The Spadina bus returns to the streets of Toronto this weekend as the TTC has scheduled a major closure on Line 1. The subway will be shut down between St. George and Lawrence West stations on November 12 and 13 for signal upgrades, which means that shuttle buses will be pushed into service.

Given that this section of Line 1 is often referred to as the Spadina section of the route, you now have reason to start listening to the Shuffle Demons again. You can have a look at the TTC's map for an idea of the route the buses take, which winds through the city to take passengers close to connecting routes at stations along the way (Eglinton is the exception here).

In conjunction with closure, there will be parking restrictions along the shuttle route to help buses travel more easily:

On Bloor Street:

• North curb lane between Spadina and Bedford
• South curb lane between Spadina and St George

On Spadina Avenue:

• Both curb lanes between Bloor and Dupont

On Bathurst Street:

• Both curb lanes between Eglinton and Ava

There will also be increased service on the 52 Lawrence West and 32 Eglinton West buses to aid riders in getting to the Yonge Line, which is running at regular service on the weekend.

Photo by Bryan Bonnici.

The top new matcha bakeries and cafes in Toronto let you treat yourself to creamy, luscious and often grassy tasting matcha. You can find this finely ground Japanese green tea in beverages, baked goods and ice cream at eateries all around the city, but these spots are relatively new to the city. Why not pop by and say hello?

Here are my picks for the top new matcha bakeries and cafes in Toronto.

Tendou Matcha & Dessert Cafe
This Markham cafe serves up lots of tasty, matcha-flavoured treats. There's everything from green-hued soft serve and sundaes to creme brulée and opera cake. Get ready to indulge here.

Tsujiri
Tsujiri is a Japanese chain that opened its first North American store on Dundas, in the heart of what some call Little Tokyo. This spot continues to attract huge lineups for its creamy tea and huge array of matcha-infused treats.

Matcha Tea & Dessert
As its name suggests, this spot on Spadina (just south of College) deals in all things matcha. Along with its hot and cold beverages, head here for roll cakes, sponge cake with a creamy matcha interior, matcha lava cake and of course, soft serve.

Royaltea
This chain from Jiangmen, China, doesn't specialize in matcha, but it offers a slew of matcha-infused menu items. If you want something Instagram-worthy, grab a matcha lightbulb bubble tea (yes, it's served in a lightbulb). And go for the matcha crepe cake if you're craving dessert.

Light Cafe
Light Cafe, from Taiwan, might be most famous for its cotton candy coffee, but it also has lots of matcha on the menu. Grab a towering matcha smoothie or go for something more indulgent, like a matcha red bean waffle.

Photos by Hector Vasquez.

Finding cheap wine at the LCBO can be a frustrating experience if don't have a list of go-to bottles. It's not that there isn't wines to choose from in the $10 range, but rather that so few of them are worth drinking. Fortunately, there are some hidden gems out there that are friendly to your bank account and palate.

Here are my picks for the top cheap wines to buy at the LCBO right now.

RED

Trapiche Astica Merlot/Malbec - $7.95
A steal at under eight bucks, this blend of Merlot and Malbec is sturdy wine that pairs well with stews and braised meats, particularly lamb.

JP Azeitão Red - $8.95
This red blend from Portugal shows off the warmth of its growing conditions with plenty of red fruit and herbs on the nose. It's a perfect pick-me-up on a chilly day.

Jaszbery Szekszardi Kekfrankos - $9
Hungarian wines are vastly underrated, which is good for our wallets because this lovely wine is great to have a few bottles of lying around for sipping without the need to pair it with food (though it also goes nicely with easy meals like mac and cheese).

Cantina Tollo Colle Secco Mont D'Abruzzo - $9.25
Here's a wine that drinks like it could be twice the price, and should be one of your go-to options for pasta and pizza nights. There's a balanced acidity here that makes it very food friendly.

Bodegas Castano La Casona Monastrell - $10.95
Spain produces many value-driven reds of which this is particularly good option. There's loads of ripe plum here along with cherry notes.

WHITE

Cape Bay Chardonnay-Chenin Blanc - $6.45
What a fabulous deal this wine is at under seven bucks. It's big on ripe apple and oak flavour, though thanks to the Chenin Blanc doesn't taste overly toasty.

Fonseca Periquita White - $8.95
Better know as a grape used for Port, Verdelho can nevertheless produce intriguing and aromatic dry white wines. This one will appeal to those who like crisp and refreshing whites.

Argento Chardonnay - $9.95
This Chardonnay has the toasty oak characteristics many are looking for from the grape as well as pleasant notes of pear.

Jacob's Creek Reserve Chardonnay - $11.95
This modern-style Chardonnay dials back the oak for something a bit more restrained and refreshing. It was a good deal when it retailed for $14.95 - now it's a steal.

Pelee Island Lighthouse Riesling - $12.45
This Ontario Riesling has just enough residual sugar to appeal to new wine drinkers and to stand up against spicer food offerings. It's an excellent wine to sip on as well.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for cheap wine finds at the LCBO in the comments.

Photo via the LCBO.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. As if Toronto isn't in the holiday spirt enough with it's numerous Christmas markets, holiday craft shows and pop-ups and dazzling holiday lighting ceremonies, now we can add debuting the biggest Christmas tree in Canada to the list.

So how big are we talking? The epic Christmas tree will stand at an astonishing 100 feet tall. It'll be unveiled on November 24th at 6:00 p.m. at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre along with a special holiday performance by Toronto's drop-in choral society Choir! Choir! Choir!. They'll be singing Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World.

Photo by Branko in the blogTO Flickr pool.

The $3 million house in Toronto is often listed at $2,988,000 for some bizarre reason. No joke, real estate sites are full of this number. In any case, the houses in this bracket aren't quite mansions, but the further you get from downtown, the more they creep toward this lofty designation.

Here's what a $3 million house looks like in Toronto.

$2,988,000 on the Kingway
This five bedroom Tudor-style home will appeal to those who aren't so charmed by contemporary minimalism and instead prefer lots of natural wood and character. It's a classy home with modern appliances and amenities to go with the older architecture. The spacious backyard is mostly paved, but there's a huge garage.

$2,988,000 near the Humber Valley
A little to the northwest, this four bedroom and six bathroom house is located on a quiet sidewalk-less street full of homes with generous lots sizes. The house is designed in a country estate style, but the interior is all modern with a very nice walk out to the deck, which overlooks a backyard that feels adequately secluded for rest and relaxation.

$2,988,000 in Forest Hill
Yup, for three million you can get started in Forest Hill. It won't buy you the nicest house on the block, but there's little to complain about when it comes to this property, which even features a swimming pool. The design has an ornate feel that will likely appeal to older buyers, but the finishes are all modern and high end.

$2,999,999 near the Scarborough Bluffs
This contemporary home is impressive in its minimal design, but the feature that will blow you away is the location. The backyard backs out onto the Scarborough Bluffs and has an absolutely stunning view of Lake Ontario. There's not much need for a cottage when you live on the lake in the city. The enclosed patio looks like a very nice place to spend time.

$2,888,000 near Avenue and Wilson
What a difference location makes. While three million buys you lakefront splendour in Scarborough, it only gets you a cookie-cutter house in Nortown. There's nothing wrong with this home, of course, but there's also little to rave about either. Energy efficiency, smart home technology, and high end appliances are, however, nice perks.

Would you buy any of these houses if you had $3 million to spend? Let us know in the comments.

Toronto's annual Royal Winter Fair is on until the 13th of November. It's a chance to check out some interesting eats, horse shows and, of course, adorable animals.

If you haven't visited yet here's a glimpse at all the furry cuteness you're missing.

Photo by @mum_me_five_.

Photo by @sealionvalley.

Photo by @snaps_holm_made.

Photo by @canadiancavy.

Photo by @kelseyljacobs.

Photo by @social_sarah93.

Photo by @steverussell.

Photo by @jrhfurneaux.

Photo by @staceysnaps.

Photo by @heaps_of_eeps.

Photo by @neil_vdk.

Lead photo by @sherwoodsmallpets.

The name of Toronto's newest waffle joint doesn't have a typo in it: they spell "wafels" the Flemish way because they're owned by an honest-to-goodness Belgian and use imported Belgian pearl sugar in their sweet, slightly dense Liege style waffles.

Read my profile of Wafels & More in the restaurants section.

New places to drink bubble tea in Toronto include a lot of the big international chains that finally made their way to North America. No longer do our bubble tea options only include simple milk teas with tapioca but now our expectations of bubble tea have been refined with unique drinks and ingredients that give the drink a whole new appeal.

Here are my picks for the top new bubble tea shops in Toronto.

The Alley
This Richmond Hill bubble tea destination holds the distinction of being the fledgling chain's first ever overseas store. Originating from Taichung, they specialize in hand-crafted beverages like the colourful Morning Dawn and Northern Lights ($7.50 each) that come with handmade flavoured tapioca. Don't miss the Oreo-infused Garden Milk Tea ($6.50).

Happy Lemon
This cheerful-sounding bubble tea shop in Pacific Mall is actually store #992 of this vast worldwide chain that originated in Shanghai. A much more health-oriented bubble tea chain, they only use fresh and natural ingredients. Try the Salted Cheese series - either the Chocolate or the Matcha Latte with Tiramisu versions ($5.20).

Funky Munky
Bet you'd never thought you can order bubble tea in a vintage automobile-themed cafe did you? Eschewing the cutesy approach preferred by most bubble tea places, this independent cafe goes for a more urban-retro feel. The FM Style Tea ($3) is nice take on the classic HK-style tea, while the simple Cold Jasmine Milk Tea ($3.90) is surprisingly addictive and light.

Royaltea
Surely you've seen your Instagram feed flooded by pictures of bubble teas inside cute lightbulb-shaped containers? Royaltea is almost single-handedly responsible for all of them, and this small chain from Jiangmen serves up various unique takes like the Osmanthus Oolong with Durian Mousse ($5.80) and the Matcha Lightbulb Tea ($5.80).

Matcha Tea & Dessert
Toronto's been on a bit of a matcha craze lately, so never has a store name been so apt. The Chinatown newbie serves a ton of matcha-inspired goodies as well as honest-to-goodness classic bubble tea like the Roasted Milk Tea and the slightly more unique Red Bean Milk Tea ($5.25 each).

Posted by Darren "DKLo" Susilo. When not writing for blogTO he can usually be found tweeting here or delaying mealtimes indefinitely by posting pictures here. Photo of The Alley by Hector Vasquez.

Spas to escape to near Toronto up the ante when it comes to rejuvenation. Yes, there are plenty of relaxing spots to hit in the city, but when you're seeking a completely restorative experience, sometimes it's nice to get away for a night or two. As an added bonus, a number of these spas are set in beautiful natural environments.

Here are 10 relaxing spas to escape to near Toronto.

Scadinave Spa (Blue Mountain)
Whether or not it's ski season, Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain is a destination in its own right. Along with specialty treatments, the highlight here are the Scandinavian baths. They're located outside, but you can use them in any season - even in the dead of winter.

Ste. Anne's Spa (Grafton)
This spot describes itself as a casual country home, but it has a reputation as one of the best spas in Southern Ontario. Along with a slew of treatments, it offers a variety of wellness classes, like yoga and painting. Unplug here and feel your stress melt away.

The Millcroft Inn & Spa (Caledon)
In the summertime, this spa is surrounded by Caledon's lush-looking hills, but you can retreat here any time of year to unwind and feast on delicious food. Throw in a massage to complete the experience.

Hockley Valley Resort (Mono)
The best time to visit this multifaceted resort is probably during ski season, or in the warmer months if you like to golf. If you're not the sporty type, you should find something you like on the extensive spa treatment menu.

Langdon Hall (Cambridge)
Langdon Hall is known for its stellar food. But before (or after) you dig into an epic meal, enjoy a spa treatment or go for a schvitz (otherwise known as visiting a sauna).

White Oaks Resort & Spa (Niagara-on-the-Lake)
As one of the biggest spas in the country, there's lots to enjoy at this facility near Niagara-on-the-lake. You can head here with a group of friends, or take advantage of the couple's room and enjoy a treatment with your significant other.

Oakwood Resort (Grand Bend)
This quaint spot in Grand Bend features a lakeside spa, so you can enjoy some excellent, calming views while getting pampered. There also tennis courts, fire pits and a golf course if you want to spend some time in the great outdoors.

Christienne Fallsview Spa (Niagara Falls)
They don't call it the Fallsview Spa for nothing. The Christienne overlooks both the Canadian and American falls, so you can revel in this natural splendour as you relax with whatever treatment you choose.

Claramount Inn & Spa (Prince Edward County)
The Claramount is over a century old and this stunning mansion includes 10 guest suites plus off-site cottages. There are lots of spa treatments to choose from as well as an indoor saltwater pool, saunas and a hot tub.

JW Marriott The Rosseau Resort & Spa (Minett)
This luxurious hotel on Lake Rosseau is located in the heart of the Muskokas; up your experience by indulging in one of its signature treatments and later, dine at one of its on-site restaurants.

Photo via Scandinave Spa's Facebook page.

Toronto's St. Lawrence Market is a popular local spot. Both tourists and locals flock to this food palace that National Geographic once rated as the best food market in the world. But the restaurant owners on the adjacent Market Street tell a different story about the neighbourhood.

A few weeks ago, Italian eatery Cresta shut down, so we decided to speak to its neighbours to see what it's like running a restaurant in the shadow of one of the most well-known foodie destinations in the city.

Aly Somani, who recently took over My Market Catch from Tom Antonosakis, has a unique perspective because he also runs Busters Sea Cove, which is inside the market.

"It's kind of like a different world even though they're right beside each other," says Somani, noting that many of the people who flock to the area want to eat inside the market; being beside it is both a blessing and a curse.

"You're kind of competing with inside," he continues. "You get a lot of spillover, which is great, but you know, it's still not considered the St. Lawrence Market, which makes things tougher." That said, by having a popular spot inside the market, Somani can send customers over to his restaurant - and he does, especially when people are looking to eat around 6 p.m., when the market closes on weekdays.

Some of the buildings on Market Street are nearly 150 years old and like the rest of the area, they're heritage designated properties. In 2010, the late Paul Oberman from Woodcliffe Landmark Properties came up with a plan to revitalize the street. After he passed away, his wife Eve Lewis took over the project. The restaurants moved in and opened in spring 2014.

Lewis continued to manage the properties along Market Street until earlier this year, when Woodcliffe sold its properties on the historic street. Now there's a new landlord in place.

Market Street served as a model for the city about how to create "flexible urban streets" that change their configuration seasonally - this means the restaurants all get big patios. When summer ends, however, it's more difficult to attract diners to the street.

"There's no foot traffic there, only in the summer there is," says Aras Azadian, who's behind the Barcelona-inspired Barsa Taberna.

"Our rent was just so excessive that we at times considered going out of business as well," he says. "But we continued to work on ourselves, on our brand, on our menu, on our wine list, on our management and we consistently improved our operations, and I'm happy to say we're a sustainable business."

Azadian, who has a background in marketing and management consulting, says the restaurants all work together - along with groups like the BIA - to start initiatives such as Tastes of the Market in order to raise the street's profile. But some issues persist.

At night, for instance, Market Street looks rather dark and unfriendly. Because of its heritage status, it's not always easy for the restaurants to add new types of signage or outdoor lighting to brighten it up.

"The streetscape was represented in such a way that was much more aesthetically pleasing and much more complete than what it is now," says Ian Paech who owns Evolution Food Co. But despite the challenges, he notes he has a consistent customer base looking for fresh and healthy prepared food.

My Market Catch takes a different approach and uses food delivery services to augment business. "We're trying to combat the challenge by using things like UberEATS, foodora, Grabb, Ritual, those things really help" says Somani.

"But in general when you walk down the strip on a Sunday night or a Monday night [when the market's closed], it's kind of dead."

Bars with fireplaces in Toronto are rarer than you may think. They provide the ultimate cozy ambience when the temperatures starts to drop. Some of these fireplaces are wood burning, some have majestic mantles and some are just adorable electric flame machines that help make our local watering holes feel like home.

Here are my picks for the top bars and pubs with a fireplace in Toronto.

Famous Last Words
Toronto's book-themed bar in the Junction serves cocktails with a "literary twist." It also plays vinyl and has an adorable electric fireplace. With hundreds of books lining the walls, this space is ready for bookworms who enjoy reading by the fire.

Cocktail Bar
One of the coziest bars in the city is tucked away on Dundas West. Not only will its fireplace keep you warm as the weather cools, but its stellar cocktail list and snacks will help heat things up as well.

Parts & Labour
This bar with a club in the basement can often feel like a beer hall because of its communal tables and high ceilings, but don't fret; it has a wood-burning fireplace at the front of the room to keep it friendly.

C'est What
This Front Street favourite has one of the largest, most gather-round-the-fire fireplaces in the city. Surrounded by couch chairs and tables, it's like it's out of a ski chalet ad from the 1980s. That's what makes it so glorious.

The Queen and Beaver
The main room of this English-style pub is a lovely living room space, complete with photos and an antique fireplace. The multi-level space features food and drink that's modern, yet steeped in tradition. The only thing missing here is your favourite book and some slippers.

No One Writes to the Colonel
There's a fireplace inside this 1970s throwback lounge in Little Italy. It's painted white and comes surrounded by comfy vintage furniture. It's a warm, friendly space that will give new life to any high waisted pants you have.

The Blake House
This Jarvis Street haunt's wood-burning fireplace is the perfect addition to a spot that serves Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It's a big old house, so the feeling you'll get is authentic and you'll hopefully leave smelling like campfire.

The Drake
One of the more modern fireside hangs happens to be at the Drake in the main floor lounge. It's a key spot for cocktails on the west side of the city and the whole place will help warm your bones on a chilly night.

The Comrade
This Riverside spot sports a large fireplace next to which you can drink cocktails and order bar snacks like oysters, cheese and charcuterie plates.

Brazen Head
This multi-storey Liberty Village pub has a gas fireplace in the main dinning room. This Irish pub is a good option for large groups and has a kind of après-ski vibe. There are daily specials and lots of opportunities to be in close proximity of the flames.

Did I miss your favourite bar with a fireplace? Let us know in the comments and let's get cozy! Photo of Famous Last Words by Hector Vasquez.

The earliest known photographs of Toronto are surely best known for the panorama of the fledging city taken by civil engineering firm Armstrong, Beere and Hime in 1856 atop the Rossin House Hotel at King and York streets.

Popularized thanks to Michael Redhill's novel Consolation, the 13 photos that make up the stitched series are the best visual record we have of early colonial Toronto. In addition to the panorama, however, Armstrong, Beere and Hime took an additional 12 photos at ground level.

The total set of 25 photos was part of Toronto's bid to become the capital of Canada, and were taken to show off the city's landmarks in an effort to charm Queen Victoria, who was to make the decision. While she chose Ottawa instead, the photographs themselves remain an invaluable bit of Toronto history.

Intriguingly, these images actually didn't make it back to Toronto until the city's 150th anniversary in 1984 when they were shown at the St. Lawrence Market. For all intents and purposes they had been lost in England before they were discovered by a researcher at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Library in 1979.

While the panorama has tons of cachet for its nearly 360 degree view of the early city, the ground-level photographs might provide an even better record of what Toronto's streetscape was like. There are excellent views of early King and Wellington streets, as well as landmarks like Oasgoode Hall, Trinity College, and the Normal School.

Only a few of the buildings captured in these early photographs remain, which makes them all the more indispensable when trying to understand what Toronto was like in just two decades after the city was incorporated.

The Rossin House Hotel at King and York streets (from where the panorama was taken)

Trinity College (the gates of which remain at Trinity Bellwoods Park)

The third parliament buildings in Toronto on Front Street between John and Simcoe streets

Osgoode Hall

The Normal School (part of the facade of which is retained at Ryerson)

Second United Presbyterian Church on Gould Street

The Exchange on Wellington Street just east of Yonge Street

The British Bank of North America at Yonge and Wellington streets

In the years before Toronto became a legitimately dense city, there were a handful of country-like resorts spread around the metropolitan area. The Inn on the Park is probably the best known of these lost pastoral properties, but the Guild Inn in Scarborough was surely the most beautiful in terms of the landscape and setting.

The Inn actually started as the country estate of Colonel Harold C. Bickford (after whom Bickford Park is named) all the way back in 1914. He would eventually sell the house in 1921 after which it changed hands a few times before being purchased in 1932 by Rosa Breithaupt Hewetson who had plans to turn the property into an artist colony with her husband Herbert Spencer Clark.

It took a few years for the The Guild of All Arts to take off, but by the late 1930s the property had become popular enough that the Clarks built a number of additions. They moved out of the main residence and added dormitories to house even more artists and craftspeople. Some of the land was also planted with crops and a handful of livestock were kept to provide food for the residents.

In other words, it was an idyll: a gorgeous lakeside setting where life was devoted to the pleasure of making things through traditional methods. The hustle and bustle of downtown Toronto was only a half an hour away, but the two worlds couldn't have been further apart.

During World War II, the Guild of All Arts temporarily became a training centre for the Women's Royal Naval Service but it was returned to the Clark's management in 1947. This was a period of profound change in Scarborough and also for the Guild. The post-war boom led to the rise of suburbs like Guildwood Village, which was built on a swath of land orignally owned by the Clarks.

The major building boom was going on downtown, though. As modern skyscrapers like the TD Centre rose in the 1960s, historically important buildings were being demolished with little thought of preservation. It was during this period that the Clarks started acquiring fragments of architectural monuments to keep on the grounds, a collection which remains on display today.

During this period, the Guild Inn transitioned from a fully fledged artist colony to a functional lakeside resort, a process that was capped by the construction of a six storey hotel tower in 1965. This structure was often maligned as anachronistic on the old country estate, though its rounded balconies were full of mid century charm.

The Inn was a wildly popular place for inner-city vacations, weddings, and events through the late 1960s and the early 1970s. This was a time when Scarborough's motel culture was still strong, and the area hosted thousands of tourists and vacationers each year. But it was the beginning of the end for all of it.

Remember, the Clarks acquired the Guild Inn property in 1932. As they reached advanced years, they wanted to ensure that legacy of the property was secure. So in 1978, the Guild Inn and grounds were sold to the city of Toronto to the tune of $8 million with a clause that the Clarks would continue to operate the Inn for five years.

Following 1983, troubles at the Guild Inn were demonstrated by the number of times the resort changed management. It was still a popular place, but its age was starting to show and there was something missing without the care and pride the Clarks put into the place.

By the late 1990s, the initial vision for the place was crumbling along with the buildings. The grounds were as gorgeous as ever and the architectural garden was well maintained, but the Inn has lost its reputation as the city had grown up around it. Shortly after Scarborough amalgamated with Toronto as part of the megacity, the Guild Inn was closed and left to decay.

The value of the property was never in doubt, however. Even prior to closing, numerous proposal for the site were made, some of which don't sit well with the surrounding community. After years and years without resolution or a suitable deal being found, it was finally announced in late November of 2015 that the Guild Inn would return.

It won't be a hotel this time around, but plans to turn the property into an event venue will include the heritage preservation of a number of key elements. In fact, we might see part of the site operational as early as next year.

The future of the Guild Inn won't be as alluring as its remarkable past, but it's reassuring to know that it will have a future as a place that designed to bring people together and that maintains some of the site's history. It's one of Toronto's truly special places and the best way to honour the Clarks' legacy is to keep the property as a place that draws visitors to experience its beauty.

Photos via Ebay, dtsuff9, Ilia Alshanetsky, and the Guild Inn.

If you've seen a post-apocalyptic image of Toronto recently, chances are you've scrolled passed or doubled-tapped one of @bora.vs.bora's mesmerizing photos. The photographer not only captures our skyline, but he also plays around on Photoshop and shares his mesmerizing and cinematic creations via social media.

Bora has well over 100,000 Instagram followers, but he has a full time gig outside of the social media platform.

He works as a design director and as a managing partner at a multinational digital agency; he's often the one directing rather than capturing the assets himself.

He started his Instagram account back in 2014, which really isn't that long ago. "I always have my camera with me. It doesn't matter where I am or where I go, I always shoot," he says. That's key advice he'd give to those just starting out.

In his own practice, he's often inspired by dystopian and sci-fi movies when creating his surreal-looking, photoshopped composites.

He thinks Toronto lends itself well to this style because parts of the city, such as the Financial District, act as a blank canvas - that's why so many movies set in New York and Chicago are shot here.

But while the city is filled with lots of cold architecture, there are plenty of spots where nature meets these human-made objects. "When you pair those up, even together in one shot that's like a super interesting juxtaposition," he says.

And by capturing the city daily, over the past few years, his perception of Toronto as changed - for the better, that is. "The camera kind of led me to see the city completely differently than before," he says.

His camera leads him off the beaten path. "If you think about it, when you're in the city, you're typically going from point A to point B," he later continues. "But with a camera, you're actually stopping along the way and paying attention to the stuff that you would typically ignore."

With files from Jaclyn Skrobacky. Photos by @bora.vs.bora.

Christmas markets and holiday lights festivals near Toronto are a great way to take in the charm of small town Ontario while also celebrating the festive season. Local events like the Distillery Market aim to cultivate the vibe of a quaint village already, so it only makes sense to soak up the atmosphere by escaping the city for the picturesque towns that surround it when the holiday spirt strikes.

Here are 5 Christmas markets and holiday lights festivals to visit near Toronto this year.

Niagara Falls Winter Festival of Lights (Nov. 19 - Jan. 31)
This sprawling lights display takes over the Niagara Parkway and Victoria Park for over two months this winter, with opening ceremonies on November 19th. There are over three million lights across the eight kilometre route, which gets particularly spectacular after passing the Falls. Prepare for a slow drive through the show, as this one is immensely popular.

Simcoe Christmas Panorama (Nov. 26 - Jan. 1)
If you're looking for a similar concept but a little less action, the holiday lights festival in Simcoe known as the Panorama has a bit more of a small town vibe than the always-busy drive along the Niagara Parkway. The main area of town is decorated in a elaborate light displays and horse and buggy tours are offered each weekend in December.

Christkindl Market in Kitchener (Dec. 1-4)
The Distillery Christmas Market can get pretty hectic and the new event at Nathan Phillips Square promises to be the same, but this small town market is teeming with charm and a bit more manageable. Modelled after a German Christmas Market, the festival features over 90 vendors in wooden huts, a skating rink, and plenty of festive eats that can be washed down with hot chocolate.

XMUS Festival in Bracebridge (Dec. 2-4)
This one is for those who like a little beer with the carolling. The outdoor beer garden is the centrepiece of this Muskoka holiday festival, which also includes a market of vendors, wine and booze producers, holiday treats, and Santa's holiday workshops. Bonus: given its northern location, there's likely to be snow on the ground for the whole white Christmas vibe.

Creemore Christmas Market (Dec. 3 and 4)
Creemore is the quintessential quaint Southern Ontario town with a great food scene and a popular farmers' market. Brand new for this year, the market will transform into a festive event brimming with apple cider, hot chocolate, and holiday gifts. It's worth visiting Creemore for its bustling food scene, and the Christmas Market adds some holiday flavour to the mix.

Did I miss a good one? Add your suggestions in the comments.

Photo via the Niagara Parks Commission.

This local mini-chain with restaurants scattered throughout the city is famous for its take on Korean fried chicken. Pair it with some soju and you have yourself a pretty great meal.

Read my profile of The Fry in the restaurants section.

Toronto is beautiful at anytime of day. Whether it be the middle of the night or early morning, but there's a particular window of time that the best photographers seek out to capture the city in alluring light: magic hour.

What is magic hour? Sometimes referred to as golden hour, it's that moment after sunrise or before sunset when the sky carries a warm, pinkish hue and the light seems impossibly soft. When that time strikes in Toronto, the city can appear astonishing lovely.

Here are a few of my favourite photos of Toronto at magic hour.

Photo by @aimhernandez.

Photo by @amir.ag.

Photo by @to.capture.

Photo by @jazzy.vibes.

Photo by @smaku.

Photo by @aaartistry.

Photo by @giltaminphotog.

Photo by @bora.vs.bora.

Photo by @mindz.eye.

Photo by @nnvv__.

Photo by @anetkaiwa.

Photo by @arjsun.

Photo by @alexandramack22.

Photo by @rmeadz.

Lead photo by @ashtontekno..

The exact date of Toronto's first snowfall of the year is virtually impossible to predict outside of a few days before the blessed event, but this doesn't mean that we don't have a pretty good idea of when the city is likely to get its first dusting each year. So if you're holding out hope that the snow is still a long time coming, I have bad news for you.

Toronto almost always gets its first snowfall in mid to late November. In fact, November 2009 was the first time in 162 years that the month passed without some recorded snowfall activity. After escaping unscathed for so long, the city was finally blanketed when a decent sized storm rolled through on December 9.

Last year was a bit similar in that we didn't get our first major snowfall until December 28. The difference, however, was that there were flurries on a number of occasions before that. Temperatures dipped below zero overnight between November 22 and 25 last year, which brought a few flakes.

While there tend to be differing opinions on what actually constitutes the first snowfall of the year, most would agree that airborne flurries that melt upon contact with the ground don't cut it. There needs to be at least a small amount of accumulation to categorize frozen precipitation as a legitimate snowfall.

By this definition and my own observational notes, Toronto's first snowfall has come between November 17 and 27 in eight of the last 10 years with 2015 and 2009 being the key exceptions. In a number of these years, there has been recorded snowfall as early as October according to historical weather data, but not of the type that stayed on the ground for more than a brief period.

That's pretty strong odds for our first snowfall to come sometime over the next two weeks. For its part, the long range forecast has nighttime temperatures dipping to the freezing mark on November 20 and 21, though only a 30 per cent chance of precipitation. These predictions are notoriously unreliable, however, so it's worth checking regularly if you're interested in when the snow is coming.

There have already been a few flurries in Toronto this year and areas to the north have seen accumulation, but it remains possible that we could escape November without a noteworthy snow event. History doesn't favour that scenario, though.

Photo by Frank Lemire.

The top free events in Toronto this week include a massive tree lighting ceremony, one of Toronto's biggest annual parades and a tribute to the late, great Leonard Cohen.

Here are my picks for the top free events in Toronto this week.

C! C! C! remembers Leonard Cohen (Nov. 16, Christie Pits)
Head to Christie Pits Park for 9 p.m. and join what is sure to be an impressively large group of people sing goodbye to Leonard Cohen. Keep an eye on Choir! Choir! Choir!'s Facebook page for exact location and song details and bring a candle if you'd like.

Lucas DiPasquale Live (Nov. 17, First Canadian Place)
He's a big thing on YouTube, so check him out in the flesh and see if he can sing just as well in real life at this free lunchtime performance in the Financial District. He's known for his covers of big reggae hits and now his own original stuff. The show starts at 12:15p.m.

MOCA x Akin Fall Gallery Crawl (Diaz Contemporary)
The new MOCA building may be far from ready, but that's not stopping art organizers from gathering the curious for this West end gallery tour. It's an insiders look at some of the coolest exhibits on right now at places like Paul Petro, Susan Hobbs and Katharine Mulherin. The tours start at Noon until 5 p.m.

Illuminite (Nov. 19, Yonge-Dundas Square)
There are lots of dazzling tree lighting ceremonies all over Toronto this month and into December, but Illuminite happens first. It starts at 5:30 p.m., and there are non-stop live performances and activations leading up to the tree lighting. It's all free, but bundle up!

Santa Claus Parade (Nov. 20, Various locations)
The 112th (!!!) Toronto Santa Claus Parade starts at 12:30 at Christie Pits Park and merrily makes its way through downtown to end at St. Lawrence Market. No matter how old you are, it's always worth taking a peak and the big man in red somewhere along the way.

Photo via A Great Capture in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto Irish singer James Vincent McMorrow brings his powerful vocals and poetics to the Phoenix. Many have called him the the Irish Bon Iver and European music critics love this guy. Sounds like a good way to let go of all the bad news from last week and hear something powerful and hopeful.

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

• James Vincent McMorrow (The Phoenix)
• The Wilderness (Lost and Found)
• Revel Food Pop-Up (Cote de Boeuf)
• TechTO (RBC Waterpark Place)
• 11th Annual Jeanne Beker Open Closet for Gilda's Club (Gilda's Club)
• Seussical (Young People's Theatre)

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

Photo of James Vincent McMorrow by Christian Bobak.