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Toronto Halloween parties always bring their A-game, and with events ranging from creepy club crawls to Game of Thrones themed, 2017 is no exception. While you worry about what to dress up as or where to buy your costume, we'll take care of your party plans.
Events you might want to check out:Scream Whistle Brewery (October 27 @ Steam Whistle Brewing)If you're looking to dance in a beer filled factory, this is the party for you. The only thing scarier is the FOMO.
Burroughes Haunted Mansion (October 28 @ Burroughes Building)The Burroughes building on Queen West is getting its spook on for Halloween. Tickets start at $20.
Mortem Halloween (October 28 @ REBEL)REBEL turns into a chamber of darkness, immersing guests into places unknown.
$5000 worth of prizes will be given away to costumed attendees all night.
Carnivale Halloween (October 28 @ The Great Hall)The Great Hall will be turned into a haunted experience with creepy decor, freaky sideshow acts, fire artists, contortionists, DJ talent and more.
Blood, Sweat & Queers (October 31 - November 1 @ The Steady)Come shut down the Steady on their very last night. They'll be eager to sell all the remaining booze, so expect a lot of drink specials.
Haunted Campus Thursday (October 26 @ Orchid Nightclub)For the college and university crowds, Orchid’s Haunted Campus party is free for students before 11:30 PM and boasts $5.00 Coronas and tequilas.
All Fright Long (October 27 @ Garrison)Catch a 6-piece live band take on all your favourite freaky songs, followed by a DJ spinning remixes of classic retro cartoon and video game tunes.
Unsound Toronto Halloween Special (October 27 - November 3 @ Sony Centre for the Performing Arts)Unsound is back in Toronto with two special seated weekend events around Halloween at The Sony Centre For The Performing Arts.
Cybertronic Spree VS Homer Simpson's The Be Sharps (October 28 @ Horseshoe Tavern)The band comprised of transforming robots is on stage up against Homer Simpson's acapella quartet in the most animated concert of Halloween weekend.
Halloween Party at Junction City (October 28 @ Junction City Music Hall)3 incredible acts, visual effects, costumes and everything else you love about Toronto's beloved underground music venue.
Dark Waters (October 27 @ Ripley's Aquarium of Canada)Explore the dark side of this underwater nightmare at Ripley's Aquarium's first ever 19+ splash.
Glow-in-the-Dark Carnival Party (October 27 @ East of Brunswick)Join the freak show at East of Brunswick's no cover carnival party.
League of Horror ft. Justice League (October 27 @ Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex)Dress up as your favourite super heroes and villains for this comic book themed party, and even catch a sneak peek at the new Justice League movie.
Glow In The Dark Halloween Party (October 27 @ Jam Factory T.O)Incorporate white and glowing colours into your outfit at this party. Or, If you prefer not to wear a costume, just wear white, and get decorated at the flourescent paint station.
A Fresh Prince 90's Halloween (October 27 @ Revival)The 8th annual Back In The Day "Fresh Prince 90's Halloween" is a tribute to old school hip hop, R&B, dance, house, reggae, and pop from the 90s.
FNL: Wicked (October 27 @ Royal Ontario Museum)Friday Night Live at the ROM's Halloween offerings include weird and wicked featured exhibitions plus beats by DJ ESP.
Dragonstone Hotel (October 27 @ Gladstone Hotel)All Seven Kingdoms are invited to the Gladstone's Game of Thrones themed party.
Haunted House Party (October 27 @ The Broadview Hotel)The historic Broadview Hotel will host hip hop, dancehall, throwbacks, and reggae in Lincoln Hall.
Fete Du Fett: A Bounty Hunter Halloween party (October 27 @ See Scape)The premise is simple: Dress up as Boba Fett! The most clever takes on the bounty hunter will win prizes.
Stranger Things 80s Halloween Party (October 27 @ The Opera House)Turn your world upside down dancing to the best 80s music there is and dressing to look the part.
Freaky Friday: Halloween Edition (October 27 @ House of VR)Enjoy 360 degrees of terror as you walk through a virtual haunted house or fend off Bloody Mary at the VR joint on Queen.
Halloween Haunt: Bollywood & Bhangra Halloween Costume Party (October 27 @ Mod Club Theatre)Head inside the haunted MOD Club for ghoulish sounds by South Asian DJs.
The Drake Hotel Halloween Funhouse (October 28 @ The Drake Hotel)Get spooked in this building wide banger, as the Drake transforms into a horrifying funhouse for one night only.
Humongous Halloween (October 28 @ Fly 2.0)Explore the entire Fly 2.0 complex at the biggest late night event in the village, with performances by Australia's Kitty Glitter, Sofonda Cox and more.
Prozzak Presents: Forever '99 Halloween Freakout (October 28 @ Toronto Mini Indy)Three rooms of classic and cutting edge sound, featuring Prozzak, Green Velvet, Culture Shock, and more.
80's & 90's Halloween Video Dance Party (October 28 @ Remix Lounge)The coolest and most haunted music videos of the 80's & 90's will be projected on screens while DJ Lazarus provides the night's music.
Screams From Hell Club / Pub Crawl (October 28 @ Multiple Venues)One wristband, three clubs, no lines, with limo buses taking you to and from each of the night's curated venues.
The Night Breed (October 28 @ The Portland Room)Covering house, tech, deep, and nu disco, this is the vibe you're looking for.
Chronologic Halloween (October 28 @ Lee's Palace)Chronologic is a dance party through the ages, spinning the best dance tracks from 1890 to 2017, played in chronological order.
Halloween Rooftop Silent Disco (October 28 @ Hemingway's)Live DJs spinning multiple genres of music and you have the power to pick what you want to party to with the switch on your headphones.
Haunted Hotel Halloween (October 28 @ Thompson Hotel Toronto)The Thompson Hotel's lobby and rooftop will be completely transformed with state of the art visuals, lighting, projections and decor.
Snailoween (October 28 @ 99 Sudbury)Silver Snail's annual Halloween bash is a must for comic book and pop culture diehards, this year featuring Matt and Jay from Nirvanna the Band the Show on DJ duties.
The Wukking Dead Halloween Party (October 28 @ The VUE )The Vue will host the best in soca, dancehall, and club bangers.
Witches Masquerade Ball (October 28 @ StudioBar)WITCHfest culminates in its biggest event yet, a magical night of dancing, contests, midnight ritual, and more.
Worst Behavior Presents: Hip Hop Halloween (October 28 @ Clinton's Tavern)Playing past and present bangers all night, costumes (especially Drake inspired ones) are highly encouraged.
Pan's Labyrinth (October 25-27 @ AGO - Art Gallery of Ontario)While Guillermo del Toro's At Home With Monsters is still in town, catch a screening of the visually haunting classic Pan's Labyrinth.
Best of Horror Short Film Festival (October 26 @ Carlton Cinemas)This free film festival guarantees 8 bone-chilling horror shorts from around the world.
Little Terrors Vol. 56 - Hallows Eve (October 26 @ Imagine Cinemas Carlton)This monthly showcase of horror shorts saved its spookiest picks for Hallows Eve, offering two full hours of gore and frights.
Goosebumps Marathon (October 26 @ D-Beatstro)Get into the Halloween spirit by watching classic episodes of the scariest show of your childhood.
Vampyr (October 28 @ Fox Theatre)Catch a screening of the 1932 silent classic accompanied with a live band at the 100+ year old Fox Theatre.
Screen Queens Presents: Elvira Mistress of the Dark (October 29 @ The Royal Cinema)Don't miss out on the goth horror cult classic Elvira Mistress of The Dark, with live (and possibly drunk) commentary by the hosts.
The Phantom of the Opera (October 29 @ Imagine Cinemas Carlton)Silent Sundays saved the best for last, screening the 1925 horror classic on the weekend before Halloween.
Throwback Cinema: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (October 29 @ Revue Cinema)Halloween isn't just about horror and blood. Revisit the magic of childhood with Spielberg's E.T., playing at Revue Cinema.
A Night to Dismember (October 28 @ Bangarang)Dying to party? You'll love Bangarang's spooky prom, loaded with jello shots, prom kings & queens, and nostalgia.
Temple of Terror (October 28 @ Nickel9Distillery)A night of revelry and riot inside the Temple of Terror in the heart of the Junction.
The Offering Halloween Bash (October 28 @ Blood Brothers Brewing)Join Blood Brothers Brewing for a night of dancing and drinking at the new venue's very first Halloween bash.
Pitbull Halloween (October 28 @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre)The Phoenix becomes the ultimate Pitbull party spot, featuring world class DJ's, incredible productions, ghoulish decor and surprises at every corner.
Monsters Ball 11 (October 28 @ Nest)Sold out 10 years running, this party is more fun than you had as a kid, guaranteed.
The Dancing Dead (October 28 @ The Rec Room)Faded DJs FBomb & Ry-Fi to bring the night to life with the hottest hip-hop, R&B and dancehall tracks.
Fear Factory (October 28 @ Toronto Event Centre)Grey Goose, Bacardi & Rmy Martin are on board to bring you the best party the Toronto Event Centre has ever seen.
Rue Morgue Presents: The Night We Turn 20 (October 28 @ Velvet Underground)Rue Morgue returns to Toronto to celebrate two decades of horror with THE NIGHT WE TURN 20 Anniversary Halloween Party
Addisons In Wonderland (October 28 @ The Addisons Residence)The family invites you to the Halloween edition of Addisons in Wonderland at their residence. Dress up and join in on the ghoulish activities.
SLAY - A Pride Toronto Halloween T-Dance (October 29 @ '1871' Berkeley Church)Pride Toronto is hosting their first ever Halloween event, providing a $500 prize for best costume and bringing a lineup of DJ and drag performances.
It's Not Sunday Halloween Party (October 29 @ Uniun Nightclub)Nevermind the fact you have work the next day, head out to this haunted night of hip hop.
Twin Peaks Halloween Party (October 31 - November 1 @ Sneaky Dee's)What happened to Laura Palmer? Help solve the mystery by dancing and dressing the part!
Halloween on Church Street (October 31 - November 1 @ Church Street)Watch Church Street come alive on the big night, soaking in the costumes, creepiness, and general thrill of a good old fashioned street party.
TKBA Goes Cosplay Ball (October 31 - November 1 @ Tranzac Club)After showing off your costume on Church Street, rush over to the Tranzac club for a night of ballroom magic.
Creatures of the Night (October 28 @ CODA)Music by MC Flipside, Addy, Quim, Oddio, Mili & Mo, all for $20 at Code.
Halloqween feat. Macy Rodman and Mister Wallace (October 28 @ The Garrison)Macy Rodman slayed the stage her first time at Hotnuts, now she is back to drop some nugs from her debut album, The Lake.
CHUNK o' FUNK Halloween Blowout! (October 28 @ Danforth Music Hall)Cryogenic funksters CHUNK o' FUNK are back, bringing their bodacious brand o' FUNK to your stratosphere to bewitch our booties.
Punk Goes Diva (October 31 - November 1 @ Lee's Palace)Catch local bands dressing up and taking on hits from pop divas like Taylor Swift, Madonna, and Carly Rae Jepsen.
Cattle Decapitation, Revocation & More at Opera House (October 31 @ The Opera House)Exclaim! Aggressive Tendencies Presents Cattle Decapitation, Revocation, Full of Hell, and
Artificial Brain at this all ages show.
Mad House at The Madison Ave Pub (October 31 - November 1 @ Madison Avenue Pub)The Madison Ave Pub will transform into a multi-sensory, multi-floor haunted house, loaded with tarot card readers, fire breathers, and more.
Halloween Night at Cherry Cola's. (October 31 @ Cherry Cola's)Punk, goth, and death rock fans will feel right at home at Cherry Cola's Halloween show.
Night of the Living Dead and The Mask: The Eyes of Hell (October 31 @ TIFF)Zombies! Psychos! Three-dimensional masks! Ring in Halloween at TIFF Lightbox with a double-screening.
Halloween Movie Party (October 31 - November 1 @ The Ossington)Watch some scary movies with and eat candy, popcorn and maybe even pizza. Best costume gets a super sick prize.
Rue Morgue Presents a Screening of Dead Alive (October 31 @ The Royal Cinema)Rue Morgue’s CineMacabre Movie Nights promise the best of classic and contemporary horror at The Royal Cinema – once a month, every month.
Homesick: The Black Parade Party (October 31 - November 1 @ Velvet Underground)The Velvet Underground is hosting an emo Halloween party for the ages, spinning everything from My Chemical Romance to Thirty Seconds to Mars.
Toronto restaurant openings highlights the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.
Open now
Mad Crush Wine Bar, the "unwine bar" from the group behind The Oxley, The Queen and Beaver and The Wickson Social, has soft opened at 582 College St.
Earlscourt BBQ by Pork Ninjas officially opened on Tuesday at 1278 St. Clair Ave. W. (at Earlscourt).
Pasta Mondo is now open at 55 St. Clair Ave. W. (between Avenue and Yonge).
Hogtown Vegan now has a second location, which can be found at 382 College St. (at Borden).
Polyanna, a restaurant from the same team behind Eastside Social and The Thirsty Duck, is now open at 1054 Gerrard St. E. (at Jones).
Sushi-burrito and poke-bowl spot Rolltation officially opened its third shop, located at 3 Carlton St., this week.
Popular Thai restaurant Sukhothai has a new location (its fourth) in the Canary District at 490 Front St. E. (at Cherry).
Crosscut Coffee is now open in the old Seesaw Cafe space at 1142 Davenport Rd. (at Ossington).
Popular bubble tea joint The Alley has finally opened a location downtown at 5 St. Joseph St. by Yonge & Wellesley.
Bubble tea spots are quickly taking over the city – CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice also has a new location at 372 Yonge St. (at Gerrard).
Aaand Green Grotto Tea Room just soft opened its downtown flagship at 832 Bay St. (between Grosvenor and Grenville).
Casa Mia Delicatessen is now officially open at 1985 Queen St. E. in the Beaches.
Recently reviewed
Schmaltz Appetizing (Ossington)
Coffee Island
Pomarosa
Naan & Kabob
Hello 123
Hoja Luwei
Bangarang
Opening soon
Popular PATH coffee outlet Mos Mos will be opening a third location this winter, this time at WaterPark Place at Queens Quay West & Bay.
The Warehouse Group will open another restaurant, this time near Yonge and Dundas, which means lots of tourists and Ryerson students.
Borrell, a longstanding Dutch pop-up in Toronto, will open a permanent location on the Danforth.
Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com
Uber just got some new competition in Toronto. While popular rival Lyft has yet to land here, a new ridesharing app is poised to enter the scene.
Facedrive is a new startup that seeks to bring something a little different to the ridesharing experience with a strong focus on sustainability.
The service claims it's emissions-neutral, which is achieved through several methods, including electric vehicles and offsetting emissions with sustainability programs like tree-planting events.
A post shared by Facedrive Inc. (@facedriveinc) on Oct 17, 2017 at 1:27pm PDT
Riders can track their emissions impact through the app, as well, to see what kind of improvement they’re making to the environment by switching from other services.
The new ridesharing service aims to be good for drivers too. According to its website, Facedrive offers drivers 90 percent of each fare in payment.
This is in tandem with a claim that rides on Facedrive cost the rider 10 percent less than other rideshare apps.
The driver side of the app launched in Toronto earlier this week, while the rider end is promised to be live soon. As such, we don't have many details about the size of the fleet right now, but the idea certainly sounds exciting. 
Toronto is known as one of the most multicultural cities in the world. It’s something the city is proud of, and likes to commemorate with fascinating monuments, one of which is the downtown diversity garden.
Nestled behind City Hall, the Downtown Diversity Garden is easy to miss. However, it offers a quiet escape from the noise of downtown, and a place to spend some quality time amidst nature.
A post shared by Dina Carovska (@deenskis) on Oct 16, 2017 at 12:25pm PDT
This week, the garden got a big makeover. Community members came together to give it a sparkling new facelift.
New planters were installed, chairs were replaced, and the general layout was improved.
Thank you @IndexExchange @kaboom and community volunteers for giving Downtown Diversity Garden a fresh new look! Great day of park building pic.twitter.com/jFD4zJzOfo
— PFR Partnerships TO (@PFRPartnerships) October 18, 2017
Playground building charity Kaboom was brought in to help organize volunteers and add that bit of playfulness to the important space, while employees from the Toronto branch of Index Exchange also added a helping hand.
We’re in the final push of building the Diversity Garden with our friends from @kaboom! #IXAllHands pic.twitter.com/eT6S5AF0Ct
— Index Exchange (@IndexExchange) October 16, 2017
The Diversity Garden was originally built in 2007 on top of a scrabbly parking lot behind the City Hall buildings. Since then, it has been maintained as a community gathering space.
You can check out the newly-renovated Diversity Garden on Elizabeth Street, tucked behind City Hall. 
The Toronto Waterfront Marathon returns this weekend in Toronto, taking place on October 22. Along with tremendous feats of endurance, the event will feature major road closures all over the city. Over 25,000 people are expected to participate this year, completing everything from the full marathon to 5K runs.
Here's what you need to know to navigate around Toronto this weekend.
Course map
Whether you're a runner in the marathon or an eager spectator of the annual event, the map below details all the route info for this weekend. You can find a high resolution version here.
Spectator areas
While you can watch the run from vantage points all across the route, if you're looking for something a bit more festive, there are 12 designated neighbourhood and cheering entertainment sites throughout the course:
University of Toronto (after 2.5K) from 8:50 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Alexandra Park (after 5K) from 8:55 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Liberty Village/King West (after 7.5K & 17K) from 8:05 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Swansea/Bloor West/High Park (after 12.5K) from 9:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Parkdale/Roncesvalles (after 11K & 14K) from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Harbourfront (halfway) from 9:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Corktown (after 26K & 39K) from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Cabbagetown (after 25K) from 9:55 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
GreekTown (after 27K & 38K) from 10 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.
Leslieville/South Riverside (after 30K & 35K) from 10:10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
The Beach (after 32K & 34K) from 10:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
St. Lawrence (after 41K) from 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There will also be bleachers set up at the start/finish line near Nathan Phillips Square. Arrive early to secure a spot.
Road closures
The Toronto Waterfront Marathon has more road closures than any event in the city, but fortunately for people making their way around downtown, many of them will be lifted by late Sunday afternoon.
Key areas of the run will, however, be closed from Saturday to Sunday evening. The chart below offers an overview of all the closures.
For more detailed information consult the official Toronto Waterfront Marathon website. There's also an interactive map that some might find useful for tracking participants and charting road closures.
Toronto is, quite literally, a city on the rise.
As demand grows for office, commercial and residential space around the 6ix, so too does the number of massive skyscrapers proposed in the city.
The tallest approved tower in Toronto right now is The One at Yonge and Bloor. Newly-dropped renderings for another high-profile tower show that Pinnacle One Yonge, if approved, would be even taller at a whopping 95 storeys (about 307 metres.)
Now, we're getting a better look at yet another supertall that went before Toronto's Design Review Panel this week – and it promises to rise even higher than all the others.
A new rendering of the proposed YSL (or 'Yonge Street Living') residences near Yonge and Gerrard. Image via City of Toronto.
The YSL project at Yonge and Gerrard, if approved in its current form, will be almost 344 meters high. That well outpaces both the One and Pinnacle One, coming in at a whopping 98 storeys.
Plans for YSL (which stands for 'Yonge Street Living') were first revealed by Cresford in February, but the developer appears to have changed things a bit ahead of this most-recent Design Review Panel appearance.
The crown of the building has changed to provide more wind protection to penthouse units, according to Urban Toronto, giving the structure a sharper appearance where it juts into the sky.
This rendering of the YSL building meeting Yonge Street was presented before The Toronto Design Review Panel. Image via City of Toronto.
Two heritage buildings at the southeast corner of Yonge and Gerrard will be joined by another two building fronts, according to the latest plans, completely changing the project's proposed Yonge Street facade.
A pedestrian bridge has also been proposed along the east side of the building, and Ryerson University's logo has been added to parts of the tower's base – though, according to Urban Toronto, no formal deal with Ryerson has been announced.
The development has been largely designed by New York's Kohn Pedersen Fox in collaboration with architectsAlliance of Toronto.
Should it come to fruition as planned, YSL will become the tallest building (not structure) in Canada.
Toronto Halloween parties always bring their A-game, and with events ranging from creepy club crawls to Game of Thrones themed, 2017 is no exception. While you worry about what to dress up as or where to buy your costume, we'll take care of your party plans.
Events you might want to check out:
Ambitious design plans have finally been revealed for Toronto’s iconic theatre and music venue, Massey Hall.
It was announced back in February 2015 that the historic concert venue would receive a huge $135-million upgrade, which won't be complete until 2021. These new design plans reveal some of the exciting things in store.
An additional south tower, revitalized exterior, and new venues within the building are all part of the plans for the space.
One of the revitalized venues, in the south tower. Image from Massey Hall.
One of the most exciting new features is the retractable seating. The existing 70-year-old orchestra seating is static, and inflexible for different types of performances.
This render shows a standing, general admission show that is now possible with the retractable seating system. Image from Massey Hall.
The new seating can be left in place for performances during which people typically sit, but also be retracted to open the floor for standing, general admission-style events
The south tower addition will make room for an additional venue space. It has a capacity of about 500 people, meaning smaller performances can be hosted here. Further to this, the basement bar, Centuries, will be redeveloped to allow for smaller, more intimate musical shows.
Speaking of basements, there are currently washrooms in the Massey Hall basement that are inaccessible for those coming from higher floors. The designs reveal that washrooms will now be easily accessible and available on every level.
Accessibility is key to the upgrades. A new, glass-enclosed passerelle will be constructed around the perimeter of the building to ease crowding and allow for quicker movement around the various parts of the space.
A render of the glass passerelle. Image from Massey Hall.
In terms of appearance, the exterior of the building is getting some upgrades too. The facade will be revitalized and restored. Most exciting, however, is that the original stained glass will all be restored to its former glory.
Massey Hall is a very old building, and one of the best-known in the city. It’s long overdue for some upgrades, and they’re finally coming to fruition. Due to the scale of the work, the venue will close during construction (anticipated for summer 2018).
This will be one of the few times in history that Massey Hall has been altered so significantly, especially since it was designated a National Historic Site in 1981. 
The most wonderful time of the year is upon us, but some stores seem preoccupied with Christmas instead.
That's right; Halloween is still a week-and-a-half away, but retailers like Dollarama, Loblaws and The Bay are already stocking their shelves with Santa stuff and candy canes.
It's enough to make a good ghoul sick.
Why am I seeing Christmas decorations? Halloween hasn’t even passed! pic.twitter.com/DrgNwHeLcH
— Eddy Bee 🎃💜 (@EddyBee26) October 13, 2017
Christmas creep, as it's often called, continues to spread further into our calendar year with each passing season, somehow.
Based on what we've seen in the past, it wouldn't be a stretch to think that in another 10 years, all stores will have permanent, dedicated Christmas decoration aisles.
This is not okay. #christmas #dollarama #toosoon #no #xmasdecorations #xmad #september #Chillout #notdecemberyet pic.twitter.com/hkkxEUJVaR
— Shannon (@Lady_Shanana) September 26, 2017
People online were reporting Christmas decor on sale at their local big box stores as early as August this year. August!
Wreaths and toy reindeer could be spotted right next to garden tools and lawn fertilizer.
Nope.... not even joking.... #fuckoff #nottoday #fuckoffdollarama #christmasinseptember #areyoukiddingme #annoyed #howdarethey #decor #christmas #christmasdecorations #dollarstoremustbestopped #dollarstore #dollarama #nottodaysatan
A post shared by Adam-Michael Daigle (@adamo_82) on Sep 9, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT
Hundreds of people in Toronto have shared their discontent with stumbling upon Christmas decorations in September and August.
"Dollarama, can we have fall first before you put out Christmas stuff?" asked one Twitter user on Sept. 25th.
"31C plus humidity outside in September," wrote another local during Toronto's record-setting, early autumn heat wave. "But it's already Christmas at Loblaws. 2017 can't get any weirder"
Arghhh
Loblaws isn't wasting time @CTVToronto @CP24 @CityNews #Christmas @blogTO pic.twitter.com/oGelTVlzxB
— Digital Memories (@JeffTaylorTPS) October 17, 2017
To be fair (to be fai-uh...), people seem to get really, really, almost disproportionately angry in general when it comes to holiday-themed merchandise that they consider "too early."
Just two months ago, Torontonians were upset over the presence of Halloween Candy in local stores.
In just a few weeks, we'll likely be raging over Valentine's Day.
At long last, we (and Drake) finally know when the highly-anticipated Toronto outpost of The Cheesecake Factory will be opening at Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
"Beginning November 21, The Cheesecake Factory of Toronto will be open," reads a press release sent out to local media on Thursday.
The company is also currently recruiting "more than 300 passionate staff members for the new location," according to the release.
A post shared by Cheesecake Factory Canada (@thecheesecakefactoryca) on Oct 14, 2017 at 11:29am PDT
For now, the American chain's first Canadian restaurant will be open Monday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Yorkdale's Cheesecake Factory will be sprawled over 10,400 square feet, have two covered patios, and feature the same 250 item menu (plus more than 50 cheesecakes and desserts) as its U.S. counterpart.
See you there!
Two opposing rallies are set to occur at Nathan Phillips Square this weekend, which could be a recipe for trouble.
A short while ago, a Facebook event was created to bring protesters to the space to tout anti-Trudeau anti-tax sentiments, as well as opposition to the $10.5 million settlement paid to Omar Khadr in July.
As of Thursday, the event page says only 130 people attending, but a counter-protest quickly popped up from an opposing group. The events list different start times, but would likely bring many opposing protesters together in the Square.
The counter-event says it is "pro-refugee, anti-bigotry" and that the people attending the original event are "the usual crowd of anti-Muslim bigots, Proud Boys, Patriot Militias, neo-Nazis, and assorted fascists."
After the counter-protest was posted online, titled "No Pasaran" (they shall not pass), the original anti-Trudeau event posters began discussing it on their event page, and some have mentioned the possibility of retaliation.
"If antifa comes out, they can become acquainted with my boots," one attendee commented. Antifa, or Anti-Fascists, are a group of people who counter neo-Nazi and white nationalist protests. They are often criticized for their own use of violence as well.
The counter-protest organizers, however, have not claimed they are affiliated with Antifa, but rather a group standing against racism and colonialism.
It remains to be seen if these rallies actually take place, but given the the tragic events surrounding duelling protests in the US recently, the fact that they're planned at all is certainly cause for concern.
Bakeries in Toronto run the gamut from old school Italian ones to speciality purveyors hawking donuts, cupcakes, eclairs and other splurge treats. If there's a fresh baked good you're craving, Toronto probably has it.
Check out all 50 essential Toronto bakeries in this photo gallery.
Toronto is getting one last bout of warm and sunny weather, and lucky for you there are plenty of reasons to get out there this weekend. Halloween party season officially begins, meanwhile festivals celebrating beer, zines, and even bubble tea await.
Events you might want to check out:
Townhouse sales might be in decline in Toronto, but you have to wonder why when you look at some of the options available. This unit at 850 Richmond St. West sure isn't cheap, but it has loads of space and luxury design features that rival most houses in this price range.
Prospective buyers might be scared off by the prospect of monthly maintenance fees, though they're kept relatively well in check here at just over $800 a month (which is cheaper than what you'd pay in a high rise listed at $2 million).
For someone who can't stand the thought of yard work, DIY repairs, or the idea of having to keep a home, a townhouse like this could be pure bliss. It certainly has the room to accommodate a growing family.
It's configured as a two bedroom plus office right now, but given the size of the third floor, it's almost as if there are two master bedrooms. There's no en suite, but the space is huge.
While there's no backyard on offer here, the rooftop deck looks like a very nice place to enjoy summer dinners and the like. Perhaps even more importantly, Trinity Bellwoods Park is one minute away, so there's green space galore right outside the door.
Specs
Address: #18 850 Richmond St. W
Price: $1,899,000
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Parking: 1
Walk Score: 89
Maintenance Fees: $806.99
Listing agent: Deborah Bennet
Listing ID: C3918571
Good For
Anyone with deep pockets who really wants to live in a bustling urban environment but who doesn't like the hive qualities of tower living.
Move On If
You want a white picket fence and a grassy backyard and believe that $1.9 million should buy you that.
Thanks to Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage for sponsoring our condo of the week. All editorial written and selected by blogTO.
Shoppers Drug Mart is saying "Ugh, WHATEVER, bye-eeee!" to the widely-reviled 'snarky teen' voice inside its automated checkout machines.
As promised, the retail pharmacy chain has started rolling out new self-checkout prompts at its stores across the country. This voice, according to the company, was made using Canadian talent – not Kardashian talent.
Here she is in all her polite, robotic, vocal fry-free glory:
Meet the NEW, new Shoppers Drug Mart self checkout voice – now with 90% less sass! https://t.co/enbY7EEMnb pic.twitter.com/ivgUILnN7L
— Lauren O'Neil (@laurenonizzle) October 19, 2017
Just listen to those soft, Northern-sounding A's (or should I say "eh's"? Hehehe.)
For comparison's sake, here is what the robo-cashiers have sounded like since they first hit select Shoppers locations in March.
A lot of people hated that voice, likening it to "a bored drunken teen," a "whiny millennial", the "Cash Me Outside" chick (of Maury and then internet fame,) Family Guy's Peter Griffin as a secretary, and a teenager in the 70's (did they sound different back then?)
Shoppers Drug Mart needs a better voice performer. This one sounds like she’s rolling her eyes and filing her nails. pic.twitter.com/TkDDSZMrMU
— Tod Maffin (@todmaffin) June 30, 2017
So many people were complaining online about the machine's perceived attitude – most of them, entirely unprompted – that Shoppers was compelled to take action. We were compelled to write about it and, more recently, look for real-life evidence of the new voice in action.
Of the six downtown Toronto Shoppers Drug Mart locations I visited while searching for the new prompts, only one of them – the 24/7 store at Yonge & Carlton – had eliminated the super-villain inside of their machines.
Rumour has it that the new-and-improved prompts have been installed at the Bloor and Spadina location, as well as on The Queensway, east of Parklawn.
Nothing appears to have changed with these self checkouts expect for the voice prompts.
The lady whose photo greets us still looks like Blake Lively – she just sounds more like Anne Murray. Robot Anne Murray.
Move over, “We the North.” The Toronto Raptors have a new battle cry for the 2017/2018 season.
Surely inspired by the popular (and semi-controversial) t-shirt slogan "Toronto vs. Everybody," the new Raptors tagline is more combative than its predecessor:
“North Over Everything.”
Do it for the culture.
Cop your North Over Everything gear exclusively at, @RealSports. pic.twitter.com/k9os3TJmpe
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 19, 2017
The rally cry extended beyond basketball into a statement for all of Toronto, regardless of basketball fandom.
Due to its huge popularity, the retirement of the old slogan has some people appropriately upset.
Everybody knows Minneapolis and Portland are North of Toronto, right?
— Dan Riskin (@riskindan) October 19, 2017
Some criticism seems to be based on the idea that “We the North” was very inclusive, and very Canadian, whereas “North Over Everything” implies superiority over those “beneath” us.
We the North was so much better
— Cameron McNairn 🇨🇦 (@1987CAM) October 19, 2017
The Raptors have shaken up their team roster as of late, and are hoping the new slogan will fit an equally new image as the season gets under way with their home opener tonight.
Perhaps the slogan will ring true, and the Raptors truly will place superior to the other teams. We’ll have to wait and see. Until then, “We the North” will probably hold onto its crown despite its lack of official status.
This 
The house seems like the type of place where a huge family might gather to celebrate the holidays or some other special occasion. You imagine lots of people here thanks to the sprawling kitchen and the family room marked by its cathedral ceiling and central fireplace. 
These qualities don't come cheap, of course. While a residence like this would easily break $5 million in a neighbourhood like Rosedale or Lawrence Park, it still comes in over the $3 million mark in Etobicoke. 
And why not? It's minutes from the Humber Valley and tons of green space, but it's also well connected to downtown thanks to its proximity to the Line 2 subway line. Location-wise, this one reaps all the benefits of inner suburban living, which isn't as car-dependent these days.
The Essentials
Why it sold for what it did
Was it worth it?
