This week on DineSafe a series of healthy lunch spots got nailed with yellow cards by city health inspectors. A dim sum restaurant also found itself in hot water after landing eight infractions, three of which were deemed crucial.

Find out which other restaurants got busted by city health inspectors this week.

Sawasdee (895 Yonge St.)

• Inspected on: March 27, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder.

Progress Bakery (996 Dovercout Rd.)

• Inspected on: March 28, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to wash hands when required.

Crave Healthy Habits (120 Adelaide St. West)

• Inspected on: March 29, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 4 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Kupfert & Kim (200 Wellington St. West)

• Inspected on: March 29, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 1 (Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Employee failure to wash hands when required.

Sky Dragon (280 Spadina Ave.)

• Inspected on: March 29, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 8 (Minor: 1, Significant: 4, Crucial: 3)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated, operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4C (40F) or colder and operator fail to maintain hazardous foods at 60C (140F) or hotter.

Boxcar Social (1208 Yonge St.)

• Inspected on: March 30, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 6 (Significant: 6)
• Crucial infractions include: N/A

Kensington Natural Bakery and Cafe (460 Bloor St. West)

• Inspected on: March 30, 2017
• Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
• Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant: 2, Crucial: 1)
• Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to ensure premises cleaned to prevent food contamination.

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.

While Toronto has lost a number of live music venues lately, one is getting ready to reopen in a new location up the street from its previous digs.

Former Queen West stalwart The Hideout shut down on Halloween last year, but it'll finally welcome party goers back this Sunday, April 9, at 423 College St.

That address might sound familiar because it's also home to Nest and The Den. According to a representative from the nightclub complex, The Hideout will be replacing TheDen.

"We are excited for our friends to bring their rock and roll live music scene north a few blocks to College Street. We welcome their plan to offer a wide variety of snack and dinner items along with a great weekend brunch menu," he said via email.

The Hideout's original location at Queen and Denison was open for about a decade. Now, a Taco Bell's rumoured to be replacing it.

The intersection at Yonge and Dundas has said hello to lots of new tenants over the past few years. But it'll soon welcome another one when the huge Samsung Experience Store moves into the Eaton Centre.

At 21,000 square feet, this will be Samsung's biggest store in Canada to date.

It seems fitting Samsung is calling this retail outlet an Experience Store considering it'll feature a fully functioning kitchen with on-site cooking demonstrations.

Of course, it'll also stock Samsung's full range of smartphones, tablets, televisions and VR Gear.

The Toronto-based firm Quadrangle Architects is designing the store, which is set to debut this summer. It'll have an entrance facing Yonge Street as well as one that opens right into the mall.

The best greasy spoons in Toronto serve up classics on a dime, making them reliable community hubs where one can grab a bite to eat or a simple cup of coffee without any kind of pretentious atmosphere or breaking your budget.

Here are the best greasy spoons in Toronto.

If you've missed seeing Aubrey Graham on the small screen, you're in luck. That's because Drake might be getting back into acting.

When the London-based television series Top Boy was cancelled after two seasons, Drake reportedly bought the rights for it.

Top Boy star Ashley Walters told the U.K.'s Daily Mirror that the show's producers are now creating a role just for Drake. 

Earlier this year, Drake hinted that he wanted to start acting again. "Acting is another thing that I just can’t wait to really dive into," he said while on the Cal Cast podcast in January.

"I think after I release More Life, which is this playlist I’m working on, and finish this tour, I think I’m going to really start to position myself in the acting world and, hopefully, take some great roles."

Drake, of course, hasn't been on TV since he got his start on everyone's favourite Toronto-based series Degrassi: The Next Generation.

New restaurants in Toronto invite us to try all kinds of new things, like different types of Thai and Italian cuisine, and make it even easier to indulge in familiar chicken, pizza, pasta and poke.

Here are my picks for the top new restaurants that opened in Toronto in March.

Bar Cru

A new restaurant across from St. Lawrence Market is wholeheartedly embracing the seafood trend sweeping Toronto right now with a kitchen serving up fare like ceviche, poke bowls and sushi all in one place.

Isaan Der

This new Junction restaurant specializes in Northeastern Thai style cuisine, with a variety of soup and noodle dishes as well as immaculately wrapped spring rolls and traditional golden bags.

Figures

It may not seem like Yorkville and comic book nerds go together, but they’ve collided at last at this new restaurant on Avenue Road serving elegant fare and cocktails with a quirky vintage toy and comics theme.

Lawai'a Poke

Yet another King West spot has opened serving up Hawaiian poke, but this one has chicken and tofu as protein options alongside the usual tuna and salmon, served on your choice of rice or zucchini noodles.

Abbiocco

This Italian restaurant that replaced Frank's Kitchen in Little Italy has a swanky menu of upscale bistro fare like spaghetti bolognese, aged striploin, oysters, and lobster.

Rise & Dine Eatery

Located in East York, this new breakfast spot is bringing the bennies with pulled pork, steak and brisket options as well as sandwiches and burgers near the intersection of St. Clair East and O'Connor.

Chez Nous Wine Bar

This Riverside wine bar doesn’t serve full entrees per se, but you’re free to stuff yourself silly on owner Laura Carr’s daily selection of basic meat and cheese plates as well as olives while you down your choice from a list of exclusively Ontario wines.

Pizzeria Libretto on College

The Libretto team knows pizza is all about takeout, so they converted their former A3 Napoli space into a delivery and takeout only Libretto location where you can get their red and white pies and salads in a jiff instead of sitting down to eat them.

Alimentari

The name of this place connotes a kind of Italian grocer or deli, and that’s the idea behind this Roncesvalles Village shop that comes to us from one of the people behind Buca. Find homemade pasta here as well as sandwiches and other ready-made meals to go.

Union Chicken

A destination for rotisserie and fried chicken has arrived in Sherway Gardens thanks to the minds behind The Carbon Bar. Pair their birds with an array of elevated sides like Quebecois baked beans or fun Southern-inspired cocktails.

April Fools' Day is probably the worst day on the internet, but don't worry, you're surely not the only one who fell for some light-hearted high jinks. While a certain prank might've taken the cake this year, plenty of local businesses got in on the fun.

And if you didn't get fooled this year, you're probably an expert at spotting fake news - we could use more people like you these days.

Here are some of the funniest April Fools' Day pranks I spotted in Toronto this year.

TTC 

The TTC always puts out an April Fools' Day video and this year, it tricked riders by renaming Toronto subway station.

Justin Trudeau vs. Matthew Perry

Could there be a more obvious April Fools' tweet?

I've been giving it some thought, and you know what, who hasn't wanted to punch Chandler? How about a rematch @MatthewPerry?

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 1, 2017

Get your food delivered via unicycle

Foodora claimed its couriers ditched bicycles in favour of one-wheelers.

Une roue pour une meilleure planète. -- One wheel for a better planet. #foodora

A post shared by foodora 🇨🇦 (@foodora_ca) on Apr 1, 2017 at 2:21pm PDT

High-tech green juice

Greenhouse Juice Co., claimed it would start delivering its fleet of cold pressed juices via Unmanned Quadcopter Vehicles.

🔉Friends, fellow Earthwalkers, we are flying high with excitement to announce that we've catapulted our doorstep delivery service into a new stratosphere. Toronto traffic being what it is, and with our delivery area expanding, we've long recognized the need for an upgrade. The time has come. As of today, our deliveries will be conducted not by Electric Smart Car (ESC), but by Unmanned Quadcopter Vehicle (UQV). The best part? Our fleet comes with built-in Gyroscopic Destabilization Technology—so your juice arrives on your doorstep pre-shaken. Welcome to the future, friends!

A post shared by Greenhouse Juice Co. (@greenhousejuice) on Apr 1, 2017 at 4:40am PDT

Peas and gravy and dougnuts

The Rolling Pin put out these savoury doughnuts topped with mashed potatoes, gravy and peas. Mmm (rubs belly).

Why is a NUTELLA BOMB donut surrounded by a bunch of mashed potato, gravy, and green peas? #aprilfoolsday #donut #donuts #doughnut #dailyhive #blogto #tasteto #to_finest

A post shared by The Rolling Pin (@therollingpinto) on Apr 1, 2017 at 10:28am PDT

Burger Cones

The Works knows pizza cones are a thing, so this new fusion dish doesn't seem too far-fetched.

Warmer weather is coming, and we wanted to do a new dessert our way...so 'meat' our WORKSburger cone! Sugar cone topped with 100% Canadian hand-scooped beef, salted caramel, ketchup, mayo and a cherry tomato. #AprilFools #burgerjokes #wedontcarethatitsafternoon #wouldyoutryit #Canada150 #worksburgercone #theworks #myworks

A post shared by The WORKS (@works_burger) on Apr 1, 2017 at 10:28am PDT

Tinder, for pizza lovers

Pizza Pizza claimed to invent a brand new dating app to help single folks find love through 'za.

The top arts festivals in Toronto this spring are an exciting bunch. These events take over screens, walls, galleries, stages and streets to make us all think, talk and come together in new ways before summer starts and all we want to do is lounge on the beach.

The Annex is changing. Honest Ed's closed, more and more chain stores are moving in, and the Brunswick House is now a Rexall drug store. But that's not all that's going on in and around Brunswick Avenue.

On Friday, Tilt - the newish and popular arcade bar - announced the building it's in at 296 Brunswick Ave. was sold in February and will become a boutique hotel.

Tilt's owners received a notice of eviction, but in a note on their website, they write they have a Certificate of Pending Litigation on the building because they say their right of first refusal was breached. 

They claim there was a clause in their lease, which stipulated that if the building was for sale, they'd be able to put in an offer and potentially buy it. 

"Unfortunately, we weren’t given the opportunity obviously to buy the building as per our lease," says Tilt co-owner and general manager Nathan Hunter.

"We do have the funding. We have filed litigation to have the right to buy the building and we’re hopeful and confident we’re going to be successful with that," he continues. 

But whatever happens, he thinks Tilt will be able to find another home if they have to move out by February 2018. He's more concerned about the tenants who live above the bar. He alleges they pay between $400 to $450 per month in rent and will have nowhere to go once they're evicted.

“We are working hand-in-hand with the city to bring forward a lot of resources to make sure they’re all taken care of," says the new landlord Andrew Peek. He claims he gave the city six months notice about what was happening on site.

Peek confirmed that he and his partner, along with 24 investors, plan to transform the building at 296 Brunswick into a 24-room boutique hotel.

"We’re trying to do something pretty incredible for the neighbourhood, not dissimilar to what the Drake would have done for Queen West ages ago," he says, noting that the land at 296 Brunswick has the proper zoning to become a hotel.

Ward 20 Councillor Joe Cressy says his office and city staff in the shelter, support and Housing administration division are working to secure housing supplements for the tenants who currently live at 296 Brunswick Ave. 

This fitness studio might have a cult-like following south of the border, but it looks like it's already picking up steam in Toronto too.

Spinning studio SoulCycle opened its first Toronto location at 435 King St. W. in February.

According to Retail Insider, it's slated to debut its second Toronto outpost in July. Unsurprisingly, its sophomore location will be in Yorkville Village (or the mall formerly known as Hazelton Lanes).

This revamped shopping centre is already home to Equinox and a Whole Foods, so it looks like it's becoming a pricey destination for healthy living. 

The top spring running events in Toronto bring the biggest races to our city streets, with thousands of sprinters, runners, joggers and walkers packing the roads for a good cause or just a chance to get fit.

Toronto of the 1970s was the stage for a significant battle between old and new. Historical buildings were regularly demolished to make way for modern skyscrapers, but the roots of the old brick city, stained from years of burning coal, still defined much of the streetscape.  

Here are 10 Toronto intersections as they were in the 1970s.

Bathurst and King

Brick buildings like this one at the northwest corner of King and Bathurst were demolished en masse throughout the 1970s. The building here was once home to the Otto Higel Company, manufacturer of pianos and organ supplies. Here's what the corner looks like today (that ugly clocktower is an homage to the old building). 

Yonge and Gould

Ah, when Yonge St. had yet to be sanitized. Almost all of the buildings along the east side of the street depicted here are gone, lost variously to demolition and fire. Here you get a sense of just what a music mecca the area was in the 1970s. This is the view today.

Dufferin and Liberty

Before Liberty Village was home to entertainment and tech companies, and then towering condos, it was an active industrial neighbourhood. This photo from the mid 1970s gives a good sense of the gritty characteristics of the old neighbourhood. Here's what the corner looks like today.

Lake Shore and Stadium

So much wide open space is on display in this photo of Lake Shore Blvd. looking east towards downtown. On the left you see the old Loblaws warehouse (soon to be the facade of a condo podium) and to the right we have a Joy Oil Station with prices that reflect the 1973 oil crisis. Here's a similar view today.

Dundas and Church

What a remarkable image of 1970s Toronto. Looking across the old bank building on the corner, we see two pillars of the contemporary skyline in the form First Canadian Place and the CN Tower. The VW bug on the right side was a common sight during this period. This is the view today.

Queen and Bay

We're looking east across Queen St. at Bay with the former Eaton's complex being torn down to make way for the modern shopping centre that we know today. It's amazing to see how many Peter Witt streetcars were still on the road in the 1970s. Look for the sky bridge in the contemporary view.

Richmond and Victoria

If you ever doubt that the city was more brown and weathered in the 1970s, just take a look at the Confederation Life Building. This building is actually red in tone. A fire almost destroyed this amazing example of Romanesque Revival architecture in 1981, but it was saved before being integrated with a new structure. Here's a similar view from today.

Gerrard and Broadview

A sea of huge cars inches its way towards Broadview heading eastbound along Gerrard. Aside from the vehicle models and street furniture, this view has remained pretty much the same for around a century. This is what it looks like today.

Front and Berkeley

While hordes of historic buildings were lost during the 1970s, there are noteworthy exceptions that escaped the wrecking ball, including this grand old structure that was once part of the Consumer's Gas complex. It's now part of the Canadian Opera Centre. Here's the contemporary view.

Church and Wellington

Toronto's Flatiron building wasn't immune from the years of coal burning, and started the 1970s looking heavily stained. Restoration efforts would be undertaken in 1975, which scrubbed off some of the soot and exposed the gorgeous brick exterior. Here's the view today.

Today in Toronto there are two very good concerts, two festival kick-offs, and a brand new show inside a brand new theatre from Stars frontman Torquil Campbell.

Cheap nachos in Toronto can be found on offer at bars and pubs seven days of the week - so long as you know where to look. Piled high with cheese and an abundance of toppings, this pub-grub staple tastes even better when you know you're getting it at a deep discount.

Here's a roundup of the top nachos specials around Toronto.

Multi-Day

• Bryden's does $7 apps, which includes their nachos all day Monday and Tuesday and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday to Sunday.
• Madison Avenue Pub does half-price apps after 11:30 p.m, making the nachos supreme and chicken nachos the ultimate late night snack.
• Paupers Pub's nachos - regularly $14 - are offered half price with a drink purchase as part of the daily starters deal from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday

• The Ballroom offers half price sharing plates including nachos from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every Monday.
• Paupers Pub's offers a Manic Monday food menu where an order of nachos will only set you back $7.

Tuesday

• The Markham Station makes Tuesdays nacho night, with cheese-covered platters available for just $5.
• Rails & Ales makes nachos with a pitcher for $26 a regular weekly special.

Wednesday

• Java House offers nachos and a pitcher of beer for just $16.95 on Hump Day.
• Sneaky Dee's does King's Crown and Destroyer nachos with a 60 oz pitcher for a set price of $29.

Thursday

• Sneaky Dee's veggie or Hawaiian nachos with a 60 oz. pitcher go for $26.50 on Thursdays.
• The Bishop and the Blecher hosts their nacho nights on Thursday. Scarf down Asian, pulled pork and mucho nachos for $11.95.
• St. Louis Bar & Grill has 1/2 price appetizers every Thursday, which includes their St. Louis Nachos.

Friday

• The Bar With No Name keeps the equation simple with a pitcher and veggie nacho platter for a flat $25.

The top music festivals in Toronto this spring will have you wondering how things could possibly get any better for summer? There are outdoor and indoor festivals where you can sit and have your mind blown or dance with your hands in the air. 

As the summer music festival lineups continue to roll in, you'll have to make some tough decisions about where to spend your hard-earned cash this year.

If you're itching to see Future, Major Lazer, Tiesto and a slew of other electronic and hip hop artists, then you should probably check out the Veld lineup, which was released today.

A post shared by Veld Music Festival (@veldmusicfestival) on Apr 4, 2017 at 7:00am PDT

The annual EDM event turns six this year. It'll take over Downsview Park on August 5 and 6 with three stages and a more diverse range of artists (at least in terms of the musical genres represented) than in past editions.

Pre-sale tickets go on sale at noon today, while the general sale starts on Thursday at 10 a.m. 

It's not easy to find an affordable place to live in Toronto, especially in popular neighbourhoods in and around the downtown core.

And while rental prices are climbing in general, a pair of tenants in Liberty Village were in for a nasty surprise when they recently got a letter detailing their annual rent increase.

As CBC News reports, the tenants got a letter from their landlord saying that rent on their two bedroom condo unit was increasing from $1,660 to $3,320.

While this might seem absurd, it's all kosher thanks to the lack of rent control (Bill 96) on buildings (and units) built or occupied after October 31, 1991.

Yesterday, as CBC notes, the city's tenant issues committee and the affordable housing committee held a joint meeting to address rising rental prices in Toronto.

At last week's city council meeting, council voted to support NDP MPP Peter Tabuns' Rent Protection For All act, which would bring rent control to condos and apartments built  after November 1991. 

I've always been fascinated by the row houses on Belmont Street. Once home to brickyard workers who helped build the city, they're now highly desirable pieces of real estate for Toronto's upper middle class.

Despite the gradual appreciation in value since the middle of the 20th century, many of these homes retain quirky elements and unique floor plans born of their narrow lots. The residences here are anything but cookie cutter.

This example at 44 Belmont packs four bedrooms into a relatively small footprint thanks to the finished basement. None of them are particularly big, but that's actually part of the charm of a row house like this.

Some modern buyers might be put off by the close quarters of the kitchen, which is located at the very front of the house, but the interior does open up as you enter the dining and living areas.

While there's no backyard per se, the two decks offer plenty of outdoor space for relaxing in private. This house has received a modern overhaul to maximize space, but it still retains some obvious historical elements to remind you of the legacy here.

Specs

• Address: 44 Belmont St.
• Price: $1,855,000
• Lot Size: 12.5 x 108 feet
• Bedrooms: 3 + 1
• Bathrooms: 3
• Parking: 1
• Walk Score: 96
• Transit Score: 91
• Listing agent: Daena Allen-Noxon
• Listing ID: C3742723

Good For

Someone who appreciates a quirky space imbued with history. You could get a nice Yorkville condo for this price, but there's something about old row houses that can be very appealing compared to standard issue high rise units.

Move On If

This is not the best home for someone who likes the idea of plenty of space to lounge around in. Multiple kids and a pet will make it feel cramped pretty quickly. It's better to think of this as a condo alternative rather than as a standard semi-detached house.

Thanks to Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage for sponsoring out house of the week. All editorial written and selected by blogTO.

When Toronto played host to its first large scale lights festival this winter, you couldn't keep crowds away from the Distillery District. The installations, though not life-changing, brought something shiny and new to the city.

Now we might be getting another festival of this kind, at least if the organizers of The Lights Fest are to be believed.

Currently making the rounds on Facebook, The Lights Fest has all the markings of an event that's promoted well in advance of any of the organizational efforts taking place such as confirming a date, location, vendors or sponsors. All are still TBD.

But apparently the event has taken place in other cities. While numerous dates in California were canceled or postponed, the one in Lubbock, Texas recently went ahead as planned, although not without some concern from local officials. 

Other Lights Fests have apparently taken place in Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.

Since fire regulations would prohibit this type of event from taking place in the city, it's likely that if the Toronto event actually happens, it'll be somewhere outside city limits. Last year, the much-hyped Lantern Festival ceased to take place for this very reason.

Nevertheless, the Lights Festival could be magical. It's a simple idea that encourages families and friends to get together, make their own lanterns, and then release them all at once into the night sky.

If all goes according to plan, there will also be live entertainment, DJs and food trucks to keep things lively at this alcohol-free event.

Tickets range from $25-$55, and kids under three are free. Buyer beware, though, as it may take a while to get a refund if the event doesn't materialize. Ticket purchasers of some of the other Lights Fests have suggested it may all be a scam.

Free events in Toronto for April 2017 let you get outside and enjoy the city. There are some pretty great art and photo exhibitions, film screenings and two marches downtown. Open your eyes again and see Toronto talent first-hand, for zero dollars.