Some old Toronto houses are brimming with character. Such is the case with 71 Indian Grove, which just hit the market for $3.25 million. It's a hefty sum, to be sure, but there's a lot to like about this High Park home.

It's big, it's had some key renovations, and it features unique spaces, like the top floor master bedroom and en-suite combo that's nestled into the roof of the house. Cookie cutter, this place is not.

The real estate listing notes that the house has a library, but it's probably more accurate to say that it features three distinct living room spaces (and a fourth if you want to include the basement area).

That's probably more than most families need, but at least there won't be arguments about what to watch on TV. There are also two outdoor spaces thanks to the deck off of the master bedroom. It joins a picturesque backyard with a double garage. 

I'd love to know what this house cost in the 1990s. These days, a property like this has luxury status, but there was a time when homes like this were within reach for folks with a reasonable income. 

Specs

• Address: 71 Indian Grove
• Price: $3,250,000
• Lot Size: 40 x 130 feet
• Bedrooms: 4 + 1
• Bathrooms: 5
• Parking: 8
• Walk Score: 79
• Transit Score: 100
• Listing agent: Tracy Logan and David Patrick Bailey
• Listing ID: W3783270

Good For

A family who likes the idea of living in an old Toronto home with loads of character. This house features modern touches thanks to renovation efforts, but it still has an old school vibe that makes the place unique. 

Move On If

You're a die hard contemporary design and architecture fan. If you like minimal, cube-like spaces, this one won't do it for you.

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

Night markets in Toronto take over corners of the city and bring folks together under the stars for music, street food and beer. These events are a great way to spend an evening out while trying something new.

If the thought of zooming down a transparent plastic tube at 40 kilometres an hour scares the bejesus out of you, you might want to avoid Canada's Wonderland's newest attraction.

It's called the Muskoka Plunge, but unlike cottage country, there's nothing relaxing about this waterslide.

Riders start out in an enclosed launch capsule called the DrenalineDrop, which catapults "into a high-speed free fall through S-curves and 360 degree loops at speeds of approximately 40 kilometres per hour," according to Canada's Wonderland.

You'll be able to find this nightmare in the Splash Works water park, which opens on May 27. 

It's not unusual to see properties priced above $5 million in Toronto, but once you head into the suburbs, you get a lot more house (and land) for your buck. Many of these pricey homes look like bona fide estates and feature luxurious amenities and lots and lots of square footage.

Here's what a $5 million house looks like in Toronto's suburbs.

$5,488,000 in Mississauga

With 11,000 square feet of living space, this mansion will make you feel like royalty. It's complete with an in-ground pool, a tennis court, a home theatre and perfectly manicured grounds (saying "lawn" just wouldn't suffice here).

$5,380,000 in Vaughan

If you prefer Vaughan, but still want those 11,000 square feet, check out this mansion. It has high ceilings, lots of twinkly chandeliers, and one acre of land.

$5,248,000 in Burlington

Hole up in this 6,000 square foot waterfront compound. Along with being right on the lake, it also features an outdoor pool, so you'll basically want to be outside all summer long here. 

$4,999,000 in Brampton

Ditch your slippers because this house, with 24-foot ceilings, has heated floors. It backs onto two acres of land, so there's plenty of room for activities here.

$4,999,000 in Oakville

This heritage-designated house dating back to 1912 embodies the Arts and Crafts architectural style. It's a sunny spot that includes 6,395 square feet of living space. 

$4,999,000 in Markham

While this sprawling bungalow might not appear as opulent as the other houses on this list, it's still a pretty sweet property, considering it backs onto to Rouge River.

$4,890,000 in Grimsby

Not only is this house 16,000 square feet, but it's also on nearly 25 acres of land and has its own "holiday camp ground," an indoor pool and a garage and entertainment annex. And it's less than $5 million!

$4,699,000 in Richmond Hill

It'll be easy to throw a party at this Richmond Hill mansion thanks to its 13 parking spots and eight bedrooms - your guests will have plenty of places to crash.

You might want to wait before pouring yourself a gin and tonic because the LCBO just recalled a bunch of gin after discovering some bottles had a higher alcohol content than advertised.

The recall is on 1.14-litre bottles of Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin. According to an LCBO news release, the crown corporation's quality assurance team discovered that some bottles (lot L16304w) had an alcohol content of 77 percent, instead of the advertised 40 percent.

The LCBO has removed the forties from its shelves and is encouraging all licensees (i.e. businesses) and regular customers to return their affected bottles for a full refund. 

The TTC gets its fair share of criticism for everything from short turns to train delays to weekend subway closures, but passengers also contribute to loads of problems on our transit system. There are plenty of occasions when delays can be blamed on your fellow rider. 

Here are the dumbest things you can do on the TTC. 

Go exploring at track level

This should really go without saying, but the number of delays the TTC reports are caused by trespassers at track level is staggering. If you're not concerned with electrocuting yourself or getting hit by a train, at least think of your fellow commuters!

Drive your car into a streetcar tunnel

It should be easy to avoid driving into TTC streetcar tunnels thanks to the huge NO ENTRY signs posted at their entrance, but somehow people still manage to enter Union and St. Clair West stations. It's the former that's the real problem, though. Once a car gets in, it ain't getting out.

The turnstile claims another victim! But really this is silly rider behaviour. Photo by Laurie Brown.

Take your bike through an automatic turnstile

One benefit of the new Presto fare gates is that soon people will no longer be able to try to fit their bikes through the automated turnstiles at subway entrances, thereby saving everyone a lot of hassle when they inevitably get stuck. Isn't it obvious that it won't fit through?

Throw trash on the tracks

Sometimes common courtesy isn't so common. The TTC still suffers from frequent delays caused by fires at track level that ignite when trash comes in contact with the third rail. Just put it in the bin, please.

Lean on subway doors

Okay, most of us have done this at some point, but it's still a bad habit for a whole host of reasons, not the least of which is the screeching halt that T1 trains come to when they think the doors aren't closed. In addition to the jolt, messing with the doors leads to numerous train delays.

The best Latin American bakeries and cafes in Toronto cover a broad swath of countries and savoury or sweet treats: Venezuelan arepas, Chilean empanadas, Mexican churros, Argentine alfajores – these enticing options go on and on, and one bite will have you exclaiming, ¡muy rico!

Here are the best Latin American bakeries and cafes in Toronto.

Toronto got very excited when the Design Exchange announced it would be throwing a huge festival in an abandoned soap factory. Now more details have been released, and the scale of the event is even bigger than we imagined.

The EDIT Festival, which stands for Expo for Design, Innovation and Technology, will take place from September 28 to October 8 inside the Unilever Soap Factory near the Don Roadway and Lake Shore Boulevard East.

The 10-day event will come alive across five separate floors in the 150,000 square foot factory.

The overarching theme, Prosperity for All, will be brought to life by designer Bruce Mau and his massive photo exhibit of global conflicts. It'll take place on the main floor of the Unilever building. 

Four sub-themes of Shelter, Care, Education and Nourish will be explored by Carlo Ratti, the Jamie Oliver Foundation, physician-scientist Julielynn Wong and Kentaro Toyama, among many other designers.

They'll each create installations that push the idea of how design thinking, coupled with innovative technology, can "help elicit change."

Jamie Oliver will present a VIP dinner, architect Philip Beesley will create an immersive, responsive light exhibit, and artist Moritz Waldemeyer will showcase an eight foot tall infographic interactive art installation.

The highly interactive festival will also include things like a giant robotic arm that shoots glitter, an aquaponics farm, pavilions, yet-to-be-announced performances and a light-graffiti project.

Each of the five floors will have its own theme, and in addition to the installations, there will be a food component where visitors can taste "futuristic meals," such as cricket Bolognese.

Debates, talks, workshops and forums discussing everything from design to innovation and technology and art will happen throughout the event, so start getting excited for September now.

The price of real estate in Toronto remains sky high, but the market might finally be showing signs of a cool down.

The Toronto Real Estate Board has just released its numbers for April, and while the average selling price was up by 24.5 percent, there was also a huge surge in listings. 

TREB President Larry Cerqua notes it's too early to determine if the flood of listings is a reaction to huge price growth over the last year or if it represents a reaction to the provincial government's Fair Housing Plan.

Either way, would-be buyers had far more choice in April than they did a year ago. 

The availability of listings wasn't the only sign of a possible cool down. Prices for detached homes slipped slightly from March, falling from $1,214,422 to $1,205,262. Semi-detached houses also dipped compared to last month. By contrast, condo prices increased by 4.3 percent.

The overall number of homes sold dropped by 3.2 percent, but TREB says that can be chalked up to the Easter long weekend, which fell in April this year.

It was a bit of a mixed up month for Toronto real estate, but that in and of itself is noteworthy given that the narrative has steadily been dominated by strong price gains and concerns related to housing supply.

A Chinatown institution shut down suddenly and already Toronto's mourning this loss.

Lee Garden, which had been on Spadina since 1978, announced its closure with a sign on its door that reads, "We are sad to announce that we are permanently closed."

"We are truly thankful and fortunate to all our wonderful customer[s] who have supported us over the past-years. We greatly appreciate all the years you have allow[ed] us to serve you. Thank you all and we will miss you."

Toronto will miss you, too.

Forget the wet weather in forecast and start getting outside to shop for food al fresco. That's because starting this weekend, many of Toronto's outdoor farmers' markets start up again.

Summer hours start at the Evergreen Brick Works market this Saturday, and on Sunday, May 7, this oasis in the Don Valley will launch its new Sunday market.

The Brick Works will feature a rotating rosters of chefs and food vendors in what it's calling its outdoor food court, as well as local makers and artisans. This Sunday's lineup includes ChocoSol, the Heirloom food truck and TC's Momos. 

Next week, the Trinity Bellwoods Farmers' Market (May 9), the Davisville Village Market (May 9), the Ryerson University Market (May 10) and the Weston Farmers' Market (May 13) will all kick off. 

There was much excitement recently when the TTC revealed new subway route maps that included the station names on the Spadina extension, which is expected to open at the end of the year.

But there's more to these subway maps than just the new stations. A new section has been added to the left of the main map that charts various GTA transit connections as well as amenities like public washrooms and parking lots. 

What the new map looks like installed on a Line 2 train. Photo by Michael Smith.

It's a bit strange to the see the stations laid out horizontally without the characteristic U that defines Line 1, but it's a good way to add a whole bunch of information that wouldn't fit cleanly onto the main map. 

Keeping the main map tidy will be even more important in the years to come as the Eglinton Crosstown will add another welcome layer to our slowly building transit grid.

It's doubtful we'll switch entirely to strip-style maps on our subway cars like they do in New York—there just aren't enough lines to warrant this expense—but this hybrid approach might offer the best of both worlds.

The new maps have already been rolled out on many Line 2 trains, and they should be installed throughout the subway system by May 7.

One of Toronto's most famous clothing stores is getting a makeover. It's also preparing to leave Yorkville Avenue, where it's been located for the past 35 years.

Over the Rainbow has been around since 1975 and today, this denim emporium announced it would be picking up and moving to the Manulife Centre in 2018.

"Our 101 Yorkville Avenue location will remain open until the move is complete, so Over the Rainbow will not be closed for any period of time during the move," Over the Rainbow's Daniel Carman tells me via email.

Giannone Petricone Associates Inc., will design the new store, which should be open in late 2018.

The Manulife Centre will undergo a $100 million facelift, and along with Over the Rainbow it's going to get some notable new tenants, including Eataly.

It's never too early to start planning for fall, especially when there are already some great shows lined up in Toronto, including one from comedy superstar Chris Rock.

Rock will take over the Air Canada Centre on Saturday, November 11 while on his Total Blackout tour. 

So you might want to set your alarm early this Saturday morning —tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster. 

You never know what's going to happen at a Chris Rock gig. While performing in New Orleans in March, Rock brought Dave Chappelle up on stage. Regardless of what happens, you'll be in for a good laugh.

Two of Toronto's biggest lineup inducing desserts are joining forces this weekend to unveil a new creation that you'll probably want to share with a friend or five.

Eva's Original Chimneys and Uncle Tetsu will serve up a Japanese cheesecake chimney cone (colloquially referred to as a doughnut cone) at the Concept space inside Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

This sugar bomb includes a cheesecake-stuffed chimney filled with soft serve ice cream and raspberry coulis. The whole things comes topped with another slice of cheesecake and a dainty tuile cookie. 

From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, there will be 15 of these cones available per hour. Each one will set you back $15.

Toronto's Starboy seems to have a thing for pop-ups. For the second time in about six months, The Weeknd's opening up a temporary store for his fans.

The latest pop-up will appear inside Nomad, at 819 Queen St. W., at noon on May 5. It'll stay open all weekend.

In November 2015, The Weeknd mingled with fans at Nomad when he launched his collaboration with PAX Vapor, a vaporizer company.

It's unclear whether or not Abel Tesfaye will visit this time, considering he's also opening pop-ups in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Vancouver, Houston, Miami and Montreal.

Call it being in the right place at the right (wrong?) time. Ashe Dryden, a White House Fellow, programmer, and diversity advocate, was enjoying lunch in Toronto before catching a flight out when she overhead a couple breaking up.

Dryden captured the whole saga on Twitter after tweeting this: "omg the woman next to me just confronted the man with her because she found out he’s been seeing her while in another long-term relationship."

It seems like Dryden was at SOCO in the Delta Hotel when this all went down. The whole thread's worth a read, especially for Dryden's commentary. Back in 2015, writer Anne Thériault chronicled a bad first date on Twitter. The result was also gold.

Here's an interesting rental property. Located near Eglinton and the Allen, this detached home was snatched up for just over $1 million last November, but it's now become a unique rental opportunity. 

The bungalow features soaring cathedral ceilings and an open concept design on the main floor that includes a living space, dining area, contemporary kitchen and the master bedroom. There's another living space and bedroom in the basement.

While it doesn't come with the staging furniture, it's a space that could be made very pretty by someone with enough stuff to fill it up. It won't work for everyone, but couples who've outgrown a cramped apartment might be very interested in a rental like this.

Besides the privacy afforded by a detached home, this rental also features ample outdoor space in the form of a cute backyard with a deck. Throw in proximity to the TTC, a private parking spot and in-home laundry, and you have a great starter home without the mortgage. 

Specs

• Address: 113 Gloucester Grove
• Apartment type: Detached house
• Rent: $2,995
• Utilities: Not specified
• Bedrooms: 2
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking: 1 private space
• Laundry? In-suite
• Outdoor space? Backyard and deck
• Pet friendly? Not specified

Good For

Anyone who loves the idea of living in a detached home but isn't ready to purchase a property. This would work well for a couple who works from home or a young family.

Move On If

Those who don't require much space will find better deals on apartment or condo-style rentals. While proximity to the subway is excellent, the location won't be compelling for someone who wants to live right downtown.

Emma's Country Kitchen is one of the best brunch spots in Toronto, but along with serving up a decadent morning menu, it'll also start offering its full time employees benefits.

"We’ve been thinking about giving our employees benefits for a long time. As you know, in our industry it’s not very common," says Emma's Country Kitchen co-owner Heather Mee.

"However, it’s extremely hard on your body working in a restaurant. And your mind, for that matter. It’s a stressful job." She doesn't want her staff to have to worry about paying for essentials, such as a dental appointments or orthotics. 

Instead of upping its prices, the team at Emma's decided to add a three percent surcharge on all bills in order to cover the cost of the new benefits plan, but Mee notes that anyone can opt out of paying it.

On average, Mee says the surcharge will be about 43 cents per bill. Emma's Country Kitchen will start rolling it out next week. 

It seems like more and more restaurants are starting to think about how to treat their employees fairly. Some, for instance, have done away with tipping in favour of paying their staff a living wage, while others have adjusted their hours to give cooks, servers and bartenders time to sleep.

This conversation, of course, is just getting started for those in the industry.

Today in Toronto, it might get mega rainy, but there's plenty going on to keep you busy inside. Hot Docs is running until the weekend, and it's also Star Wars Day, so celebrate at events across the city. May the 4th be with you all.