The Beaches Jazz Festival's huge Queen Street East takeover begins today in Toronto. There are also a couple film screenings on as well as a huge art battle and a massive yoga event. 

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

• Sud Forno's new location at 132 Yonge St. (at Temperance) opened yesterday.
• Alchemy Food & Drink is now open at 890 College St., which was previously Fat City Blues.
• Copper Branch, a 100% plant-based food outlet that originated in Montreal, has opened in Commerce Court at 199 Bay St. in the Financial District.
• Catering/wholesale biz Food Benders has opened up a retail shop at 1162 Bloor St. W. in Bloordale, which has replaced its former shop in the Junction Triangle.
• Zav Coffee Shop and Gallery is now open at 2048 Danforth Ave.
• The Little Sandwich Shoppe, a small food court stall in Shoppes of the Parkway at 670 Hwy 7 East, Unit 70, has opened in Richmond Hill.

Recently reviewed

• MiMi Noodle House
• The Goodman Pub & Kitchen
• Spirit of York
• Bourbon Street Smokehouse
• Uncle Mikey's
• Sugo
• Tabriz Persian Cookhouse
• Elchi Chai Shop
• Baked on Brock
• Jerk Paradise

Opening soon

• Pablo, known for its Japanese cheese tarts, now has an official opening date for its first Canadian location, which will be at 114 Dundas St. W. Mark your calendars for Aug. 18.
• The Six Brewing Co., a new craft brewer, will be taking over the former Bent space at 777 Dundas St. W.
• Plancha, which will offer "educated street food inspired by culinary epicentres like Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Greece, and Italy," is set to open at 44 Victoria St. next month.
• Earlscourt BBQ by Pork Ninjas, which has had pop-ups at Wenona Lodge and Monarch Tavern, will be opening in Corso Italia at 1278 St. Clair Ave. W. in September.

Closed

• Organic burger chain Bareburger has closed up its sole Toronto location.
• Odd Espresso Bar didn't last long. For rent signs are now posted in the window.

Other news

• Adelaide Eats, the summer outdoor food vendor market in the Financial District, has extended its run until August 18.

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

It'll be business as usual on the Toronto Islands next week as the city will finally reopen one of the most beautiful parts of the city.

The Toronto Island Park - including Ward's Island, Hanlan's Point, Centre Island and the Centreville Theme Park - will officially reopen this Monday, July 31. Olympic Island, however, will remain closed due to high water levels.

#CityofTO announces Toronto Island Park to reopen Monday, July 31. Details in this news release https://t.co/dI3hsRUdvv#TOnews@TorontoPFRpic.twitter.com/HaTkeiY4Ph

— City of Toronto (@TorontoComms) July 27, 2017

Regular ferry service is set to resume on Monday too and ferry tickets will become available online starting tomorrow, July 28.

Toronto Island Park reopens on July 31 & ferry resumes 6:30 am that day. Online tickets sales start tomorrow at https://t.co/d15uVV4B1p. pic.twitter.com/9182fz0Nws

— City of Toronto (@TorontoComms) July 27, 2017

In some very good news, according to the city, all beaches on the Island will be up and running with lifeguards on duty. Some might not have the same capacity as before, but they will be at least partially open.

The Centreville Theme Park will open for the season; this might be your last chance to ride the vintage carousel that the park owners sold for $3 million. The Islands will also lose the Rectory Cafe this year. 

Dog-friendly patios in Toronto let you drink outside with all your friends, including the furry ones. Though dogs aren't actually allowed on local patios, these pet-friendly options have shady tie-up spots and water bowls for your four-legged companions.

Here are my picks for the top dog-friendly patios in Toronto. 

3 Brewers

Dog owners are welcome to bring their pets along for some fun and tie them up beside this Liberty Village patio that's happy to provide your pooch with water as they wait. 

The Artful Dodger

Furry friends have lots of green things to poke their snouts into around this patio near Yonge and Wellesley. The atmosphere here is relaxed, making it a great spot for lounging. 

Bandit Brewery

This much-loved Roncesvalles-area patio is large and decked out in twinkling lights. Dogs can't mingle with beer drinkers around the picnic tables, but can be be tied up next to you in the grassy area on the other side of the fence.

Blood Brothers Brewing

This Geary Avenue brewery boasts a quaint little patio and with it a very dog-friendly attitude. Tie your dog up wherever you're sitting on one of the outdoor picnic tables and ask for free water refills whenever necessary. 

Dundas & Carlaw

Part cafe and part bar, this charming east side spot has a large patio, with ultimate afternoon shade. Dogs are welcome on this patio that serves coffee, beer and cocktails. 

Local Public Eatery

This Liberty Village pub has a pretty monstrous patio, complete with outdoor games and a "pooch pound," where you can safely tie up your furry friend, and have them watched and watered while you watch and water yourself. 

Mildred's Temple Kitchen

There are noms for everyone here. With bowls of water upon request and prime patio space next to the garden where dogs will be very comfortable. This is Liberty Village living at its finest.

Northwood

This cafe and bar across from Christie Pits is a hangout spot for dogs who are tied up while their humans have a sip on the patio. Staff are happy to provide water bowls and there are some key fence-side spots if your fur baby can't leave your side. 

Northern Belle

Though this adorable patio is tucked away and surrounded by trees, dogs are welcome to be tied to the fence along Dundas Street West. There's always a water dish waiting, but make sure your pet is in a social mood, as there's a decent amount of foot traffic here after work hours. 

The Rhino

One of the most spacious patios in Parkdale isn't an official dog playground, but the expansive space is a pet-friendly one, and four-legged pals are well-watered and welcome to be tied out front for all to see. 

The Toronto Island Park is finally reopening, meaning the lineups at the ferry docks will soon start to pick up. But if you're heading across the Toronto harbour, you might get to ride in a boat that's been in service since 1910.

The Trillium, as Metro News reports, received a slew of repairs to the tune of $450,000, which included replacing part of its hull.

A post shared by Eddy McGowan (@eddywillyfreddy) on May 8, 2017 at 8:03pm PDT

While the historic boat won't be ready for the Islands' grand reopening on Monday, the Trillium should be up and running within the next few weeks.

The Trillium as it appeared in 1935. Photo via the Toronto Archives.

Look out for it next time you're by the water and watch it glide across the lake during its 107th season in service. 

Trump might have disappeared from the Toronto skyline, but the name will still have a presence in Toronto, at least for a short time this fall.

That's because Melania Trump announced today she'd be leading the American delegation to the Invictus Games, which are being held right here in the city from September 23 to 30.

A post shared by First Lady Melania Trump (@flotus) on Jul 27, 2017 at 6:19am PDT

The sporting event, created by Prince Harry, is for injured, wounded or sick military service members as well as veterans.

“I was heartened by the great success of the inaugural Invictus Games that took place in London in 2015, and the second games in Orlando, Florida last year,” said Mrs. Trump in a statement released today.

As the Toronto Star points out, the first Invictus Games were held in London in 2014. 

Navigating around Toronto should be a bit easier this weekend, though there are a few major road closures to be aware of. 

In addition to major roadwork along Dundas St., the annual Beaches Jazz Festival will close off a big chunk of Queen St. starting on Thursday, July 27. 

Queen Street East between Woodbine Avenue and Beech Avenue will be closed three consecutive evenings from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. from July 27 to 29 for the street festival.

During the closure times Thursday to Saturday, the TTC's 501 Queen Street replacement bus will turn back at the Woodbine Loop and the 64 Main Street buses will divert via Wineva Avenue, Alfresco Lawn, Lee Avenue, Williamson Road and Southwood Drive.

On Sunday, the music festival will be restricted to Woodbine Park from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with no road closures required. Please note roads near the park will be busy. 

In addition to the road closures, there's also another major subway shutdown this weekend, this time on Line 1 between Sheppard West and St. George stations on July 29 and 30 due to signal upgrades.

Parties in Toronto this August will help us forget how uncooperative the weather has been thanks to their sunny vibes and cool outdoor venues. There's a party on a boat and by a pool as well as a fake prom with a horror movie theme. Soak up summer while it lasts.

Weekend events in Toronto take over streets, beaches and fields for three days of music, dancing and eating. Don't fret if Wayhome is taking some of your friends out of the city — there are so many other concerts, dance parties and beer events here, you'll barely even notice they're gone. 

Toronto may have plenty of condos advertised as lofts, but true hard lofts that look great aren't as common as you might think. This unit at 1 Columbus Ave. (near Dundas and Sorauren) is obviously an exception. It's just a beautiful space.

Along with the brick and beam highlights, it features a private elevator that goes straight up to the living space. Throw in a cool-looking rounded staircase, a pimped out kitchen, and a gas fireplace, and you have the formula for one envy-worthy condo.

The cherry on top is the 1,600 square foot rooftop patio that features a gas fire pit, a barbecue, a kitchen and a view down to the lake. I could see myself spending a lot of time up here. 

Size-wise, the unit is bigger than it reads on specs thanks to the office/dressing area. This is a smart use of space and contributes to the overall vibe of intelligent adaptation that radiates from the design here.

Specs

• Address: 1 Columbus Ave.
• Price:$2,495,000
• Bedrooms: 2
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking: 2
• Walk Score: 86
• Transit Score: 100
• Maintenance Fees: $868.91
• Listing agent: Carol Lome
• Listing ID: W3881127

Good For

Someone who fell in love with the lofts featured in 1980s movies set in Manhattan. Let's not compare Toronto to New York, but this has that dreamy vibe that directors of the period cultivated.

Move On If

You really want to live near a subway line. This condo boasts a 100 transit score, but not everyone loves the idea of relying on Toronto's streetcars.

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

The grocery store wars started to heat up in Toronto earlier this year after a select few Junction Triangle residents started a petition against a Food Basics opening in their neighbourhood.

Signage at the base of the Fuse2 condo building, located at the corner of Dupont and Landsdowne, initially indicated that the former warehouse space would become a Metro.

However, Metro Inc., decided to open a Food Basics - its discount arm - in its place.Some weren't pleased with this alleged bait-and-switch and someone started an online petition to protest it. The petition has since garnered 300 digital signatures and delightful comments such as:

At the corner of Lansdowne and DuPont where is Metro wonder why?#junctiontriangle#foodbasics#metro#fusecondospic.twitter.com/ubVMUQ3MAc

— HappeningJT (@happeningjt) May 29, 2017

"This isn't complicated. The neighbourhood isn't low end, and hasn't been for a long long time - and no one in it is thrilled to see low end storefronts open up."

Some folks advocated for the cheaper store, writing:

"If you don't like Food basics, nobody is holding a gun to your head to shop there. Be an adult and just go somewhere else. How dare you yuppies move in to this neighbourhood and start dictating on what can and can't be here? Those people with the "I only bought at Fuse because of a Metro" comments, really need some life coaching. "

A rep from Metro Inc., previously said, "The business decision was made to open a Food Basics at Lansdowne and Dupont because we believe it will better suit the needs of the community."

The store is now open. And it sells beer. 

The worst hotels in Toronto are places to avoid if you're visiting and looking for a decent spot to spend the night. Unlike the best hotels in the city, these places have earned bad reputations for cleanliness, service and safety. Steer clear of these hotels if you need a good night's sleep. 

Here are my picks for the worst hotels in Toronto.

Jun Jun Hotel

It may be centrally located, and only steps away from some of the city's most vibrant neighbourhoods and attractions, but this small College Street hotel has been known for its less than friendly service and cleanliness.

West Queen West Hotel

Don't be fooled by this Parkdale hotel's location and new website. There's mysteriously very little information to be found about its affordable rooms, and it's not a clean place to stay. The main critique by many is that this place shouldn't even be able to call itself a hotel. 

Howard Johnson Roncesvalles

If you're looking to stay in the far reaches of the city's west side, please avoid this HoJo on the corner of Roncesvalles and Queen. It may tease that it's steps from the water and two cool neighbourhoods, but be warned, the rooms are small and reviews all mention garbage and bugs. 

Madison Manor Boutique Hotel

A restored mansion steps away from Spadina subway might seem like an adorable place to stay while in Toronto, but it's a big, run down old house. The staff is said to be friendly, and they often respond to complaints online, just don't spend the night here if you're looking for a true boutique hotel experience. 

Econo Lodge

There is very little that needs to be said about this hotel at Jarvis and Gerrard. The inside is run down, it's not clean and although it does have Wi-Fi and a central location, you won't want to spend more than one night here if you absolutely have to. 

Filmores Hotel

This hotel on Dundas St. East is above a strip club. You are getting exactly what you pay (too much) for. Visitors could expect noise and bugs. 

Knights Inn 

Tucked away at Jarvis and Gerrard Streets is this hotel where a one night stay starts at $127. There are rooms in the basement, there are boarded up windows, cleaning service isn't regular and parking isn't included. 

Alexandra Hotel

This hotel south of Kensington Market could better be described as a dorm. Though it's said to be cleaner than most and includes an in-room kitchenette, it's a very basic space that has an abandoned hospice vibe. 

Royal Oak Inn

A corner spot at Dundas and Ontario means you're in the middle of a lot of action, but perhaps not the kind you're looking for. There are 25 rooms in this hotel that have all been described as tiny, the cleanliness is questionable and the neighbourhood is not a good place for tourists at night. 

Isabella Hotel and Suites

A "renovated" mansion with an attached bar on the ground level might sound fun at first, but the miniature rooms, dated amenities (including a rickety elevator) and shoddy service, barely make the handy location of this hotel (it's steps away from Sherbourne station) worth your money. 

Black Creek Pioneer Village wants to be more than just a spot for elementary school field trips.

It already hosts an array of events and activities, but it just launched its Nightlife program. Aside from just offering historical reenactments, it now features haunted walks, axe throwing, archery dodgeball and a brand new escape game from Secret City Adventures - the folks behind the escape games at Casa Loma.

This one's called Where the Dark Things Dwell, and it's all about the occult and dark magic. The premise here is that a cult leader has cursed the town of Black Creek and you, a traveller who's arrived in the village, have to break the evil spell.

Like many escape games, this one's super campy. But like most campy things, it's a lot of fun and provides a kitschy alternative to just heading to the bar on a Friday night. It's pretty spooky too thanks to the people in white masks who have a tendency to suddenly appear behind you. 

But try to ignore them as you work in teams of six, while competing against other groups, in attempt to capture the cult leader (spoiler alert: my team won). 

Throughout your journey, you traipse through Black Creek and work out puzzles in the various historic buildings on site. If you ask nicely, the kindly, but cursed villagers might just give you clues.

I'd reveal more about the 90 minute game, but Secret City would probably curse me. 

Where the Dark Things Dwell launches this weekend and it's $32 to play. 

Toronto food events always ramp up during the summer, and over the next two weeks you can look forward to the massive Toronto Food Truck Festival as well as plenty of other events that'll have you eating and drinking in the great outdoors. 

Toronto tea lovers have plenty of options when it comes to shopping for tea here, but the local market is about to shrink as one major player pulls out for good.

Yesterday, Starbucks announced it would close all 379 of its stand alone Teavana stores. According to the Associated Press, the American-based company is looking to focus its efforts on improving sales at its ubiquitous coffee shops. 

This means the six remaining Toronto Teavana stores will shut down. There are currently locations at the Eaton Centre, the Shops at Don Mills, Fairview Mall, Scotia Plaza, Yorkdale Shopping Centre, and Brookfield Place. 

Literally me after hearing that Starbucks is closing down all Teavana stores: pic.twitter.com/SvO4TP4yZd

— Kyle Burbank (@KyleBurbank) July 27, 2017

There are also Teavana locations scattered throughout the GTA. Starbucks initially bought Teavana back in 2012.

Brigsby Bear starring Kyle Mooney, Mark Hamill, Claire Danes and Andy Samberg hits theatres on August 4. Want to see the flick before anyone else? We've teamed up with Mongrel Media to give readers a chance to win a pair of passes to an advance screening.

Check out all the contest details here.

Five plots of land on the north end of Lake Joseph don't come cheap, especially when one already has a 7,000 square-foot luxury cottage sitting on it.

For nearly $12.9 million, you can gain access to 2,000 feet of shoreline and 29 acres of land to create the ultimate Muskoka compound.The estate, called Edgestone (so you know it's fancy), features a cottage that actually goes for a rustic aesthetic, despite the fact that it's way bigger than most detached houses in Toronto.

The existing main cottage features typical design elements, but everything's kicked up a notch, from cathedral ceilings to the giant stone fireplace.

This ultimate cabin in the woods includes seven bedroom and seven bathrooms, so you can still have friends and family over as they wait for their own cottages to be built. 

Despite wood paneling and exposed beams throughout this house, it still has modern amenities, such as this show-stopping, luxurious bathroom that looks like the perfect place to unwind after a long day on the dock.

Along with a dock and two boathouses, this expansive waterfront also has a private beach that's nestled in a cove, so it's protected from both prying eyes and rough days on the water.

There's also a huge garage on site, which can easily be transformed into your own rec centre. It shouldn't be too hard to have fun at this Muskoka playground.

If you've wondered what a $500K house looks like in Toronto these days, you might be in for a bit of a surprise. There's been lots of talk about a downturn in the market, but that doesn't erase the wild gains that home prices have made over the last decade.

And so we have this small semi nestled between the Stockyards and Rockcliffe-Smythe that sold for $525K earlier this month. It was listed at $399K and lasted on the market for all of one day before it was snatched up at $125K over asking.

Sure, it was never likely to go for the asking price, but this place needs some major work before someone's going to want to move in. There are, of course, three bedrooms, so a careful renovation could turn this into a nice living space for a small family, but it'll take quite an investment. 

The Essentials

• Address: 5 Ravenal St.
• Type: Semi-detached house
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 2
• Lot size: 16.96 x 94 feet
• Hit the market at: $399,000
• Time on market: 1 day
• Sold for: $525,000

Why it sold for what it did

Even if the interior is rough around the edges, this house does have a few things going for it beyond the low price (relatively speaking). It has three bedrooms with two bathrooms and a finished basement. Someone can obviously imagine what this place would look like in a revamped state.

Was it worth it?

It could be a great spot for someone with hefty DIY skills who's able to renovate the place without much professional help. The value here is in the footprint of the home and the neighbourhood, which is certainly on the rise. 

Toronto's filled with envy inducing office spaces that'll make you hate your window-less cubicle, unless you happen to work in one of these stunning spaces.

One of the newer spaces that fall into this category in Toronto belongs to Deluxe Entertainment subsidiary Stereo D, a company that converts 2D movies into 3D.

These coils are pneumatic hoses that accent the various wires that snake up to the ceiling. Photo by Bob Gundu.

It's worked on high-profile films such as War of the Planet of the Apes, Spiderman: Homecoming, Star Wars: Rogue One, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the list goes on and on. 

Much of the magic at Stereo D is done in the dark, so Quadrangle Architects was tasked with transforming the former Canada Bread Factory at 2 Fraser Ave. in Liberty Village into a suitable working environment.

Co-lead designer Vera Gisarov says the project, which was completed in 2016, came with its challenges.

"It [designing for a dark space] really changes everything because you’re not in a typical bright and light tech office that you kind of see everywhere nowadays where everything is white and bright colours," she says.

Yet, Gisarov explains she and her team used these limitations to create a theatrical mood that fits right in with what Stereo D does.

Photo by Richard Johnson.

The office is situated in 45,000 square feet of a converted industrial building and Gisarov notes they wanted to let the building speak for itself. Elements from the structure's past are found scattered about, including the clocks made from the ends of the bread factory's old boilers.

Photo by Richard Johnson.

Gisarov explains this area is called Central Park (hence the green carpeting) because it's a meeting space that runs through the middle of the office.

Photo by Richard Johnson.

Like Central Park with its skylights, the kitchen has lots of windows. Gisarovs says this room, unlike other places, takes advantage of the natural light. Along with its high-tech and heritage features, the office also includes a lounge and of course, a screening room.

Stereo D has been in Toronto since 2014. Last year, the provincial government announced it'd be investing up to $4.5 million to support its expansion in Ontario. 

For most of us, our couch is the epicentre of our lives at home. It's where we live, work, and binge on the latest Netflix series.

Over the past five years, Toronto-based photographer Adam Coish has shot 50 different couches, along with the people (and their pets) who own them. His series gives a glimpse into houses and apartments across the city, revealing something unique about each one of his participants.

Coish's series began as an assignment for a course he was taking at Ryerson University, but it quickly expanded beyond the scope of academia.

"I wanted to photograph people in their real spaces," he says. While he's shot many people he knows, he also sought out subjects via Kijiji.

He put the project on the back burner for a little while, but has since revived it by placing a call-out on Bunz. That yielded more than 40 interested parties, so Coish will have lots of couches to choose from. He hopes to eventually mount a small exhibition of his work.

While he's mainly captured couches in Toronto, he also shot some in Nunavut, where his parents used to live.

One of his earliest shots is of John Webster (lead photo), a former colleague at Daily Xtra. This photo, he says, inspired him to keep his project going after Ryerson.

Coish knew brothers Jono and Joey from his home town of Labrador City. They moved here too and when he arrived to photograph them, they suggested showing off their opposing personalities. 

Originally, Coish liked to have his subjects, pets in included, looking straight at the camera. As his project's evolved, he's had participants laugh, smile and in this case, even howl. "It allows each person to stand out amongst the rest a little more," he says.

This was one of Coish's most memorable shoots. Helene and Patricia are both musicians. Once Coish was done taking photos, he stuck around for a pickle back shot and they all played music together. "It was just a beautiful time," he says.

Coish took this self-portrait, featuring dog Kobalt and his former roommate Matt (on the left). "This is going to provide you with an awesome photo of where you are in your life right now," says Coish, noting what he often tells his subjects.

Since he took this photo, he's since moved. But he still has the couch.