Many of those who work in Toronto bars and restaurants know that the industry has a lot of work to do when it comes to making these establishments a safe place to party. 

That's why Nightowl, a bar on College Street, will start offering free self defence classes for women every Wednesday in March.

“It’s a grey cloud over our industry right now,” says owner Braden Rubinoff, referring to the allegations swirling around a bar just down the street from Nightowl.

In December, a 24-year-old woman was allegedly confined, given drugs and alcohol and sexually assaulted inside College Street Bar. Two men, including one of the bar's owners, were arrested and charged in connection with this incident.

This shocked the industry and many began talking about how to change it. A group of female bartenders, for instance, held BASH - bartenders against sexual harassment.

However, just a few weeks ago, a sign promoting rape culture cropped up at another bar, this time along King West.

A post shared by Nightowl (@nightowltoronto) on Feb 20, 2017 at 4:41pm PST

Rubinoff and his team started to brainstorm because they wanted to do something in response beyond simply offering a drink special, which included a donation to a female-focused charity.

Since his basement dance floor and concert area sits empty for most of the week, he decided to team up with self defence instructor T.J. Kennedy, who also does security for Nightowl. 

The sign-up is now open. Each two hour class is completely free and is capped at around 40 people. 

Major fires are both aesthetically arresting and horrifying all at once. Bright orange flames, thick plumes of smoke rising above the city, and cascades of spray descending from firefighters on high— these all create a scene that's cinematic in scale.

Fortunately, in a place like Toronto we don't witness many large scale fires, but when they do happen, the resulting images tend to be stunning visual records of what can be terrifying events.

And there's no better place to get a sense for what's involved in battling a blaze than the Toronto Professional Firefighters' Association's Facebook page. It features stunning photo albums from major fires that underscore just how much bravery local firefighters display.

Particularly fascinating is the huge gallery from the February 14 six alarm blaze at Yonge and St. Clair. While many amazing photos made the rounds in the wake of this blaze, the collection here captures the battle from inside the lines, a perspective that's especially dramatic.

That's not the only fire captured on the page. The recent three alarm blaze in the Junction also has a gallery, as do a host of other fires over the last few years. Add to that links to media coverage of Toronto blazes, and you have an solid overview of the work that Toronto firefighters do.

Being a firefighter can be an unheralded job until the call of duty beckons. But, of course, not all fires get loads of attention from the public. It's nice to take a few minute to appreciate the work that our fire services do and to take in some phenomenal photos.

The top parties in Toronto this March are an exercise in dancing, which is just what we need as winter starts to melt away, don't you think? There's the annual St. Patrick's Day extravaganza at Steam Whistle as well as two brand new disco nights, and some high-quality drag shows.

Word of homes selling for way over asking always seems to grab lots of attention, even in a Toronto real estate market that's gone off the rails. But for all the allure of bidding wars, sometimes the thing that's most amazing about these sales is the final price.

That's the case with this home at 491 Hillsdale Ave. in midtown Toronto. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this three bedroom detached property, but does it really look like a nearly $2 million home?

Even  with the various updates that've been made to the home over the last few years, this one seems a bit outlandish at $1.9 million, which is $511K over the $1,389,000 asking price. 

You're paying a lot for the location, as always, but you'd expect a nicer kitchen and finishes at the price point. Alas, such is the  Toronto housing market right now. 

The Essentials

• Address: 491 Hillsdale Ave.
• Hit the market at: $1,389,000
• Time on market: 7 days
• Sold for: $1.9 million

Why it sold for the price it did

This isn't a big home, but it does have a relatively deep lot, so the possibility of an addition isn't out of the question. This might have helped drive up the bidding on the home. Obviously it's also a detached house in a desirable neighbourhood, so it's not really a shock to see it go for big coin.

Was it worth it?

I'm usually diplomatic about this, but I'm going to go with a no on this one. You can do better for $1.9 million in Toronto, particularly if you're not interested in the challenging process of building an addition.

Toronto is home to many a spin class. It's not just a phase, it's a way of life for some people. But there's a new kid on the block who's switching things up and creating a fresh take on indoor biking culture.

Ride Cycle Club, a Vancouver-based studio, is now open in Toronto. Ashley Ander and JJ Wilson, the son of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson and former Brand Director of Kit and Ace, founded the company.

"We're putting through about 540 people a week right now, hosting two to three classes in the morning, with friends and family classes and more public classes, including weekends," says Ander. All classes are currently free.

A post shared by RIDE CYCLE CLUB (@ridecycleclub) on Jan 17, 2017 at 8:55am PST

"Everything we do is to the beat of the music," Ander says. Ride spends lots of time curating playlists for its classes.

Before it moves to its permanent location at 18 Ossington Avenue next month, Ride instructors have been training in a secretive basement studio beneath 12 Ossington Ave., in the Rally building - that's where it's currently holding classes too.

A post shared by RIDE CYCLE CLUB (@ridecycleclub) on Dec 16, 2016 at 6:49pm PST

"It's intimate," Ander says. "The lights aren't on and you're not watching everybody sweat. It's kind of like going to a nightclub."

Toronto has an abundance of indie coffee shops scattered across various neighbourhoods but which ones do you go to when you don't want to  just grab a cuppa joe?

Here are 10 new cafes with some of the best interior design in Toronto.  

Arvo Coffee

This Distillery District cafe is both a cafe and a flower shop. Soak up beautiful fragrances and treats for the eye with stunning exposed brick walls as the backdrop.

Photo by Hector Vasquez

Dark Horse Espresso

One of Toronto's favourite local coffee chains has a Canary District location that might be its best designed yet. Inside features wood paneling and plenty of unique seating and lighting.

Photo by Hector Vasquez

Fix Coffee + Bikes

Cafe meets bike shop at this West Queen West space. What really sets this space apart are their rotating exhibits of bikes on display.

Photo by Jesse Milns

Goldstruck

This subterranean cafe in Yorkville has a relaxing environment and boasts wicked light fixtures throughout the space.

Photo by Hector Vasquez

Hale Coffee

This Junction Triangle roastery and coffee shop inside the Clock Factory building is big and outfitted with furniture that's funky and bright. 

Photo by Hector Vasquez

Hot Black Coffee

The cafe on Queen West sports an over-sized community table, skylights, glazed cement, alert red walls and the show-stopper, a suspended copper pendant light fixture.

Photo by Hector Vasquez

The Merseyside

This cozy cafe near Dundas West subway station is filled with salvaged wood tables and chairs which provide a warm and inviting environment. 

Photo by Jesse Milns

Offsite

It's a cafe, gallery, boutique and event space all in one. The cafe on Dundas West is modern, bright, and plant-filled. 

Photo by Jesse Milns

Oretta

It might be best know as a restaurant, but this King West space has a cafe as well that's just as beautiful. Between the marble counters and the funky floors this space has it all.

Photo by Jesse Milns

Run and Gun Coffee

The Dundas West cafe has bleacher seating and exposed brick walls along with a bar foraged from the Tower Automotive Building and a cool mug chandelier created by one of the owners.

Photo by Hector Vasquez

Claudio Silva only bought his first professional-quality camera two years ago. But since then, he's curated and created a Toronto-focused Instagram feed that's garnered more than 16,000 followers. 

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Feb 23, 2017 at 2:03pm PST

Silva, who goes by @claudto on Instagram is unapologetic of his love for Toronto while posting his photos online.

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Feb 21, 2017 at 5:21am PST

He moved to the city from Brazil in the late 1980s and grew up around Parkdale. Now, he lives midtown, but travels further south to shoot. Though he knows the city well, he's constantly noticing new things about it.

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Feb 16, 2017 at 5:16am PST

“I love capturing, I love grabbing that instance that’s literally there for a blink of an eye and gone again,” he says.

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Jan 30, 2017 at 5:30am PST

Like many Toronto photographers, he likes to shoot in the Financial District and often depicts the core as moody or dark - it's a style he says that sets him apart from his contemporaries.

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Nov 9, 2016 at 9:16am PST

However, after attending a photo walk a couple of years ago, he started joining the city's tight-knit Instagram community. He and five other photographers even formed a little group called the Last Six in order to push each other creatively.

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Oct 11, 2016 at 11:20am PDT

Since he works full time in the trades fabricating granite and marble countertops, he brings his camera everywhere when he's off the clock. Eventually, he'd like to turn photography into a full-time career.

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Jan 26, 2017 at 5:28am PST

“I wouldn’t want to do anything other than photography,” he says. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t pay the bills right now.”

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Feb 23, 2017 at 9:46am PST

While he focuses on cityscapes on Instagram, he also loves sports photography and often shoots his cousin's boxing matches. He's also interested in portraiture.

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀#theLast⁶ (@claudto) on Feb 22, 2017 at 5:45pm PST

But for now, he's continuing to throw the spotlight on Toronto because, as he says, “I can’t complain with living in a big city that is absolutely beautiful and why not capture the shots that you can?”

Toronto had come into its own as a big city in the 1980s. If earlier decades were marked by a moral rigidity, a dubious dining scene, and a prolonged search for self-identity, this was a time when the city was building its confidence and having fun while doing it.

Clips marketing Toronto in the 1970s showed off a city in transition, fresh with new skyscrapers and budding diversity, but in the 80s it was all about "discovering the feeling" of life in the bustling metropolis.

One of Toronto's best known tourism campaigns "Toronto — Discover the Feeling" was all about establishing the city as a place to play.

It's noteworthy that Tony Bennett and Reba McEntire of all people were hired to promote the city, but the sentiment of the ads is the more interesting thing.

Gone are the shots of the TD Centre and the CN Tower that we see in the 70s, replaced by a focus on nightlife and entertainment. Sure, each tourism campaign has a different focus, but it's intriguing that the producers of this one no longer felt it necessary to establish Toronto as a major city.

It was already understood.

The other bit of brilliance in Discover the Feeling was that it traded on another widely successful campaign in the form of "Ontario - Yours to Discover." Roland Parliament's catchy province-boosting jingle had become ingrained after numerous TV spots over the course of the decade.

If provincial tourism was all about discovery and exploring the vast and rugged land surrounding the city, a visit to the city promised something more akin to self-discovery, the feeling you get when you let loose and play.

Naturally, Toronto had a significant role in national tourism campaigns at the time as well. Of these, the most memorable is surely "Canada - The World Next Door."

As the title makes plain, the target here was American tourists, though the ads also played overseas thanks to Air Canada. If you can get over the picture quality, these ads are impressively produced with Toronto front and centre.

Perhaps as a way to combat the perception of the country as the Great White North, the various clips are filled with neon signs and other urban hallmarks in addition to shots of the country's stunning landscape (all shot in warm weather). 

It's fascinating to note two lost Toronto landmarks figure so prominently here. Both the Sam the Record Man and Honest Ed's signs make major cameos.

The latter seems odd at first, as the idea of using a discount store to promote national tourism must surely be ill-conceived, but I guess the Honest Ed's sign always transcended the store it advertised. 

While the charm of these old tourism campaigns is rooted in nostalgia these days, if you suspend your disbelief and try to imagine how they would have been received at the time they were released, there's an unmistakable energy that most contemporary local tourism campaigns have failed to recreate.

Passport photos in Toronto can be taken at any number of places from Shoppers Drug Mart to your local convenience store. There are numerous storefronts to check out if you're in a pinch.

When I was inquiring about getting my passport renewed while abroad, I grabbed my photos at a corner store in Ireland's third largest city. They now grace my precious travel document, otherwise known as the fifth best passport to carry in the world. 

However, not all passport photos are created equal. The Government of Canada has strict requirements, so don't even think about smiling or standing in front of a multi-hued background.

There are many rules surrounding passport photos, including:

• They must be taken by a professional commercial photographer.
• 50 mm wide X 70 mm high (2 inches wide X 2- 3/4 inches long) and sized so the height of the face measures between 31 mm (1- 1/4 inches) and 36 mm (1- 7/16 inches) from chin to crown of head (natural top of head).
• Must reflect your current appearance and be taken within the past six months.
• Printed professionally on plain photographic paper.
• You need to include the name and address of the photo studio as well as the date.
• Your guarantor also has to sign that your photo in fact depicts you.

There are plenty more regulations, so you should check them out before getting your pictures taken.

But, you should also shop around. Shoppers, for instance, charges around $19.99 (plus tax) for passport photos. At Rapid Photo, which has two locations downtown, it's $11.99 (plus tax).

It also offers 24/7, on-demand service, but it'll cost you $250, plus $11.99 to get your photos printed.

If you want to visit a local business, along with Rapid Photo, spots such as Downtown Camera ($20 taxes in), Still Images ($19.99), West Camera ($16.94 taxes in) and Annex Photo ($14.99 for a set of two) all do passport photography.

A store like this comes around once in a lifetime. That's probably why Toronto's so bummed that Honest Ed's will soon be torn down.

If you didn't get a chance to buy a hand-painted sign, you can still grab a piece of Honest Ed's history thanks to the folks at Toronto For Everyone, the team behind An Honest Farewell (A.K.A. Honest Ed's goodbye party).

Toronto For Everyone is selling a bunch of apparel and accessories, including t-shirts ($22-$25), sweatshirts ($45), toques ($20) and pins ($7) online.

The group also released an iPhone app called Farewell, Honest Ed., which includes Honest Ed's stickers. The app, created by Toronto's TWG, is now available on the App Store. 

Free events in Toronto this week will keep your brain fed. There's a rally in support of the city's Islamic community, a fascinating photographic look inside refugee camp life and some hilarious pop-culture trivia on Ossington.

Events in Toronto this week showcase how diverse and exciting our city can be. Toronto Men's Fashion Week, an Irish Film Fest and a city-wide Sketch Comedy Fest are just some of what's on the agenda.

Yonge Street isn't exactly the most pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare in the world, especially between Queen and Bloor streets. That's why the city of Toronto's looking to change it.

While there are no firm plans in place just yet, CBC News reports that Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam and Toronto's chief planner Jennifer Keesmat are spearheading a project that'll make Yonge Street more accessible for pedestrians.

The city's going to be replacing a water main that dates back to the 19th century. Since this will already be causing construction delays along Yonge, the city thought it would be a great opportunity to also reimagine parts of streets. 

According to CBC, the first phase of the project - between Queen and College/Carlton - should be complete by the end of 2018. The second phase - from College to Davenport - will follow in 2021. 

A major high-priced Toronto retailer announced it's closing its discount arm later this year. 

Holt Renfrew will shut down its two hr2 off-price stores in mid-2017, as Retail Insider reports. Along with its original location in Montreal, the 28,100 square-foot Vaughan Mills store will bid the GTA farewell. 

These discount stores were a great place to find items we could never think about buying at full price and were originally expected to expand nationally.

The hr2 at Vaughan Mills took over from the existing Holt Renfrew Last Call store in 2013. 

According to an interview with Women's Wear Daily, Holt's president Mario Grauso said the company would be closing hr2 to focus on "core luxury brands" with seven stores across the country including the Holt Renfrew Man store on Bloor Street.

There's no word yet on an exact closing date or liquidation sale pricing.

Last year, Saks starting opening Saks Off 5th discount stores across Canada, including at Vaughan Mills. Nordstrom's off-price brand Nordstrom Rack is slated to open in Toronto next year. 

This week on Dinesafe, a pho restaurant in North York landed a staggering 13 infractions from city health inspectors. A well-know brunch spot and an izakaya also got in trouble with the city's health inspectors.

Discover who else got busted on DineSafe this week.

Loga's Corner (216 Close Ave.)

• Inspected on: February 21, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 4)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Loveless (1430 Dundas St. West)

• Inspected on: February 21, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Significant: 3)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Pho Mi Asia (1008 Wilson Ave.)

• Inspected on: February 21, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 13 (Minor: 4, Significant: 7, Crucial: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: Employee failed to wash hands when required and operator failed to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Brooklynn (1186 Queen St. West)

• Inspected on: February 23, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Nome Izakaya (4848 Yonge St.)

• Inspected on: February 23, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 1, Significant: 5, Crucial: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: Employee failed to wash hands when required and operator failed to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

Old School (800 Dundas St. West)

• Inspected on: February 23, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Little Pig Hot Pot (3260 Midland Ave.)

• Inspected on: February 24, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 2 (Significant: 2)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Wildflower (550 Wellington St.)

• Inspected on: February 24, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.

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.

The best granola in Toronto is a wondrous mix of all things healthful and breakfast-y, from crunchy superfoods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits and berries to dark chocolate. In this city, there’s no need to scarf your granola from a bag: sit down and spoon it up in style at one of these spots.

Here is the best granola in Toronto.

After a decade in business, Harlem announced it'd be closing next month, leaving a gaping hole on Richmond Street East.

"The owners of Harlem, Carl Cassell and Ana Silva, have sold the building and with it the restaurant. They are hoping to scale back and focus more on just one restaurant - Harlem Underground," Harlem's general manager Susie Jaroszewska tells us via email.

For 10 years, Harlem, inspired by the 1920s Harlem Renaissance, celebrated Black culture and as Jaroszewska says, it was a hub for soul, neo soul, reggae and jazz music.

Harlem will shut down after March 12, but on March 11 and 12 it's hosting goodbye parties featuring a roster of local DJs.

The city of Toronto wants to make it easier for you to get out and explore the waterfront.

That's why it's looking at spending up to $500,000 to create five nodes, or easy-to-access launching pads, for paddle boats, boards and other small vessels. 

At a meeting today, as CBC News reports, the parks and environment committee will discuss a report detailing the benefits of making Toronto a more paddle-friendly city.

In 2016, the city started building four so-called recreational nodes. Two were installed on the Toronto Island, one's at the Outer Harbour and the other is under construction at Silver Birch.

According to the report, the proposed locations for the five additional nodes are Bluffers Park, Marie Curtis Park, Prince of Wales Park, Humber Bay Park West and Coronation Park. If approved, we could see these launching pads this year.

Events in Toronto this March feature something for everyone, including beer lovers, gym rats and those who are obsessed with nerd culture. There are so many reasons to start exiting hibernation mode. 

Various Toronto groups are coming together to counter an anti-Islam protest happening in Toronto this weekend.

The Canadian Coalition for Concerned Citizens, a group based out of Montreal is planning an anti-Islam rally on March 4 at City Hall, and at various meet-ups across the country.

Called the Toronto March For Freedom, Liberty & Justice against M-103, the rally that's set to begin at noon states it's for "all Canadian patriots that believe in freedom, liberty and justice that stands against Sharia Law and globalization."

Standing against Islamophobia is a rally in direct response to this anti-Muslim protest. It has significantly more interest on social media. Attendees plan to arrive at City Hall early with messages of inclusivity, support and love for Toronto's Muslim community. 

Several other groups, including Pegida Watch who fight against anti-immigrant groups, are organizing counter protests on the same day. 

Earlier this month, a small group staged an anti-Islam rally outside of the Masjid Toronto mosque at Dundas and Chestnut. A group of counter protesters mobilized quickly.