Tap rooms in Toronto offer drinkers a curated experience of a brewery’s beer right on the premises where it’s made. From IPAs to sours, dark beers to light, these places are all serving up the freshest version of their brew in minimal, fun environments.

Left Field

This baseball-themed brewery near Little India has made a name for itself with their popular Eephus oatmeal brown and Maris pale as well as seasonal limited time offerings. Pull up a bar stool in this tap room and feast your eyes on the Jays games they always broadcast.

Blood Brothers

This small spot on industrial Geary usually has around three of their innovative, funky beers on tap. Count on classics like their Inner Eye pale ale or Shumei IPA, but not necessarily on seating with just a few options at high ledges in this garage space, though there are picnic benches outside.

Henderson Brewing

This high-ceilinged space on Sterling has already gained a ton of acclaim, but is garnering even more attention now that it’s next door to Drake Commissary. Their Henderson’s Best is no misnomer as one of the greatest craft beers in the city, and their seasonal “Ides” beers can be enjoyed along with a side of free popcorn or pinball.

Bellwoods on Hafis Road

The popular Ossington brewery has a lesser known taproom on remote Hafis Road. Their fun Jelly King, Witch Shark and other beers can be enjoyed in this small, minimal space accessible to those that can’t always make it to the original location.

Lake Wilcox

This Vaughan taproom typically has its four flagship beers on tap, an amber, two paler beers, and a dark Black Hops IPA. Jenga is at every table for entertainment, and if that doesn’t get you going they have live music and oysters most Saturdays.

The Toronto Transit Commission was named the Outstanding Public Transportation System for 2017 by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Despite how much we complain about our subways, streetcars and buses, it seems like someone's enamoured by the red rocket. And it looks like CEO Andy Byford will get the last laugh when people scoffed at his ambitious goals at the outset of the year.

Your #TTC has been awarded Transit System of the Year for 2017 by @APTA_Transit! Congrats to all! pic.twitter.com/eQdy7ZWZj4

— Brad Ross (@bradTTC) June 26, 2017

The TTC got this award likely for all the improvements it made over the past little while. The most notable, for riders at least, will be the Spadina Subway Extension, which will bring Line 1 all the way up to Vaughan. It's slated to open at the end of this year.

Of course, there's still plenty to be done along the system until everyone stops griping about the TTC. 

Canada Day fireworks in Toronto will be bigger and better for 2017 as it's Canada's 150th birthday. The country's sesquicentennial is kind of a big deal, so you can expect the city to get very bright and noisy come evening on July 1.

Here are my picks for the top places for Canada Day fireworks in Toronto this year.

CN Tower

To celebrate Canada's 150th birthday, the country's tallest freestanding structure will host a huge fireworks show that'll light up the sky on July 1. The fireworks are slated to kick off at 10:30 p.m.

Nathan Phillips Square

Make your way to City Hall during the long weekend for four consecutive days of Canada Day celebrations. During the day there will be dance, music, circus and street art performances and starting at 10:55 p.m. each night there will be a fireworks show. 

Centennial Park

Canada Day conveniently falls on the same day at Ribfest in Etobicoke, so if you want dinner and a show, this is ideal. The fireworks will start at approximately 10 p.m.

Canada's Wonderland

Spend your day riding roller coasters, and then stay until the sun goes down for an epic fireworks show over the amusement park. There will be 6,000 explosions of light in the sky starting at 10 p.m.

Downsview Park

If you find yourself in North York on Canada Day there will be an entire day of celebrations happening at Downsview Park. Make sure to stay until 10 p.m. as that's when the massive firework show begins. 

Harbourfront Centre

Make your way down to the waterfront to take in a spectacular fireworks show over Lake Ontario, set to an all-Canadian playlist. It all begins at 10:45 a.m.

Mel Lastman Square

Lots of family-friendly activities go down at this Canada Day bash, including performances and tons of food. However the big finale is always the fireworks at 10:55 p.m.

Stan Wadlow Park

This is where to go if you're in the east end and don't want to make the pilgrimage to the Beaches. The day will offer tons of live entertainment, climaxing with the fireworks display around 10:15 p.m.

Ashbridges Bay

Here's a tried and true option, with one of the best locations for fireworks in the city. The show will begin around 10 p.m. and will feature a light show with over 2,000 blasts.

Humber Bay Park West

The massive Canada Day event has full lineup of performances by award-winning local, national and international artists. To conclude the day there will be massive fireworks show starting at 10:55 p.m.

For the second year in a row, NXNE took over the parking lot at 51 Commissioners St., in the Port Lands. 

In 2016, many complained about the lack of water stations and shade at the venue. After this weekend's extended, three-day festival, the main issue seemed to be the crowd (or the apparent lack thereof during the day).

A post shared by Michael J. Allain (@mjallain) on Jun 25, 2017 at 7:35am PDT

While the audience grew in the evenings for headliners Kaytranada, Post Malone and Passion Pit, photos captured throughout the day and early evening atop the on-site Ferris wheel revealed gorgeous skyline views but also sparsely populated festival grounds.

There's no official word on attendance figures right now, but folks on social media haven't been shy about sharing photos of the near-deserted outdoor venue.

A post shared by Sean Holt (@turnpro) on Jun 24, 2017 at 7:29pm PDT

Some called for the annual event to return to its roots by having a series of small shows at venues throughout the city. In past iterations, NXNE also held massive free concerts at Yonge-Dundas Square, which usually filled the space with screaming fans.

This weekend, of course, was a doozy in Toronto with Pride as well as the sold-out July Talk and Arkells concert at the Budweiser Stage. 

Here's how Toronto music fans captured the second annual NXNE in the Port Lands (for better or for worse).

The CN Tower just got a spiffy new upgrade today that'll make it a whole lot easier to take vertigo-inducing photos from its lookout level.

For months, construction on the main pod was shrouded in secrecy, but the result was finally unveiled today in the form of new panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal a dramatic view of the world below.

There are two new window walls on the Lookout Level of the tower, which each consist of seven 988-pound panes of glass (for 6,916 pounds in total).

While they improve the view for all visitors, the upgrade makes this park of the attraction significantly more accessible. The previous iteration featured a lower ledge that prevented people who use wheelchairs from being able to take in the best part of the view.

The floor-to-ceiling windows now invite anyone making the trip up the tower to bask in the splendour of the view from 1,136 feet in the air. Prepare to see a whole lot of photos depicting peoples feet pushed up against the bottom portion of the lookout.

This is the first major change to the CN Tower since the EdgeWalk opened back in 2011. More upgrades are promised over the next few years, though specifics have yet to be revealed.

For now, the tower gets a solid upgrade that'll help to justify the whopping price of admission.

It just got easier to zoom around Toronto thanks to the newest bike-sharing service that launched earlier this month in the city.

Dropbike, which bills itself as a dock-less bike-sharing service, currently has 68 bright orange bicycles in Toronto.

There's a caveat, however. Since Dropbike's in its pilot phase until the end of the summer, all bikes have to be returned to racks on the University of Toronto's St. George Campus.

Hey @UofT ! We've got bikes on the St. George campus—get 10 free trips now and start riding https://t.co/qkN73CyJhKpic.twitter.com/LuHFs7iMmH

— Dropbike (@getdropbike) June 18, 2017

Unlike Toronto Bike Share, these bicycles don't need to be returned to centralized docks, but rather to bike racks or posts (or havens as they're referred to in Dropbike speak) that appear on the Dropbike app.

The app lets you find and rent bikes by scanning a QR code. Rentals start at $1 per hour. When you sign up for the app, you have to put in a $49 deposit, but right now, it also looks like you get 10 free rides. Just be sure to stick around U of T. 

Avard Woolaver arrived in Toronto in September 1980 to study photography at what was then called Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. Coming from rural Nova Scotia, the young photographer was dazzled by the big city that he now called home and immediately started shooting.

Fortunately for us, the record of these wonder years is now available as a book titled "Toronto Flashback."

Dundas and Victoria before the Square.

For those of us interested in mining the visual archive of the 1980s, the Ellis Wiley Fonds at the Toronto Archives are indispensable, but for all the crucial documentation of the the decade, the photos are mostly snapshots. That's one of the reasons Woolaver's work is so fascinating. This is a record of Toronto with a soul.

Looking toward Queen and Portland, now site of a Loblaws.

"Many of the early photos from '80 and '81 came from school assignments — reflections, shadows, exploration of the frame, use of graphic elements, etc.," Woolaver explains.

"Aside from completing these projects, my aim was to document the city, and try to show a sense of humanity, as well as to expand my photographic vision."

Not a craft beer in sight.

Inspired by the work of photographers like Robert Frank and Lee Friedlander, Woolaver's documentation of 1980s Toronto is gritty and delicate all at once.

The pre-gentrification Junction (Mavety and Dundas).

Along with showing just how different the urban landscape of Toronto was 30 years ago, the collection is a reminder that the city had more of a working class vibe during this period.

New Image Studio and Gallery, the Junction. 

"I started out feeling that Toronto was cold and impersonal, but that changed quite quickly as I got settled in," Woolaver recalls. "I realized the city was a multicultural centre with a vibrant arts and music scene.

A snippet of Kensington Market in the 1980s.

My friends and I rented a large storefront in the Junction and started New Image Studio and Gallery. It was before the housing bubble and condo era --ventures like that were still possible."

Looking west across Queen at Bathurst.

Woolaver left Toronto to move back to Nova Scotia in 2005. Returning to the city almost 10 years later, he noticed profound changes that helped to inspire turning his Toronto Flashback collection into a book.

Cigarettes, Biway bags, and a little clutter: Toronto of the 1980s.

"The book idea came up one night when my friend Michael Amo and I were looking at some of our old slide," Woolaver explains.

PCC streetcar loading up on College at Yonge looking west.

"He and I shared a lot of experiences in Toronto back when I was taking these photos. I realized that the images from the '80s were quite nostalgic and portrayed a city that in some ways no longer exists."

Looking north up Yonge from Gould at night.

"The Brunswick House is long gone, as are the Edge, Nuts and Bolts, and the Twilight Zone," he continues.

Yonge Street's record store row, now long gone.

"Eaton's and Sam the Record Man are also gone. But I feel the biggest change to Toronto, as well as to every city in the world, is the impact of digital technology. People interact with the city and with each other in quite a different way."

CNE grounds in winter (including the legendary Flyer).

Perhaps that's why Toronto Flashback inspires an emotional response from viewers who recall the era the photographs capture.

The Shuffle Demons at Yonge and Bloor.

Toronto was much less polished back in the 1980s. It was a grittier city, but in some ways also a friendlier and less cynical place. It was a city with character, much of which has been lost to the march of progress.

Toronto Flashback (1980-1986) is available through Amazon and Blurb.

Looking west along Elm form Yonge (note Barberian's sign at centre left).

Sit back, relax and be entertained in Toronto today. There are outdoor film screenings, a free storytelling event and a Harry Potter concert. Give yourself a break and enjoy. 

To make your Canada Day long weekend a little more relaxing, the Beer Store launched a home delivery service that'll bring brews to your doorstep about two hours after you put in an order.

At the outset of this Beer Store pilot project, home delivery is available only in Ottawa and Scarborough. Should the test prove successful, the delivery area would be expanded.

"The areas were selected based on a number of criteria including market demand and the number of stores in their delivery footprint," said Ted Moroz, the Beer Store's president in a news release.

So The Beer Store is going to offer home delivery. What a concept. I am old enough to remember Brewer's Retail doing it 40 years ago.

— Robert B. (@Headanac) June 27, 2017

We'll have to wait and see whether home delivery gets a wider footprint. For now, the delivery fee is $9.75. 

Must-see concerts in Toronto this July deliver tons of mega-talent to our largest venues, coupled with a sprinkle of indie up-and-comers, electronic greats, future folk stars and the requisite blast of summer festivals.

Fear not, electro fans: the Port Lands has stepped in to save this year’s Electric Island from the floods, plus there’s Bud Light Dreams returning to the much drier Echo Beach. Elsewhere, there’s Woodbine Queen’s Plate, the The Beaches Jazz Festival, Afrofest and Toronoise.  

The co-headliners are strong this month: honourable mentions go to double-stuffed tours with Muse and 30 Seconds to Mars and Incubus and Jimmy Eat World. Plus, look out for Queen with Adam Lambert, Iron Maiden, Thurston Moore and Belle and Sebastian.

Here are the top picks for concerts this July.

The Trump name might soon disappear from the Toronto skyline as the Trump International Hotel and Tower, at Bay and Adelaide, is set to be renamed.

That's because, as Bloomberg writes today, the new Trump Tower owners JCF Capital ULC reached a deal to buy out the hotel's management contracts early.

The Trump brand currently manages and licenses its name to the hotel and residence, but it doesn't own the property.

According to Bloomberg, the Trump name could be removed as early as August 1. Previous reports said that Marriott was in the lead to take over managing the property. 

DJ Shadow is bringing his The Mountain Will Fall Tour to Toronto this summer and we want to give you and a friend a chance to get in on the action. We've teamed up with Live Nation to give four lucky readers a chance to attend the concert on July 7.

Check out all the contest details here.

Toronto's entertainment epicentre might be located on Bremner Boulevard thanks to the new Cineplex Rec Room, which joins the Rogers Centre, Ripley's Aquarium, Steamwhistle Brewery and the CN Tower in the neighbourhood.

Cineplex's Rec Room marks the movie theatre operators' attempt to diversify its business. There's already one such gaming house in Edmonton and another planned for Square One in Mississauga.

The Toronto version takes over the former Leon's furniture store space in Roundhouse Park.

At 40,000 square feet, there's a lot of action crammed in here, including all sorts of video and traditional arcade games as well as an immersive, virtual reality gaming experience called The Void.

There's also a theatre on site meant for live entertainment (not movies) as well as a slew of screens for those who want to catch the game.

Food-wise, there's a sit-down restaurant inspired by Canada as well as a fast-casual spot called The Shed that serves poutine and pizza – pretty much what you'd want to fuel your next all-night gaming extravaganza.

While the Rec Room might initially appeal to kids, it's meant to be an all-ages space, so there's plenty of booze available at the on-site bars.

And seeing as we love our short patio season in Toronto, there's a spacious one here (with ping pong!).

Entrance into the Rec Room is free, but you'll have to pay to actually play.

Lakeside patios in Toronto are somewhat scarce, making by the water seating a hot commodity in the summer. While there are only a handful to choose from, these patios are often able to accommodate hundreds, meaning your chances of scoring a seat with a view are extremely favourable.

Here are my picks for the top lakeside patios in Toronto.

The Slip

This Harbourfront spot has all the bells and whistles necessary for a killer patio. It has an amazing view of the lake, a menu with all the pub grub you could ever want and enough room for you and 250 of your friends.

Spend your day catching rays at the Amsterdam Brewhouse. Photo by blogTO.

Amsterdam Brewhouse

This popular brewery can accommodate 300 people spread out over three patios. Snag a Muskoka chair perched over the water and take in the view. Of course, the bar menu here makes beer its focus, serving its namesake draughts, casks and bottles from the cellar.

Views of the Toronto skyline don't get much better than the one at Cabana Pool Bar. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Cabana Pool Bar

With a vibe that's more South Beach than Toronto, this massive waterfront venue promises exactly what its name suggests, shady private cabanas with bottle service, a pool to show off this season's bikinis and a bar stocked with premium spirits.

Against The Grain at Corus Quay is a dependable Toronto spot for a meal with a view. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Against The Grain

Next to Sugar Beach, this vast lake-facing terrace attached to the Corus Building is the perfect spot to kick back over drinks. It's most inviting in the sun-drenched afternoon.

Grab a picnic table and order up some drinks on The Keating Channel patio. Photo by Jesse Milns.

The Keating Channel

Perched next to the water, this casual patio is an idyllic destination for afternoon drinks with friends in the Port Lands. Picnic tables perfectly complement the by-the-water vibe.

Curb Crave sells Canadian comfort classics out of a truck that you’d be more likely to expect to appear in front on you while sitting on a barstool. Epic poutine, hot wings and basic burgers are on the menu here.

They also blend global influences into these iconic items, knowing that the streets of Toronto are demanding of more diverse tastes like tandoori tacos and wings.

Their cutely named and utterly Torontonian Hotline Wings ($10 for a pound) come in a good array of flavours, from cajun dusted to Thai red curry, tandoori and honey garlic.

The only challenge is making this saucy fave that typically requires two hands translate to the street, though ample wet wipes are provided.

You can also simply order these juicy, nicely sized bad boys in mild, medium, or hot, and they come with blue cheese or ranch dip. The medium packs a punch without being overly spicy, and the tandoori has an even hotter kick to it.

I like the lightening flavour that a little fresh cilantro brings.

The Tando Toti Taco ($6 for one, $10 for two) envelops chunks of flavourful tandoori chicken in soft Embassy roti bread with balancing yogurt, cilantro, and grilled onion and peppers. The easiest to carry, this is by far one of their most popular items.

The Curb Burger ($6 for a single, $8 for a double) is a straight-up classic with pickles and cheese.

For $3, you can make all these into combos that include hand-cut fries and a drink.

If you’re going to call it the Great Canadian Poutine ($8), it better have bacon on it. A good sized portion of their hand-cut fries are smothered in cheese and gravy and topped with crispy bacon.

Curb Crave makes it so that you now no longer have to wait for work to end and the bar to open at five o’clock to hit those wings and burgers. Now you can chow down on your favourites right on the sidewalk.

Thanks to all the rain we got this past spring, our beaches flooded, putting a damper on all sorts of summertime activities.

Now that things have dried up a bit, however, one of the city's longest running beach parties is back.

A post shared by Amir Ebrahimnia : Toronto (@amirebrahimnia) on Aug 28, 2016 at 3:13pm PDT

Promise Cherry Beach returns this Canada Day long weekend on Monday, July 3. Unlike previous iterations, the party's now fully licensed, so there will be a beach bar on site.

In previous years, Promise has run up to 14 parties per summer, but there are two confirmed so far this year.

A post shared by the originoo kitt-n-wessun (@djmisskittie) on Aug 7, 2016 at 5:33pm PDT

The all-ages event runs from 3 to 11 p.m.

Free events in Toronto this July range from huge park parties and history lessons to street festivals and a giant outdoor art show - and that's not even mentioning all the free movies and live music happening almost every day of every week.

Toronto's latest fountain is going to the dogs, literally. Berzcy Park, in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood, recently got a makeover that includes a new fountain by landscape architect Claude Cormier. 

The fountain features 27 cast iron dogs, one scared-looking cat, a lone bone, and it's fittingly located in area frequented by condo dwellers and their furry friends.

A post shared by Kara Lea (@thekaralea) on Jun 18, 2017 at 1:21pm PDT

This revamped public space is a definite boon for those who live and work in the area, but the fountain has also become a big hit on Instagram because who can resist a bunch of doggos shooting water out of their mouths?

A post shared by core team (@coreteam416) on Jun 24, 2017 at 8:50am PDT

Humans, of course, aren't the only ones who appear to be falling in love with the fountain; dogs seem pretty enamoured with it too.

A post shared by Murdoch (@murdochthegolden) on Jun 22, 2017 at 1:06pm PDT

The park has its official reopening tomorrow from 3 to 7 p.m. 

A post shared by Industryous Photography (@industryous) on Jun 15, 2017 at 4:45am PDT

Here are a bunch of dogs just loving Toronto's new dog fountain.

A post shared by Goose Berry Greyhound Husky (@goose_greyhound) on Jun 21, 2017 at 3:08am PDT

A post shared by Maria Sanchez-Cani (@winterlabradoodle) on Jun 24, 2017 at 11:32am PDT

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A post shared by Penny Double Doodle 🐻 (@pennydoubledoodle) on Jun 13, 2017 at 3:35pm PDT

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A post shared by Juaco El Frenchie (@juacofrenchie) on Jun 12, 2017 at 4:37am PDT

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The building that's home to the Cadillac Lounge has hit the market, meaning Toronto could lose yet another live music venue.

Thus far in 2017, we've seen a slew of venues shut down, including some that enjoyed legendary status. The Cadillac Lounge could be next to join the list.  As NOW Toronto reports, the Parkdale bar and the building it's located in are for sale, but owner Sam Grosso says things are still up in the air.

"There’s no closing date, there’s no shutting down party. The building is up for sale, and let’s just see what happens," Grosso tells me over the phone from Prince Edward County. He moved to PEC with his family four years ago and spends five days of the week there.

"I’m just testing the waters," he continues. Grosso owns the Cadillac Lounge as well as the building it's in, which includes the residential units above the bar.

The properties at 1296 and 1300 Queen St. W., are currently listed for $7.5 million. According to the listing, they're located in an area that's "rapidly gentrifying." 

While Grosso's unsure about the Cadillac Lounge's future, he's eager to spend time with his four young kids after running live music venues for the past 22 years. 

"When you’re sitting on that kind of property," he says, "Where the value goes up and up and up, it’s like sitting at a poker table, you know? It’s time to cash out."

If he finds a buyer, he's hoping they continue to operate some sort of live music venue on site. 

Free live music isn't hard to find in Toronto, especially if you find yourself near Yonge-Dundas Square. Not only does this central meeting point show free movies once a week, but it also hosts free concerts every Friday night in partnership with Canada's Music Incubator. 

Indie Friday shows begin at 8 p.m., span quite a few musical genres, and you guessed it, they're all free.

Here is the full summer 2017 music lineup at Yonge-Dundas Square. 

July 7

Turbo Street Funk and Five Alarm Funk 

July 14

The Pick Brothers Band and Ria Mae

July 21

Ginger Ale & The Monowhales and The Pack A.D.

July 28

Jace Martin and The Derek Miller Band

August 4

Zaki Ibrahim

August 11

Alex Veliz and Michelle Treacy

August 18

Hunter Siegel

August 25

Terra Lighfoot and Klooch

September 1

Exco Levi and High Priest

September 8

Wildlife and The Deep Dark Woods