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The lost taverns and bars of Toronto

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lost bars torontoToronto used to be a tavern town. Scattered around the city, these mostly humble and gritty spots were where we used to unwind over Labatt 50, long before it become semi-ironically cool to do so. In the 1970s and '80s, bars didn't need to have a hook or a playful concept to attract a crowd. Beer and live music would do the trick.

The history of the Toronto bar is far shorter than you might think. The Silver Rail was the first cocktail bar in Toronto, and it didn't open until 1947. Located at Yonge and Shuter, it brought upscale booze to the city. At the time an Old Fashioned cost 65 cents. Advertisements touted the "scientific" preparation of drinks.

Silver Rail TorontoFollowing closely behind the Silver Rail was the Horseshoe Tavern. Since the legendary Queen West bar opened its doors, hundreds of live music venues have come and gone in Toronto, most of which have been long forgotten even as a few are thought of with fierce nostalgia.

Places like Larry's Hideway, the Gasworks, Ports of Call, the Big Bop, the Brunswick House still animate our collective memory in a way that's hard to explain. Perhaps these places remain so distinct because they exists as bastions of youth. Your first pint, your first live show... a vague feeling of what it was like to have no real responsibility.

st charles tavern torontoOther bars like the St. Charles Tavern were profoundly important as safe places for Toronto's queer scene. A city needs places like these, unofficially sanctioned hubs of culture where people can congregate and feel a sense of community under dims lights and semi-flat beer.

So let's toast our lost bars and taverns, and the time when places didn't have to be cool to be cool.

PHOTOS

Brown DerbyBrown Derby, Yonge and Dundas

friar tavern torontoFriar Tavern (now the Hard Rock Cafe), near Yonge and Dundas

embassy tavern torontoEmbassy Tavern, Bloor and Bellair

colonial tavernColonial Tavern, near Yonge and Queen

letrosLetros Taver, 50 King St. East

brunswick houseBrunswick House, Bloor and Brunswick

royal oak tavernRoyal Oak Tavern, Dundas and Quebce

20161013-silver-crown-tavern-rd.jpgSilver Crown Tavern, 25 Richmond St. West

spadina hotelSpadina Hotel, King and Spadina

larrys hideaway torontoLarry's Hideaway, 121 Carlton St.

bars pretzelPretzel Bell Tavern, Adelaide and Simcoe

gasworks torontoThe Gasworks (photo by Dan McLaughlin), 585 Yonge St.

holiday tavern torontoHoliday Tavern (pre-Big Bop), Queen and Bathurst

club on two torontoClub One Two, 14 Adelaide St. East

bermuda tavernBermuda Tavern, 379 Yonge St.

silver rail torontoSilver Rail menu, ca. 1950

Photos via the Toronto Archives and Chuckman's Nostalgia unless otherwise marked.


Blue Jays drop second straight game to Cleveland

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blue jays indiansThe Toronto Blue Jays couldn't get it together for game two against Cleveland. While Toronto fans flooded the stands at Progressive Field, the Jays lost 2-1 today, meaning everyone is driving back to the 6ix broken hearted.

Naturally, Jays devotees had lots to say on Twitter. Follow their reactions below and get ready for game three on Monday at 8:08 p.m. at the Rogers Centre.


Photo via the @bluejays.

The top 5 free events in Toronto: October 17-23 2016

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free events torontoFree events in Toronto this week are like a healthy shot to your brain and body. There's an environmental talk with A-list speakers and two free chances to workout downtown. Exercise your mind, body and soul without shelling out a single dollar.

Here are my picks for the top free events in Toronto this week. And don't forget to check out my list of top free stuff in October!

"What comes after the environment?" with Naomi Klein (October 17, UofT)
Naomi Klein and Mirko Zardini from the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal host a talk about what the hell is going on with our planet. It'll be a great discussion about the world around you.

Free lunchtime yoga (October 18, Sony Centre)
Use your lunch break wisely and spend an hour stretching, twisting, and breathing at the Sony Centre. It takes place from noon to 1 p.m. and the instructors are from Moksha Yoga Danforth. Check out this website to guarantee your spot.

Night Parade of 100 Demons (October 20, Northern Contemporary Gallery)
The Hyakki Yagyo art show is a night where all manner of yokai, ogres, ghosts and other supernatural creatures parade through the streets in one massive spectacle. Twenty-five illustrators have interpreted a Japanese folklore classic by creating four creatures each. The show runs until October 31.

Why The @#&! Do You Paint? (October 20, Gladstone Hotel)
This is the Gladstone's annual group painting show and you can see it on the hotel's second floor gallery. Curated by Spencer J, Harrison and Lukus Toane, this year's show - which is called Go Figure - features 37 paintings.

Sunday Sweat Series (October 23, BrainStation)
End your weekend with a free, energetic boost that starts at BrainStation. They've partnered with the city's Aim Fitness to create an all-levels Sunday workout program. The class was created with pilates elements to strengthen your body through all types of movements. Be sure to register here to guarantee a spot.

Did I miss a free event this week you're totally excited about? Let us know in the comments!

Photo from the Northern Contemporary Gallery Facebook page.

The Best Butchers for Locally Sourced Meat in Toronto

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butchers torontoThe best butchers for locally sourced meat in Toronto will let you grab a perfect cut of beef, pork, lamb or whole chicken as well as sausage and whole bunch of prepared food. If you're going to eat meat, you might as well buy it from a butcher with a conscious.

Here are the best butchers for locally sourced meat in Toronto.

This might be Toronto's most famous dance party

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footprints torontoAsk any trustworthy friend in the city what the best monthly dance party is and they'll most likely all have the same answer: Footprints. It's one of Toronto's most welcoming, eclectic, dance floor-driven parties and if you don't know about it yet, your life is about to improve by one hundred per cent.

"Footprints grew out of an era in Toronto partying where the average club-goer wanted to hear something out of the ordinary," says Jason Sanders, AKA General Eclectic or one of the DJs and founders of Footprints. He and his co-founders started a party called Movement, which became super popular. It needed an indie, weirdo little brother party for the next generation.

"We decided to throw an underground version of it concentrated on soul, world music, hip hop and funk at The Rivoli," he says. "We just decided to aim directly for what would work best on the dance floor and that included talking on the mic - in a non-cheesy wedding MC way - eclectic sounds, positive vibes and visuals."

That was 14 years ago. The party hasn't stopped since and still takes place at The Rivoli. But what makes this party so special? We've written about many long lasting, qualitydanceparties, but there's just something different about this one. It's a party DJs and dancers love the most.

"We're pretty blessed to have such a wide range of people with different socio-economic backgrounds, race, sexual preferences, it's a pretty cool party that way," Sanders says.

It's named after a Wayne Shorter jazz song. And Sanders and party partners Jason Palma and Stuart Li's (AKA Basic Soul Unit) event might just be this city's most danceable party.

Just as important as the music is the energy. It features well-lit room to avoid complete darkness and ensures a safe space for women.

"I'm not condemning hookup culture," Sanders says. "But there also needs to be a space, especially for women, where they can go and just bug out and dance have a few drinks and go the f*ck home. That's what we aim to be."

The positive energy that Footprints puts out into the city, its underground dance scene and the dance floor comes right back to them. That's how the party has lasted and continues to thrive every month.

"When you love what you have and people love what you do, it's euphoria," Sanders says. It's pretty cool to be part of something that people connect with."

Photo by Mark Valino.

Made in Toronto menswear brand opens flagship store

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outclass torontoThis popular menswear brand is all made in Toronto, but they've previously only had select pieces available in local stores. Now they have their own flagship location to fully display their line of ageless quality pieces in elegant neutral tones.

Read my profile of Outclass in the fashion section.

This Toronto street might be the city's fitness row

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toronto rowToronto has its fair-share of unique neighbourhoods and districts. From the Fashion District and the Castlefield Design District to the so-called Burrito District, it's pretty common to find similar businesses clustered around each other.

But there's one street that's been growing slowly over the past few years. Carlaw, in Leslieville, is already home to a slew of gyms and fitness studios - two more, however, are slated to open within the next two weeks, possibly making this part of Toronto the city's fitness epicentre.

Kelly Taphouse is opening MOVE, a women's-only fitness studio, on October 31. She's lived in Leslieville for the past six or seven years, but was unhappy with the neighbourhood's gym offerings, especially for young moms - we all know Leslieville's filled with strollers. "I saw an opportunity to solve a problem," she says.

MOVE, which is going into 388 Carlaw, will focus exclusively on personal training and its signature group class, Get Strong. That's because Taphouse knows she needs to do something unique in order to succeed on this already crowded street.

Carlaw, for instance, is already home to Fortis Fitness, Dwell Gym, Rock Oasis, Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club, Aikido Shugyo Dojo, Primal Movement and MMA, the Cycling Gym and the Spirit Loft.

"The great thing is that we're really all offering something different, for the most part," says Taphouse. "And like it's fabulous because some people say Carlaw is Fitness Row and really, in the grand scheme of things, is that a bad thing? No, that's a fantastic thing."

Andre Talbot agrees Carlaw is concentrated with health centres. He and his partner Catalina Moraga opened Spirit Loft yoga studio five years ago. They were attracted to the neighbourhood because they felt it lacked fitness options and it featured lots of empty industrial buildings perfect for a studio.

"Now, obviously, we see Carlaw becoming a wellness and fitness kind of alley," he says. "And so it's interesting to see what's happening. I think it might also present some challenges for the amount of gyms opening up. But it's also a great opportunity to see if this part of the city will become a sort of destination hub for movement, health, wellness."

Like Taphouse, Spirit House offers something different. But Hone Fitness, on the other hand, is moving in too.

On November 1, Hone will open its second Toronto location at 181 Carlaw. Like its Yonge and Isabella outpost, it'll offer up its cheap ($10 to $20 per month), no contract memberships. And even though it's a standard gym, owner Jim Solomon thinks it'll fit into the neighbourhood.

"There are a lot of group fitness class places opening over there and we don't do that, right? We think with our price, we're pretty complementary to all that," he says.

Many fitness buffs look for ways to change up their workout, and Solomon hopes Hone can fulfil that need. "At $20 bucks a month, they can join our gym and do their classes separately."

Photo by Primal Movement by Jesse Milns.

8 haunted places you can visit near Toronto

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haunted torontoHaunted places near Toronto are kind of scary because they're more isolated than the spooky spots in the city - at least you know there's a busy street or neighbourhood nearby. These GTA locations aren't just ghost towns or abandoned places; they seem like they're straight out of a horror movie.

Here's a round-up of haunted places you can visit near Toronto.

Salem Cemetery (Pickering)
This cemetery is open for anyone to visit. A ghost of a short man has been spotted around the small church as well phantom dogs. There are darker areas of the property rumoured to hide spirits that aren't too friendly.

Dundurn Castle (Hamilton)
One of Hamilton's top historical sites might also be haunted. It was once home to Sir Allan MacNab, who was the Premier of the Province of Canada. The ghosts who haunt this castle are said to be men who were hung across the street for treason, cholera victims once kept in sheds nearby. Apparently MacNab's wife also roams the halls.

Merritton Tunnel (Thorold)
Also known as the Grand Trunk Railway Tunnel, this tunnel was built in 1876, but there were several tragic accidents that happened in the process. A fourteen-year-old was crushed under a large rock, two trains collided just outside the tunnel's entrance and 107 were said to have died during its construction. It's said to be haunted by the blue ghosts of these men.

The Jester's Court (Port Perry)
This is still a functioning bar and restaurant. However, two poltergeists have apparently startled servers. A woman in a blue dress sneaks up behind employees, an older woman is known for throwing things off shelves, and according to one website, an old couple has been seen sitting at Table 13 when the place is closed.

Heintzman House (Markham)
One of the oldest homes in the GTA is apparently haunted by the ghost of a coachman as well as Colonel Cruikshank, the first owner of the place. Apparently he can sometimes be seen looking over foyer with a disturbed look on his face. He's not an angry ghost, just an annoyed one who walks the halls.

Ringwood Manor (Whitby)
Ringwood Manor cropped up during the railway rush in the late 1800s, but the bank eventually foreclosed the property. It's since been renovated, but you can't get rid of ghosts with some new paint. Apparently a maid who was beaten to death in a small room on the second floor haunts the place.

Cherry Hill House (Mississauga)
This is one of Canada's top haunted landmarks. Legend has it that a young George Silverthorn came home from California to get married after striking it rich. After the ceremony, a guest came to the door. After he stepped outside to see who it was he was never seen again. Allegedly, the front door constantly opens and closes on its own.

Screaming Tunnel (Niagara Falls)
This is an abandoned railway tunnel off of Warner Road that was constructed in the early 1900s. It was never finished. Legend has it that a young girl ran through it trying to escape her father who was mad with rage over a custody battle. Once he caught her in the tunnel, he struck a match and lit her on fire. The tunnel might be haunted by her ghost.

Did I miss your favourite haunted spot just outside Toronto? Let us know in the comments and let's get spooked.

Photo of Dundurn Castle by Alex Meoko in the blogTO Flickr pool.


Watch the new Maple Leafs anthem by deadmau5

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deadmau5 leafsToronto's EDM superstar deadmau5 was recently tasked with creating the Leafs' new anthem. And what a task, considering the hype surrounding our team right now with its new star and its revamped logo.

But deadmau5's new track is supposed to get us even more excited about the 2016-2017 season and he debuted it last night at the Air Canada Centre.

The anthem might not be one you can sing along to, but it maintains a pump-up vibe that should you get you excited before the puck drops.

And how did deadmau5 get this gig? In an interview with CBC, he reveals he's not even sure. "I don't really know to be honest, it could have been management reaching out to them or vice versa. I just saw an email come down the pipe and replied with 'Hell yeah, I'm down.'"

Photo via deadmau5 on Instagram.

Today in Toronto: M83, Margaret Atwood, King Cobra, Not Your Childhood Haunted House

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m83 torontoToday in Toronto M83 is in town at Rebel, but if you can't handle that avalanche of sound, check out two cool events at TIFF including a talk with Margaret Atwood and a screening of King Cobra, the gay porn thriller starring James Franco.

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

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

Photo from M83's Facebook page.

NY-based crepe cafe opens first Toronto location

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tswirl TorontoThere's a new place to go for sweet and savoury crepes in Toronto. From indulgent desserts like blueberry cheesecake to filling meals like the BLT and short rib, there's lots to sink your teeth into here.

Read my profile of T-Swirl Crepe in the restaurants section.

Toronto's first indoor ski & snowboard hill is now open

Summer temperatures return to Toronto this week

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summer weather torontoWelcome to mid-October in Toronto, a time filled with dark skies, but red hot temperatures. Even though it felt cooler last week, the hot, humid summer '16 weather is forecast to return today and tomorrow.

According to Environment Canada, it's supposed to be 20 C today, but with the humidex, it'll feel more like 25 C. And tomorrow, temperatures are slated to hit 27 C, or 32 C with the humidex. It'll cool down later this week.

There's a chance of showers in the forecast for both today and tomorrow, which could prove a damper on the return of hot weather. But sometimes fall colours look their most majestic just after a rainfall, so there's still plenty of reason to indulge in some classic autumn activities, especially because you won't have to wear a sweater or a peacoat.

How will you take advantage of this summer weather? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Sebastian Zdyb via the blogTO Flickr pool.

Contest: Win a $100 dining credit to The Boil Bar

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The Boil Bar TorontoThe Boil Bar has opened its flagship location in downtown Toronto near Yonge and Bloor. They're cooking up all sorts of seafood like crab, lobsters, shrimp, mussels and clams. To celebrate we've teamed up with The Boil Bar to give five lucky readers a $100 dining credit.

Get all the contest details here.

This Week on DineSafe: Dutch Dreams, Brownstone Bistro, La Tortilleria, Capital Espresso, Amaya Express

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dinesafeThis week on DineSafe there were no red cards for closed restaurants, but Dutch Dreams, one of Toronto's top ice cream purveyors, received three infractions, including failure to properly maintain equipment.

See which other restaurants landed in hot water on DineSafe this week.

Amaya Express (3401 Dufferin St.)
Inspected on: October 11, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Crucial: 3)
Crucial infractions include: Fail to protect food from contamination or adulteration, display hazardous foods at internal temperature and operator fail to thoroughly re-heat hazardous food items.

Brownstone Bistro (601 Yonge St.)
Inspected on: October 11, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Capital Espresso (1349 Queen St. West)
Inspected on: October 11, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Significant: 3)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Dundas Spring Garden (434 Dundas St. West)
Inspected on: October 12, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Noodle Bowl (348 Bloor St. West)
Inspected on: October 12, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

OM Restaurant (1439 Queen St. West)
Inspected on: October 12, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Dutch Dreams (36 Vaughan Rd.)
Inspected on: October 13, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

What A Bagel (421 Spadina Rd.)
Inspected on: October 13, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

La Tortilleria (835 Kipling Ave.)
Inspected on: October 14, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Roses New York (6313 Yonge St.)
Inspected on: October 14, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Note: The above businesses each received infractions from DineSafe as originally reported on the DineSafe site. This does not imply that any of these businesses have not subsequently corrected the issue and received a passing grade by DineSafe inspectors. For the latest status for each of the mentioned businesses, including details on any subsequent inspections, please be sure to check the DineSafe site.


This is how the PRESTO card should actually work

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presto cardAre you frustrated by TTC delays, overheated subway cars and buses (or streetcars) that never seem to arrive on time? If you live in Toronto, your answer is probably a hard yes. And the creator of a new satirical YouTube video seems to know how you feel.

In YouTuber sweetsingin's latest video, he introduces Toronto to the Prestissimo card, "which automatically adjusts your transit fare in Toronto based on poor-quality service."

With this newly imagined card, riders would a reduced fair (or even money back) if their train/bus/streetcar was late or lacked basic amenities, like air conditioning on a hot day.

"What if we gave a damn, and actually tried to get you to the places you need to go, quickly, reliably, and affordably?" asks the video.

10 cocktails to drink this fall in Toronto

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fall cocktails torontoFall cocktails in Toronto are a fiery bunch. If there's an emergent trend in the season's new drinks, it's the use of torched garnishes for an aromatic effect. The most popular approach to achieve this effect is the use of torched cinnamon - the smoke is sweet and spicy, and adds a great deal of complexity to a drink - but herbs like rosemary are also popular for their rich aromatics.

Here are 10 cocktails to warm up with this fall in Toronto.

Grey Tiger - Walking Home Alone at Night
Bloordale's cafe-by-day, cocktail bar-by-night Grey Tiger has an enormous and varied cocktail list that recalls a number of forgotten drink traditions, like that of the 'hotel drink' - a cocktail designed to be made without the use of ice. Dalwhinnie 15yr is paired with Redbreast 12yr, Benedictine, fir honey, a cacao tincture, and Bittermen's chocolate mole bitters alongside a plate of torched cinnamon.

fall cocktails toronto Pray Tell - Daydream Team
Max Brunke's cocktail list at this College Street snack bar is filled with novel approaches and playful subversions of classic ideas. This daiquiri variation uses a cinnamon star anise-infused pineapple juice syrup as a base, with Madagascar vanilla dragged over the rim of the glass for aromatics before service.

fall cocktails torontoMaple Leaf Tavern - Fall Punch
Heading to the East end of the city, New York's Naren Young creates a refined cocktail menu for the lovingly-restored Gerrard East institution. Served in a dainty teacup, this punch packs a surprising one - Jamaican rum and rye are shaken with Amontillado sherry, falernum, and a mixture of lime, orange, and ginger juices. A dusting of nutmeg adds to the spicy notes.

fall cocktails torontoMr Flamingo - Chief Wiggum, P.I.
Mr. Flamingo enjoy a great reputation for cocktails, and for good reason. This sweet potato-infused riff on the Sazerac cocktail involves soaking a sage leaf in absinthe before setting it ablaze - the leaf is stirred into the drink and draped lovingly over the rim. The sweet potato base is lightly spiced with clove and nutmeg, adding a little seasonal depth to this New Orleans classic.

fall cocktails torontoEast Thirty Six - Into the Woods
Mixing Lot 40 rye with two types of sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica and Martini Rosso) with a pine needle tincture, Matt Rajchman smokes the inside of his shaker tin with torched pine needles he brought back from his home in Nice. The cocktail is supposed to transport you to the woods near where he grew up, and it certainly does.

fall cocktails torontoThe Carbon Bar - Santeria
The Carbon Bar is spending October in Cuba. Sort of. Bartenders Aaron Beauchamp and Leah "LG" George have collaborated on all the cocktails here, including this Santeria, a fusion of tropical fruitiness with seasonal spice made with cinnamon-infused Havana Club 7-year rum with Amaro Nonino, guava syrup, lime, and pineapple-anise bitters.

fall cocktails torontoClocktower Bar - Beet the Devil
Clocktower Bar has quickly earned a reputation for top notch cocktails, and this fall offering is reason for another endorsement. Knob Creek bourbon is shaken with Fonseca ruby port, beet shrub, Angostura and black walnut bitters. Prior to serving, the glass is smoked with Mexican cinnamon.

fall cocktails torontoThe Good Son - Inspirato del Maestro
Continuing with the torched aromatics theme, this fall-inspired gin sipper at West Queen West's Good Son employs a sprig of burned rosemary to add nuance to a complex mixture of premium Star of Bombay gin, calvados, rosemary-wormwood shrub, and lemon.

fall cocktails torontoDrake 150 - Eye of Calypso
Bar Manager Jeremy Cheng has had a few interesting tricks up his sleeve since running the cocktail program at Queen West's County General. This combination of a toasted coconut-infused Aperol, white Demerara rum and cinnamon syrup is shaken with fresh lime and grapefruit, then served in a Chartreuse-rinsed glass for a herbal finish.

fall cocktails torontoShameful Tiki - Apples to Apples
Alana Noduega's Parkdale oasis not only faithfully replicates classic recipes from one of the great ages of cocktail history, but she's a dab hand at adapting the principles to create something new. This Jamaican rum-based long refresher is typically potent, but leans on classic tiki staples like allspice and falernum, coupled with calvados, cider, lime and Angostura bitters.

Know of an excellent fall cocktail in Toronto? Share your finds in the comments.

Toronto Halloween Party Guide 2016

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halloween party torontoHalloween in Toronto is kind of like New Years for freaks. There are parties and events in pretty much every bar and park in the city, with people dressing up creatively, terrifyingly or just plain old sexy. With everything from Stranger Things to Tim Burton themes, haunted boat cruises to slime parties, there's no shortage of options to get your freak on.

Here's our guide to Halloween parties in Toronto for 2016.

TOP PARTIES

Thriller with DJ Snake (October 28, Rebel)
The Sound Academy, as you may have heard, is now called Rebel. Thousands were spent renovated the big party complex and this is their first stab at Halloween. A great big costume party starring DJ Snake.

Screamwhistle Halloween Party (October 28-29, Steam Whistle Brewery)
The Steam Whistle Brewery Halloween parties are legendary. It's their biggest event of the year and they go all out with visuals, costumes and other spooky detailing. If you're looking to dance with a big ol' beer factory with a bunch of other fun-focused folks, this is the party for you.

Monster Ball (October 28, The Monster Mansion)
An Eyes Wide Shut vibe is promised at this Hip Hop, R&B, Soca, Reggae and Afrobeats bashment. There'll be a candy bar and costume prizes all inside a big mansion on Gerrard Street.

Zombie Prom to Remember (October 28, The Great Hall)
Sexy corpses, dapper survivors, cute cadavers and hazmat tuxedos. Dress to impress or infect at this massive zombie dance party with DJ Johnny B Goode. Free glam photo shoots, zombie makeup, costume contests, prizes and giveaways for the living, dead, and living dead.

Work in Progress: Possessed (October 28, The Black Eagle)
The Work In Progress crew take over the three-level dark zone known as the Dirty Bird in Toronto's gay village for a night of dark dance music. DJs Gunnar Haslam, CMD, E-Saggila and CL spin alongside horror show visuals by the mad rave scientist Karl Skene.

Nightmare Before Halloween (October 29, Gladstone Hotel)
If you're a fan of any Tim Burton film, this is the party for you. The entire hotel is transformed into a "desperately dark, freakishly fun, amazingly animated inside-out upside-down wonderland." Selfie stations, bands, DJs, performers, dancers, decorators and prizes all night.

Hotnuts Halloqween (October 29, The Garrison)
Hands down the greatest places to see costumes and dance and makeout in an all-inclusive wild dance space. The legendary Hotnuts halloqween parties are hilarious, terrifying, disgusting and gorgeous all at once. Get there early to get inside.

Dude is F*#king Dead VII - Warehouse of Dooooom
This Halloween, Toronto's most terrifying/semi-original/thrown-together party returns, and this time it's inside a warehouse at the Stockyards. Dudebox's 7th annual hilarious halloween jam encourages costumes like a tombstone that says " 'The 6ix' | Born 2014 | Died 2016."
or maybe really opinionated twitter account with 18 followers. $10 before 11pm $15 after.

Promise Warehouse Halloween (October 29, The old IMPark building)
We all know Promise throws the best beach parties in the city, but they also throw big events all year long, including this annual warehouse party. It's inside a stunning raw industrial warehouse in the heart of our downtown harbour district and features Mario J from Spain, Kizmet's first ever 360º 3D installation and loads of other visuals and house and techno.

TOP EVENTS

Casa Loma Haunted House (Until October 31, Casa Loma)
The Casa Loma haunted house is this year's surprise Halloween hit because they actually did it right! It's scary as hell! Horror movie stories are brought to life, real monsters roam and the lineup is large, so arrive early or wear something comfortable to waiting.

Halloween Haunt (Until October 31, Canada's Wonderland)
Mazes, scare zones, and rides wait for you at our city's biggest amusement park. Lots of spooky character roam the grounds waiting to scare your pants off at every corner. There's a trick or treat zone, something called CarnEvil and Ghostly Pines backwoods hick horror fantasy zone. Tickets start at $34.

Zombie Wrestling (October 21, The Great Hall)
Kickoff is at 7:30p.m. and the games begin at 8. Zombies vs humans vs Mexican luchadores battle to the ultimate Death at this rowdy event inside the Great Hall. It's a super bloody affair and tickets start at $25.

Day of the Dead (October 29, The Rockpile)
A daytime Halloween event can be even creepier than the same old nighttime gatherings. This one's inspired by the beautiful art of the Day of the Dead celebrations which take place in Mexico. Giant skull processions, pinatas, sugar skulls, face painting and DJs help you roam around in style. This isn't associated with the official Dia De Los Muertos.

Night of Dread (October 29, Dufferin Grove Park)
An evening of fearful pageantry, revels and mockery in a spooky park. This event incorporates "international folk and theatrical traditions, drawing inspiration from festivals of death and remembrance around the world." It's basically an amazing, creepy costume parade.

Brockton Zombie Walk (October 29, McCormick Park)
Don't wear white if you plan on watching this zombie procession. There'll be brains, blood, slime and lots of moaning. These walks are super gross and endlessly entertaining. The official Zombie Walk is no more, so neighbourhoods are taking back the streets themselves. This one starts at Noon.

Halloween on Church Street (October 31, Church Wellesley Village)
The Halloween invasion of Church Street is the only place to be on the big night, really. The costumes are next level, the people watching is fantastic and then there's just the general vibe of a major street closure and all it's bars being open and bumping on a Monday.

Pumpkin Parade (November 1, Centennial Park)
Kind of like the Christmas tradition of throwing your tree out on Boxing Day, the city's Pumpkin Parades step it up by giving one final chance to see the neighbourhood's most creative carvings. There are good ones at Sorauren Park and the Mimico Pumpkin Parade.

MORE PARTIES

Friday, October 21

Saturday, October 22

Thursday, October 27

Friday, October 28

Saturday, October 29

Monday, October 31

MORE EVENTS

Tuesday, October 18 - Thursday, October 27

Friday, October 28

Saturday, October 29

Sunday, October 30

Monday, October 31

FILMS

Did I miss your favourite Halloween event or party? Let us know in the comments so we can all get even more spooked.

Photos by Jesse Milns, Christian Bobak and Alejandro Santiago.

The Best Green Buildings in Toronto

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green buildings torontoThe best green buildings in Toronto are a LEED certified bunch. LEED, if you're wondering, means Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and helps recognize sustainable structures in Canada and around the world. And in fact, many of the city's massive office towers are actually working hard to be environmentally friendly.

Here are the best green buildings in Toronto.

George Brown College Waterfront Campus
This stunning building is home to higher education and lots of environmentally friendly initiatives. The George Brown College Waterfront campus has won multiple awards for being green. It's LEED Gold certified and fits in well with its natural, lakeside community.

TD Centre
This six building complex in the Financial District might seem sprawling, but it's actually pretty environmentally friendly. It's LEED EB:O&M (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance) Platinum certified and even has a green roof.

RBC Waterpark Place
RBC Waterpark Place not only boasts great views of Lake Ontario, but it's also a LEED Core and Shell Platinum building. It features a slew of sustainable features, includes a 7,500 square foot green roof, lots of bike racks and efficient lights and other materials.

Royal Bank Plaza
This building underwent a number of changes in order to get LEED Gold certified. It has efficient lighting, a robust recycling program as well as hand-free faucets and low-flow toilets and urinals to reduce water consumption.

The Berczy
This condo building is located right by the St. Lawrence Market - but that's not its only farm-fresh, green feature. The developers, for instance, used sustainable materials as well as energy efficient electrical systems in this residential building to make it as environmentally friendly.

Barrymore Building
You'll find more than just furniture at this showroom in Liberty Village. It's home to West Elm and the Knoll showroom, which is LEED-CI Platinum certified (AKA super green), thanks to initiative like a dedication to using post-consumer materials and ensuring lots of natural light.

320 Front St. West Complex
This office building near the Rogers Centre (and other major downtown destinations) might date back to 1989, but that didn't stop it from getting LEED Platinum certified. Apparently going green is ageless.

Simcoe Place
Green Curry might be delicious, but it's not even Simcoe Place's greenest feature. The building is LEED Gold certified after it adopted a number of sustainable programs.

Evergreen Brick Works
One of the main spaces at Evergreen Brick Works is literally called the Centre for Green Cities. It's LEED Platinum certified and serves as centre for the Brick Works multitude of sustainable initiatives.

Photo of the TC Centre by Bryson Gilbert in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto street signs get a Drake-inspired update

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drake street sign torontoToronto-based artist Raj Gupta started redesigning local street signs back in 2014 after he learned the city was phasing out its acorn-shaped versions. Each of Gupta's prints feature the distinct personality of various Toronto streets and intersections, making it easy to show your neighbourhood pride.

drake street sign torontoGupta recently released a few new prints, including one with Toronto's most well-known superstar. That's right, for his Degrassi Street piece, Gupta clearly looked to VIEWS for inspiration and placed Drake (shearling coat and all) atop the street sign.

drake street sign torontoAlong with Degrassi Street, Gupta put his own spin on a number intersections like Front and Church, Yonge and Eglinton (or Eligible) and Christie and St. Clair West.

drake street sign torontoPrints are available at Gupta's Etsy store.

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