Happy St. Patrick's Day Toronto! Today brings folks dressed up in green out to Toronto's best Irish pubs. There's also an endless number of parties and gatherings in every corner of the city.

The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Toronto is back for 2017 with all manner of Irish cheer, eclectic floats, and, of course, road closures. The annual march in celebration of Ireland's patron saint will go down on Sunday, March 19 at 12 p.m. 

The parade will begin on the corner of Bloor and St. George streets and then head east along Bloor Street. It'll then turn south on Yonge Street and proceed down to Queen Street. The parade will finish at Nathan Phillips Square.

It's expected to take between one and one and a half hours. As a result, there will be a few road closures, so plan accordingly.

8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• St. George Street, from Bloor Street West to College Street.
• Devonshire Place, from Bloor Street West to Hoskin Avenue.

10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• Hoskin Avenue, from St. George Street to Queen's Park Crescent.
• Harbord Street from St. George Street to Huron Street. 

11:55 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Bloor Street, from Huron Street to Yonge Street. 
• Yonge Street, from Bloor Street to Queen Street.
• Queen Street West, from Yonge Street to University Avenue.

12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

• Bay Street, from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West.
• Elizabeth Street, from Dundas Street West to Hagerman Street.
• Hagerman Street, from Elizabeth Street to Bay Street.

12:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• University Avenue, from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West.
• Armoury Street, from University Avenue to Chestnut Street.
• Centre Avenue, from Dundas Street West to Armoury Street.

Also worth noting is that TTC streetcar service on Queen Street West will be disrupted during the event at around noon.

The best pad thai in Toronto combines spicy, citrusy, savoury and nutty flavours to create what might be Thailand's most popular export. Gone are the days when ketchup was relied on to adapt it to North American tastes. Now we have authentic renditions available across the city in shrimp, chicken, vegetarian and other varieties.

Here is the best pad thai in Toronto.

The Toronto Raptors were trounced by the Oklahoma City Thunder last night, losing 123-102 in a contest that was even more lop-sided than the score makes it seem.  Fans weren't too happy about the loss and are growing more and more worried about how this team is faring without Kyle Lowry.

While speaking to the media following the game, coach Dwayne Casey apologized. "That exhibition of basketball was unacceptable," he said.

"I want to apologize to our fans, everybody, for the way we played tonight. The effort, the competitive spirit wasn’t there. That team came out and played like it was a championship game and we played like it was a middle of the season game."

Dwane Casey postgame sound:

🗯https://t.co/PDCwH2wRizpic.twitter.com/PnUutTzUTe

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 17, 2017

Even though the Raptors scored over 100 points, those at the ACC didn't even get free pizza because the Pizza Pizza-sponsored promotion only kicks in when the team wins. That means fans couldn't even find solace in 'za and creamy garlic dipping sauce last night.

Here's how they reacted to the ugly loss.

Nike is making a big deal of the 30 year anniversary of the Air Max and throwing a secret party in Toronto to celebrate. 

It's all going down on March 25, but nobody knows just yet where the party will take place or what to expect, though there are rumours a big name band is going to be there. 

Similar parties, which Nike is calling Sneakeasys, are taking place in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles the same week.

Sadly, the only way to score an invite is by tracking down Nike's Air Max bus that's driving around the city. If you manage to get on, you can play some sort of vending machine game onboard to score tickets.

At the party itself, attendees will witness the launch of the new VaporMax shoe and check out some legendary pieces from the vault.

There's also going to be a bar and local art installations curated by Director X.

Toronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.

It's St. Patrick's Day and already green-clad crowds are clamouring outside of Toronto bars and pubs. But amidst the frivolity, one group has a clear message for those celebrating: don't drink and drive.

A new campaign from Arrive Alive Drive Sober, by marketing agency Rethink Canada, features coasters made with materials from crashed vehicles that say, "this coaster used to be a car that never made it home."

In Toronto these coasters are being used at the Emmet Ray, a whiskey bar at 924 College St.

A couple of years ago, Rethink worked with Uber to install breathalyzer kiosks in Toronto that would hail drunk users free rides home.

After having its accessibility ramp in place for three years, Stasis Preserves in Roncesvalles recently received a notice from city staff on March 15 saying it needed to take it down.

"It’s been there for a long time and it feels like it’s a fixture in the community," says owner Julian Katz, noting how people use it every day.

Now, he has until March 22 to remove it. But before then, he's hoping to work with the city to come up with some sort of plan to keep it in place.

"I’d like to work with the city to figure out how to make this ramp be, you know, the best that it can," he says. "But I don’t think it’s fair for them to say you have five days to remove it and not give us any constructive, productive remedies."

Katz worked with the organization StopGap to create the ramp in order to make his store accessible to all Torontonians. In the three years since it's been up, he says there haven't been any problems with it.

Councillor Gord Perks told CityNews that the ramp is unsafe because it doesn't have guardrails or adequate turning room and it's simply taking up space on the sidewalk.

St. Patrick's Day is in full swing and looks like Toronto has turned Irish for the day. While some of us are still at work it looks like others have decided to play hookie and visit their nearest Irish pub.

One of the most popular destinations of the day has proven to be Irish Embassy. A short walk from King Staton, the pub was sporting a massive lineup before opening and shows no signs of slowing down. The line to get in currently stretches around the building. Expect to wait at least 40 minutes to get in.

Other Irish favourites like Ceili Cottage, McVeigh's and P.J. O'Brien are also already drawing massive green-clad crowds.

If you're still not sure where to head tonight, make sure to consult our list of the Best Irish Pubs in Toronto or our neighbourhood guide to Irish pubs.

There's also a ton of St. Patrick's Day parties tonight. 

The TTC's newish online shop doesn't only sell shower curtains, coasters and toques; right now, it also has Honest Ed's tribute signs for sale.

Back in November, Bathurst Station got a makeover and was outfitted with Honest Ed's-style hand painted signs. The installation stayed up until the end of 2016.

Now, the signs are for sale. They're priced between $75 and $150 and there are a limited number available.

While the TTC shop offers free shipping for orders over $100, these signs are for pick-up only. 

If there's one thing Toronto can never get enough of, it's rooftop patios. They're coveted spots in the sky, nestled away from the busy streets and this summer Toronto is going to get a new one. Sort of.

A new bar and restaurant called District Eatery has announced it'll be taking over the Hush space at 303 King St. West. Hush is currently closed with their windows papered over. Looks like renovations have already begun.

This incoming spot on restaurant row will feature artisanal cocktails, sharing plates and lots of live entertainment. Maybe it will become the next TIFF hot spot?

While we don't know more details just yet, we do know District Eatery is currently hiring . They're actually having a job fair next week.

Have you ever wondered how many people live and work near Toronto's subway stations? While such questions are primarily the domain of urban planners and transit buffs, with the Scarborough subway debate still raging, it's fascinating to examine this.

Two maps uploaded to Reddit Toronto today by Anthony Smith, who goes by @HealthyCityMaps on Twitter, reveal the population and employment density around the city's existing subway and GO stations and provide some insight into areas most in need of rapid transit.

I'm not sure if there are a ton of surprises here, but these maps certainly show why the TTC's Line 1 is reaching capacity. There's a veritable population explosion on both maps in the area covered by the horseshoe section of the line.

The same can't be said for eastern reaches of the subway system, which show some of the lowest population and employment density numbers. It's hard not to ask the question whether or not heavy rail is really necessary along this portion of the route.

Proponents of a relief line will find even more fodder for their arguments here, not just because of the concentration of people and jobs along the lower section of Line 1, but because pockets of the proposed relief line show increased employment density.

There are plenty of other observations to be made here, from the need for more transit to and from Liberty Village, to the aidthe Crosstown LRT will provide on Eglinton Avenue East. Maps like these tell us where we need transit, now we just need to find the money.

While folks around Toronto are dressed up in green to clink glasses and say sláinte this St. Patrick's Day, one bar is not having any of it.

Thirsty & Miserable on Baldwin Street is never shy on its chalkboard signs, but for March 17, it seems to be feeling especially salty. 

"Looking to celebrate St. Paddy's Day?" reads the sign. "Heads up! This is not your bar!" it continues. It also says it might apply a 17 percent gratuity to anyone dressed in green.

This bar might not want anything to do with the holiday. However, other watering holes around the city have already attracted huge emerald-clad lineups.

And one pub has partnered with Arrive Alive Drive Sober's car wreck coaster initiative to help prevent patrons from drinking and driving.

With so much talk about the buying frenzy related to detached homes in Toronto, it's possible to forget that the condo market is also red hot in Toronto. While there's way more supply of such units, there's still heavy demand in various pockets of the city.

This unit at the Glas Condos near Adelaide and Spadina was snapped up after only two days on the market for $200K over asking. The speed of the sale was likely helped by its corner location, the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the various upgrades to the living space. 

The gas line for a barbecue is also a nice touch. More condos should have these. And while the view isn't incredible, the unit isn't boxed in by other towers (yet), so that confers an additional feeling of spaciousness.

The Essentials

• Address: 25 Oxley St. #1204
• Hit the market at: $799,999
• Time on market: Two days
• Sold for: $1,005,000

Why it sold for the price it did

Given what $1 million would buy you in Toronto's condo market last summer, this one was under-listed at $800K. With space for two bedrooms, 10 foot ceilings, and a healthy dose of upgrades, this is what a million bucks gets you for a downtown condo these days. 

Was it worth it?

Sure. You're not going to get much more for the money in and around King West. This unit is a touch too cookie-cutter for my taste, but that's more the staging than the potential of the space. If I had to describe this condo in a single word, I'd say solid.

Thanks to Tridel for sponsoring this post

Honest Ed's might be closed, but we know its iconic marquee sign will be saved. Former owner David Mirvish previously announced he's going to dismantle and move it to the Ed Mirvish Theatre near Yonge and Dundas.

But what about all the other signs that adorn the building? Is Mirvish taking those too? 

The answer is no. As part of the sale of the discount department store, new owner Westbank Development Corp. actually acquired all of the signs too. They're still figuring out what to do with them.

"Westbank is currently examining the condition of the other, smaller signs and will be keeping, storing, and reinstating at least a few of them in the completed project based on their individual condition," said a Westbank PR rep via email. 

Westbank's proposals, which have yet to be approved, include many options to preserve the Mirvish legacy.

This includes new signage that pays tribute to Honest Ed's as well as the possibility of putting up the other recognizable (and pun-filled) signs that hung outside the building. 

Bowling is a game some of us played from time to time when we were kids. The experience was probably similar - pay a couple bucks for some musty shoes, pick a lane, grab a drink and a bad grilled cheese sandwich and maybe play some video games afterwards.

Bowling alleys were basically all the same, although over the years new innovations like glow-in-the-dark kept things interesting. Then, they started to disappear. Over the years many favourites have faded away.

O'Connor Bowl lasted 65 years but was ultimately demolished to make way for condos. The 1950's era Shamrock Bowl was restored in 2009 but only operated in earnest for a few years after.

And Thorncliffe Bowlerama held strong until just a few years ago before finally closing to make way for a fitness centre.

Thankfully we do have some lanes left, but only The Ballroom and Danforth Bowl are within easy reach of downtowners.

If there's some hope for the future of bowling in Toronto it's that there's signs of investment and renewed interest in the sport.

Highland Park Bowl in Los Angeles is probably the best example of what a bowling alley could be. It's a wonderfully-restored space that also dishes up Neapolitan pizza, craft beers and cocktails.

Closer to home, The Ballroom made bowling cool again with its 10-pin lanes surrounded by big screens, booze and live music. It's a viable - and popular - option for a night out in the Entertainment District.

"When I first started it was all league play with one night for the public," Ian Froats from West Bowlerama tells me. "Now it’s the opposite."

Danforth Bowl is a popular option for kids birthday parties. Photo by Frank Lemire.

Froats grew up at the bowling centre and has been working the lanes since he was three years old. He's seen a lot of changes over the years, the main one being a switch from older folks playing in leagues to younger crowds playing freely. 

"The base of league bowling and bar sales are no longer what can support your business that has been dying out for 15-20 years," admits Tyler Lee at Kennedy Bowl in Scarborough.

"If you weren’t able to keep up with social media trends and advertise on Facebook and Twitter, trying to get a younger audience involved, you probably weren’t able to fill your centre with open bowlers and are closing your doors."

Lee's been in the business for 13 years and says bowling alleys have to keep up with not only social media trends, but trends in general to stay relevant and viable.

The Ballroom has done that by creating a games palace with fun, loud music, lighting and all type of other games.

"I think we're an interesting concept on our own," suggests Shannon Piner, a manager at the Ballroom. "We not only offer bowling but we have a nightclub upstairs, two patios, free ping pong, foosball and bubble hockey."

"You have to adapt with what everyone wants," she says. "Our furniture is nice on our bowling lanes, it's not the plastic chairs you sit on at regular bowling alleys, and we have full service and menus on our lanes."

The Ballroom. Photo by Dennis Marciniak.

The leather couches, multiple rooms and flashy night out is a fun concept but it still doesn't mean we'll see any new bowling alleys anytime soon.

"For your land value and for what it costs in the GTA, there are a million ways to spend a million dollars better than opening a bowling centre," Lee says.

Him and Froats agree that the cost to open a bowling alley in Toronto in 2017 just doesn't make sense.

"If you want to open a 32 lane bowling centre that would probably cost you around $4 million dollars," Lee says. "[That includes] equipment, balls, shoes and you need about 100 feet length for every lane, which is a lot of space."

"You need a lot of square footage and the price per square foot in downtown Toronto is way too high," Froats adds.

West Bowlerama has two floors and 56 lanes. Froats says that opening a 30 lane bowling alley would require at least 15,000 feet, and good luck trying to find that space.

"We have to dress the lanes with oil," Lee says,"and oil costs have gone through the roof. Our hydro costs have tripled in the last five years. We’ve hit so many obstacles over the last 10 years that it’s no wonder there’s even any bowling centres left."

Many of us never get to appreciate sunrise in Toronto. That's because we're annoyed to be out of bed at the crack of dawn. But if you feel like you're missing out, simply visit Taku Kumabe's feed on Instagram.

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Feb 1, 2017 at 3:29am PST

Kumabe, who goes by @smaku, started capturing sunrises after he and a photographer friend went out to shoot early one morning. Before that, he mainly shot landscapes during the period that most of us are awake.

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Jan 9, 2017 at 3:29am PST

"I realized oh you know, this [shooting at sunrise] could be a great opportunity for something different," he says. "And so after that I started going more and more. And each sunrise is different, so it kind of gets addictive."

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Jun 13, 2016 at 5:16pm PDT

Since he lives in the west end, Kumabe often shoots at Humber Bay and Colonel Sam Smith Park - this means he has a great view of the sun rising over the city.

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Oct 18, 2016 at 4:11pm PDT

When he's not chasing the sun, Kumabe photographs nature, and he and his wife do lots of hiking in and around the city. He also likes to introduce his whopping 127,000 followers to green spaces within Toronto.

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Nov 16, 2016 at 4:16am PST

"I’ve introduced other people to new places, so I find that a good motivation for me to go out and explore more so I can show my followers that there is greenery as long as you look in the right places and you know where to go," he says.

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Mar 13, 2017 at 5:04pm PDT

Kumabe, who works full time as a designer, is a completely self-taught photographer. He picked up his first camera in the late 1990s, the day before a family vacation to Italy. While snapping photos of the trip, he got hooked.

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Apr 20, 2016 at 6:10pm PDT

Now, he does freelance event and festival photography and also sells his prints online.

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Jan 17, 2016 at 7:53am PST

He built his following by being featured on Instagram's suggested users list (twice) and also credits Toronto's close-knit Instagram community with helping to build up his profile.

A post shared by Taku Kumabe (@smaku) on Dec 11, 2016 at 7:27am PST

Instagram has allowed him to share his work, but it's also enabled him to connect with local photographers. And, he says, "It’s a form of inspiration for me as well."

Little India used to have a problem with empty storefronts but spaces are slowly starting to fill up. And some even foresee the area getting even more popular once a highly anticipated new brewery moves in. 

Gerrard Street East, between Greenwood and Coxwell, now has a new 24 hour gym, a popular pizzeria, a new art space and what might be the hottest new restaurant on Toronto's east side.

"A lot of the South Asian businesses and community moved out to Brampton, Mississauga," says Gulshan Allibhai, who owns the famous Lahore Tikka House, about the neighbourhood's evolution.

Pizzeria via Mercanti on Gerrard East

As the National Post previously wrote, the neighbourhood now has only a small percentage of residents of South Asian descent. A 2010 report from Ryerson argues that for years, there's been a discrepancy between the retail and residential make up of Little India.

Lazy Daisy's Cafe's Dawn Chapman has seen a lot of changes to the neighbourhood since she moved to the area 10 years ago. "There were no independent coffee shops at the time and I was desperate for a latte that I didn’t have to walk down to Queen Street for," she says.

She's slowly watched new businesses animate the empty storefronts and thinks this process benefits not only nearby residents, but also those across the city.

"It gives more people more reason to come out to the high street and shop on a daily basis as opposed to that special journey," she says.

That's something Chand Kapoor, chair of the Gerrard India Bazaar Business Improvement Area, agrees with too. The BIA has helped spearhead a $120,000 streetscape improvement initiative to beautify the area.

The neighbourhood hosts highly popular events that celebrate its heritage, such as the TD Festival of South Asia, but on a day-to-day basis, Kapoor thinks it's all about maintaining a balance in the area to both respect its history and maintain its vibrancy as a community.

"We want more people in the bazaar, so this has always been our focus; that we should be attracting more people," he says.

Gerrard Street just west of Coxwell in Little India

Of course, there are concerns about skyrocketing real estate prices and gentrification, especially now that Godspeed Brewery, from former Dieu du Ciel brewer Luc "Bim" Lafontaine, is under construction on Coxwell just south of Gerrard.

In regards to the surrounding residential community, says realtor Scott Hanton tells me via email about Little India,"It's not uncommon to see property values increase by $100,000 each year. This sort of price increase obviously attracts many buyers. But the days of  'getting a deal' are long gone in the area."

Zac Schwartz, a co-owner at Lake Inez, doesn't see the area becoming the next Ossington or even Parkdale, largely because it hasn't been a cheap place to live for a long time now.

He has mixed feeling about being one of the harbingers of change in the area, but ultimately realizes he and his team are filling a market gap for those who live nearby; Little India doesn't have many bars or late-night watering holes.

He thinks it's an honour Lafontaine chose Gerrard and Coxwell for his brewery, but doesn't think it'll fundamentally alter anything, other than putting even more foot traffic on Gerrard .  

"It’s super flattering for people in this neighbourhood that he’s chosen here," he says, but he continues, "I don’t think anyone’s like that’s the writing on the wall for this neighbourhood."

Drake's highly anticipated More Life playlist is finally here. Toronto's unofficial ambassador first teased this project in October, but he released it this evening on his OVO Sound radio show.

More Life was originally supposed to come out in December, but now it's finally here and it features collaborations with many of Drake's famous friends.

Unlike Views, More Life, isn't an Apple Music exclusive and it's reportedly supposed to appear on all streaming services tonight.

Free events in Toronto this week will expand your mind and your body. There's a guided tour of Toronto's newest art district, a circus class, and a couple of documentary screenings to get you thinking about life in all kinds of ways.