Home is Toronto and we all see our city a little differently. For photographer Soteeoh, or Adeyemi Adegbesan, these perceptions are changing.

Toronto seems to have more clout now, thanks, in part, to a certain rapper. The New York Times listed our city as one of its top travel destinations last year, and after certain devastating world events, Toronto has even more appeal now.

Adegbesan recognizes that shift. "There’s a certain vibe that kind of goes with the way the new city’s being presented. I’ve heard it be called like a rebranding before," he says.

He aims to capture this vibe at ICON, his solo show on at the Project Gallery until May 14 as part of the Contact Photography Festival. In it, he looks at symbols, both new and old, that have come to represent Toronto.

“It’s a celebration of the visual symbols and identifiers that go with the current wave of Toronto-centricity," he says. 

Here are some of Toronto's visual identifiers:

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CN Tower

Since 1976, the CN Tower dominated our skyline and has been our most well-known landmark.

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Honest Ed's

This building will soon be demolished, but it'll live on as a local icon long after it's gone.

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The Rogers Centre

The Blue Jays home base has become even more important as our city genuinely seems to care about baseball again.

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Diverse neighbourhoods

Toronto's diversity is recognized around the world, and our many neighbourhoods highlight it on a daily basis. 

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Sports memorabilia 

Our sports team keep doing better and better, leading Rolling Stone to ask, is Toronto the next great North American sports city?

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Streetcars

Nothings says Toronto quite like a bright red streetcar rumbling by.

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Unique events

During the summertime, a huge range of events take over Toronto's public spaces, including Manifesto, which is pictured here.

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Massey Hall

With its neon sign and stunning space, Massey Hall remains a legendary Toronto music venue.

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Parks

It's easy to feel like you've escaped the city thanks to the myriad green spaces located throughout Toronto.

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Financial District

It might be super grey, but our Financial District has some pretty awesome architecture. It's also super popular with Instagrammers who rep the city online.

It's easy to get annoyed on the TTC. From fellow passengers who refuse to wear headphones while blasting EDM to others who forget to take off their backpacks on crowded trains, we all see a litany of etiquette faux pas on a daily basis.

But a new campaign wants to change that. Spokesperson Brad Ross tweeted out photos from the TTC's latest etiquette campaign earlier today.

It's called "You said it" and the campaign posters, which will be rolled out next week, feature real (albeit slightly edited) tweets from TTC passengers.

The Twitter-derived ads showcase the TTC's proclivity for using this social media platform as well as the common grievances we all experience taking public transit, as highlighted in one tweet that says, "There is nothing that annoys me more than someone who thinks their bag deserves a seat."

So far, it's unclear whether there's one that addresses those who rest their feet on a seat. Regardless, these posters will hopefully help all of us mind our manners.

Food truck locations are scattered around Toronto. Since Toronto doesn't have the most truck-friendly bylaws, it's actually not that easy for food trucks to find parking on city streets.

Here are locations in Toronto where you can reliably find food trucks.

Roy Thomson Hall

Head to King and John during the week and you're almost guaranteed to find a few trucks parked along King St. across from Roy Thomson Hall. You'll often find trucks like Alijandro's Kitchen and Fully Loaded T.O here.

Yorkville Village

If you need a caffeine fix on the go in Yorkville you're in luck. Toronto's most adorable coffee truck Jacked Up Coffee can often be found here during the week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Church & Bloor

Food trucks have found a promising curbside spot in the Church & Bloor area. It's a great spot for hungry office workers looking to grab a quick bite to eat.

University & Dundas

This spot has gained some steam over the past few years. What started off as one or two trucks parking along University Avenue has grown into a food truck hot spot. Head there on your lunch and you'll often find four trucks parked, two on each side of the street.

University & College

Look north of Dundas and you'll also find food trucks at the intersection of University & College. This is one of the original curbside vending spots.

Mel Lastman Square

Yes, its true. There is finally a popular food truck location outside of the downtown core. This North York location is frequently visited by many Toronto trucks including Road Grill and Sushiburri. 

East Liberty & Atlantic

While Liberty Village hasn't always been a great environment for food trucks over the years it seems like things have changed for the better. You'll often find Feedthe6 setting up shop during lunch.

Resurrection & Bloor

Food trucks roll into Etobicoke for Food Truck'n Friday from around April through December. You can chow down on food trucks eats at this bi-weekly event in the parking lot at Resurrection Rd. & Bloor St. W every other Friday.

Evergreen Brick Works

Make your way to the Don Valley over the weekend and you'll be pleasantly surprised by the variety of trucks on site. It's not longer just a beautiful place to explore but has now become a street food destination.

Trinity Bellwoods

If you're looking for food trucks on the weekend head over to one of Toronto's most popular parks. You'll often catch trucks like ME.N.U Food Truck parked along West Queen West. 

To find out where your favourite food trucks will be each day, check back on Toronto Food Trucks or download the Food Trucks app for iPhone or Android.

The site of an abandoned movie theatre will one day be home to Etobicoke's new civic centre. 

Earlier this year, Build Toronto announced its short list of candidates in an international design competition, one of which will be tasked with bringing this new space to life.

Along with a new civic centre, this part of Etobicoke is getting a major upgrade. The site that's getting redeveloped is right by the scary Six Points intersection (around Kipling, Bloor and Dundas), which will get a new and improved alignment to improve the local cityscape.

This week, the finalists presented their design proposals and each one brings a unique vision to the project.

The pool as shown in the proposed development by KPMB & West 8

One proposal from Toronto's KPMB & West 8 includes a public square with jack pine trees and a water feature.

The proposed development by Henning Larsen and Adamson Associates

A team led by the Dutch Henning Larsen and Toronto's Adamson Associates want to put up a patchwork of buildings.

The proposed development by Diamond Schmitt and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

Toronto's Diamond Schmitt and the American Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates designed a massive elevated green space.

The proposed development by MJMA Architects comes with an extensive green roof. Photo via @moriyamateshima.

The final proposal, by Moriyama & Teshima and MJMA includes a shadow-minimizing tower, a park and a raised (but usable) green roof that'll cover the other public spaces on site.

A closer look at the proposed development by MJMA Architects. Photo via @moriyamateshima.

The jury now has to choose a winner and then that proposal will go in front of city council for approval.

The gym and pool as shown in the proposed development by MJMA Architects. Photo via @moriyamateshima.

Regardless of which one's successful, it looks like we'll all be flocking to Etobicoke soon.

The top driving schools in Toronto vary from nationwide chains to local operations. Either way, these schools will teach individuals the fundamentals of driving before they hit the road on their own.

Here are my picks for the top driving schools in Toronto.

Young Drivers of Canada

This national driving school has multiple locations in Toronto and the GTA, so they're no fly-by-night outfit. Packages can get expensive, ranging from $265.48 for two 90-minute in-car sessions to nearly $1500 for a deluxe package that includes driving on gravel. 

AMB Driving School

With locations in Toronto and all over the 905, AMB is a classic driving school geared for young drivers who want to get on the road ASAP. They offer a variety of packages for certification courses as well as packages for individual lessons.

BRISA Driving School

Located at Jane in Weston, this driving school offers full courses approved by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. This entails 2o hours of in-class learning and 14 in-car sessions with an instructor, for around $450.

Golan Driving School

This driving school specializes in evening classroom sessions, so it's perfect for young adults. The full course is $589 with MTO certificate. They'll rent you a vehicle for your road test with a prep lesson for $99, and offer individual hour long lessons for $59.

All Nations Driving School

With locations in Etobicoke, Vaughan, Mississauga and Woodbridge, this school has the GTA well covered. They offer a range of packages from $299 to $599, all including in class and in car lessons.

All Star Driving School

All Star Driving School offers locations throughout the GTA including Thornhill and Etobicoke. In business since 1987, they specialize in teaching collision-free, defensive driving techniques through the mandatory 20 hours in the classroom and 10 hours of in car lessons.

CAA

The Canadian Automotive Association has over 30 approved driving schools across Ontario, including one in Toronto. CAA provides their curriculum in addition to their guarantee of compliance with MTO regulations that will allow early driving tests.

Canadian Tire Driving Academy

The Toronto location of the hardware chain's driving academy is in Leslieville. It offers a range of programs, from a beginning driver's course for $699 to packages for seniors and new Canadians, individual driving lessons and loan of a car for your road test.

Learn Safe Driving Academy

This east end driving school's offers a full course and three mini programs for the budget conscious, drivers re-testing, or that small minority whose parents were able to teach them road basics without tears or shouting.

Drive Maxx

This North York driving school boasts a high first-time pass rate for their students. Three tiers of packages range from $480 for the MTO minimum of classroom and in-car time to $700 for twenty hours of in-car instruction and the road test.

Nail salons in Toronto will get you feeling together and polished in no time flat. Whether you're looking to get gelled, shellacked or just need a speedy mani/pedi, there's definitely a great option to be found in your neck of the woods.

Here are my picks for the top nail salons in Toronto by neighbourhood.

Annex

The great thing about Tiffany's Nails, located around Bloor and Spadina, is the service. Don't expect any frills at this place - just fast and efficient service and cheap prices.

Bayview & Leaside



With a variety of OPI polishes to choose from, Unique Nails is actually a few dollars cheaper than your average nails salon at just $15 for a mani. 

Beaches

The staff at Fresh Nails pay close attention to details, whether it's designs or just giving you a great shellac mani, which many say will last you weeks and weeks without chipping.

Cabbagetown

If you don't need any thrills and frills just to get your nails done, only quality service - then Star Nails is for you. At just $18 for a mani and $28 for a pedi, the service is quick and efficient.  

Danforth

If you're cool shelling out a few extra dollars to get polished in a trendy and comfortable space, then Tips Nail Bar is the place to go. Here they do gel, shellac, spa manis and pedis.

Etobicoke

This place has a handful of regulars who would never go anywhere else but Aqua Nail Salon - and for good reason. They offer a variety of nail services including shellac, gel and even nail repair.

Financial District

Located in the PATH is luxury nail bar Polish'd. The hygiene obsessed shop offers an exceptionally clean space to get your mani and pedi. 

Forest Hill Village

A great place to spend the day and get pampered is the Forest Hill Spa - and what a better way to top off a facial or massage then with some pretty fingers and toes? There's a variety of different hand and foot treatments, but you can't go wrong with a regular mani and pedi.

Junction

When you want your nails polished but are on a serious budget, Lucy Nails is your best bet. At just $8 for a manicure and $19 for a pedicure, you'll definitely want to call ahead to make an appointment as this place is guaranteed to be busy.

Photo by Jesse Milns at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

King West

Make a date with your girlfriends at Her Majesty's Pleasure where you can get your nails done while sipping on bubbly or coffee from their bar, and then proceed to get a blowout - definitely your one-stop shop for looking and feeling great.

Liberty Village

Can you think of a better name for a place to get beautified than The Beauty Room? Located inside the L Studio Salon and Spa, this place offers facials, waxing, and of course, manis and pedis. 

North York

The friendly and attentive staff at Daisy Nails makes for a wonderful experience and even better nails. Regular manis are $15 while pedicures are $25.

Ossington

If you're looking to give your nails a funky design, Buffer Nails and Waxing is your one stop shop. While it may be on the pricier side ($62 for a mani/pedi combo) it's worth it for a quality job.

Parkdale

Kim Nails and Spa can be found just past Dufferin on Queen. Manicures will set you back $18, pedicures $30 and both for $45.

Queen West

Found at Richmond and Spadina is a location of Yeti Nails & Spa. Among their long list of services is of course nails and manicures go for $15 and pedicures for $25.

Roncesvalles Village

While there may be another nail salon that has set up shop right next door, many say that it doesn't rival the quality of Q8 Nails & Spa. At just $15 for a mani and $25 for a pedi, if you're situated in Roncesvalles, this place is for you.

St. Clair West

Another Tiffany Nails on the list (though not associated with the Annex shop), Tiffany Nails and Spa is just west of Bathurst. This place is known for being impeccably clean, and the nail technicians are perfectionists when it comes to giving your tips the best application possible.

West Queen West

With a number of locations around Toronto, The Ten Spot may be known for their amazing waxes, but they do some pretty good nails too. Here you can get just a basic polish change, quickie mani/pedis, regular mani/pedis and gel mani/pedis.

Yonge & Bloor

M Lovely Nail is a favourite in the area. This is in large part due to their prices. Manicures are $15, pedicures $25 and if you do a combo of the both of them it will only set you back $35.

Yonge & Eglinton

You can tell just by the name that Pretty in the City

 is going to be adorable. This chic boutique-like salon offers a full range of services, notably lash-extensions and their Gellish manis/pedis. However, it's a little pricier than most.

Yonge & Dundas

With a lovely staff that pays close attention to detail to ensure that every nail is perfectly polished, Pinky Nails & Spa has a loyal clientele that wouldn't go anywhere else. A mani will cost you $18 while a pedi is $29.

Yonge & Lawrence

Many say NailSense is the cleanest nail salon that you'll find in Toronto, and with a 7-day guarantee that your shellac or gel won't chip, you really can't go wrong here.

Yonge & St. Clair

Known for being absolutely spotless, Nail Boutique has a great and updated selection of colours that you can get put on your fingers or toes.



Yonge & Wellesley

Known for their amazing nail designs, and of course, their gel manicures, Get Gelled has a cozy boutique vibe that will make you feel relaxed as you get your nails done.

Yorkville

Of course, coming to the fancy Four Seasons Spa will cost you a little more (okay - a lot more) than most nail spas, but the manicurists take their time on your nails and will gladly re-do if you're not satisfied.

The most famous restaurants in Toronto are all staples that we keep coming back to. Over the years, these restaurants have demonstrated staying power and love them or loathe them they're arguably more well known by locals than almost anywhere else.

Here are my picks for the most famous restaurants in Toronto.

Terroni

Here's where you'll find some of the best pizza in the city. Long before the current neapolitan craze reached Toronto, the West Queen West location, that opened in 1992, was serving its famous Quattro Stagioni pizza. 

Burger's Priest

The tiny Beaches burger shop has turned into a mini empire with many locations in and around Toronto. Its mission to redeem one burger at a time has infiltrated neighbourhoods across the city and people have a worship like love for their burgers.

Salad King

If you've ever been a Ryerson student, chances are you've nurtured a borderline unhealthy love for Salad King, which is generally packed with students and members of the general populace enjoying the cheap and speedy Thai dishes. 

California Sandwiches

This sandwich shop has locations all over the GTA but their original location near Little Italy on Claremont has been going strong since 1967. They 're all about their namesake, providing the city with simple, meaty sandwiches. 

Barberian's Steakhouse

This old-school Elm St. steakhouse is still one of the city's best. This place is as much a favourite of local laymen out to treat themselves as it is the spot to hit for visiting celebs or athletes.

Lahore Tikka House

This massive restaurant is most Torontonian's introduction to Little India. Alongside the requisite butter chicken and naan, this casual Pakistani restaurant has a long list of curries and kebabs and more ghee in most of its offerings than you should eat in a lifetime. 

Caplansky's

It's hard to mention the words deli without following it with Caplansky's. While people in the suburbs may argue this isn't a real deli, many continuously flock to one of its three locations - including one at the airport - for smoked meat and poutine.

Scaramouche

This classically French-inspired fixture on Avenue Road has been taking care of the city's upper crust for over 30 years. For most of us, it's not an every day sort of establishment but it offers a true fine dining experience.

The Lakeview

The Dundas West diner is one of Toronto’s oldest and most venerated 24-hour restaurants. Whether you're craving some breakfast at 10 a.m. or are completely smashed in the middle of the night, The Lakeview is ready to serve.

Fresh

As vegetarians and health nuts in the city will know, Fresh has been an institution in Toronto since the late '90s. Their locations offer up a creative, protein-rich approach to vegan and vegetarian dining, many of its dishes featuring Asian inspirations.

Events in Toronto for May include a dizzying group of parties, festivals, food happenings and concerts. While there are also tons of free events this month like Doors Open and Contact, most of these ones are ticketed, but they're worthy of your hard earned dollars.

There's no better breakfast than a bagel topped with lox and cream cheese. Yet for many, the humble bagel is more than just a vessel for schmear.

This brunch-time staple is the source of much debate and most bagel aficionados in Toronto are loyal to a specific bakery, be it Kivas, Gryfe's, What A Bagel, Bagel House or St. Urbain. 

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Our city's flush with options, but some think the term Toronto bagel is a misnomer, arguing bakeries here carry either New York or Montreal-style bagels, the two bagel varieties that dominate in North America. So does a Toronto bagel even exist?

"A Toronto bagel is basically a New York bagel," says Ben Rafael who owns Kivas, a bagel bakery that's been in business since 1979.

Indeed, it's difficult to find references to Toronto bagels. Maria Balinska's comprehensive book The Bagel chronicles the spherical bread's journey through 17th century Germany, Poland and eventually, North America, but it doesn't mention our Canadian city.

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Michael Wex, a so-called Yiddish maven and the author of Rhapsody in Schmaltz - a book about Ashkenazi food - says outside of the city, no one really talks about Toronto bagels.

He explains, “I don’t think anyone in New York thinks of it as a New York bagel, unless they’re comparing it to something else. But once you get outside of New York, to say New York is a way of saying Jewish, a polite way."

Of course, Montreal bagels are unique (they're sweeter, denser, and all around better), but maybe all other bagels then, are just, well, bagels. There is, however, one bagel in Toronto that seems to stand out. 

Gryfe's doesn't have the crunch of a New York-style bagel and it's definitely not a Montrealer; owner Moishe Gryfe probably wouldn't approve if you lumped his famous bagel into the latter category.

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"It’s a little different than the other guys and that little difference is what people like about our product," says Moishe, describing the famous fluffy bagels his father started churning out in the early 1960s. 

Gryfe's Bagels operates a brisk business on Bathurst Street (it's known to run out), but you can also find these bagels at more than 100 other stores, including Pusateri's.

The Gryfe name has clout. One time at the airport, Moishe recounts that a customs officer took a look at his passport and asked if he was related to the Gryfe's Bagel family. "It’s amazing what a little bagel can do," he says with a laugh.

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And plenty of other Toronto bagels also seem fluffier than the typical New Yorkers, like What A Bagel's and Bagel World's, for instance, which both provide an excellent base for a sandwich.

Perhaps, while others are arguing about the merits of New York versus Montreal bagels, we in Toronto can just enjoy our bagels in peace. With a bisel lox, please.

In Toronto's wildly hot real estate market, unique properties come at a premium. Such is the case with this Victorian era cottage on Clinton St. I've long admired its Gothic Revival-style peaked roof when heading up the street and turning onto Harbord.

Some remaining cottages in Toronto are more spacious than you'd think thanks to various additions over the years. This one has grown since its original iteration, but it's still small at just two bedrooms and a single bathroom. 

The interior is certainly a bit dated, but not so much that'd you characterize this one as a major fixer upper. Honestly, you could brighten the whole place up with a few cans of paint and some new furniture.

The Essentials

• Address: 233 Clinton St.
• Broker: Steven Fudge
• Hit the market at: $999,000
• Time on market: 7 days
• Sold for: $1,425,000

Why it sold for what it did

It might be tiny, but the allure of an urban cottage is particularly strong in a real estate market where unique listings are in such short supply. The interior might not be to everyone's taste, but it's been updated recently enough to make renovations a luxury rather than a necessity.

Was it worth it?

A similar cottage-style home on Manning St. just sold for $1.8 million. That house was significantly bigger and had been far more recently renovated.

I would have guessed that this house would sell for $1.25 million, but it drew lots and lots of attention upon being listed. Maybe it was a bit under-priced given the Manning property, but $425K over asking is no longer that surprising these days.

Free events in Toronto this week will allow you to look at the city in a whole new light. Go out on a Jane's Walk, celebrate Star Wars Day or enjoy a two-day music festival in a library.

The top stores for windows and doors in Toronto can help you upgrade your home when the time comes to invest in some energy-efficient, stylish portals to the outside world. Whether you choose to refurbish what you already have, bring home some architectural salvage or get brand new customized pieces, it helps to know where to shop.

Here are my picks for the top places to buy windows and doors in Toronto.

The Door Store

This Castlefield Design District stalwart is the place to go for reclaimed doors. They also carry unique hardware to help accentuate the reclaimed or vintage look.

Bauhaus

This manufacturer and design studio is the place to go for drool-worthy windows and wooden doors. They also specialize in lift and slide doors perfect for those overlooking a backyard or patio.

Rebarn

The Junction Triangle shop sources reclaimed wood from old barns to make their custom sliding barn doors available in a range of styles.

TORP

The Davenport showroom is where to go for Scandinavian windows and doors. All their product is manufactured in Sweden and Denmark.

Marvin

This windows and doors company with showrooms across North America has been around for more than a century. They have a huge range of wood and wood-clad made-to-order shapes and styles.

Door Studio

This door specialist does front doors, patio doors and garage doors as well as windscreens for those looking for a glassed-in balcony.

Alumilex

This King East showroom specializing in high-end avant-garde aluminum doors and windows as well as glass walls. 

Andersen Windows & Doors

This is who to turn to for slightly more economical doors and windows available in a range of materials.

Bigfoot Door

As their name suggests, Bigfoot does extra large doors and windows. These are the kind that usually fill up entire exterior walls or if you're looking for something that goes floor to ceiling.

Pella

This is one of the most well-known names when it comes to windows and doors. Their showroom near Bayview and Eglinton has a lot to look at but most of their products would be characterized as somewhat traditional.

Canada's Wonderland shock and awed for the very first time on May 23, 1981. A wave of giddy publicity crested as Canada swooned for its first ever theme park - a 370 acre nirvana of wild rides, colourful fancies and family entertainment located in Vaughan.

The hype was so great that expected attendance on day one was in the ballpark of 40,000 people. In actuality, only 12,000 showed up.

On opening day Premier Bill Davis opined on the majesty of great Canadian entertainment, Wayne Gretzky helped raise the Canadian flag, and guests including Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera mingled with mascots of their cartoon creations.

CBC's athlete of the year Kathy Sutton (née Cox, daughter of sculptor E.B Cox) arrived by parachute, just before 10,000 balloons were released and 350 white doves flew into the sky. Wonderland had arrived in grand style.

Both the Conklin family and Disney had rejected the city of Toronto as a suitable location for a theme park (owing to our sub-freezing temperatures that would sully profit for nearly half the year).

In the early 1970s, however, powerhouse media conglomerate Taft Broadcasting waded into the lucrative Canadian market, choosing Vaughan over other contenders such as Cambridge and Milton.

There was initial outrage that the Americans were using this big shiny theme park as a Trojan horse for coarse American culture, but that soon gave way to the more vocal crowd who wanted giant roller coasters and didn't care any about their geo-pedigree.

To be fair, Taft scrapped plans to install a replica Eiffel Tower at the centre of the park (as it had been in Wonderland's sister parks Kings Island and Kings Dominion), instead constructing a mighty "Canadian" mountain ("Wonder Mountain").

Taft also brought with them ownership of Hanna-Barbera, an animation studio whose roster included Yogi Bear, Scooby Doo, The Flintstones and The Smurfs - perfect characters to embody the spirit of the park and make it even more irresistible to legions of cartoon-watching kids.

Original 1981 big boy pants rides included the Dragon Fyre (later Dragon Fire), Wilde Night Mares, the Mighty Canadian Mine Buster, Wild Beast, and the Rage (a swinging ship).

Junior rides included the strangely spooky Ghoster Coaster, and Thunder Run. The gross food hit-of-the-midway was deep fried Broccoli, certainly a stimulating thing to eat before setting out on a corkscrew rollercoaster.

The children's area started out as "The Happyland of Hanna-Barbera", with three main areas including Yogi's Woods, Bedrock and Scoobyville (Yogi's Woods was converted to Smurf's Village in 1984).

Families could also explore Medieval Faire, International Street, or walk to the very top of Wonder Mountain (sadly closed after a fatality in the early 1990s).

When asked to comment on what made Canada's Wonderland different from the perennial favourite the CNE, Wonderland's General Manager Howard Tate commented "we're different kinds of places but I'll say that this is a like a 1982 Cadillac. The CNE is a 1959 Ford".

While Wonderland's first summer season successfully wound up, plans for the next year began to take shape, including the filming of an episode of CTV's enormously popular series The Littlest Hobo on the grounds of the park.

The episode "Forget Me Not" serves as one long commercial for Canada's Wonderland, and is probably the most Canadian thing you will see in a long time.

For those who were there when it opened, Wonderland was an utterly magical, indescribable place to visit: the CNE and Ontario Place would never be the same again, and the era of low key amusement parks such as Crystal Beach were effectively over.

Wonderland has successfully evolved in quantum leaps over the last 34 years, adding bigger rides, flipping ownership several times and rallying with gusto to stay relevent during changing eras.

That said, it would be near impossible for them to ever match that wonder-full launch in the summer of 1981.

Ed Conroy's Retrontario plumbs the seedy depths of Toronto flea markets, flooded basements, thrift shops and garage sales, mining old VHS and Betamax tapes that less than often contain incredible moments of history that were accidentally recorded but somehow survived the ravages of time. You can find more amazing discoveries at www.retrontario.com.

The top concerts in Toronto this May ring in spring with chart-toppers alongside brilliant songwriters and outdoor venues officially opening for business.

April kinda sucked for music city, with HMV saying goodbye, more venues facing doom and CMW’s sad parade of out-of-touch, basically offensive panels, but next month looks brighter.

There are so many hot tickets coming up, I couldn’t even list them all: Mastodon, Ryan Adams, Mac Demarco, Sigur Ros...even Shaggy!

Festivals are also heating up: Briefcasefest is in its fifth year of embracing underground metal, Next Music from Tokyo and Kpop Con bring music from the other side of the world, CBC Music Festival returns to the beach and Drone Day goes into year four of atonal worship.

Those aside, here are my picks for Toronto concerts this May.

Photographer Eva Kolodziejski not only runs her own Instagram account @evologist, but she's also one of the co-founders of @6ixwalks, which showcases Instagrammers from across the city to nearly 50,000 followers.

Until a few years ago, however, she hadn't given photography much thought, but her mom gave a her basic DSLR camera as a gift, so she decided to make a go of it.

A post shared by Eva (@evologist) on Apr 11, 2017 at 2:27pm PDT

She challenged herself to complete a project 365 where she took one photo a day for a year. That helped her hone her photography and editing skills. "It sort of put you on the hook to produce content and Instagram was the perfect platform for that," she says.

A post shared by Eva (@evologist) on Apr 13, 2017 at 2:33pm PDT

Since then, she's been dedicated to photography and tries to get out to shoot as much as possible. 

A post shared by Eva (@evologist) on Mar 14, 2017 at 2:19pm PDT

"I love capturing Toronto at night," she says. "I guess it just fell into place because I’m quite busy during the day." Kolodziejski works as an occupational therapist when she doesn't have her camera in hand.

A post shared by Eva (@evologist) on Mar 24, 2017 at 3:09pm PDT

Like many local photographers, she loves shooting the skyline from the Islands and also likes capturing the Gooderham building. She also tries to capture streetscapes and gets a kick out of commenters who say her photos capture the city's vibe.

A post shared by Eva (@evologist) on Feb 26, 2017 at 5:07pm PST

And it's not just her followers who are noticing her posts. This summer, she'll have one photo in Canadian Geographic and another in Canadian Traveller. She's also sold some of her work as prints, which is something she never expected.

A post shared by Eva (@evologist) on Apr 27, 2017 at 3:32pm PDT

Not too shabby for an art form she accidentally fell into.

Romantic restaurants in Toronto will let you up your game on date night. Impress that special someone with yummy food, a good wine list, a candlelit dining room and stellar service.

Here are my picks for the most romantic restaurants in Toronto.

Alo

You better make reservations for this French restaurant with an ever-changing tasting menu. This nearly hidden, third-storey spot is perched above the busy Queen and Spadina intersection, which ups the romance factor.

Bar Begonia

Head to France without leaving the city at this Parisian-style cocktail bar and bistro on Dupont. This dimly lit space with an excellent beverage program suits an intimate evening out.

Branca

Meat eaters will appreciate a date at this Dundas West Argentinean-style grill house that has lots of shareable options on the menu.

Brothers

Find this wine bar and restaurant right beside the entrance to Bay Station. It's a small, cozy spot where you can sit at the bar and while away the night chatting over drinks and snacks.

Chabrol

Nothing says a fancy night out like Yorkville and French food, so if that's what your looking for, head to this beautiful room.

Dandylion

Grab a seat at this intimate West Queen West spot, which is also veggie friendly. You'll want to sit and linger in this dining room with lots of exposed brick.

Edulis

You never know what you're going to get at this highly regarded restaurant near King and Niagara that strives to use fresh and seasonal ingredients. Be sure to make a reservation in advance.

Midfield Wine Bar

This Dundas West destination is all about wine. Sit back and sip on a glass (or two or three) and grab something from their eclectic dinner menu (the food here is as good as the wine).

Parcae

You might have a hard time finding this restaurant hidden inside the elusive Templar Hotel. But once you do, you'll be rewarded with a great meal (and hopefully a great date too!).

Woodlot

Vegetarians and meat eaters will find a lot to love at this Canadian-inspired restaurant in Little Italy that's famous for its wood-burning oven. Cozy indeed.

Thrift stores in Toronto offer super-low prices, a sweet variety of vintage garb and often support local charities. You never really know what you're going to find at these shops, so you're in for a surprise every time you visit.

Here are my picks for the top thrift stores in Toronto.

Value Village (Bloor/Lansdowne)

Located close to the Lansdowne subway station, this expansive Value Village location has everything a second-hand shopper might be looking for: furniture, clothing, accessories and home decor.

Double Take

This Gerrard East second-hand store, run by the Yonge Street Mission, is doing more than its part to serve the surrounding community. It's focused on providing clean, suitable clothing for anyone who needs them as well as a comfortable shopping experience.

St. John's Thrift Store

Despite its small exterior, St. John's Thrift Store on the Danforth has a healthy selection of clothing, homeware, collectibles and other goodies for Toronto's east side thrifters. Any revenue made is invested right back into the local community by St. John's Compassionate Mission.

National Thrift (Kingston Rd./Lawrence)

National Thrift's location on Kingston Road in Scarborough offers one of those day-long thrift shopping excursions that is well worth the time. The big-box store has more than enough stock to choose from in the clothing department.

Saint Vincent de Paul

Expect a huge selection at this store stocked with racks upon racks of donated clothes and a ton of 1970s-style furniture. It's well-organized and has a good mix of everyday wear.

Thrift Town

Thrift Town's biggest selling point is its super affordable furniture and mattresses. The mattresses are new and they're sold alongside a vast selection of used and factory-reject furniture that customers claim to be long-lasting. The store also stocks used clothing for people of all ages.

Hidden Thrifty Store

Parkdale's Hidden Thrifty Store is the brainchild of Aya Oryem, a former Goodwill employee who knows how to get the best (and most affordable) thrift store finds. Her store is filled with inexpensive, second-hand treasures.

Pegasus

This Upper Beaches thrift location is the only one of its kind and operates with young Toronto families in mind. Its quaint storefront offers children's books, clothing, toys, household items and kitchenware. It's volunteer run and is part of the Pegasus Community Project.

Sas Mart/Smart Wear

You've probably walked by this Kensington Market thrift store dozens of times without noticing, but pop in next time! It's full of deals on men's and women's clothing, a specialty in new and vintage housewares and some really great and curious oddities.

Just Thrift

There's so much clothing and homeware packed into this 10,000 square foot store. It's very well organized and has a showcase section for nicer, more collectable and higher-end designer items. It also has regular sales. 

Events in Toronto this week involve a lot of beer and include a parties in massive art galleries as well as the ever-inspiring grad show at OCAD. Don't forget that Jurassic Park is back in effect as the Raptors enter round two of the playoffs.

Dinner and a musical? If that sounds like your idea of a night out, we've got a contest for you. This May, win tickets to the soon-to-open production of Onegin and pair it with dinner at The Keg. 

Check out all the contest details here. 

The best kosher restaurants in Toronto adhere to Jewish dietary laws while also dishing out some tasty food. From Middle Eastern restaurants to sushi joints, the city's kosher spots do it all. Just don't expect them to open on Friday night or Saturday.

Here are the best kosher restaurants in Toronto.