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Toronto's new sandwich shop doesn't stick to the usual

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Sammich TorontoAre you a sandwich adventurer? A conqueror of all things bread and protein? A saladventurer, if you will? A new sandwich shop in Toronto has opened to indulge all of your wildest sandwich fantasies.

Read my profile of Sammich in the restaurants section.


Just opened Korean restaurant is not like the others

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doma torontoKorean food in Toronto is usually perceived as a cheap and cheerful meal, but the owner/chef of this new restaurant wants to change people's perceptions of the cuisine. Combining French and fine-dining culinary techniques with Korean ingredients and flavours, this charming spot will win you over with its refined yet still approachable dishes.

Read my profile of Doma in the restaurants section.

10 epic photos of yesterday's supermoon in Toronto

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Toronto SupermoonOn November 13 at approximately 4:46 p.m. the biggest supermoon in almost seven decades rose over Toronto. Given the occasion, both professional and amateur photographers took to Instagram to share their photos of this rare celestial event.

If you didn't catch the supermoon last night don't fret, it will rise again over Toronto at 5:30 p.m. today. Get your cameras ready and don't forget to share your photos with us by tagging them with #supermoonTO on Instagram.

Here are some of my favourite shots of yesterday's supermoon in Toronto.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @torontowithaview.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @philjacobson.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @heatherralice.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @theslimjewish.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @chungho_leung.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @beansnpork.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @szlnn.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @nnvv__.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @brettseye.

Lead photo by @bora.vs.bora.

This Week on DineSafe: Shawarma Guys, Dolly's, Sukhothai, Petite Thuet, Freshii, Raiders E-Sports Centre

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dinesafeThis week on DineSafe Mediterranean restaurant Shawarma Guys landed themselves a staggering 12 infractions resulting in their temporary closure. Crucial infractions included failing to prevent a rodent infestation and failing to ensure food is not contaminated.

See which other restaurants landed on DineSafe this week in the roundup below.

Shawarma Guys (218 Queens Quay West)
Inspected on: November 7, 2016
Inspection finding: Red (Closed)
Number of infractions: 12 (Minor: 2, Significant: 6, Crucial: 4 )
Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to prevent a rodent infestation, operator failed to maintain hazardous foods and operator failed to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Ahmutha Surabi (2847 Lawrence Ave. East)
Inspected on: November 8, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 9 (Minor: 3, Significant: 6)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Dolly's (1285 Bloor St. West)
Inspected on: November 8, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Freshii (525 University Ave.)
Inspected on: November 9, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

The Fuzz Box (1246 Danforth Ave.)
Inspected on: November 8, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Petite Thuet (1162 Yonge St.)
Inspected on: November 9, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Crucial: 1)
Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Raiders E-Sports Centre (49 St. Clair Ave. West)
Inspected on: November 9, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
Crucial infractions include: N/A

Sukhothai (1442 Dundas St. West)
Inspected on: November 9, 2016
Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
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.

Where to watch the year's best moonrise in Toronto

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supermoon torontoTonight's moonrise in Toronto will be special. The full moon will be closer to the Earth than it has been in 68 years, and it'll take another 18 years to return to this proximity. Based on last night's super-moonrise, we're in for a real treat, but witnessing the moon at its most spectacular is all about being in the right place at the right time.

While this supermoon of supermoons will be obviously brighter than a full moon at apogee (the furtherest point from the earth), it won't appear especially huge if you look up at it when it's high in the sky. The key to appreciating the supermoon in general is to watch it rise above the horizon, when the moon illusion makes it appear impossibly big.

As far as timing goes, the moon will rise at 5:30 p.m., which is 37 minutes after the sun sets. Unlike yesterday, that means it will hit the horizon when it is already predominantly dark out and have an increased glow. Yesterday, it was very faint as it came into view thanks to the residual light from the sun, which was still just above the horizon in the west.

The timing is the easy part, though. Location is everything, especially if you plan on trying to take good photos of the moonrise. Because the moon will come up in the east northeast, the best spots to shoot the moon and the cityscape in one frame are southerly points on the west side of the skyline.

For my money, Humber Bay Shores Park is the best spot to watch this particular supermoon as it rises in close proximity to the CN Tower. As an added bonus, there are a handful of other awesome vantage points nearby that you can scurry to for different angles on the moonrise, including Humber Bay Park East and West.

Closer to downtown, there were about fifty people gathered on Strachan Avenue by the railway underpass at twilight yesterday who were able to watch as the moon passed behind the CN Tower, which produced some interesting shots. The Bathurst Street bridge is another option, though you'll have to wait for the moon to rise above the Rogers Centre.

If you plan on taking photos, the big thing to remember is that a normal or wide camera lens will make the moon appear much smaller than it does to the human eye. To get the type of eye-popping pictures you've seen others take, make sure to use a zoom lens of at least 200mm (and preferably more).

You'll also find that it's difficult to expose for the nighttime sky and the brightness of the moon in one image, so many photographers take two exposures and merge them. Some will call this cheating, but it's more of a trick to recreate the conditions as they were experienced in the moment.

Good luck!

Know of another vantage point to suggest? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Nicoli OZ Matthews.

The Best Butter Chicken in Toronto

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butter chicken torontoThe best butter chicken in Toronto is rich, creamy and lightly spicy. The Indian comfort food is well-known for its gleefully bright orange sauce that's sure to put a smile on anyone's face. Whether you eat in or do take out, this dish is best enjoyed on rice, in a roti or scooped up with some fresh naan.

Here is the best butter chicken in Toronto.

First-time home buyers in Toronto to get tax rebate

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toronto first time home buyer rebateIt's not easy to buy a home in Toronto, considering the average price for a detached house is sitting above the $1 million mark. However, the government of Ontario is giving first-time home buyers across the province a little bit of a break.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa announced today, as the Toronto Star reports, that first-time buyers will get a $4,000 land tax transfer rebate. This means they won't pay land transfer tax on the $386,000 of their house. In some cases, like those buying condos (under the average price of $429,407) for instance, won't pay any land transfer tax at all.

The province will pay for this by upping the land transfer taxes for others - houses that cost $2 million or more will be subject to a rate of 2.5 per cent, up from 2 per cent.

In Toronto, as the Star notes, buyers will still have the city's land transfer tax levy, which was introduced in 2008.

Photo via House of the Week.

Drone might have almost caused crash at Toronto airport

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porter drone torontoEarly this morning, a plane approaching Toronto's Billy Bishop airport had a near miss. Pilots of a Porter Airlines flight, which was about 55 kilometres east of the city, had to act quickly to avoid a mid-air collision with an object, likely a drone.

Two cabin attendants were reportedly injured in the incident, which happened at an altitude of 9,000 feet.

"The flight crew performed an evasive maneuver and two cabin crew received injuries as a result. The extent of the injuries are unknown at this time," said Transportation Safety Board of Canada Julie Leroux to the Toronto Star.

Porter Airlines and Billy Bishop Airport received accolades in a Conde Nast Travel reader survey. Billy Bishop was ranked as the fourth best international airport in the world while Porter came ninth in a list detailing the best international airlines.

Photo by Ken Sekiguchi via the blogTO Flickr pool.


Toronto is getting a huge winter street food market

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street food marketSummer markets are something Toronto does really well, but since it's bone-chillingly cold for the majority of the year, why can't we nail winter markets too? One Toronto organization is changing that.

The Winter Market at Evergreen Brick Works is launching a new street food market alongside its annual Evergreen Market and its Holiday Makers Market in collaboration with Etsy. This means there are now three different outdoors markets in one space. Best of all, they feature campfires and other activities to keep you warm while you shop.

The markets will run from Saturday, December 10 to Friday, December 23 and there will be live entertainment and lots of shopping and eating opportunities with chefs, makers and farmers on hand from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.

The Street Food Market will feature over 20 different food stations from vendors like Burgatory, Eva's Original Chimney's, the Spicy Ethiopian and many more.

The usual weekend farmers market will also be running in the lead up to the holidays.

There's now free WiFi at over 40 TTC subway stations

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ttc subway stations wifi torontoWhat would make your commute on the subway a billion times better? Probably WiFi on each and every TTC subway car. Now, that probably won't be a reality for a long, long time, but at least there's now WiFi at more than 40 different TTC subway stations. It's the little things, right?

There's currently WiFi available via TCONNECT at more than 40 different TTC subway stations. TCONNECT, if you don't use it yet, is a free-to-use advertiser-sponsored WiFi network.

Here are the TTC stations that are currently online.

LINE 1:

  • North York Centre
  • Eglinton
  • St. Clair
  • Summerhill
  • Rosedale
  • Bloor-Yonge
  • Wellesley
  • College
  • Dundas
  • Queen
  • King
  • Union
  • St. Andrew
  • Osgoode
  • St. Patrick
  • Queen's Park
  • Museum
  • St. George
  • Spadina
  • Dupont
  • Glencairn
  • St. Clair West
  • Lawrence West
  • Wilson
  • Downsview

LINE 2:

  • Main Street
  • Greenwood
  • Broadview
  • Castle Frank
  • Sherbourne
  • Bay
  • Bathurst
  • Christie
  • Ossington
  • Dufferin
  • Lansdowne
  • Dundas West
  • Keele
  • High Park
  • Jane
  • Runnymede
  • Old Mill
  • Royal York

Photo by Howard Yang Photography via the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto is getting a gorgeous new pedestrian mall

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wilcocks common torontoToronto's inventory of pedestrian spaces is about to get a lot more beautiful. Plans for the revitalization of Wilcocks Street were recently revealed by U of T at an open house, and the designs from DTAH Architects look auspicious. Improvements include a new tree canopy, social gathering spaces, a basketball court and a complete revamp of the current landscaping.

wilcocks common torontoThe city first experimented with making Wilcocks a pedestrian-only zone, between Huron and St. George streets, back in 2010 on a pilot basis. Upon conclusion, it permanently closed the street to traffic. Since then, the closure has retained a haphazard look with oversized planters to block cars and some patio furniture to capitalize on the space.

wilcocks common torontoNow it will get the full design treatment it deserves. The plans are in their early stages, but in addition to the beautification, it's possible that the section of Wilcocks between Huron and Spadina will also be closed to traffic. At a minimum, it will be converted into a shared street with a heavy focus on the pedestrian realm.

wilcocks common torontoThe idea is to promote Wilcocks as a gathering place on campus with infrastructure designed to encourage people to dwell there. Hence, the plentiful benches, grassy areas, tree canopy and half court. The street surface will also be raised so that it blends in with the areas immediately surrounding it; it'll no longer look like a vehicular roadway.

wilcocks common torontoIf there's bad news in any of this, it's merely that it's going to take some time to finalize the plans and begin construction. There's no estimated date of completion at the is time, but the project looks very exciting.

Images via U of T and DTAH Architects.

Toronto is enraged after police sting in local park

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marie curtis parkToronto police laid sexual misconduct and trespassing charges on 72 people this past Friday at Marie Curtis Park. Most of the charges laid were against men for indecent exposure and engaging in sexual activity. The sting, dubbed Project Marie, has the city's LGBT community enraged.

Cops have apparently been receiving multiple complaints about "people engaging in sexual acts" at all times of the day, which led to the two month operation.

Project marie torontoPlain clothed officers patrolled the park during this time, but many are wondering what the true motivations behind the sting are, echoing the intrusive behaviour of police during Toronto's Bathhouse Raids - something the police kinda sorta apologized for earlier this year.

The men charged in the bust were primarily consenting adults and charges include those for engaging in sexual behaviour and trespassing.

Project marie torontoThe idea that the sting is a gross overreaction to what was actually happening in the park is also being called into question. Basically, did police create an operation to lure men into having sex with other men in the woods?

Project marie torontoPolice claim the operation was not created to target gay men. Marcus McCann, a lawyer who is offering free legal aid to those charged along with a group of nine others, is doubtful and claims police have official ways to deal with these type of complaints.

Response from the community has been heated, with many demanding accountability from the police.

Project marie torontoAccording to a police spokesperson, a community event has been organized for November 19 from 1-6 p.m. but there's no event page or word yet on where it's actually happening.

Project marie torontoPhoto of Marie Curtis Park by Christine from the blogTO Flickr pool.

A massive farewell party is happening at Honest Ed's

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honest eds partyHonest Ed's will close its doors for good at the end of 2016, leaving a gaping hole at the intersection of Bathurst and Bloor. But before you get all teary eyed, put on your dancing shoes because one Toronto group is hosting a goodbye party of epic proportions inside the massive department store space.

The Centre for Social Innovation is throwing Toronto for Everyone, which describes itself as the first, last and only event at Honest Ed's before it's demolished. This festival, which runs from February 23 to 26 will include a market, a dance party and a slew of multi-disciplinary programs - the organizers are currently soliciting submissions and are open to suggestions from all Torontonians.

That's because, as executive director of the CSI Adil Dhalla tells us, the event's all about inclusivity. "We saw what was really an incredible opportunity to bring the city together and ultimately commemorate something that has been iconic to our narrative of Toronto," he says. "And hopefully do something to kind of carry the legacy forward."

He describes Honest Ed's as a place where everyone's welcome, no matter who you are. It's especially important to newcomers and most Torontonians have a soft spot for the space. He says the CSI hopes the event honours the store's legacy and also creates a conversation about what's happening in Toronto right now.

"We have a lot of new developments, and in order for that to happen, a lot of old things are being closed and broken down and moved out of the way," he says. "I say this is as much about the past and the future as it is about the present. And the present is about us having conversations about the experience of a city in transition."

Dhalla hopes the submissions will shape the event, even though there are already a few programs in place. Toronto for Everyone will be giving 10 artists a seven-day residency inside Honest Ed's. They'll literally get the chance to use the store's walls as their canvas.

Along with the farewell party happening on February 25, there will be a market and community hub open for the duration of the festival.

And Dhalla notes the theme of inclusivity is even more relevant now than ever before, especially in light of recent events south of the border. "The magic of Honest Ed's was that it didn't matter who you were, you could shop there," he says.

This is indicative of Toronto as a whole. "When we talk about Toronto and what makes Toronto special, it's the fact that everyone here, regardless of who you are, can belong. And we feel those experiences every day in the city, but what we haven't had before is a large-scale event that anchors in that idea."

Photo by Ferit Onurlu via the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto: Tinder Tales Anniversary, Calii Love Yoga, Mark E Bassy, Kiiara, Seu Jorge

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Tinder Tales TorontoToday in Toronto the Tinder Tales storytelling series turns two. There are endless awkward and outrageous dating app experiences out there, so hear the best of the best at this event. And if listening to music over people talking is your thing, there are a couple great concerts happening tonight as well.

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 is from the Tinder Tales Facebook page.

There's a new destination for craft beer lovers in Toronto

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blood brothersThe coolest duo in town started bottling their own craft beer about a year ago, opening a bottle shop that exploded in popularity despite its tucked away location. They've moved into an equally secretive garage, but with a brand new taproom where you can sample pints and flights of their funky craft brews and munch on cheap snacks like pepperoni sticks.

Read my profile of Blood Brothers in the bars section.


18 unbelievable photos of the supermoon in Toronto

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Toronto SupermoonThe biggest supermoon in 68 years has passed over Toronto. We won't see a moon like this for another 18 years! Over the past two days this rare celestial event was documented on Instagram with photos that artfully enlarged the moon to epic proportions and that showed a deft eye for exposing just how big it really was.

Here are some of my favourite shots of the supermoon in Toronto.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @tylersjourney.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @gabyisphoto.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @aaartistry.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @jcjchung.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @nohmad44.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @ray.payys.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @cathyfeghali.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @addelgram.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @giltaminphotog.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @jbbeaton.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @aimhernandez.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @ryanbolton.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @pagsdelacruz.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @vincentdemers.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @kai5er.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @smaku.

Toronto SupermoonPhoto by @nnvv__.

Lead photo by @bora.vs.bora.

Charming new Toronto bistro does pre-theatre prix fixe

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Nord Bistro TorontoA new bistro in Toronto has been serving French bistro classics with fusion twists and Canadian touches, like duck confit with risotto and bok choy or maple chili calamari, with a pre-theatre prix fixe for $35 a person.

Read my profile of Nord Bistro in the restaurants section.

Toronto is getting a life-size snow globe

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snow globe torontoToronto is already home to Canada's largest Christmas Tree, so it only makes sense that we would also get a giant snow globe to make us all feel a little bit tinier this holiday season.

This snow globe installation is a promotion by the Dairy Farmers of Canada. It will be on display next to the ticket sales tent at the Toronto Christmas Market in the Distillery District, just north of the festival grounds from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on November 26 and 27.

There will also be free cheese tastings next to this enormous winter ornament and you won't have to pay to see it.

Photo by Carl from the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto making a big push for more laneway housing

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laneway houses torontoToronto has about 250 kilometres of laneways. These hidden, street art-filled thoroughfares are often overlooked, except when Torontonians use them for parking or graffiti tours. However, two city councillors are trying to open our laneways up to new possibilities: namely, housing.

Ward 32 Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon and Ward 18 Councillor Ana Bailão are working together on bringing laneway suites to Toronto. These are detached units located behind more traditional properties and help to transform empty or underused spaces, such as a garage, shed or parking pad.

laneway houses torontoRight now, Toronto's zoning by-laws prohibit these types of dwellings and they're only permissible on a case-by-case basis. There are some stunning examples of laneways houses, but they are few and far between.

The Lanescape project is currently soliciting feedback on what these laneway suites might look like. There's an online survey available and a public consultation at the Evergreen Brick Works on December 5 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Cities such as Vancouver and Ottawa already have policies surrounding laneway suites and some think it's time Toronto follow suit.

Photo by Views From Lisa via the blogTO Flickr pool.

NXNE announces big expansion for 2017

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nxne 2017NXNE took some chances last year and after digesting all the negative feedback has decided to make some big changes for the 2017 edition. This year they're expanding the schedule to run over ten days as well as introducing new programming that takes them back to the festival's roots.

From June 23 to 25, the Port Lands will act as the headquarters for most of the festival's larger activities and shows. This outdoor space will feature two main stages, art installations, and lounge zones to hang out in between acts. There will also be carnival rides and a comedy tent.

Club Land will include shows scheduled at venues across the city. It won't be as extensive as in past years, but larger music venues like the Danforth Music Hall, the Horseshoe Tavern and Adelaide Hall will host concerts, harking back to the early days of the expansive festival.

Yonge-Dundas Square will play host to the three-day Game Land part of the festival from June 16 to 18, which will include live e-Sports competitions and gaming demonstrations.

NXNE will run from June 16 - 25, 2017.

Photo by Matt Forsythe.

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