People wait at traffic lights
Though many claim we're always trying to catch up to our Southern New York neighbours, there's one major thing we'll never share, and that is traffic light etiquette. We stop at them. We wait at that red light, in fact most people are terrified of a yellow light. Even when we have intersections with a lack of traffic lights we wait.

Locals don't actually call it the 6ix
Visitors beware, don't arrive calling Toronto the 6ix. No one actually likes the term or calls it that. Drake did, and kind of still does in song and text, but in the same way no one ever calls us the Big Smoke or Hogtown out loud, just ignore this moniker.

Did I miss something you think out of towners notice about us when they land in Toronto? Let us know in the comments.

Lead photo by George Socka from the blogTO Flickr pool.

Weekend events in Toronto will let you enjoy every last ounce of outdoor fun possible in what remains of this season. With a few street festivals, a handful of concerts, a food truck fest, and one giant invasion of Ontario Place, you'd better get your late-summer/fall wardrobe out and get to living!

Here are my picks for the top weekend events in Toronto.

FESTIVALS

in/future (runs until September 25)
Ontario Place finally comes back to life via this massive art, music and culture festival! Art Spin and Small World Music Festival take over the abandoned island with bands, art instillations, sculptures, beer gardens and movies inside the Cinesphere. Single day and weekend passes are available online.

TURF Festival (September 16-18)
The three day music fest returns to Fort York for hours and hours of vintage indie rock for chilling out, drinking local beer and eating snacks. With 44 artists in all, this one's for lovers of indie rock, folk and soul.

Ukrainian Festival (September 16-18)
This is the "largest celebration of Ukrainian spirit in the world," according to festival organizers. The massive Bloor West Village (between Jane and Runnymede TTC stations) cultural celebration is more than just a food fest. This a a very tight and powerful community who love to celebrate their music, arts, costume, parades, and sure, lots of food and dance.

World Cup of Hockey (September 16-25)
The Distillery District and surrounding area get a major hockey makeover starting this weekend with loads of free shows, street performances and displays, and chances to get up close and personal with the Stanley Cup. The Killers and Sam Roberts will perform this weekend.

Kensington Market Jazz Festival (September 16-18)
Eight different venues, including The Boat, Supermarket, Handlebar, The Round, Handlebar, Poetry Jazz Café and Trinity Common qwill host jazz shows all weekend long. You won't be able to buy tickets in advance. But the lineup and schedule is already out so you can plan ahead and bring cash when you head out to one of the participating venues.

Roncesvalles Polish Festival (September 17-18)
A celebration of all things Polish on Roncesvalles with Polish bands and dance groups from across Canada and the United States, as well as a bunch of local musical talent on stages an inside tents along the strip. Stores will spill out on the streets, beer gardens will overflow and pierogi, kielbasa, bigos, cabbage rolls will fill you up.

MUSIC

Anderson.Paak and Kaytranada (September 17, Echo Beach)
Manifesto turned 10 this year and packed each day with some really great programming. It's a festival the city should be very proud of and this weekend they end with many bangs. One of which is this ticketed concert at Echo Beach. Katranada's album 99.9% was one of 2016's best, hear it live and improve your life.

• Miss Lauryn Hill (September 16, Massey Hall)
• Rock against the TPP (September 16, The Opera House)
• Superkick'd Pro Wrestling Rock Show (September 16, The Great Hall Underground)
• Tourist (September 16, Velvet Underground)
• Sandro Perri / Charles Spearin (September 18, Quixotic Sounds)
• Manifesto: A Tribe Called Red (September 18, Yonge-Dundas Square)
• The New Pornographers (September 18, Lee's Palace)

ART

MUSE 2016 - A Representational Art Exhibition (September 16-17, Super Wonder Gallery)
View the artwork of over 70 artists and their personal portrayal of representational art in the form of landscapes, portraits, still life, figurative, wildlife and more. From 8p.m. - 2 a.m. this will most likely be an art show and super fun party all in one. Dress code is snazzy, Sexy, artistically eccentric and door is $10.

Douglas Coupland: Polychrome (Daniel Faria Gallery)
Coupland's latest show is an experiment in colour and how we see it and live it when we're colour blind. That's the best way I'm able to describe it to you anyway. Just go; it's really bright and bold.

FILM

With TIFF in its final days (it wraps up Sunday, September 18, but there's still lots left this weekend), we can move on with our lives and take things a little less seriously. To wit, you can head to these two movie-watching events complete with drag hosts and drinking games. Take your pick.

• Drunken Cinema: Showgirls (September 16, The Steady)
• Screen Queens: The Breakfast Club (September 18, The Royal)

FOOD & DRANK

Oktoberfest at Steam Whistle Brewery (September 17, Steam Whistle Brewing)
There are a good bunch of Oktoberfest events in the city heading into next month, but this one is the first and most reliable and fun. A performance by George Kash, traditional German dancers, good eats, beats and games in addition to steins of beer all over the damn place.

• Food Truck Festival (Downsview Park)
• Garlic Festival (September 18, Wychwood Barns)
• Toronto Beer Week (Various locations)

DANCING

Motown Party 8 year anniversary (September 17, Studio Bar)
How do you chose where to dance with so many parties playing such great music at any given night? You sometimes go with a party that knows what they're doing and the Motown Party, which now exists in the U.S., Paris, London and soon to be Toyko, is where it's at. Retro gogo dancers, soul hits and rarerities mix in with the odd hip hop nod and projections.

• Fuck it (September 16, Clinton's)
• Smooth Operator (September 16, Bar 499)
• Course Of Time LXIV w Kill Them With Colour (September 16, Drake Underground)
• Lovefingers (September 16, Bambi's)
• Gravitation (September 17, Sammy's Upstairs Lounge)
• Back in the day 90's party (September 17, Revival)
• Cake (September 17, Bar 499)
• High Power: Manifesto 10 After Party (September 17, Miss Thing's)
• Chronologic (September 17, The Garrison)
• The Simpsons: A 90's Dance Party (September 17, Sneaky Dee's)
• Day Dip (September 18, Holy Oak)

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events section and have a great weekend!

Photo of TURF by Jesse Milns.

Pocket change might not get you very far in Toronto, but tomorrow, it'll let you score a sweet deal at the Toronto Reference Library.

That's right, the Friends of the Toronto Public Library's Book Ends store is holding its annual clearance sale this weekend at the Toronto Reference Library. The madness started today at 9:30 a.m. and runs until 7 p.m.

But if you can't make it tomorrow, you'll still have time to pick up a book (or two, or three, or seven). The sale continues on Friday, September 16 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and on Saturday, September 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can expect to find great deals on books, CDs and DVDs.

All of the proceeds will go towards the TPL's literacy program, as if you need more incentive to hit up this used book sale.

Will you check out this massive book sale? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Duane Schermerhorn via the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today we're opening up voting in our latest Best Of poll. Now you can have your say in 10 categories including Japanese restaurants, brunch, BBQ restaurants, pizza, macarons, spinning studios, places to buy a suit and more.

Take the best of poll here

Voting in the poll ends at 11:55 p.m. on Saturday September 17.

Drake's very own whiskey is finally hitting LCBO shelves. While you could've preordered it online, Virginia Black will be available in select stores (about 180 locations) starting on September 30. Cheers to that!

Virgina Black, described as a "decadent American whiskey," is a collaboration between rap superstar and unofficial Toronto spokesperson Aubrey Graham and Brent Hocking (who's behind Deleón Tequila). Regardless of what's inside, the bottle itself looks pretty darn luxurious.

Virginia Black was first released in May, but only in the United States. Toronto drinkers and Drizzy fans will now be able to get their hands on a bottle for just $39.95.

Photo via @champagnepapi.

For better or worse, Toronto has a rich history of projects that never got past the planning stage. From subway lines to sports stadiums, the city's archives are littered with blueprints for buildings and infrastructure that never came to fruition. These also include condo developments, many of which were deemed just too damn tall for this conservative city.

Here are 5 condos that were proposed but never built in Toronto.

Mirvish + Gehry
No, this project didn't get killed, but it sure got knocked down to size during the design review process. Some will think this is a good thing, while others will note that Toronto refuses to embrace bold design visions. Gehry's original plans called for three towers in excess of 80 storeys and the destruction of heritage buildings, which the city rejected before a two tower compromise was reached.

Sapphire Tower
Toronto developer Harry Stinson had big dreams for his blue tower at 66 Temperance St., which at one time was proposed at a soaring 90 storeys. Plans were eventually scaled back after the city rejected the plans on account of the shadow the building would cast over Nathan Phillips Square. The humbler version never materialized as Stinson filed for bankruptcy in summer 2007.

308-314 Jarvis St.
This one isn't quite dead yet, but the City of Toronto has rejected the initial proposal to erect a 43-storey condo between Jarvis and Mutual streets just south of Carlton Ave. The application was rejected for its overdevelopment of the site and the shadows that it would cast over Allan Gardens. An OMB hearing is scheduled for March 2017. In the interim, the historical property on the site burned down.

1181 Queen St. West
Sometimes the city gets it right. This 26-storey tower was proposed for the wedge-shaped site across the street from the Gladstone Hotel. The area has proven it can support such density, but at this particular site the impact on the street would have been terrible. A more modest proposal is now under review.

Giraffe Condos
Those passing by Bloor St. and Dundas St. West have long been forced to absorb the eyesore that remains of the Giraffe Condos project, which itself would have been a gorgeous building. The TAS project was ultimately rejected by both the City of Toronto and the OMB because its 27-storeys were deemed too large for the neighbourhood, which has left the site in limbo since.

Know of a rejected condo proposal worth sharing? Let us know in the comments.

Matcha has long been captivating flavour hunters, from ancient times up until the nouveau matcha lattes and frapps of present day. One cafe is on a mission to do matcha desserts better and more authentically than anyone else, importing their matcha from a tea garden all the way in Japan.

Read my profile of Tendou Matcha & Dessert Cafe in the cafes section.

When you're dealing with a film festival with hundreds of movies, the law of averages makes it inevitable that not all of them will be masterpieces. Some will ultimately turn out to be at the bottom of your TIFF-going heap.

Here are the five worst films I've seen at TIFF 2016.

All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and the Spirit of I.F. Stone
The problem with All Governments Lie is that it makes a classic documentary mistake: it's all subject, no story. The result is a film that hopscotches all over the place -- the history of journalism, the state of modern media, the life of I.F. Stone -- without ever coming together as a compelling whole that isn't just saying the same thing for 90 minutes.

American Honey
For a while American Honey is a fascinating look at a different side of America, and offers a welcome realism around its world and people. But after a while, it dips a little too much into romanticizing poverty. Plus, the more it goes on, its unlikeable main character, its on-the-nose soundtrack, and its endless scenes of van rides makes you feel every second of its 158 minute running time.

It's Only the End of the World
You have to wonder what it was Cannes saw exactly in It's Only the End of the World to award it the Grand Prix earlier this year. Xavier Dolan's latest is full of unbearable (or boring) characters, over-written dialogue, and a misplaced confidence in its own dramatic profoundness. That's all before you get to the groaner of a final shot.

The Limehouse Golem
The prospect of Bill Nighy playing a detective hunting down a brutal Jack the Ripper-like killer in grimey old 1880s London should be a crime film delight. Unfortunately, The Limehouse Golem is gratuitously violent, badly structured, and utterly predictable.

A Quiet Passion
Director Terence Davies is usually pretty dependable, but from the earliest moments of his Emily Dickinson biopic, A Quiet Passion is marred by creaky performances, exhausting Oscar Wilde-like dialogue, and far too many scenes of sniping, yelling, and growling. It doesn't help that it's message -- that Dickinson was an unhappy person -- is one it hits again and again till you're wiped out.

What are the worst films you saw at TIFF this year?

Film still from The Limehouse Golem

Toronto now has an LGBT friendly sports bar, something city's around the world have had for years, but we've mysteriously lacked. Sports bars can be intimidating to a lot of people, especially the LGBT community. This new sports plex offers drinks, food, countless HD screens and a super welcoming and inclusive environment.

Read my profile of Striker Sports Bar in the restaurants section.

Between College and Queen lies a funky little middle ground we know as Dundas, and as you head west the street's character only gets funkier. When going out for the night, Dundas West is a great place to look for bars both eccentric and elegant. From patios to pool tables to pinball, Dundas West has a bar for every drinker, but I've narrowed it down to five.

Here are my picks for the top bars on Dundas West.

Midfield
Walking into Midfield, you might think you've suddenly been transported to a cozy corner of Brooklyn or a noir film. With tons of wooden accents and a homey, vintage feel with all of the class and none of the thrift, this wine bar is a bright, warm spot to take it easy with a glass of white or red. They also do chic little sharing plates and larger entrees like braised short rib.

Cocktail Bar
From the same owner as Black Hoof across the street, this tiny bar is shrouded in secrecy both by its vague name, which is on the tiniest of signs, and plain white exterior, but this only makes passersby want to find out about it more. They're unabashed about their taste in cocktails, not serving vodka, and do only small snacks like cheese.

Unlovable
The inside space is where the action is here, with frequent DJ nights from guests like Andrew W.K. in the basement. This bar also has cute, only slightly more legible signage, and their logo of a crossed-out heart somehow makes me swoon, which is not something a logo can usually do. They offer familiar beers but are always ready with suggestions, though they don't serve food.

Get Well
The intersection of Dundas and Ossington really heats up at night, and sometimes this bar is so crowded I can't even get in. More popular than ever with the promise of slices from North of Brooklyn, they have tons of great craft beer on tap and pinball machines, and I'm just always going to enjoy their clever name. A great off day or end-of-night suggestion, and good for big groups.

Wallflower
This is another one that plucks my heartstrings a little each and every time, making me want to head inside. It's super cute and cozy, and their sign is also teeny and inscrutable but makes passersby all the more curious once again. They're known for their vintage decor and eccentric bar snacks. There's also a patio out back. Get out your horn rims.

Thanks to Grolsch for sponsoring this post.

Photo of Midfield by Jesse Milns.

It's a special night on Toronto skywatcher's calendars, as the Harvest Moon reaches its peak as it rises in the east at 7:22 p.m. Adding to the intrigue of what is already one of the most celebrated moons of the year (thank you Neil Young), tonight's version will also be an extra bright supermoon.

Well, that is, depending on who you ask. There's some debate in the astronomy community about whether or not this particular moon qualifies for the designation, but regardless of whose method you use to define the term, it's a close call. And that should be enough to make a point of looking up tonight.

Perhaps more importantly, the weather forecast looks favourable for viewing the moon, with no cloud cover forecasted for tonight. Look to the east at sunset for the best chance to see the moon when it appears largest.

Each full moon is named in a calendar year, but the Harvest Moon tends tends to attract the most attention, likely because its etymology is the easiest to understand. Being the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, the idea is that the extra light provided by the moon allows farming duties to extend into the night during the period of the harvest.

Those who live in Europe will have an even more spectacular show with a penumbral eclipse on display tonight, but there's no need to get too envious if the moon looks as stunning as it's promised to be. Yesterday's moonrise, for instance, was glorious even as it wasn't quite full.

If for whatever reason you miss tonight's moon, the good news is that the next three full moons (October, November, December) are slated to be supermoons. Happy skywatching.

Photo by Eliyas J in the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

• Toronto Beer Week kicks off tonight and runs until Saturday, Sept. 24. Check out the top events by day of the week here.
• Roncesvalles Polish Festival is on this weekend. Go for the food vendors, patios spilling out onto the street and live music, including an outdoor polka on Saturday night.
• Rainhard Brewing hosts a Cask Social on Saturday from 3 p.m. until the casks run dry.
• Food Truck Festival Ontario takes over Downsview Park this weekend. General admission is $12.
• Oktoberfest at Steam Whistle Brewing is on Saturday, Sept. 17. Tickets are $20 at the door.
• The 6th annual Toronto Garlic Festival is on this Sunday, Sept. 18 at Artscape Wychwood Barns. Admission is $5.
• City Cider at the Spadina Museum is on Sunday, Sept. 18 from noon until 5 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the gate.

UPCOMING

• The Food Court Social, presented by George Brown College, is on Thursday, Sept. 22. Tickets are $150 for this fundraiser featuring 10 Toronto chefs, including Mark McEwan, Anthony Rose and Matt Basile.
• Tickets are now on sale ($15) for Soupalicious Toronto 2016 at Artscape Wychwood Barns on Sunday, Sept. 25.
• Kanpai hosts a Lucky Brunch on Sunday, Oct. 23. Tickets are $35 for the multi-course menu featuring family style Shimmy Shimmy Yao and black pepper ramen noodles with eggs.

Know of a Toronto food event coming up? Email editors@blogto.com

Photo from Polish Fest by Jesse Milns

Like much of the downtown core, the area surrounding Moss Park is booming as people flood into the neighbourhood's incoming condos and rental buildings. And earlier this week, residents got a peek at what their new community centre might look like.

The project, designed by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects, is still in its early days, as the Toronto Star reports. But it includes a multi-storey facility with two ice pads, a pool, a walking track and a rooftop park. The project also seeks to overhaul the park with splash pads and a playground as well as tennis and basketball courts.

As the Star writes, the first floor of the glass-clad building has been conceived using "trauma-informed" design, which will hopefully make it more welcoming and accessible for those who have experienced homelessness.

If all goes according to plan, this new, much-needed community centre will sit on the west side of the park beside the armoury. The existing John Innes Community Recreation Centre will remain open throughout the construction process.

While many are praising this plan, the Star reports that some nearby residents aren't happy with it due to a lack of public consultations and the possibility it might lead to increased traffic. There's still, however, a long way to go before it all actually comes to fruition.

Photos from MJM Architects.

Ontario Place lives again. The defunct amusement park has been resuscitated this month as part of a massive art project that will reanimate the site's previously dormant features like the Cinesphere and silos.

The in/future arts and culture festival launched last night and will run until September 25. Spread out over 14 acres, it's truly a feast for the eyes, ears and belly (there are food trucks and bars scattered all over the property).

Toronto art curators Art Spin together with dozens of artists and art organizations worked together to populate the abandoned island with all types of activations. It's best to head down over the iconic bridge in the afternoon to appreciate things in the daylight before they light up at night. The festival is open until 11 p.m. every night.

Memories will come rushing back from the minute you enter the main pavilion. If you had never been as a kid, you'll be hit with a different kind of rush, and that's one of strolling onto another planet.

Head into the gift shop or take a look at a map to figure out your route around the island... or don't. The festival is made for wondering and discovery. Visitors have access to pretty much anywhere they want.

Head to the water if you're there during daylight and check out solar activated pieces like the one by Faye Mullen. It's one of the many fascinating pieces placed next to the water, giving folks a view of the city and lake Ontario they haven't seen in over four years.

After you've walked around outside, start heading into the cave and crevices of in/future. This piece inside a cave tunnel by Philippe Blanchard. It's a lot of 3D fun.

This will lead you Max Dean's two-part masterpiece called Still. It's in reaction to Ontario Place's Wilderness Adventure Ride. If you remember this log ride through the park, you'll gasp. If you don't, you'll also gasp. It's terrifying and amazing all at once.

Head out of the caves and into the silo structures next. They're all interconnected and feature different works. The pieces will change through the festival so check the schedule (or don't). The installation depicted above by Gareth Lichty is a stunner.

The Peggy Baker dance show is an interactive experience in one of the silos with the coolest acoustics in the whole place.

Head through the hallway of mirrors and into this beautiful projection piece by Ed Pien. The sights and sounds and performance of this one are jaw dropping and so delicate and pretty.

While you walk around you'll head pulsating beats, horns and voices coming from the main entrance area, and that is the Small World Music Festival happening. Performances throughout the day and night, every day and night are a perfect fit for the fest. Abakos from Montreal is a space-y example of the A-grade entertainment.

After the sun sets, it's a whole new festival and pieces you walked past earlier are now animated. The tent village in an abandoned pool by Michael M Simon is just one such example.

There's a gorgeous beer/wine garden that sits atop the island overlooking Lake Ontario and soaked in the glow of twinkling lights. It's the perfect spot to take a break, have a drink or a snack, and run into people you know or don't know. The vibe is easy and friendly.

in/future is unlike any festival the city has ever seen. It's a massive creative endeavour, a multi-disciplinary 10-day art party that invites the city to step back in time, and leap forward into the future at once.

It's so relaxed, creative and doesn't it take itself too seriously such that it's completely accessible as well. I didn't even mention all the films being played inside the Cinesphere. Just get down there and experience everything it for yourself.

The official website has a detailed schedule, ticket info and artist descriptions.

All photos by Andrew Williamson.

Summer in Toronto is waning. But even though pumpkin spice lattes have already started appearing on menus across Toronto, fall doesn't officially start until Thursday, Sept. 22. That means you still have a few more days to gobble down some ice cream, frolic through a sprinkler and take advantage of the warm weather before the winter chill sets in.

Here are 5 things you should do on the last days of summer in Toronto.

Swim at an outdoor pool
Most of the City of Toronto's outdoor pools closed after Labour Day. But the Alex Duff Memorial Pool at 779 Crawford Street is open until Sunday (weather permitting, of course) from noon to 4 p.m.

Eat pizza in nature
Evergreen Brick Works hosts its pizza parties all summer long, but the fun ends on Wednesday night. Head to this naturally beautiful spot for stone-fired 'za from Pizzeria Libretto, gelato and a few pints of craft beer.

Visit a food truck
While Toronto-area food trucks will continue serving, eating at one is a super summery activity that's just not the same if it's cold out. Luckily, there's the Ontario Food Truck Festival happening at Downsview Park this weekend, so you can visit all your favourite vendors in one spot.

Attend a street festival
Street festivals are quintessential summertime events in Toronto. And to end off the season, you can head to the Roncesvalles Polish Festival, the Toronto Ukrainian Festival in Bloor West Village or simply bike (or walk) through a car-free city this Sunday because it's time for another Open Streets TO.

Go to an outdoor concert
Sure, outdoor concerts continue into the fall, but there's nothing like seeing one at Echo Beach in the summertime. You can head to this lakeside venue or Yonge-Dundas Square for Manifesto-related programming this weekend, or grab last minute tickets to TURF - Toronto's last summer music festival.

How will you celebrate the end of summer '16 in Toronto? Let us know in the comments.

Photo of Echo Beach by Matt Forsythe.

The last big run of street festivals goes down this weekend, and with them come a host of major road closures across the city including Yonge and Bloor streets. There's also a TTC subway shutdown that'll making getting around uptown more difficult than usual.

Of the various festivals this weekend, Open Streets TO is surely the most significant when it comes to road closures, though it only takes place on one day. The pedestrian celebration will shut down Yonge Street between Bloor Street Queen and Bloor Street between Dufferin and Parliament on Sunday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The annual Polish Festival will shut down Roncesvalles between Dundas Street West and Queen Street West on Saturday and Sunday, while the Ukrainian Fest will do the same on Bloor Street West between Jane and Runnymede starting on Friday afternoon through to Sunday evening.

Running events start to ramp up for the fall this weekend in Toronto. Take note of road closures in the Port Lands for the Toronto 10-Miler. Closures will take place Saturday, September 17 between 5:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the area bounded by Unwin Avenue in the west, Leslie Street in the east, Commissioners Street in the north and Lake Ontario in the south.

There will also be closures for the Sunnybrook Foundation and RBC Run for the Kids between 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 17. Streets will be closed in the area
bounded by Sheppard Avenue in the south, Yonge Street in the east, Dufferin Street in the west and Steeles Avenue in the north.

And finally the Line 1 will be closed between St. Clair West and Downsview on both September 17 and 18, opening again for the start of service on Monday.

For a full list of road restrictions, check the City of Toronto's map.

Photo by Marcus Mitanis in the blogTO Flickr pool.