Famous people visiting Toronto this summer include celebrities who are here for sporting events, film shoots and other swanky happenings. But even the other half has to eat and play, right? Watch out for these familiar faces around town.

Here are 10 celebrities coming to Toronto this summer.

Kate Beckinsale 

Nothing says 1980s New York like Toronto in the summer, right? The team behind Chocolate Money, a film starring Kate Beckinsale as a rich chocolate heiress thinks so. Filming started in June, and there's no word yet if any of the city's best chocolate shops will be involved. 

Mila Kunis

Keep your eyes peeled for this Bad Mom around town because she's in Toronto filming Jackpot with co-stars Jennifer Garner and Bryan Cranston. It's a dark action comedy remake of a Norwegian movie that finds a man waking up in a strip club, clutching a gun, surrounded by dead men. 

Drake

Drake might have surprised us all during our Canada Day party downtown, but you can bet he's saving the his best for OVO on Monday, August 7. He'll be in town all Caribana weekend and he's bringing some big name friends too. 

🦉🌺 Tickets go on sale THURSDAY

A post shared by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on Jun 27, 2017 at 3:45pm PDT

Richard Dreyfuss

He's the star of American Graffiti, Jaws, Stand By Me, Close Encounters of the Third Kind... the list is almost never ending. The actor is making a rare appearance at Fan Expo.

Ricky Gervais

The British comic and awards show host makes an appearance at Massey Hall for three nights on July 14 to 16. His show sold out in minutes but since it's 2017, there's still a chance to grab tickets somewhere.

Martin Short

The ex talk show host, actor, comedian, SNL and SCTV alum is back in town on July 18 with some of his old friends including Dan Aykroyd, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis and Eugene Levy for the Take Off, Eh! Bob and Doug McKenzie reunion show and fundraiser.

Maria Sharipova

The no longer banned tennis star returns to the courts in early August at the Rogers Cup. Maybe she'll sneak in some outdoor court time in the city while she's here?

Mariah Carey

Toronto already fell over themselves last time Mariah was in town, and they'll have another chance when she finally lands in the city for her concert with Lionel Ritchie on August 24.

Justin Bieber

Biebs is circling back to Toronto on his never-ending world tour for a couple shows at the Rogers Centre. You know he's going to do some shopping and clubbing while he's here - have your phone handy and on high alert.

James Corden

The Carpool Karaoke king is coming to the Sony Centre September 10 to help launch the 2017 United Jewish Appeal 2017 Campaign. Tickets start at $50, but you'd better hurry they're going to sell out fast. 

Ever wondered what a true high roller rental looks like in Toronto? You know, the type of place that an A-list actor or business tycoon might shack up in while visiting the city for an extended stay?

Well, this loft at 500 Queens Quay West should give you a pretty good idea. Offered up for rent for the first time in a decade, it's a stunning modern space with a jaw-dropper of a price tag — just $28,000 a month.

What do you get for all that coin? The location is clearly one of the big selling points, given that it's right on the water with a terrace that overlooks the harbour and the Toronto music garden.

But you also get fine architectural details. The space was designed by KPMB Architects and was given a “Best in Canada” award from Canadian Interiors Magazine. These are the types of accolades that help to woo the most discerning would-be residents out there.

Is it worth the money? If you have to ask, this place ain't for you. But, it sure is pretty to look at. 

Specs

• Address: 500 Queens Quay West
• Realtor: Paul Johnston
• Apartment type: Loft
• Rent: $28,000
• Bedrooms: 2 + 1
• Bathrooms: 3
• Parking: Garage
• Laundry? In-suite
• Outdoor space? Waterfront terrace

Good For 

A superstar athlete acquired at the trade deadline who wants a sweet place to call home before figuring out if he'll be sticking with the team long term. 

Move On If

You're not able to budget for $336,000 in rent per year. 

Could there be anything more Toronto than a raccoon cafe? Just imagine the lineups it would draw.

While the city's home to two cat cafes (TOT and Meow), one filled with raccoons would never fly here given our longstanding war on fun. If you're keen to play with these seemingly cuddly creatures while you sip on tea or coffee, however, you might want to take trip to Seoul.

A post shared by Ejejej (@eunji.hwang.963) on Jun 24, 2017 at 12:10am PDT

That's because it's home to the Blind Alley Cafe, which lets visitors play with two raccoons. According to Refinery 29, Blind Alley's owner adopted one from a breeder and rescued the other from a fur importer.

A post shared by Sherveena 쉘비나 (@shereteniacayenne) on Jun 6, 2017 at 6:44am PDT

Along with raccoons, Blind Alley also plays host to a corgi and a capybara - all it needs is a peacock and a white squirrel to become a truly Toronto menagerie.

A post shared by Redheadedknitter (@redheadedknitter) on Jun 24, 2017 at 7:35pm PDT

While the cafe has received mostly favourable online reviews, some visitors seem skeptical about the animals' treatment, writing that perhaps a cafe isn't the best habitat for a pair of raccoons and a capybara.

They certainly seem to get along with the corgi, though. 

A post shared by Kim Chuthasorn (@chuthasorn) on May 27, 2017 at 7:25pm PDT

Free outdoor concert series happen all over Toronto in the summertime. The newest one comes to the Beaches, an area that's already bustling thanks to its annual month-long jazz festival and its free movies under the stars.

Starting on Sunday July 9 from 2 to 4 p.m., head to KEW Gardens to grab a spot on the grass and hear the sweet sounds of local music outdoors. This series runs every Sunday until the end of August.

Here's the summer lineup for Music in the Park.

July 9

Ahi

July 15

Ken Whiteley

July 16

Victor & Penny

July 22

Countermeasure

July 23

Old Man Flanagan's Pants

August 6

Suzie Vinnick

August 13

Julian Taylor Band

August 20

Countermeasure

August 27 

The Young Novelists

A huge plume of black smoke rose over Toronto this afternoon as firefighters raced to the Dundas and Ossington area to get the fire under control.

The fire apparently spread to four houses on Argyle Street. The houses were all evacuated and no major injuries have been reported thus far. 

Fire: Argyle St (Ossington/Dundas).. fire has spread to 4 homes so far. Homes are being evacuated. No injs at this point. #GO1203129 ^adc

— Toronto Police OPS (@TPSOperations) July 5, 2017

Images of the fire and the pillar of smoke appeared on social media around rush hour today, showing a dramatic scene on the west side of the city.

Big #fire in #Toronto ossington/Dundas area #torontofirepic.twitter.com/Gi36zh37RB

— Sean Stevenson (@seanshotfirst) July 5, 2017

The entire area surrounding the fire smells heavily of burning wood and the air is filled with fine debris and water droplets from fire hoses.

A post shared by Mike Wood (@usbmike) on Jul 5, 2017 at 2:44pm PDT

Many who live on the street were gathered amidst the crowd watching in horror as the smoke grew thicker. Firefighters on scene reported at least one significant explosion as they tried to control the blaze.

Photo by Derek Flack.

Police continually moved onlookers further from the scene as it spread to additional houses. Meanwhile, considerable gusts of wind drew the acrid smoke as far north as Bloor St.

Photo by Derek Flack.

The fire is currently categorized as a three alarm blaze, and wide swath around Argyle, Dovercourt, and Ossington streets is closed off to traffic.

Photo by Derek Flack.

The old Dollarama space at Gerrard and Coxwell is now Toronto's newest craft brewery. After months of anticipation this 6,000 square foot spot in Little India is finally up and running.

Godspeed Brewery, the highly anticipated project from Luc "Bim" Lafontaine (ex Dieu du Ciel!), opened its retail store this past weekend. It drew lineups as it introduced its initial three beers to the city.

A post shared by BeerTruckDriver (@beertruckdriver) on Jul 1, 2017 at 4:13pm PDT

Right now, there's a Dortmunder, a Stout and an IPA on offer. Each one comes in a 355 millilitre can ($3.75). 

A post shared by Michelle (@mlgenttner) on Jul 3, 2017 at 10:15am PDT

The retail store is open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily. The 140-seat brewpub is slated to open later this summer.

There are already a few festivals and parties that'll bring the country vibes to Toronto, but only one is taking over an island to transport you and your palette to the backwoods.

The Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival by Taste Toronto is happening at Ontario Place and will feature meat, craft beer, bourbon cocktails, live country music, line dancing and a mechanical bull. There'll also be BBQ workshops, axe throwing and a "backyard chill zone."

There will be over 20 vendors at this big ol' country jamboree, including AAA Bar, Barque Smokehouse, Gotham Grill, Fidel Gastros, 
Jerk Brothers, Apple Fritter Factory, and La Novela to name a few. 

Tickets start at $4.95 and go on sale July 11.

Toronto in the 1990s was truly an awesome spot. Technology had yet to overtake our lives; instead it constantly delivered cool new toys and mouth-watering possibilities. Things got grungier, sexier and rawer. Our local television universe expanded, while the internet blew everything wide open.

We stared into an impending millennium and projected a beautiful future... that still hasn't quite arrived. Everyone who grew up in Toronto in the 1990s will remember it slightly differently, but these are some of the retro ties which universally bind us.

Behold, 30 signs you grew up in Toronto in the '90s.

1. Your Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in 1992. And then again, the following year, and you wondered how anything could possibly ever top that.

2. You or someone you knew owned the Barenaked Ladies yellow tape.

3. You dropped a lot of change into Streetfighter II arcades, which luckily could be found in most Pizza Pizza locations.

4.You thought PJ "Phresh" Phil was the coolest guy on TV, and as you watched him daily on YTV's The Zone and hoped one day you might be 1/1000th as awesome as he was.

5. You were slightly freaked out by Bert & Gert, the rabbits from Stay Alert Stay Safe who appeared on TV and in school to warn you of stranger danger with alarming frequency.

6. You bought many CDs at the HMV at 333 Yonge St, which amazingly allowed you to actually listen to them on the 2nd floor before purchase.

7. Your go-to guy for pop music was the mighty Tarzan Dan, on TV and radio.

8. You watched Speaker's Corner religiously because you once dropped $1 to record one and wondered if it ever made it on air. You also learned about the existence of the Barenaked Ladies, Scott Speedman and Zanta thanks to the show.

9. March 4, 1994 officially became the saddest day ever when you heard that John Candy had died.

10. You engaged in home karaoke sessions thanks to Polytel.

11. You noticed that everyone wore Cotton Ginny.

12. As the decade rolled on, you were increasingly haunted by the demented narrator who demanded we "buy Phantom by phone" for The Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theatre.

13. You got your first lesson in corporate re-branding when you visited Canada's Wonderland and noticed it was now called Paramount's Canada's Wonderland and was overrun with Klingons and rides based upon feature films like Days of Thunder and Top Gun.

14. You watched Star Trek: The Next Generation on Citytv ("Your Federation Station") but drew the line at attending the finale with 40,000 trekkies at the SkyDome.

15. You took full advantage of $2 Tuesdays at Cineplex, even if the Eaton Centre theatre screen was not much bigger than your TV at home.

16. You rented video games and VHS tapes at Blockbuster, and there seemed to be one on every corner.

17. You cheered the arrival of the Toronto Raptors in 1995 and after the Jays back-to-back World Series wins were sure it was the birth of a new Toronto sports dynasty.

18. You went to Lee's Palace and had your ears blown off by a live show, or simply checked out the latest Britpop or Electronica being played at the Dance Cave.

19. You listened to the Jesse & Gene show on AM640, and felt like it was really pushing the envelope.

20.You were in awe of the rich people and drug dealers who had cell phones.

21. You endured scrambled signals on Pay-Per-View in the faint hope the picture would stabilize for a split second.

22. You stayed up late to see Dave Bronstein aka "the Prince of Love" tell you how to pick up girls in Toronto night clubs, and if you were really brave you called his 1-900 number and put a $50 charge on your parent's phone bill.

23. You made regular pilgrimage to 299 Queen Street West, home of MuchMusic and Citytv - epicentre of all cool things in the city. No matter the time of day, this temple of pop-culture hegemony was guaranteed to be a hive of activity.

24. You regularly watched Electric Circus to "make fun of it", but you secretly loved Monika Deol and the EC dancers.

25. You looked at NOW because it was actually a useful alt-weekly.

26. You owned at least one Chris Sheppard Pirate Radio Sessions CD.

27. You heard a lot about Ice beer and how strong it was and figured if you were gonna crush brew, it might as well be that.

28. You went to a rave at the Ontario Science Centre.

29.. You found Rap City on MuchMusic to be essential viewing for a dose of hip-hop, rap and ragga, as it was pretty much the only place you could find it.

30. You didn't really notice Toronto's official millennial mascot - "Millenni" - but went to Nathan Phillip's Square anyways to usher in the year 2000 and all the amazing things the new millennium would bring...

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.

There's a cultural smorgasbord of events in Toronto today, including the Fringe Festival, outdoor concerts, a rock and roll dance party, and a massive art gallery takeover celebrating the Canadian experience with a headliner from A Tribe Called Red. 

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

Open now

• Chula, a Mexican spot at 1058 Gerrard St. E. (at Jones St.) that features two tiki bars – including one on a rooftop patio– opens today.
• Uncle Mikey’s, a modern Korean tapas joint and sake/soju bar, is now serving dinner at 1597 Dundas St. W.
• Godspeed Brewery's retail store has opened at 242 Coxwell Ave. and is currently selling three kinds of beer in 355 mL cans; its restaurant/pub will soon follow.
• The Pint Public House, a massive sports bar that originated in Western Canada, opens today by the Rogers Centre at 277 Front St. W., taking over what was formerly a Baton Rouge.
• Fudao Noodle House has replaced Super Noodle Express at 368 Spadina Ave. with affordable Yunnan-style rice noodles (including the famous “crossing the bridge” noodles).
• Qualitea, an Asian tea shop that features "handmade cheese"on its drinks (it's been described as a cheesecake-like foam), has opened at 469 Queen St. W. (by Spadina).
• Surf the Greats, a surf shop and cafe in Leslieville, is now open at 276 Carlaw Ave.
• Bickford Bistro, the restaurant at the newly renovated and restored Guild Inn Estate at the Scarborough Bluffs, is now open Thursdays to Sundays.
• XO Gelato has replaced Il Gelatiere at 647 Mt. Pleasant Rd. in Davisville.

Recently reviewed

• Tennessee Tavern
• La Rose Bakery
• Jet Fuel Coffee
• Carousel Bakery
• Si Lom
• Caribbean Sunset

Opening soon

• The highly anticipated Broadview Hotel has announced that it'll have its soft opening on July 27. The full dining experience will be up and running by end of summer.
• Monga, a Taiwanese fried chicken joint, is taking over the former Kathi Roll Express space at 692 Yonge St.
• Hoki Poke is opening up its second poke shop at 563 Yonge St. on July 10. All poke bowls and burritos are $5 off during the first week.
• Something called Sugo Cafe will replace the short-lived Big Daddy's at 1281 Bloor St. W. (by Lansdowne) in Bloordale.

Closed

• After 22 years, Parkdale dive bar Mezzrow’s closed on July 1. Rumour has it the rent skyrocketed without much warning.
• Popular Leaside brunch spot Rosie's Kitchen has closed.

Other news

• Fish & chip shop Chippy’s on West Queen West across from Trinity Bellwoods Park has rebranded and is now called Hooky’s.

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

Fewer house are changing hands in the Toronto area as home sales dropped 37.3 percent last month in comparison to June 2016.

In Toronto proper, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board's latest report, detached home sales plummeted nearly 43 percent compared to June 2016.

Across the GTA, 19,614 new residential listings hit the market for a year-over-year increase of 15.9 percent. Two months ago, the number of listings was up 48.9 percent since May 2016. 

“We are in a period of flux that often follows major government policy announcements pointed at the housing market," said TREB president Tim Syrianos in a news release.

"On one hand, consumer survey results tell us many households are very interested in purchasing a home in the near future, but some of these would-be buyers seem to be temporarily on the sidelines waiting to see the real impact of the Ontario Fair Housing Plan. "

Year-over-year, prices across the GTA are up 6.3 percent.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Toronto's planners and policy makers were little seduced by the city's old buildings, and in many cases sought to expand and develop Toronto from the ground up.

There are countless ways that one could track this particular strand of Toronto's story — by looking at plans for superhighways, at the grand buildings lost to demolition, or even at aerial photos that depict the changing shape of the city — but the starkest visual evidence is the preponderance of parking lots in the downtown core during this period.

At the time, buildings weren't just knocked down in order to be replaced with newer structures, but to sit in limbo before development eventually proceeded.

Queen's Quay and Lower Jarvis / Sherbourne area, 1960s (the current site of the Corus Quay building).

Perhaps the best example of this involves the former Board of Trade Building, located at Yonge and Front streets, which was knocked down in 1958 only to sit vacant (save for a few parked cars) until construction began on the EDS Building in the early 1980s. 

Most of the empty spaces in these images have since been filled via Toronto's various real estate and development booms, though some not until more recently than you might think.

It nevertheless remains mind-boggling to see just how thinned out these areas were only 30 years ago, particularly considering that they were generally quite dense to begin with. Here's a look at Toronto of the 1960s and 70s, a place where it was never hard to find a parking spot.

Behold, that time when Toronto was a city of parking lots.

Parking lot beside the old north building at the St. Lawrence Market, early 1960s.

Parking lot near Wellington and Yonge, 1960s.

Parking across from City Hall, late 1960s.

Area between Bay and Yonge south of Front, late 1960s.

Parking lots abound around the St. Lawrence Market, 1960s.

A view of the central waterfront in the 1970s, just before the post-industrial period really kicked off. Photo via Harbourfront Centre.

View from the CN Tower, mid 1970s.

View from the CN Tower, mid 1970s.

First Canadian Place and area around King and Bay, 1976. Photo via Panda Associates.

Ontario Place and the Exhibition Grounds, 1980s.

Area around the Harbour Commission Building, 1980s (the current site of the ACC is at the bottom left of the photo).

Bellair between Bloor and Cumberland, 1980s.

Parking lots around the newly built Dome, early 1990s.

Wellington and John area, 1980s.

Blue Jays Way and Front (Spadina at the right of picture), early 1990s.

There's another major subway closure this weekend in Toronto, this time on the east side of Line 1 between Bloor and Lawrence stations. TTC staff will undertake track work during the suspension of service.

Southbound trains on Line 1 will turn back at Lawrence Station and northbound trains will turn back at Bloor Station. Shuttle buses will operate between the stations during the closure, and all stations will remain open for the sale of fares boarding surface routes.

During the subway closure on-street parking on Yonge St. will temporarily be restricted to keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible. There will also be increased service on east/west routes from the Spadina side of Line 1.

Subway service will resume on Monday morning. The next scheduled closure will eliminate weekend service on Line 2 between  Jane and Ossington stations on June 15 and 16.

Fried chicken in Toronto does not adhere to a single regional style. This is a city where southern fried chicken is just one of many options, and finger lickin' Korean, Taiwanese, Filipino, and even unique hot sauce covered variations can be found on menus citywide.

Here are my picks for the top fried chicken joints in Toronto by neighbourhood.

Annex

The Fry is home to some of Toronto's most popular Korean fried chicken. Opt for the Green Onion Chicken, it's the most popular. This mound of fried chicken comes lightly sauced and bedecked with large quantities of green onion.

BaldwinVillage

Formerly McRamyun, Mo'Ramyun offers up a classic chicken katsu, plus fusion recipes like chicken wings coated in crispy crushed noodles.

Sauce up your fried chicken at Kanpai. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Cabbagetown

The TFC, a.k.a Tawainese Fried Chicken at Kanpai boasts a crispy skin dusted in spices and finished with fresh toppings including cilantro, scallions and chili peppers. 

Corktown

Buttermilk fried chicken can be found in the Pit Master Platter at The Carbon Bar. It's served alongside pork ribs, beef brisket, pickles, fries, and chipotle mayo.

Danforth

Morgans on the Danforth does fried chicken southern style. It comes with three pieces of chicken, slaw and sriracha honey, with your choice of jalapeno corn bread, garlic mashed potatoes or fries.

Union Chicken doesn't play around when it comes to spicy fried chicken. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Etobicoke

Make your way to Sherway Gardens to get your hands on Union Chicken's secret menu item Uncle Ray's Lightning Chicken. Fried chicken comes slathered in a house-made habanero, cayenne and chicken fat sauce.

FinancialDistrict

Momofuku Noodle Bar's fried chicken is a large format meal featuring one southern-style fried chicken and one done Korean style. It's meant to feed groups of four to eight and it comes with scallion pancakes, sauces and sides.

HighPark

The southern fried chicken dish at The Mugshot Tavern comes with a lot of food. Each order includes a trimmed half chicken battered and fried crisp, plus broccoli slaw and mac 'n' cheese (or your choice of side).

Junction

The Yardbird at Roux can be had one of three ways. Order this southern-style chicken with waffles and bourbon maple syrup, with spicy slaw and mash, or with grits.

Chicken is fried to perfection at The Dirty Bird. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Kensington Market

The Dirty Bird distinguishes itself from the rest of the flock with its signature northern-style fried chicken. Orders range from two piece combos all the way up to 10 pieces with three sides. Or grab your fried chicken in a sandwich or even with waffles.

KingEast

Cluck Clucks boasts some of the best fried chicken in the city. Fried chicken is available by the piece, on a waffle and on a sandwich. 

Koreatown

Delectable brunch isn't the only offering at White Brick Kitchen. It does classic buttermilk fried chicken with garlic bread and your choice of side. For $2 extra you can make it hot.

Little India

Fried chicken done Japanese style is just one of several beer-friendly foods at Eulalie's Corner Store. It's accompanied by a cabbage and cheese pancake, Japanese mayo and okanomi sauce.

North York

Max's Restaurant hails from the Philippines, as does its 70-year-old recipe for fried chicken. Available by the half or whole bird, expect flavourful and moist seasoned poultry, fried to a perfect golden hue. A side of garlic rice is well advised.

Parkdale

Buttermilk fried chicken with gravy, hot sauce and syrup is right at home on Electric Mud's menu of southern fare. Get some crack buns and pork rinds to start, then a side of coleslaw to cut through the richness.

Fried chicken platters are meant for sharing at Chimac. Photo by Jesse Milns.

Queen West

Korean fried chicken is the speciality at Chimac. First, you make a choice between boneless or bone-in chicken. Then you decide if you want white, dark, or a mix of meats. You can also get it dry or smothered in sauce.

Riverside

Kaboom Chicken is another joint all about Korean fried chicken. It's available on a ramen burger, on bubble egg waffles, or by the piece served alongside slaw and fries. 

Roncesvalles Village

The Ace certainly knows how to ace this southern staple. The country-fried chicken boasts a crackling exterior and moist, juicy flesh inside. Each order comes with collard greens, cornbread, and ham gravy for good measure.

If you're looking for a hearty brunch The Stockyards chicken and waffles may be your best bet. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

St. Clair West

The Stockyards is famous for its fried chicken, along with its barbecue. Here you'll find fried chicken over Belgian waffles in the morning; later, it's all about the four-piece dinners served with fries, coleslaw and hot sauce.

West Queen West

The fried chicken plate is the pièce de résistance at Bar Fancy. Each order features four pieces of delicious, crispy-skinned chicken accompanied by slices of Wonder Bread, pickles, lime, sauces and wet naps.

Yonge & Dundas

If you're on the hunt for a slab of fried chicken bigger than your head, look no further than Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken. The Taiwan-based chain offers giant pieces of fried chicken served in paper bags. 

On the heels of its big award, the TTC will get a huge influx of cash thanks to the federal government.

In a statement released today, Mayor John Tory said Toronto is expected to receive, "$4.8 billion of Ontario’s $8.34-billion allocation from the Government of Canada for our transit network expansion plan, which includes the Relief Line, Smart Track, the Eglinton East LRT and Waterfront transit."

According to a news release from TTC Chair Josh Colle, Infrastucture Minister Amarjeet Sohi outlined in a letter a cost-sharing plan that said Toronto transit projects should receive one third of their funding from the province.

Colle's statement says the city will advocate for a 40-40-20 funding model that's split between all three levels of government.

Regardless, a nearly $5 billion investment seems like a huge boon for public transportation in the city. 

Xavier Rudd is bringing his Change Coming 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 three lucky readers a chance to attend the concert on July 19.

Check out all the contest details here.

Epic ice cream cones are a dime a dozen in Toronto right now, but one of the original purveyors of these over-the-t0p treats keeps on spreading the soft serve gospel.

Sweet Jesus is opening up another location, and this time it's in the Annex at 416 Bloor St. W., just a few doors down from El Furniture Warehouse, later this summer.

The Instagrammable ice cream shop now has numerous outposts across Ontario, including in Ottawa, Niagara Falls and Port Carling in Muskoka.

A post shared by Sweet Jesus (@sweetjesus) on Jul 2, 2017 at 8:50am PDT

The original Sweet Jesus came attached to the John Street La Carnita, and that taco restaurant is expanding too. It's slated to open in Winnipeg in mid-August.

Weekend events in Toronto truly usher in summer with a long list of parties, food, film, music and major outdoor event options for your mind, body and soul. If you like dancing, you're in luck because the Dreams Fest and Salsa on St. Clair are back. If you're hungry, there are international menus ready for your belly all weekend long. 

Have you ever wanted to order a pizza, but didn't actually want to eat a piping hot pie? 

If you're just craving a culinary connection, one mysterious Toronto service aims to fulfil that emotional need thanks to its fake pizza hotline.

Testing a new system? Phone #phishing scam? #ForeverAlone ? #FakePizza#Torontopic.twitter.com/m0BUnX4XpM

— Jann MV (@JannMV) July 4, 2017

Spotted on sign boards in Toronto recently, the fliers promise a "perfect simulation of the pizza ordering experience." 

what if you hate ordering pizza, is there a fake pizza hotline website, please, I am bad at talking on the phone https://t.co/Ml1SFGn1O2

— Bi Millenial Man (@HellaNarez) July 6, 2017

It's all about the satisfaction of ordering your dream pie, hanging up, and carrying on with your night.

The phone lines officially open Saturday, July 15 at 11:58 p.m. and close Sunday, July 15 at 2:30 a.m., which really is prime munchie time. Call 647-483-2705 between those wee hours of the morning and see what happens. 

I'd like to invest 1 million dollars in Fake Pizza Hotline Festival please.

— Dystopioca Pudding (@MasterofDiaspar) July 6, 2017

There's some speculation that the group behind the signs is The Marxist Nudist Taxidermy Club Toronto, a campy, fun-loving organization that's hosted unique events in the city, such as an award show called The Minties.

Can it be a thing where everyone who calls the Fake Pizza Hotline just gets that pizza sent to my house?? pic.twitter.com/9gVGOdFdzs

— Alex Cooper (@Alex_Cooper89) July 6, 2017

Folks are free to call the hotline now, but all you'll hear is a recorded message that fake pizzas are ready to be ordered, and not made, sent or eaten early on Sunday morning.

This could, of course, all be an elaborate guerrilla marketing campaign for a big pizza chain. But whatever, bring on the fake 'za.

Given the state of the Toronto real estate market over the last little while, you could be forgiven for thinking you need to lay down a million bucks to get a truly nice 2-plus bedroom condo. Regardless of any cool down in the works, that's not really the case. 

Sure, $1 million seems to be a benchmark on King West for a decent size luxury condo, but leave the core and your cash goes quite a bit further. Case in point, this condo at 88 Park Lawn Rd., near Humber Bay.

It's two bedrooms plus a small office area with a wrap around terrace that adds plenty of space in the summer. The master bedroom isn't huge, of course, but it's more than adequate for an urban dwelling.

In general, I like the layout here, which maximizes livable space. The open kitchen and living room are well designed for entertaining, but not so much that you can't imagine throwing together dinner while keeping an eye on the TV on an average work night. 

People who want to walk or ride everywhere won't love the location, but Humber Bay Shores has evolved over the last five years. It's a condo community to be sure, but there are plenty of amenities close by (grocery stores, restaurants, farmers' markets), and being so close to lake is quite alluring. 

Specs

• Address: #605 - 88 Park Lawn Rd.
• Price: $698,000
• Bedrooms: 2 + 1
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking: 1
• Walk Score: 59
• Transit Score: 68
• Maintenance Fees: $632.63
• Listing agent: Matthew Fernandes
• Listing ID: W3861540

Good For

Someone who loves the lake and all the parkland nearby. This unit is certainly nice inside and the building has lots of amenities, but the happiest buyer will also take advantage of being so close to the water.

Move On If

You don't own a car. The area around this condo is progressively getting more and more built up, but relying on the 501 streetcar all the time would be a drag. 

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