Despite its name, the Distillery District isn't exactly flush with distilleries, even though at one point in time it produced most of the country's whiskey.

Now, the pedestrian-only neighbourhood will get a new distillery when the Spirit of York opens to the public on May 11.

Spirit of York has taken over a 7,200 square foot space at 12 Trinity St. where Lileo used to be. There, it'll make small-batch gin and vodka. Along with selling 750-millilitre bottles of spirits, this incoming distillery will offer tastings and custom bitters in its bitters library.

This isn't the only spot making booze in the Distillery District. If you're looking for beer, you can head to the Mill Street Brew Pub. Or, venture towards the Ontario Spring Water Sake Company, North America's first sake brewery.

Get out your raincoats and umbrellas because Toronto's in for a wet few days. There's currently a rainfall warning in effect for the city because Environment Canada says we might see between 40 to 70 millimetres of rain between this afternoon and Saturday.

"The ground, already near saturation, has little ability to absorb further rainfall," reads the alert, which means that thanks to all the rain we've been getting over the past few weeks, certain areas of the city are at an increased risk of flooding, including Toronto Island. 

According to the Toronto Star, the city is preparing for a possible evacuation of the Island and has emergency plans in place.

CBC News reports, there will be a ferry left at the Ward's Island dock tonight, which could be used as a shelter. City staff will also be on call should a ferry to start running after hours. The 700 residents on Ward's Island will be notified via email if a ferry starts running to evacuate people. 

The rain is expected to start at 2 p.m. today and continue until Saturday.

Toronto restaurant openings highlights the latest restaurant openings in Toronto and also gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now

• Estia, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, has replaced NAO Steakhouse at 99 Avenue Rd. in Yorkville.
• Public Park Coffee, a minimalist coffee space, has opened behind clothing shop Livsstil at 445 Adelaide St. W.
• Kung Fu Tea, a Taiwanese bubble tea shop that used to have a location at Dundas & University, has made a new debut at 264 Spadina Ave (at Dundas St. W.) in Chinatown.
• Yunnan spot Origination Noodle House now has a second location, which can be found in Scarborough at 633 Silver Star Blvd.
• Lao Thai Restaurant has opened at 4 Gladstone Ave. at West Queen West.
• Birch Bistro is now serving up French fare in the space that previously belonged to Bar Mar (and Celestin before that) at 623 Mount Pleasant Rd. in midtown.
• Silo13, a "freestyle cereal cafe" with globally sourced cereal and locally sourced toppings, is currently in soft opening at 4750 Yonge St. in North York.
• Vietnam Lovely Noodle has replaced Flaming Bull at 378 Bloor St. W. in the Annex.

Recently reviewed

• Rorschach Brewing
• Cherry Bomb
• El Almacen
• Left Field Brewery
• Atlas
• Republic
• Unlovable
• El Convento Rico

Opening soon

• Skippa, a Japanese-inspired restaurant set to open in June, will be replacing the shuttered Roxton at 379 Harbord St. by Ossington.
• Sugar Loaf Bakery is aiming to open a second location in August, this time in Leslieville, at the corner of Gerrard & Jones where a Starbucks once stood.
• Potbelly Sandwich's third location in the city should be opening soon at the Sheppard Centre in North York.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com

It's never fun to deal with a parking ticket, but starting this summer, it'll be easier to fight those pesky yellow slips.

Instead of waiting months to go before a judge, you'll soon be able to appeal tickets to a screening officer stationed at a desk at Metro Hall (55 John St.).

This ticket fighting model will begin on August 28, according to CBC News, and it should speed up the current process. 

As CBC writes, screening officers will be able to cancel or alter tickets on the spot. If you don't agree with their resolution, you can appeal to a hearing officer, but their decision will be final.

But hey, at least you won't have to wait months for a court date!

Spa day with mom? If that sounds like the perfect Mother's Day gift, we've got a contest for you. We've teamed up with Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie to give one lucky reader the ultimate spa package for two.

Check out all the contest details here.

Bestival won't be coming back to Toronto this year. Most of us feared this was the case when a lineup announcement wasn't forthcoming, but now it's been made official.

"We can confirm that Bestival, which has taken place on the second weekend of June for the last two years, will not be returning to Toronto in 2017. We are aiming to return in the future," said a Bestival spokesperson.

Bestival made its way to Toronto from the U.K. in 2015. The first edition was on the Toronto Island. While many seemed to enjoy it, there were some logistical and ferry-related issues getting to and from the mainland.

For 2016, Bestival moved to Woodbine Park, meaning for many costumed festival goers, it was only a quick streetcar away. The event, with its elaborate stages and musically diverse lineup, seemed to keep crowds happy over two days last June. 

Of course, Toronto still has plenty of large scale music festivals, including Field Trip, the NXNE Port Lands Music Festival and Veld. There's also WayHome and the inaugural Big Feastival happening this year.

But none are quite as colourful as Bestival, so here's hoping it returns in 2018.

The boutique building at 383 Sorauren Avenue was one of the nicer condos to join Toronto's inventory in the last year. In place of metal and glass, designer architectsAlliance put heavy emphasis on brick, which helps it blend in with the old industrial buildings on the street.

So how about the units themselves? Here we have a penthouse suite that covers two floors and offers a lovely view of Lake Ontario and the skyline in the distance. It's spacious, offers ample outdoor space and tons of natural light.

It's also, dare I say, a bit boring. While the wooden accents in the kitchen add a bit of colour and style, and the ample windows convey a welcome openness, the upstairs bedrooms are mostly utilitarian. That's fine in general, but you expect more in a penthouse.

Specs

• Address: PH 2 383 Sorauren Ave.
• Price: $1,149,000
• Bedrooms: 2 + 1
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking: 1
• Maintenance Fees: $723.61
• Walk Score: 86
• Transit Score: 97
• Listing Agent: Kim Kehoe
• Listing ID: W3782879

Good For

Someone who craves a nice outdoor space. The terrace really makes this condo — not just because it adds to the usable space during the warm months, but also because it seems to make the unit look bigger thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Move On If

This is actually quite a lovely building to look at from the outside, but the interior design is a bit bland. If you're looking for something unique with lots of character, this soft loft won't do it. 

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

Weekend events in Toronto will have you singing, dancing and walking around with your eyes wide open until Monday rolls around. It's the final weekend of Hot Docs, and there are also dozens of concerts, dance parties, Jane's Walks and street festivals happening to keep you busy.

A Toronto Uber driver has channeled his inner Pavarotti to serenade riders in the city.

In a video posted to YouTube, you can see the whole on-demand opera. The passenger who filmed the concert writes that they were on their way to the Distillery District at the time.

The driver apparently asked his passenger if it was okay to sing and once he got the go ahead, he belted out Eduardodi Capua's "O Sole Mio" in Italian.

Bravo indeed.

The 102 annual GradEx showcase is on at OCADU right now, and it features installations from 900 up-and-coming artists throughout three different buildings. You can visit this awe-inspiring exhibition for free until Sunday, May 7 at 5 p.m. There's so much to see, so be sure to take your time.

Here are 41 artists to check out at this year's OCADU GradEX.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. Or at least that's true in our nation's capital, which unveiled its new Ottawa sign today, a sign that looks a lot like the one that's found right here at home in Toronto.

The Ottawa sign went up in the Byward Market today, which is in the midst of being transformed into Inspiration Village for Canada's sesquicentennial. 

Naturally, the Ottawa sign is a patriotic red and white, and if you take a photo with it, you'll see Parliament Hill in the background - how's that for the perfect Canada Day photo?

A post shared by Reasons to loveOttawa (@loveottawa) on May 4, 2017 at 5:21am PDT

The Toronto sign popped up in Nathan Phillips Square for the Pan Am Games and proved a hit both online and in real life. It's now a permanent fixture downtown.

Of course, Amsterdam pioneered this trend after its I Amsterdam letters became a bona fide tourist destination a lesson in how to rebrand a city. Plenty of other cities around the world have jumped on board, including Lyon and even Brooklyn.

Summer festivals in Toronto often revolve around dance music or massive rock shows, but country music is repeatedly forgotten and brushed to the suburbs.

Well, country fans in our city can now rejoice because we're getting a big county fair this summer. The Budweiser County Fair is happening July 14 and 15 in a huge parking lot at 525 King St. West. 

Organizers are expecting 6,000 attendees to line dance their way into the fest for BBQ, carnival vendors, mechanical bull rides and Coyote Ugly dancers. There will also be drink samples and loads of live music from up and coming country music acts. 

Tickets start at $34.50, though headliners have yet to be announced. 

If there's one thing Torontonians don't get tired of hearing about, it's another food festival, especially when that food is unique, barbecued or gourmet.

Another topic locals don't tire of? Major events at Ontario Place. We're already going to see beer, BBQ and tacos at this former amusement park, so to hear there will be a huge free gourmet food festival there is just great news. 

The Culinary Ontario Festival is taking place over the Victoria Day long weekend, from May 19 to 22, and admission is free. The event was created to celebrate our province's culinary diversity with food trucks, drink stations, art installations and live entertainment. 

There will be a market, local chef demos, drink pairings and a choreographed drone show at night. The festival runs until just after 11 p.m. every evening except Monday when it shuts down at 8 p.m.

Toronto seems to go nuts for pop-ups, and we're not afraid to wait in line to grab merch from big pop stars or chow down on famous Shake Shack burgers and crinkle-cut fries.

Next week, we'll get another pop-up, and this one's also from south of the border.

Joint Venture, a self-described "food and cultural project," will make its way to Toronto to take over two different restaurants. The company, based out of New York City, does catering and hosts events. It's been written up by the likes of GQ and the Wall Street Journal.

On May 8, it'll appear at La Hacienda on Queen Street West from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m serving a Mexican-style feast. On May 10, Joint Venture will be at Grey Gardens, where they promise to serve lots of seafood.

These events feature good food and good art and you better make a reservation, because they'll go pretty fast, and you don't want to miss out. 

Two of the TTC's new stations on the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension are so close to completion that the public will get a sneak peek of them at Doors Open later this month, but the rest of the line is shaping up quite nicely as well.

A view of the main station entrance. Photo courtesy of the TTC.

One of the more intriguing new stops on the line is the Will Alsop-designed Pioneer Village Station. It hasn't got quite the attention that's been foisted upon neighbouring York University Station, but it's beginning to look impressive in its own right.

The enormous overhang/port corchere on the southeast side of the station. Photo courtesy of the TTC.

It starts with dual entrances marked by rusty steel and crowned by the station's name, but the exterior might be even more impactful as it builds to an enormous port corchere and gateway to the northwest side of York's campus at the opposite end.

Wide view of the station looking northwest. Photo courtesy of the TTC.

These contemporary suburban subway stations really take advantage of all the space they have to make architectural statements that weren't as easy to pull off when Line 1 and 2 were first plotted out. Many are also built as hubs that connect with other transit providers.

Escalators heading down from the entrance of the station. Photo courtesy of the TTC.

The interiors are a bit more utilitarian—as many would argue they should be given the budgetary constraints—but they feature more open designs than the older stations to ensure that sunlight filters down as far as possible.

A view of the bus terminal corridor. Photo courtesy of the TTC.

Pioneer Village Station features a long glass corridor (the top of which boasts a green roof) that delivers passengers to connecting bus routes and allows those headed to York to enjoy some protection from the elements.

Obviously there are some finishing touches required, but this is another grand-looking subway station that's entering the final stages of construction. It's sometimes hard to believe, but it certainly looks like the Spadina Extension is on track to open on time in December.

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

It's still raining in Toronto and this wet weather is supposed to continue all weekend, though it should taper off by Saturday night.

There's currently a rainfall warning in effect for Toronto, and according to Environment Canada, we could see 50 to 90 millimetres of rain by tomorrow evening. "With the ground already saturated," reads the rainfall warning, "there is the potential for local flooding."

That's why the City of Toronto might close down both the Don Valley Parkway and the Bayview extension later this afternoon.

As the rain continues, the City is preparing for a possible DVP closure this afternoon. #CityofTO: https://t.co/VuRy4rRgZP

— City of Toronto (@TorontoComms) May 5, 2017

"Depending on conditions, the Don Valley Parkway may be closed as of 3 p.m. on Friday, May 5 due to anticipated flooding and to protect public safety – updates on this potential closure will be issued as they become available," says a city news release, which details how Toronto's preparing for this heavy rainfall.

This wouldn't be unprecedented. The DVP shut down in 2013 after the Don Valley River flooded the major north-south roadway.

The city recommends taking public transit today to avoid any problems.

It's probably not the best time to visit the Toronto Island, considering the beautiful oasis is busy getting ready for potential flooding thanks to the continued rainfall.

And you'll probably have a hard time getting to the Island too because the city's restricting ferry service to "required individuals only." That includes residents, city staff and emergency personnel. 

Toronto Island ferry service is restricted to island residents & necessary personnel today. #CityofTO details: https://t.co/OXi9KAd1g3

— City of Toronto (@TorontoComms) May 5, 2017

Regular ferry service to the Centre Island and Hanlan's Point docks is cancelled. Service to the Ward's Dock will run on its spring schedule. 

The best dosa in Toronto is a dreamy feast of large, thin rice and lentil crepes filled with all sorts of wonder like curry potatoes, cheese, onions, chutneys and even chocolate. No matter what the variety, the South Indian staple is always eye-catching and fun to eat.

Here’s the best dosa in Toronto.

Toronto GoodlifeMarathon road closures take over city streets on May 7 this year. The enormous running event begins north of Sheppard Ave. and runs down the heart of the city before hitting the waterfront and finishing at the CNE grounds with rolling closures along the way.

Whether you're looking to cheer on the runners or to avoid traffic jams, here's everything you need to know about this year's event.

Route
 

Road Closures
 

• Beecroft Rd. from Elmhurst Ave. to Horsham Ave. (5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
• Ellerslie Ave. from Beecroft Rd. to Yonge St. (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
• Churchill Ave. from Beecroft Rd. to Yonge St. (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
• North York Blvd. from Beecroft Rd. to Yonge St. (5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
• Elmhurst Ave. from Beecroft Rd. to Yonge St. (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
• Park Home Ave. from Beecroft Rd. to Yonge St. (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
• Yonge St. from Horsham Ave. to Highway 401 (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
• Yonge St. from Highway 401 to York Mills Rd. (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
• Yonge St. from York Mills Rd. to Eglinton Ave. (7 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Yonge St. from Eglinton Ave. to Chaplin Cres. (7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Yonge St. from Chaplin Cres. to Aylmer Rd. (8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Chaplin Cres. from Yonge St. to Oriole Pkwy (7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Oriole Pkwy from Chaplin Cres. to Lonsdale Rd. (7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Lonsdale Rd. from Ave. Road to Spadina Rd. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Forest Hill Rd. from Lonsdale Rd. to Kilbarry Rd. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Kilbarry Rd. from Forest Hill Rd. to Warren Rd. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Warren Rd. from Kilbarry Rd. to Lonsdale Rd. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Spadina Rd. from Lonsdale Rd. to St. Clair Ave. W (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Spadina Rd. from St. Clair Ave. W to Austin Ter. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Austine Ter. from Spadina Rd. to Walmer Rd. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Walmer Rd./Kendal Ave. from Austin Ter. to MacPherson Ave. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• MacPherson Ave. from Kendal Ave. to Davenport Rd. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Davenport Rd. from MacPherson Ave. to Belmont St. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Belmont St. from Davenport Rd. to Yonge St. (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Aylmer Ave. from Yonge St. to Rosedale Valley Rd. (5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
• Rosedale Valley Rd. from Aylmer Rd. to Bayview Ave. (5:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.)
• Bayview Ave. from Rosedale Valley Rd. to Lower River St. (7 a.m. to 11 a.m.)
• Lower River St. from Bayview Ave. to King St. E (7 a.m. to 11 a.m.)
• King St. E from River St. to Sumach St. (7 a.m. to 11 a.m.)
• Sumach St. from King St. E to Eastern Ave. (7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
• Eastern Ave. from Sumach St. to Front St. E (7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
• Front St. E from Eastern Ave. to Wellington Ave. (7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
• Wellington St. from Front St. E to John St. (7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
• John St. from Wellington St. W to Front St. W (7 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
• Front St. W from John St. to Bathurst St. (7 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
• Bathurst St. from Front St. W to Fort York Blvd. (7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
• Fort York Blvd. from Bathurst St. to Lake Shore Blvd. (7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
• Marine Parade Dr. from Humber Bay Park E to Waterfront Dr. (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
• Waterfront Dr. from Marine Parade Dr. to Palace Pier (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
• Lakeshore Blvd. from Humber River to Remembrance Dr. (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Ramp Closures
 

Gardiner Expressway Eastbound

• Lake Shore off-ramp - Open
• Lake Shore on-ramp - Open
• British Columbia Drive on-ramp - Open
• Spadina off-ramp - Open
• Rees St on -ramp - Open
• York/Bay/Yonge off-ramp - Open
• Bay St on-ramp - Open
• Jarvis St off-ramp - Access to Jarvis CLOSED - Access to Lake Shore Open *NOTE:  Jarvis St off-ramp could re-open as early as 10:00 a.m.
• Jarvis St on-ramp - Open
• Gardiner off-ramp to Lake Shore - Open

Gardiner Expressway Westbound

• Lake Shore on-ramp - Open
• Sherbourne/Jarvis off-ramp - Open
• Jarvis on-ramp - Open
• Yonge/Bay/York off-ramp - Open
• York on-ramp - Open
• Spadina off-ramp - Open - Access to Lake Shore WB to be closed
• Spadina on-ramp - Open - Access to Lake Shore WB to be closed
• Dunn off-ramp - Open
• Jameson on-ramp - Open
• South Kingsway off-ramp - Open
• Lake Shore off-ramp - Open
• Lake Shore on-ramp - Open

DVP

• Bayview Bloor W/B to Bayview Av. S/B - CLOSED

TTC Diversions and Restrictions
 

Due to the lengthy route of the marathon, TTC service on a total of 26 routes will be on diversion at various times on Sunday, May 7. Affected routes will include:

• 5 Avenue Rd
• 6 Bay
• 14 Glencairn
• 33 Forest Hill
• 34 Eglinton East
• 51 Leslie
• 54 Lawrence East
• 56 Leaside
• 65 Parliament
• 66 Prince Edward
• 72 Pape
• 75 Sherbourne
• 85 Sheppard East
• 97 Yonge
• 98 Willowdale-Senlac
• 121 Fort York-Espanade
• 124 Sunnybrook
• 127 Davenport
• 162 Lawrence-Donway
• 307 Bathurst
• 320 Yonge
• 501L Queen
• 504 King
• 510 Spadina
• 511 Bathurst
• 514 King