In a dynamic city like Toronto, you're about as likely to see a crane in the sky as you are an abandoned building. That's why the site of Mirvish Village these days is so startling. The city is now home to set of modern ruins, complete with boarded up buildings and graffiti galore.

The neighbourhood already looked pretty eerie at the beginning of the year after its former tenants had vacated the various shops along Bathurst, Bloor, and Markham streets, but summer has taken it to a new level as the surrounding vegetation slowly overtakes the old buildings.

Adding to the ghostly feel of present day Mirvish Village is the sight of Honest Ed's stripped of its signs. They've only done the Markham side so far, but the building is becoming progressively unrecognizable as its hallmark signage is removed and placed in giant dumpsters out back.

Other little things make a walk along Markham St. an intriguing experience these days. Given all the abandoned buildings, it's remarkably quiet here, such that you can easily hear the numerous squirrels who've made the place home in the wake of a human presence.

Don't expect to be completely alone when you go exploring here, though. Security guards are now a fixture on the site so as to discourage urbex types from getting too brave. They're not particularly intrusive if you're just snapping a few photos though.

These are the last days of Mirvish Village as we once knew it. It won't be too long before Honest Ed's, the anchor of the old neighbourhood, comes down altogether and the first signs of redevelopment rear their head.

For now, the area truly seems like a ghost town where one day all the people just decided to leave. This is especially the case when you pass by without any cars parked on the street. In the midst of the bustling city, this is a little pocket of calm. 

It's worth a visit while this eerie state of purgatory lasts. Don't wait too long, though. You can almost smell the change coming in the air.

Sweetery, the giant dessert festival taking over David Pecault Square, is just one of the Toronto food events happening this weekend. It's a busy two weeks in the city, so plan ahead and get ready to eat. 

The best meatball sandwiches in Toronto are tasty, messy works of art bursting with flavour. Found at Italian hot tables, pizzerias and sandwich shops around the city both old school and new, these satisfying subs are nonna-approved.

Here are the best meatball sandwiches in Toronto.

National Rum Day is right around the corner and in celebration of the big day, Flor de Caña rum is throwing an epic Fire & Ice party. This is one party you don't want to miss, so we've teamed up with them to give you a chance to attend the on August 16. 

Check out all the contest details here.

Cottages in Muskoka don't come dreamier than this one on Lake Joseph - the celebrity-filled enclave where even Cindy Crawford has a vacation property.

High Point, as it's referred to, is situated on a huge granite rock, giving it sweeping views of its surroundings. Since it faces west, it's also privy to glorious Muskoka sunsets, all for $8.5 million.

Beginning lakeside, High Point has an 800 foot waterfront. To enjoy it, there's a three-slip boathouse with a guest suite on top featuring a living room, bedroom and kitchenette.

Of course, there are plenty of decks from which to lounge about on if the lake isn't warm enough to swim in yet.

Even without those additional accommodations, the main house should be able to fit any number of guests considering it's 8,000 square feet with seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

The whole place has a rustic castle vibes, complete with a great room, turrets and a massive kitchen with two islands and four islands - this spot is made for throwing parties.

And guests can arrive via car or can land their helicopter at the on-site heliport.

If folks still don't feel like they've gotten away from it all, albeit in utter opulence, they can get lost amidst the 65 acres that make up this regal property.

Dark sky areas for stargazing and meteor showers around Toronto are typically at least a two hour drive from the light of the city, but that's not too bad considering what incredible sights you can see when you get to truly dark skies. From the northern lights to meteor showers to distant constellations, the wonders of the universe await.

Here are my picks for amazing places to go stargazing near Toronto.

Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve

This is a magical place about two and half hours north of Toronto that's eerily dark, which makes it an excellent spot for stargazing. Situated on crown land, you can camp for free during a meteor shower or when the Northern Lights appear at sub-arctic altitudes (you can also stay in nearby Gravenhurst and drive the 20 minutes to the preserve).

Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area

A rival to the Torrance Barrens, this dark sky viewing area at Lennox and Addington offers respite from light pollution typically experienced in places much further north. It features an observation pad that helps stargazers to navigate in the dark and for amateurs to set up lawn chairs. The drive from Toronto takes about three hours.

North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve

Offering fantastically dark skies given its relative proximity to Toronto and Ottawa, this preserve has a few amenities to make stargazing a bit more comfortable (e.g. washrooms, and electrical hookups). There's also an observation pad and plenty of parking for star-chasers. Some claim this area to be the darkest skies in Southern Ontario.

Algonquin Provincial Park

You don't have to go to a astronomically designated area for dark skies. Open up any light pollution map, and you'll find that Algonquin Park is one of the best spots within three hours of Toronto. Your best bet is to plan a back country trip around meteor shower and wait to be dazzled.

Binbrook Conservation Area

If you can't make it further away from Toronto's light pollution footprint, this conservation area near Hamilton works. There's a clear view to the southern horizon, which is relatively dark thanks to Lake Erie in the distance. Numerous amateur astronomy events take place here as does an annual gathering for the Perseid meteor shower.

You won't have to venture to the CNE or Canada's Wonderland to get your funnel cake fix anymore. That's because there's a funnel cake restaurant opening right in the downtown core.

Funnel Cake Express is moving in right next to Wellesley Station at 8 Wellesley St. E.

The owners, who have run a mobile food stall that appears at various GTA festivals and events, have yet to confirm an opening date. But, the signage is up, so it looks like they'll be getting their deep fryers up and running soon.

A post shared by Funnel Cake Express (@funnelcakeexp) on Jul 21, 2016 at 6:08pm PDT

Along with funnel cakes, Funnel Cake Express has also served up deep-fried cookie dough and deep-friend butter, so you can probably expect a slew of artery-clogging, yet delicious treats at its bricks and mortar location. 

You can find some pretty amazing hikes within a couple hours of Toronto, but if you want to go on the ultimate Ontario adventure, the shores of Lake Superior come calling. 

The word epic gets thrown around too often these days (I'm guilty too), but that really is the word that comes to mind when considering the landscape at Pukaskwa National Park.

The highlight of the trail is crossing the suspension bridge beside  Chigamiwinigum Falls. Photo by Parks Canada.

This place is a feast for the senses, complete with cliffs, waterfalls, rapids, stunning lake views, a wetland boardwalk, and even a 75 foot suspension bridge. All of these sights can been seen along the White River Suspension Bridge Trail.

A post shared by Matt Voll Ingram (@mattingram984) on Aug 10, 2017 at 2:51pm PDT

It's a challenging 18 kilometres trail that shows off many of the highlights of our rugged northern landscape in a day-long hike. Basically, it's like taking all of the best features of hikes closer to Toronto and putting them in one place.

A post shared by Olivia Wilkes (@__olive__) on Jul 7, 2017 at 7:20am PDT

Add to this the presence of wildlife, like moose, beavers, and (alas) bears, and you have the recipe for a nature experience you'll remember for a lifetime. It's an investment to drive all the way up to Heron Bay, but it's worth it for the dazzling topography that you just won't see closer to the city. 

A post shared by K. Hogan (@kristalhogan_01) on Aug 5, 2017 at 9:19pm PDT

The White Rover Suspension Bridge Trail is actually only a portion of the larger Coastal Trail, so the truly adventurous can plan multi-day explorations along the Superior coast that penetrate deeper into the wild backcountry. 

A post shared by Kayla 🌲 (@rain.dog) on Jul 27, 2017 at 6:10pm PDT

The trail is open from mid-May until October, but the peak time to explore is July through September. Entrance to the park is free in 2017. Remember to bring a camera to document your adventure!

Toronto was once a city of cottages. Sure, now we use the term to distinguish between urban and retreat properties, but at its root, cottage is a designation of size.

If you trace it back far enough, you find that its closest approximation is "hut." At the turn of the 20th century, Toronto was covered with these tiny dwellings that housed the city's working class.

Percy Street is lined with roe cottages from the late 19th century. Photo by Chris Bateman.

Places like Corktown, for instance, were once saturated with these small houses. Fortunately, you can still see excellent examples of row-style cottages on streets like Percy and Sackville.

Much of the rest of it has been wiped out for modern development, of course, but if you care to look, the remains of the worker's cottage are surprisingly prevalent.

Modern apartment buildings provide the backdrop to the row cottages on Alpha Avenue. Photo by Agatha Barc.

Cabbagetown also has pockets of cottage architecture hiding in plain sight. The best-known of these is surely the enclave known as Wellesley Cottages, which is one of the most interesting streets in Toronto, but also noteworthy is Alpha Avenue, which features an eclectic row of houses that date back to the late 1880s.

The amazing worker cottages of Draper St. Photo by BH Tours.

These two streets mark an obvious architectural distinction between Toronto's remaining cottages. You have those built in the Gothic-revival style (as you find at Wellesley Cottages) and those that take the form of row houses typically featuring Mansard roofs.

Perhaps the nicest example of the latter can be found on Draper Street, which features an immaculate strip of 19th century worker cottages.

Cottages play a major role in the messy urbanism found on Toronto streets. Photo by Patrick Cummins.

What's most interesting about Toronto's remaining cottage architecture, however, is the examples of it that can be found more randomly amidst newer and bigger houses.

While there are well preserved streets, there are also quirky one-off cottages that look all the more intriguing for their incongruous juxtaposition with their neighbours.

A picturesque Gothic Revival cottage. Photo by Patrick Cummins.

This is one of the many oddities of the city's vernacular architecture that photographer Patrick Cummins has documented over the years. His typologies of Toronto cottages underscore just how prevalent such structures are in a city that's often thought to lack architectural diversity and history.

If there's one thing that Cummins' photographs show more than anything else, it's just how spread out the city's cottages are.

You'll find them scattered on streets in the Annex, Queen West, Kensington Market, Pape Village, near Broadview and Danforth (Cambridge Ave. rules), not to mention more obvious places like Corktown and Cabbagetown.

A Gothic Revival cottage on Follis Ave. Photo by Patrick Cummins.

Along with the architectural interest, there's a social element that one should note about this fading bit of Toronto's history. The people largely responsible for building this city lived in humble properties not much larger than the apartments we so love to complain about today.

For every Gooderham mansion, there were thousands of worker's cottages.

In the grand scheme, not many of these remain in current day Toronto. But there are certainly enough to serve as a reminder of our forbearers and how they lived.

Suburban living isn't all that bad. You have easy access to malls, plazas, wide open spaces and maybe even affordable housing, at least in comparison to downtown Toronto.

The folks at TheRedPin, a real estate brokerage, crunched the numbers and ranked the best places to live when commuting downtown.

According to TheRedPin, they compared the "prices, average commuting times to downtown Toronto and average property price per square foot" for thousands of listings across the GTA to come up with their ranking of 27 different municipalities.

Here's the top 10 list:

• Ajax
• Pickering
• Whitby
• Maple (Vaughan)
• Port Perry, Scugog
• Acton, Halton Hills
• Caledon
• Brock
• Witchurch-Stouffville
• Brampton

Oakville, Keswick/Georgina and Burlington took the bottom three spots.

As the number of home sales fall in Toronto, real estate prices have been a bit of a mixed bag. While you'll still find plenty of houses going for well over asking, the opposite is also increasingly true.

This home near Bayview and York Mills, for instance, just sold for $480K under its list price of almost $4.5 million. If there's an obvious culprit for the lower sale price, it's the interior design of the home, which is rather dated given what it was listed at.

Don't get me wrong. It's not terrible, but it does seem like the last reno was in the late 1990s. Now the buyer can take the money chopped off the list price and put it into significant updates to the interior. A bit of extra landscaping in the backyard wouldn't hurt either.

It'll be intriguing to see what this place looks like the next time it hits the market. I doubt this is a flip scenario, but whenever it's listed, it'll probably look a lot different than it does today.

The Essentials

• Address: 43 Rollscourt Dr.
• Type: Detached house
• Bedrooms: 5 + 2
• Bathrooms: 8
• Lot size: 77.83 x 160.04 feet
• Hit the market at: $4,480,000
• Time on market: 10 days
• Sold for: $4 million

Why it sold for what it did

Size, first and foremost. There are five spacious bedrooms here. Factor in the finished basement, and very few people would ever need more square footage than this. The St. Andrew's neighbourhood is also highly regarded.

Was it worth it?

Yes. No one will scoff at the sale price of $4 million on this property. When you have that kind of money, you're also able to fund major interior renovations.

There's a for lease sign in the window of Eliot's Bookshop, which has been at 584 Yonge St., for the past 22 years.

Now, however, owner Paul Panayiotidis is ready to throw in the towel thanks to rising property taxes along Yonge Street that have been pricing out local businesses, including House of Lords.

Noooooooo pic.twitter.com/zIxG7AxfS5

— Katia Osokine (@KatiaOsokine) August 11, 2017

Panayiotidis says his property taxes have doubled to $4,000 per month and it's no longer feasible for him to run his three-storey book store. 

A post shared by @books.and.blankets on Nov 3, 2016 at 6:20pm PDT

While Panayiotidis owns his building, and doesn't pay rent, he notes it still doesn't make sense for him to keep his store open. After 40 years in business (he started in another location), he says it's also time for him to retire.

A post shared by Jameson (@jameson.not.the.whiskey) on Oct 14, 2016 at 11:23am PDT

He put a for lease sign up about 10 days ago and explains the plan is to close Eliot's, which is named after T.S. Eliot, 60 days after he finds a new tenant.

A post shared by Sina 🏙 (@sinarvm) on Aug 6, 2017 at 2:35pm PDT

Taste of the Danforth, one of the Canada's biggest street festivals, returns to Toronto this weekend. It's just one of the many events happening in the city, so get out there because it's actually supposed to feel like summer. Hurray!

Like all good savvy older brothers and sisters, MuchMusic VJs introduced us to bands and artists we had never heard of. We hung out after school, late at night, or on weekends when their on-air revelry and crazed antics made us feel like we were actually a part of something happening.

They were our connection to showbiz, proof that meek Canadian kids could crack the big time; rolling with marquee bands in downtown Toronto, living the dream, sorting the wheat from the chaff at a time when an album cost about $25. Legends!

Of course, MuchMusic's broadcast history is in the books. Thank god for YouTube, then, to house warm memories of when MuchMusic was the best ticket in town, a unique and punky Canadian media circus which helped us navigate the '80s, '90s and early 00's.

MuchMusic meant a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but here are my picks for their top VJs of all time.

J.D Roberts

Patient zero. Along with Jeanne Becker, Roberts carved out what became the template for Much with the incendiary 1970s Citytv series The New Music.

When Much launched in 1984, Roberts was there with fantastic 80s Metal glam hair, equally adept at swapping small talk with Billy Joel, playing Metallica videos or jamming on stage with Blues legends like Solomon Burke.

Dan Gallagher

R.I.P. The closest thing Much had to a resident John Belushi, the party never stopped if ardent gooner Gallagher was in the vicinity. Notable for a John Candy like exuberance, anarchical spirit and contagious belly laugh, Gallagher also anchored the station's cult game show Test Pattern, which celebrated its scotch tape budget with great aplomb.

Angela Dohrmann

Sultry Angela could always be found stone cold charming in the studio, toying with morons like Vanilla Ice or dancing up a storm in sweaty night clubs when Much took her out on the Spring Break road tour. Also, the only Much VJ to really graduate to Hollywood, with parts in big 90s shows like Seinfeld (as Donna Chang, naturally) and Star Trek: Voyager.

Michael Williams

Mike Williams was the original eclectic Don, a breezy Metal head (hosting Pepsi Power Hour), soul brother (Soul in the City) and Hip-Hop bona fide (Rap City) with a velvet voice and laid back persona.

Dutifully credited as one of the handful of seismic forces that helped Hip-Hop and rap crossover into the mainstream in Canada, Williams was also much more than that. Truth be told, the station was never really the same after he left in 1993.

Christopher Ward

The original VJ! Ward piloted MuchMusic’s dry-run City Limits on Citytv back in ’83 along with his Second City buddy Mike Myers (who was road testing Wayne Campbell at the time).

On Much though, Christopher Ward’s encyclopedic knowledge of music (he was a writer/performer himself, finding great acclaim penning “Black Velvet” for Alanna Myles) lit up the screen, along with his Charles de Camembert character hosting Fromage! every year.

Ward’s oral history of MuchMusic – IS THIS LIVE?– is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the channel.

Erica Ehm

Erica was espousing poppy Girl Power long before the Spice Girls were a glint in some accountant's eye. Her steely confidence, big eyes and anime-ish voice broke a million hearts and helped a generation of Canadian boys through puberty, plus she was never afraid to throw down at the first sign of dick-head diva behaviour on screen.

Hannah Sung

Like a post-modern pop culture maven, Hannah was maybe the best interviewer Much had in their later years. Never patronizing, always fun and perhaps the last VJ who seemed to actually be a huge fan of music rather than some bean counter's idea of what a "quirky" host should be.

George Stroumboulopoulos

What more can be said? Stombo's Much era was a mere dress rehearsal for the epic-ness to follow.

Ed the Sock

Long before Jesse Brown became a fly in the old guard Canadian media's ointment, Ed the Sock was fighting the good fight (the two have in fact become natural allies it seems).

Ed's subversive shtick is still misunderstood - often accused of being the very thing it is railing against - but his Titanic eviscerations of fools and BS peddlers were always masterpieces to behold. A true VJ super-star!

Tony "Master T" Young

Master T epitomizes the old-school Much ethos, so much so that his departure from the station in 2001 really was the end of an era. In 2012, when a massive round of lay-offs were announced and the media began to pen Muchmusic's blood and tear stained obituary, it was Master T who emerged with the best suggestion - #GivethembacktoMoses.

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.

Vegan and non-vegan hybrid restaurants in Toronto appeal to both herbivores and omnivores and usually have options to satisfy everyone you're dining with. These places have plenty of cruelty-free options and well as meatier fare for those who aren't about that plant-based life.

Here are my picks for the top vegan non-vegan restaurants in Toronto

Khao San Road

There's an entirely separate vegan menu at this popular King West Thai restaurant. You don't need to worry if your pad Thai has fish sauce or egg in it here.

Woodlot

Enjoy this Little Italy-based wood-fired oven from the meat or vegetable lovers menu. Just a word of caution: some items contain dairy and eggs on the veggie menu. 

Cardinal Rule

Find all sorts of vegan-friendly dishes, including some served family-style, at this unassuming restaurant on Roncesvalles. It's popular for brunch, but it's open for dinner too.

District Eatery

A King West patio might not seem like a destination for vegan eats, but this place should satisfy your entire party before you check out one of the bars or clubs in the neighbourhood.

Tabule

Middle Eastern restaurants are usually a good bet if you're looking to please a crowd that includes those who are vegan. This mini-chain has locations around the city, including at Bayview Village, Yonge and Davisville, in Riverside, and the Canary District.

Cafe Landwer

Vegan options dot the menu at this popular spot in Vaughan. Even the restaurant's signature halva-stuffed rozalach is vegan, so treat yourself to one or five.

Impact Kitchen

This Corktown spot aims to be all about healthy eating. It caters to those who are paleo, vegan and gluten-free with all sorts of power, or grain, bowls on its menu.

Pho King Fabulous

The spicy vegetable noodle soup at this Yonge and Eglinton Vietnamese restaurant is seriously delicious, and there's no meat whatsoever in the broth. There are other vegan-friendly dishes on the menu here too.

The Beet

This Junction mainstay has been serving up brunch for vegans and their meat-eating pals for years. It does all-day breakfast too, which earns it major points.

Lox + Schmear

There's no need to forgo cream cheese if you're vegan. Just order the cashew spread on a vegan bagel at this St. Clair West spot that also smokes its own salmon, as your pescatarian would be happy to not.

Food challenges in Toronto are the stuff of pure spectacle. For an ambitious group of eaters, the allure of a free t-shirt and spot on the wall of fame is usually incentive enough, and out comes the antacid, and later, the overwhelming feeling of regret.

Here are my picks for the top food challenges you can take on in Toronto.

Holy Chuck Burgers

Here you can attempt the Go Chuck Yourself Challenge where you must eat the Go Chuck Yourself Burger, along with any specialty milkshake, within six minutes in order to achieve glory. Winners get their meal on the house and a free t-shirt.

Kinton Ramen

Once a month, this ramen chain hosts a mega ramen challenge. You must finish a mega ramen within 15 minutes, broth and all. If you complete the challenge, the mega ramen will be free and if you can't take it down, be prepared to cough up $30 for the bowl. 

All Star Wings and Ribs

You'll need to sign a waiver before attempting to compete in this wing chain's Armageddon challenge. For $35 you'll get to chow down on the restaurant's spiciest wings. If you can't complete the spicy task, you can mop up your tears with a t-shirt that you get win or lose.

Stack Restaurant

The Great Stack Challenge will see you eating two burgers with bacon and cheese, plus a milkshake and fries, in under 30 minutes. Win and it's free. If not, it's $50. 

Real Sports Bar

Only the most carnivorous among us dare take on the Hail Mary challenge. Be prepared to eat a 67oz AAA ribeye, along with a pound of coleslaw and a pound of fries, in under one hour. If you fail, you're on the hook for the $130 price tag.

Neapolitan pizza in Toronto is about as close as you're likely to get to Naples without jumping on a plane. There are only a handful of pizzerias who follow the rigid guidelines to the letter. They're the ones using only premium, DOP ingredients and woodfire dome ovens.

Here are my picks for the top places to get Neapolitan pizza in Toronto.

Viva Napoli

This Mount Pleasant pizzeria adheres to the stringent rules of the authentic style: thin blistering crust covered with bright tomato sauce, irregular melted pools of fior di latte, and a basil leaf or two.

Pizza e Pazzi

This Corso Italia favourite does uncompromising, hand tossed wood-fired crust topped with San Marzano tomato sauce or white base and fresh toppings.

Pizzeria Libretto

This popular pizzeria chain prides itself on being loyal to real, VPN-certified pizza. Here, the menu features purists staples first and foremost. Amidst the duck and gorgonzola, the Margherita and Marinara still stand tall as the chief reason the crowds never cease.

Queen Margherita Pizza

This family of pizza joints does pies in the Naples tradition; hand tossed 00-flour dough, tomatoes imported direct from the motherland, and locally sourced fior di latte that gets flame-licked at ultra-high temperatures.

Napoli Centrale

This Annex pizzeria makes each pie deliciously thin and soupy in the middle just how it should be made. Get them with either classic tomato sauce or an olive oil base.

Pizzeria Via Mercanti

Owned and operated by a pair of ex-pat Sicilians, this local chain offers simple, honest, hand crafted thin crust pies. The pizzas here boast optimal textural contrast between crust and saucy cheesy centre.

Doppio Zero

This Yonge & Eglinton restaurant is a spot for homestyle Italian comfort foods and woodfired pie. As the name suggests, here you'll find dough with ultra-refined flour, even as the pies tend to be on the firmer side.

Pi Co

With multiple locations in Toronto a delicious freshly baked pie is never too far away. It's a classic Neapolitan recipe with a few tweaks, most notably it's double proofed, which gives it a delicious sourdough-like flavour.

Pizzeria Defina

This Roncesvalles Village pizzeria offers pies in a choice of styles, Rome or Naples, the latter of which is made on a traditional crispy thin dough that is soft and pliable at its centre. Here, liberal toppings include wild boar meatballs, caramelized shallots, and broccoli purée.

Pizzeria Oro di Napoli

This pizza joint is Etobicoke is a destination for Neapolitan pizza. Each pizza is made with flour imported from Italy.

Shared office spaces in Toronto let you rent out desks for your team, no matter how tiny it is. These places beat roaming around the various freelancer-populated cafes, and they often include coffee, snacks and networking events (usually with booze).

Here are my picks for the top shared office and co-working spaces in Toronto. 

IQ Office Suites

Full disclosure, blogTO is situated in an IQ Office Suite. This co-working mini-chain has two locations in the Financial District and lets you rent out everything from a single desk to an entire office suitable for a bigger team.

Brightlane

Find this co-working space for entrepreneurs in a historic building along King West — what better place to get inspired while dreaming up how you'll take over the world?

Workplace One

With multiple locations in Toronto, including King West, King East, and at Bay and Bloor, it's easy to find a place that suits you. You can book office space here or even just a meeting room.

Centre for Social Innovation

There are all sorts of membership packages at the CSI, which has numerous locations in Toronto - from the Annex to Regent Park - as well as one in New York City. 

WeWork

This co-working giant with spaces available around the world already has two spots in Toronto - one at Richmond and McCaul and the other by Yonge and Bloor. How's that for central?

East Room

Head to Riverside to park yourself at this space dedicated to creative freelancers and small businesses. It's beautifully designed, which is fitting considering it caters to those in the arts and technology fields.

Acme Works

Head southwest of Trinity Bellwoods Park to find this real life social network that lets you rent space for however long you need it, including just a day.

Verkspace

This Moss Park spot features exposed brick and lots of natural light. Competitive rates make this space an attractive option.

Project Spaces

Whether you want to work by Queen and Spadina or in a century-old building in King West, you should be able to find your groove (and finish all your projects) at one of this company's two spaces.

Foundery

You'll want to grab your lunch at Market 707 every day if you choose this space at Dundas and Bathurst. It's in the heart of a super creative neighbourhood, so collaborate with those around you and start something new here.

The top neighbourhoods for bars in Toronto each foster their own kind of intuitive pub crawl. They all boast a hefty lineup of cozy spots for cocktails as well as louder spaces for small dance parties and group fun. 

Here are my picks for the top neighbourhoods for bars in Toronto.

Dundas West

The ever-changing west side street continues to flourish with some of the city's more gritty, daring and creative bars. Classics like Communist's Daughter, Get Well, Montauk, Bambi's, Black Dice and Cocktail Bar paved the way for spots like The Baby G, The Lockhart and Swan Dive. For wine lovers, there's Midfield and Archive.

Parkdale

Slow gentrification has kept Parkdale weird and wonderful and a little rough around the edges. There are plenty of small and mighty bars like Pretty Ugly, Grand Trunk and The Yukon, mixed with consistent mid-sized drinking holes like Pharmacy, Parts & Labour and the Shameful Tiki. 

Ossington

The popularity of this west side streets ebbs and flows, but its collection of bars is undeniable. Sweaty Betty's is the anchor that holds it all down, Oak Island brings the tropical vibes, Baby Huey brings the party, Man of Kent is a lovely local, SP184 is a secretive spot, and the Dakota Tavern, the Painted Lady and Reposado offer live music options. 

Queen West/West Queen West

Queen West was Toronto's original art bar scene, and there are still lots of favourites here. For live music, you can't miss with The Horseshoe, the Rivoli and the Cameron House, barflies congregate at the Done Right Inn, BarChef and Squirly's, and partygoers flock to The Velvet Underground, Apt. 200,  The Beaver, The Drake and The Gladstone.

King West

Large-scale clubs and VIP bottle service set the tone of the King West party scene. There are slick cocktail spots like Escobar hidden at the back of Baro, Lavelle and SpiritHouse. Scattered throughout are bigger venues like Spin, Early Mercy, Candyland, and the Addison's Residence. 

Bloorcourt/Bloordale Village

Call it what you want - Bloorcourt, Bloordale, Blansdowne - but the bar-rich neighbourhood has a lot going for it. Places like Mulberry Bar, Northwood and Bar Neon sit amongst reliables like Civil Liberties, Another Bar, The Steady and 3 Speed. 

Little Italy

Little Italy has a long history as a social hub that shows no signs of stopping. Favourites like No One Writes to the Colonel and Ted's Collision mingle with later additions like L'Absinthe Bar, Nightowl, Track & Field and Bar Raval. Pray Tell, Birreria Volo and LayLow bring a new school touch of class. 

The Junction

The Junction's bar scene is a world all on its own with local favourites like Famous Last Words, Hole in the Wall and 3030 Dundas West. Grab a pint at brew pub Indie Alehouse, then catch a show at the Junction City Music Hall before capping the night a low-key drink at Shamone. 

Church-Wellesley Village

As ground zero for Toronto's LGBT community, head to this area for drag shows, dance parties cocktails for people watching and fetish fun. Woody's acts as Toronto's gay Cheers, there's the Black Eagle for the leather crowd, Boutique Bar for cocktails, Crews and Tangos for drag and Glad Day Bookshop for books, art shows and dance parties at night.  

Riverside

The east side's nightlife continues to grow with the arrival of big guns like the Broadview Hotel. It keeps locals happy with reliable destinations like Hi-Lo Bar, Aft Bar, and I'll be Seeing You. Boots 'N' Bourbon Saloon, Prohibition Gastrohouse and the Opera House have you covered for louder, large group good times. 

Coffee shops in Southern Ontario keep the caffeine flowing in beautiful spaces that are often off the beaten path. These local favourites often roast their own beans or source their coffee from those nearby. So whether you're driving through a new place or live in town, grab a cup of joe and sit awhile. 

Here are my picks for the top coffee shops in southern Ontario.

Detour (Dundas)

Find this roastery and cafe on Dundas' main drag. Pick up a coffee to go and sit on the front bench or stay for brunch and eat it on the beautiful, tree-covered side patio.

Death Valley's Little Brother (Waterloo)

More commonly known as DVLB, this whisky bar and cafe was the coolest spot in Waterloo when it first opened up. It has a vintage vibe thanks to its dark wooden accents and includes lots of work space for students.

Cannon Coffee Co. (Hamilton)

It's easy to find great coffee in Hamilton and this cozy spot on Ottawa Street is a favourite in the town that everyone seems to be moving to right now.

Smile Tiger (Kitchener)

With a location right by the Via Rail Station, this cafe serves up espresso in the early morning for those heading to and fro. It also roasts all of its own beans on site.

Elm Cafe (Kingston)

Grab a cup of coffee to go and walk down to the lake. Or, take a seat in this cozy cafe run by a couple who serve Pilot coffee, baked treats and sandwiches.

Locomotive Espresso (London)

Whether or not you're a student who spent the night at a Richmond Street bar, you could probably use a pick-me-up from this espresso bar that serves Pilot coffee.

The Vic Cafe (Picton)

This cafe in the heart of Prince Edward County is attached to an old movie theatre. It serves food (think grain bowls) as well as coffee to go if you need to fuel up for a day of wine and cheese tasting.

Cafe March 21 (Windsor)

Yes, this cafe actually opened its doors for the first time on March 21. It serves all sorts of beverages (including blueberry lattes), a slew of made-in-house baked goods and ramen. Road trip to Windsor, please?

Settlement Co. (Waterloo)

Thanks to its tech scene and two universities, Waterloo is experiencing a growth spurt. Lots of interesting businesses are opening up, including this coffee roaster and cafe with two locations that doles out espresso-based bevies and nitro cold brew.

Redchurch (Hamilton)

Not only is this a indie cafe, it's also a contemporary gallery. Pick up a coffee and check out some local artwork.