The recent sale of 32 Elmer Avenue in the Beaches is an excellent example of how lucrative the act of flipping a home can be in Toronto these days. Sold for $830,000 in 2015, this was a pretty typical early 20th century detached home in need of reno. 

It got exactly that with a near complete overhaul, including extensive exterior work, a gorgeous kitchen, and the addition of a walk-out balcony from the master bedroom. We're not privy to how much the renos cost, but come last fall, it hit the market at more than twice its previous sale price.

That's an impressive flip that wouldn't be possible if the real estate market wasn't off the rails right now.

The Essentials

• Address: 32 Elmer Avenue
• Last known selling price: $830,000 in 2015
• Hit the market at: 1,799,000
• Time on market: 57 days
• Sold for: $1,770,000

Why it sold for the price it did

This home was aggressively priced to begin with, so it was clear right away that it wasn't going to start a bidding war and sell over-asking. While it spent two months on the market, it finally got snatched up for ever so slightly under the listing price. Someone made good money flipping this one.

Was it worth it?

Always a difficult question to answer in a housing market like Toronto's, but in this case we'll go with a cautious yes. A recent renovation gave this house a thorough overhaul. It's nice enough to warrant a price over $1.5 million. With four bedrooms, five bathrooms and a finished basement, size is not an issue.

Toronto's second biggest library is getting a much needed makeover. The North York Central Library closed last month as a renovation project that started in summer 2016 kicked into high gear. The hope is to reopen in the spring as the first stage of the makeover nears completion.

Opened in 1987, the North York Central Library branch was designed by Moriyama and Teshima Architects, the same firm behind the Toronto Reference Library. The similarities between the two buildings are obvious, particularly the huge atriums that define each library.

The renovation is designed to upgrade parts of the building that are nearing the end of their life span, but also to make the space more of a social hub. As one of the busiest branches in the Toronto Public Library system, it needs to adapt to the way that people use it. 

Diamond Schmitt Architects plans to create more social space in the library, which will include co-working spaces, more casual reading areas and computer access, as well as an innovation hub with 3D printing and a recording studio. 

The final renovations, which will include a reading area on the rooftop, won't be complete until 2020, but because the architects are working in stages, the library will reopen when the most disruptive work on the central atrium is complete in late winter or early spring. 

In the meantime, there's a pop-up library at the North York Centre Mall where books can be returned and a small collection of materials can be borrowed.

By now, most of Toronto knows that folk music spot Hugh's Room suddenly closed last weekend. After the abrupt closure, the venue announced that it's trying to re-open with the help of its community.

Roncesvalles is a tight neighbourhood and its music community is even more close knit. After speaking to several businesses along the street, many seem shocked at the news, but remain hopeful about the Hugh's Room revival.

"They need to be more open so everyone can play there regardless of style," says Dragan Stojanovic, owner of Mother of All guitar shop on Roncesvalles. He was sad to hear it closed, but thinks its only hope of successfully reopening is by diversifying. "They have to be more aggressive and try new things."

LP's LPs, a record shop a few doors north of Hugh's Room, constantly had pre-show concert-goers stop in. 

"They’re usually there to see artists you can’t see anywhere else. It’s a music-first venue, not a bar and I'm basically like a lobby, which is fine," explains owner Lorenz Peter.

There's a common theme amongst the businesses I approached; everyone loved the spot and believes it's important to the community.

Mark Leingdon at She Said Boom says Hugh's Room owner Richard Carson would bring in his favourite musicians, folks like Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Leon Redbone and Judy Collins to look around the shop before show time. 

Lauren Boesveld, a head bartender at The Local, says they'd often get musical crossover and the after-show crowd along the street. She jokes that many have dubbed Roncy the "Ossington for people over 40."

But the more important sentiment on the street is that Hugh's Room needs to change its tune if it wants to survive. Everyone seems interested in the idea of it turning into a more community-run venue, which is what is being proposed by a board created to save the space.

"When the community is running it, [they're] more vested in making sure it does well, thrives and is a great safe space for artists to come and get stage time," says Daniella Bonamico, a main bartender at Loons down the street. "The community would fully get behind it."

Bartender Tianna Henry at the Inter Steer feels the same way and has heard similar sentiments from regulars at the bar. "It’s always unfortunate when a rare hub in the city closes," she says "but I’ve been talking to a lot musicians here and they said that [Hugh's Room] didn’t really evolve to the changing times.

"What I’ve been hearing is that it sort of ran its course," says Henry, he sometimes sings with in-house band Fraser/Daley. He thinks a completely different approach would be optimal.

Community involvement could be the best idea Hugh's Room has had in years. The folk music bubble is a comfortable one, but often strangers have a hard time popping into.

"Don't worry about Hugh's Room," yells Steve, a local at the Inter Steer, from the front of the room. "I cut a deal with the owner, and I'm opening up a strip club for seniors called wrinkles."

On Monday night, hundreds of devoted fans and friends gathered at the Garrison to toast Trampoline Hall, the informal lecture series that just turned 15.

Although now you don't need to buy a ticket to get in on this monthly event. Anyone from around the world can listen in because Trampoline Hall just launched a podcast.

Writer Sheila Heti started the show back in the early 2000s. The premise is simple, but unique. Each month, three lecturers jump on stage to talk about something they're not an expert in. Afterwards, there's a Q&A, which is often more entertaining and informative than the lecture itself.

Host Misha Glouberman was worried that the magic of live show would be lost in podcast form. "They actually sound really good and I’m surprised they capture what’s interesting about the show," he says.

For the past number of years, Glouberman says the Trampoline Hall team has been thinking about how to share their vast archive; each show is recorded so they have lots of material. And until now, Trampoline Hall didn't have much of an online presence.

"At this point, in 2017, the internet has reached a point where it feels like if you’re keeping something off the internet, you’re making a choice," says Glouberman. "I don’t think we want to be in a position where we’re keeping this off the internet."

Each podcast features one lecture per episode as well as the Q&A session. While they've explored radio in the past, podcasting seemed like a better medium. 

Today, there are plenty of podcasts and shows that bring amateurs on stage to speak. However, when Trampoline Hall first started it was unique. However, Glouberman doesn't see it being associated with other live storytelling events. Instead, he thinks it was part of the Torontopia movement or scene, which emerged in the early 2000s.

Torontopia, largely ushered in by the Wavelength Music Series, spoke to a sort of cultural resurgence in the city, one focused on participation.

Today, there's another such renaissance happening as Toronto's international recognition continues to grow. And Glouberman hopes the podcast can contribute to that in some way. 

"There’s something very pleasing to us that people in other cities would listen to Trampoline Hall and say, 'aw man, I wished I lived in Toronto where this cool thing is happening.'"

The top free events in Toronto this week are so exciting you might forget the weekend even ended. Ice Breakers, the larger than life outdoor art installation project, starts January 21 and is a good excuse to head back down to the water, while thought-provoking show opens at the Ryerson Image Centre.

Hostels have long shed their horror movie-related reputation. In the past few years, beautiful and well-located hostels have cropped up in cities around the world, much to the delight of cash-strapped travellers.

One Toronto-based company has been at the forefront of this hostel boom with the well-known design-led hostelling brand Generator.

DesignAgency is the creative mind behind many well-known Toronto destinations, including spots such as Barque, Momofuku and Soho House - it's responsible for making these places look and feel good.

Photo by Nikolas Koenig of Generation Amsterdam.

They've also been designing hostels in Europe - including in cities such as London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Rome - for about 10 years. Along with its Toronto headquarters, DesignAgency has an office in Barcelona and a studio in Los Angeles.

Anwar Mekhayech, one of DesignAgency's founding partners, recounts how his friend Josh Wyatt came up with the idea of introducing well-designed hostels that would appeal to millennial travellers and blur the line between boutique hotels and a budget-friendly accommodations.

Mekhayech remembers what it was like to stay in hostels years ago. "It was always a sacrifice," he says. "So why not make one that was really cool to hang out in, that had a great bed and great showers and great restaurants, sometimes nightclubs and cafes. They’re really programmed like boutique hotels."

Generator started helping transform the hostel industry around the same time places such as the Drake Hotel and Ace Hotel were becoming influential. 

Photo by Mans Berg of Generator Rome.

Like the Drake, Generator hostels each have curated art programs as well as on site amenities - like restaurants, bars or even nightclubs - that appeal to guests as well as locals. Design is at the backbone of Generator - unsurprisingly guests will pay a premium to stay in a well-designed space.

Generator, which has 12 properties in 11 cities, attracts a huge cross-section of guests; from teenagers up to people in their sixties - or "flashbackers," as Mekhayech calls them.

That's probably because the hostel industry is booming. According to a Hostelworld report that came out in May, the industry's currently valued at $5.2 billion (in bed revenue), and it's expected to grow.

Millennials make up 70 per cent of hostel guests, but Mekhayech says he's even seen business people lining up to check into Generator. 

Photo by Mans Berg of Generator Stockholm

Yet Canada and the United States make up only 10 per cent of that massive revenue. In the past two years, Toronto lost two of its biggest hostels. Currently, Planet Traveler is among the few hostels left in the city. It's also by far the most highly rated.

“We’re pretty much fully booked from March through to end of November, so I definitely think the demand is there," says Robin Wheldon, who's worked at Planet Traveler for two years.

While Airbnb might be popular here, Wheldon says they don't offer the same social experience as a hostel, especially for solo travellers.

Mekhayech would also like to see more hostels in Toronto. Already, Generator's expanding to North America with a Miami hostel underway. There are no plans in Toronto just yet. 

Photo by Mans Berg of Generator Stockholm.

A lot could happen in the coming months.

Generator's currently for sale, and the Wall Street Journal reports it could fetch $500 million. Mekhayech isn't sure what'll happen after the sale, but as Generator's former creative director, he hopes DesignAgency stays on to watch the company continue to grow.

Toronto-based photographer Sanjay Chauhan thinks Ontario is one of the most beautiful provinces in Canada, especially during the fall. That's why he's used his Instagram feed, and his spare time, to highlight it and the city he loves.

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on Aug 14, 2016 at 9:37am PDT

Chauhan, who works as an architectural designer, got more serious about Instagram after attending an Insta meetup at Nuit Blanche in 2013. Since then, he's made good friends through Toronto's Instagram community and has helped organize well-known Global Meet events in the city. 

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on Dec 31, 2016 at 9:16am PST

However, he says these types of meetups aren't as popular anymore; instead, Instagrammers direct message each other and make plans to shoot together there.

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on Nov 25, 2016 at 10:03am PST

Just as the community's evolved, so too has Chauhan's feed @jayeffex. So far, he's amassed 27,000 followers. And lately he's switched from documenting the city to focussing more on the great outdoors - though Toronto's still a big player on his account.

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on Nov 13, 2016 at 9:00am PST

"When it comes to landscape, a lot of people, they prefer to go to the Pacific North West or Alberta," he says. "The thing about Ontario is it’s landscape I feel is very under-appreciated and underrated."

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on Sep 22, 2016 at 3:06pm PDT

Last year, he traveled all across the province, including to places like Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay. His favourite spot so far is Aubrey Falls, even though two bears approached his tent while he was camping there with a friend.

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on Jan 14, 2017 at 10:16am PST

"The whole goal of my trips are just to showcase what Ontario has to offer," he says.

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on Feb 6, 2016 at 10:09am PST

He really got started with landscape photography after he posted a fall photo from the Kortright Centre in Vaughan last year. 

A photo posted by Canada (@imagesofcanada) on Dec 15, 2016 at 6:20pm PST

Along with his own feed, he also runs the account @imagesofcanada, which has more than 160,000 followers. On it, he curates it and reposts stunning photos of Canada.

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on Jan 3, 2016 at 3:11pm PST

Here at home, he continues to shoot the city and features lots of shots from the Financial District, as well as more secluded, natural spots like the Scarborough Bluffs. Thanks to his architectural profession, he appreciates the urban landscape.

A photo posted by Sanjay Chauhan (@jayeffex) on May 30, 2016 at 10:14am PDT

And regardless of where his photography takes him, it lets him be creative outside of his nine-to-five. “It’s something that I do outside of my career, and I find it so fulfilling and satisfying.”

Despite the bright blue skies pictured above, Toronto's shipping container market, or Market 707, is anything but sunny during the cold winter months.

In fact, many of the vendors at Dundas and Bathurst completely close up shop in the wintertime, and when I visited this week, only a few spots ere opened. 

That's because with decreased foot traffic, the market receives less business. Those who do stay open rely on regulars as well as Toronto's influx of food delivery services to remain afloat until spring comes. 

"Basically, most of the vendors aren’t even open at this time," says Diona Joyce, who owns Kanto by Tita Flips, of the winter months. She's entering her sixth year at Market 707 and stays open, regardless of the weather.

While she does get walk-ups, she mainly relies on catering during the winter. And she makes it work because along with her shipping container on Dundas, she has a kitchen inside the Scadding Court Community Centre's now-shuttered snack bar.

Marc Perraut from Nom Nom Nom Crepes always takes a month off between December and January. He just got home from the Caribbean this past week and his regulars were pretty happy to see him back at the market.

"You’re back! I missed you so much!" one person shrieked as they approached his window to order a decadent Nutella-filled crepe.

Perraut says that his return customers make up 60 to 70 per cent of his business - in the wintertime that number shoots up to 80 per cent.

In his small, 80 square-foot space, he shows me his so-called wall of technology, which features three iPads for three different delivery services. He's also on pick-up apps, such as Ritual and Grabb.

Even though apps like Foodora and UberEats gobble up a chunk of his profits, “in wintertime, they really do save us," he says.

Stephanie Lao, who owns the nearly three-year-old micro-cafe Petit Nuage, thinks January and February are the most difficult months.

“I feel like it’s slow everywhere, but it is especially hard in the market. A lot of the vendors do shut down for the season as well," she says.

But she's never closed in the wintertime; if she's paying rent, she'd rather stay open for those who do stop by.

It's a sentiment Perraut and Joyce seem to agree with. “One of the first things I tell people that open a restaurant here, or a food stall here, is that that very first winter is going to be the absolute worst time that you are going to have," he says.

In his first year, he got only two customers during the week between Christmas and New Years.

"If you survive that first winter," he continues, "you’re good, you’re really good."

Scheduled TTC subway closures for 2017 are extensive. So if you're a weekend commuter, get ready to feel the pain. There are 35 closures scheduled this year, many of which will affect Line 1, the busiest in the city's system.

In fairness, that number is actually down three closures compared to 2016, but the fact remains that regular subway shutdowns have become a part of life in Toronto these days.

On the bright side, all the work being done on Line 1 will pave the way for a new automatic signal system to be rolled out at the end of the year that will allow trains to run closer together at higher speeds, thus helping to reduce crowding during the morning and afternoon commutes.

The TTC will try to manage the 11 scheduled closures between St. George and Downsview with a different system than it's used in the past. It will only run shuttle buses between Lawrence West and Downsview during these shutdowns.

Because of various road construction projects spanning the stretch to the south, the plan instead  is to increase east/west routes connecting the Yonge Line (which will be open) to Spadina section of Line 1. Theoretically, that will reduce the time people spend on buses during the closures.

The closure plan is being presented to the TTC board on January 18. The first of the shutdowns follows next weekend, January 21-22, with Line 1 closed for ATC signal work between St. George and Downsview. 

There is only one closure scheduled in each of January and February. Mercifully, the closures don't reach their peak until the weather warms up. There's a scheduled closure every weekend between April and August this year. 

TTC subway closures for 2017

• January 21-22 , Line 1: St George to Downsview 
• February 25-26, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• March 4-5, Line 4: Entire line
• March 18-19, Line 2: Kennedy to Warden
• April 1-2, Line 1: King to St Andrew
• April 8-9, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• April 14-16, Line 2: St George to Broadview 
• April 22-23, Scarborough RT 
• April 29-30, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• May 6-7, Scarborough RT 
• May 13-14, Line 2: Broadview to St George 
• May 20-21, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• May 27-28, Line 2: Broadview to St George
• June 3-4, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• June 10-11, Line 2: Broadview to St George
• June 17-18, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• June 24-25, Scarborough RT
• July 8-9, Line 1: Bloor to Lawrence
• July 15-16, Line 1: Lawrence West to Downsview
• July 29-30, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• Aug 12-13, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• Aug 19, Scarborough RT
• Aug 20, Line 2: Broadview to St George
• Aug 26-27, Line 2: Islington to Kipling
• Sept 9-10, Line 2: Islington to Kipling
• Sept 16-17, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• Sept 23-24, Line 2: Jane to Ossington
• Oct 7-9, Line 2: Broadview to St George 
• Oct 14-15, Line 1: Davisville to Lawrence
• Oct 21-22, Line 1: Wilson to Downsview
• Oct 28-29, Line 1: Davisville to Lawrence
• Nov 4-5, Line 1: St George to Downsview
• Nov 11-12, Line 1: Davisville to Lawrence
• Nov 25-26, Line 1: Davisville to Lawrence
• Dec 2-3, Line 1: Wilson to Downsview

The hottest trends in women's style and beauty prove that trends are cyclical and what's old is often new again. To get a feel for what to expect in 2017, I reached out to several Toronto shops to get the latest on  what to watch for this year.

Flat ironed hair

"The next thing to come down the pipeline is super straight, flat ironed hair," says Kristjan Hayden, Creative Director of Aveda Canada.  It's the flip side to the current trend of textured, wavy hair. This year, you'll see super straight and super glossy do's. 

Artisanal colouring

Look for softer colours, "even in the application and approach to doing colour, it's become more hand crafted and artisanal," says Hayden. 

Beauty through health

What's old is new again according to Rachel Duffy at Body Blitz Spa. "Trends are cyclical and women are again investing in time-tested treatments," she says. She sees more women coming in to use the pools to melt away stress and soothe aching muscles.

Proactive face care

Body Blitz has also noticed interest in oxygen facials, all-natural facial bars and light and laser facials. These are apparently more natural, proactive methods to liven up and protect your skin. 

Exaggerated silhouettes

Much like in men's fashion for 2017, women's wear will see "exaggerated sleeves and shoulders, volume and length creating a strong updated silhouette," according to Britt Rawlinson of VSP Consignment.

New silhouettes

A utilitarian look made up of khakis with softer details such as ruffles and flowing movement is also forecasted for 2017 and something Rawlinson says she's already seeing come into her high-end consignment shop, which shows these trends are already on the rise. 

Winter getaways from Toronto in the two hour range are ideal. While there are plenty of snowy adventures further away, sticking this close to home helps to mitigate storm-related stress. These destinations will take you far enough from Toronto to witness the beauty of winter in the country, but not so far that you can't get home quickly.

Here are my picks for winter getaways within a two hour drive of Toronto.

Experience Lake Muskoka in the winter

Gravenhurst is the gateway to Muskoka, located as it is on the lake after which the region takes its name. Hit this quaint town for skating on the wharf, a host of cozy pubs, and ton of wintry activities in the surrounding area like fat biking, cross country skiing, stargazing, and a huge winter carnival at the end of February.

Hit the slopes north of Barrie

There's much to be said for hitting up the two resorts north of Barrie near Highway 400: Horseshoe and Mount St. Louis Moonstone. The former offers a wider range of activities, while the skiing and snowboarding is a bit better at the latter. Be sure to pay a trip to Copeland Forest while in the area.

Relax at a quiet lakeside resort 

Try to push memories of The Shining out of your head and relax at a winterized resort where there are sure to be fewer guests than in the busy summer months. Viamede Resort on Stoney Lake near Peterborough has excellent food and a gorgeous pool, while The Briars is a perfect place to witness the beauty of Lake Simcoe in the winter.

Soak up Ontario's small town food scene

City-dwellers are occasionally guilty of thinking that matters of culinary interest and importance are reserved for urban centres, but there are plenty of exceptions to this. Creemore has a fanatistic food and beer scene despite its diminutive size. Camp out here before heading to the dinner of a lifetime at the nearby Eigensinn Farm.

Slow down in Stratford for a weekend

Stratford gets bogged down by its reputation as a theatre town, but it's also an ideal winter destination if you're interested in experiencing the charms of a prototypical Ontario small town. Here you'll find nice old inns, a vibrant food and dining scene, and arts and culture events that take place all year long. Park your car and explore everything on foot.

This week in Toronto the sleepy days of early 2017 get a jolt with the city's biggest design show in IDS and the concurrent citywide festival known as Toronto Design Offsite. It's a mostly free celebration of local artists and designers featuring installations, talks, and parties that'll have you seeing the city in a whole new light. 

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

The Regent Park revitalization has been called a "game-changer," and it's been written up by international media, including the New York Times. 

But as the Toronto Star reported this past weekend, the city of Toronto's looking for contributions from the federal and provincial governments to help pay for the third phase of this massive redevelopment project. According to the Star, the city is $108 million short.

Toronto Community Housing is working with The Daniels Corporation to redevelop the 69-acre neighbourhood. Already, the area boasts a mixture of rentals, condos and a much-lauded community and aquatic centre. 

As the Star notes, phase three of this project consists of the Regent Park Athletic Grounds as well as replacing 637 rental units, which includes units in two buildings that haven't gone up yet. 

So far, the city's spent $512 million on this initiative. The federal government's spent $35 million and the provincial government's put forward $85. The Star writes that the city will use the additional money to help nearly 400 families move back into the neighbourhood. 

The two levels of government have not committed this additional money yet.

This week on DineSafe there are fortunately no restaurant closures to report. But popular seafood chain The Captain's Boil landed in some hot water when its York Mills location got 11 infractions, 10 of which were significant.

Find out who else got in trouble with city health inspectors this week.

RaviSoups (2535 Dundas St. West)

• Inspected on: January 9, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 1 (Significant: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Alleycatz (2409 Yonge St.)

• Inspected on: January 10, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 1 (Significant: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Grasshopper (3080 Dundas St. West)

• Inspected on: January 10, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous foods.

Richtree Natural Market (14 Queen St. West)

• Inspected on: January 10, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 2, Significant: 5, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous foods.

Jaipur Grille (208 Queens Quay West)

• Inspected on: January 11, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2,Significant: 3)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Off the Hook (749 Broadview Ave.)

• Inspected on: January 11, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous foods.

The Captain's Boil (865 York Mills Rd.)

• Inspected on: January 11, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 11 (Minor: 1, Significant: 10)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Amaya Express (1 Dundas St. West)

• Inspected on: January 12, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 2, Significant: 4, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous foods.

Magic Oven (127 Jefferson Ave.)

• Inspected on: January 12, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Qin Tang Taste (1883 McNicoll Ave.)

• Inspected on: January 12, 2017
• 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.

Toronto already has a cat-themed film festival and a couple of cat cafes. But now there's something even more paw-some to get excited about. Toronto's getting its very own cat festival this spring.

Details are sparse, but KittyCatCon 2017 is scheduled for April 8 and 9 at the Warehouse Venue, an event space at Downsview Park. 

There are already similar festivals in other parts of the world, including in Los Angeles, which hosts CatCon every year.

This popular event aims to bust the "cat lady myth" and describes itself as a place where "pop culture and cat culture converge." It features "conversations with those at the epicentre of the cat world," as well as merchandise and a massive adoption lounge.

It sounds like the purr-fect place to hang with your furriest friends.

The best new fashion stores in Toronto allow you to really wear your heart on your sleeve. These boutiques offer more than the standard cookie-cutter chain store fashion to bring clotheshorses in the city garb as unique as we are.

Here the best new fashion stores that opened in Toronto during 2016.

With the Toronto real estate market the hottest in the country right now, some of the heat is pushing over into the rental housing market. No one is feeling that more than prospective renters of condo units, which skyrocketed in price throughout 2016.

Back in October last year, the average rent for a one bedroom Toronto condo unit had reached $1,777. Over the course of the fourth quarter, that number reached $1,990, marking an 11.7 per cent increase year over year. 

This poses a number of problems for Toronto's rental market. The vacancy rate currently hovers around 1.6 per cent, and of the available units at least 20 per cent tend to be condos. That means significant increases to condo rental rates send a ripple effect across the entire market. 

At present there's no end in sight to the high rents condo are fetching. As the cost to buy units pushes higher and higher, the rents creep up nearly in lockstep. 

As the businesses, galleries, bars, restaurants and workshops in Mirvish Village go dark, this long-standing neighbourhood is slowly starting to disappear.

And while everyone has to be out by the end of January, one local watering hole is sticking it out until the end.

The Victory Cafe, located at the corner of Markham and Lennox, is well-known for its sunny front patio and its long list of craft beer. The nearly 30-year-old bar and restaurant will shut down on January 30.

Before it closes for good, it'll host two farewell events: one on January 24 and another on January 30. Both start at 6 p.m.

Earlier this year, the Vic team opened Crafty Coyote at Bloor and Borden in the Annex. They're thinking about relocating the Victory Cafe, but don't have confirmed plans in place just yet.

Star Trek fans have a lot to celebrate this year. That's because Star Trek: Discovery, the franchise's newest television series, looks like it'll start filming in Toronto at the end of the month.

A notice on the International Alliance Of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 873 says that the series CBS Green Harvest starts production at Toronto's Pinewood Studios on January 24 and continues until September 7.

Various fan sites note that Green Harvest is the code name for Discovery, likely, they write, in reference to Blue Harvest, which was the code name for Return of the Jedi in the Star Wars franchise.

While the IATSE notice says Discovery starts filming on January 24, the city of Toronto's "Currently Filming" list says the production begins on January 26.

Regardless, it looks like Trekkies in Toronto can look forward to seeing the stars of the new series in the city. You won't be able to access Pinewood Studios (it's like a fortress), but keep your eyes peeled on streets and in restaurants for the new Enterprise crew.

So far, Discovery is slated to feature Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead), Doug Jones (Hellboy), Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Anthony Rapp (Rent). 

It looks like Toronto barbers are getting their own grad school thanks to a new barbershop academy that's opening on Montrose Avenue.

The team from Glassbox Barbershop on Harbord recently took a trip to the U.K. and fell in love with the concept and curriculum of the Menspire Salon, an academy that's been open there for a year. 

After mulling over the idea, Glassbox co-owners Peter Gosling and Dylan Portner snatched up a space at at 360 Montrose Ave., across the street from their shop.

Their new venture, the Menspire Academy Toronto, will open next month. The first week of classes runs from February 12 to 16 with senior educator Glenn Mcgoldrick from Ireland and help from the international director at Menspire, Josh Lamonca.

Unlike Fademaster, which teaches students with little to no experience, this is an academy for experienced hair stylists of any gender to go in and upgrade their skills and learn new techniques. 

 "This is basically piano lessons, for hair cuts," Gosling says. "It's a five-day course, a hybrid of men's hairdressing meets traditional barbering.

"We are running six chairs with two educators, so it's an in-depth curriculum start to finish. This allows an intimate environment, enabling students to focus on their skills with great attention to detail in this profession."

Gosling wants to push men's hair styling further, and breed a new wave of passionate, like-minded haircutters to revamp the industry not only in Toronto but in Canada as a whole.

Similarly, Martin Rivard from Barber & Co. on Ossignton also says he's looking at opening an academy in the city to help educate and push barbers to new levels. They hope to launch a 12-week class for beginners later in the year.

The one week course at Menspire costs $1,695. The first series of classes is already sold out, but registration is open for future courses. Gosling says they already have students from across the country enrolled.