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Toronto could soon get dumped by 10 cm of snow

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Toronto might be getting a lot of snow if the latest weather reports are to be believed. 

According to a special weather statement issued by Environment Canada we'll likely be getting flurries tonight and more snow on Monday evening, followed by a chance of additional flurries later in the week.

weather toronto

This week's forecast according to Environment Canada.

According to Environment Canada, Toronto could be hit with five to 10 centimetres within the next 24 hours. 

Temperatures are also expected to dip with a low of -11C expected overnight. If today's weather was a harbinger to come, it's definitely time to stock up on winter boots and find places to stay warm.


12 things to do in Toronto this week

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This week in Toronto you can catch shows from two of the city's favourite bands, check out world renowned short films, and even visit the ROM for free. If you're feeling festive, you can celebrate the holidays with events ranging from skating to singalongs. 

Events you might want to check out:

Alexisonfire (December 11-15 @ Danforth Music Hall)
Toronto's favourite hardcore band takes over the Danforth for a string of shows. Tickets for this one will be hard to nab, so grab a superfan you know and ask to be their plus one.
Best of LGBT Short Film Festival (December 11 @ Carlton Cinemas)
This showcase of LGBT themed short films gathers the finest work from creators across Canada, the United States, the UK, South Africa and more. Best of all, admission is free.
Free Admission to the ROM (December 12 @ Royal Ontario Museum)
To celebrate the reopening of the museum's heritage Weston Entrance, the ROM is opening its doors to the people of Toronto, offering free general admission from noon until 5:30 PM.
Alvvays (December 12 @ Mod Club Theatre)
These rising stars bring their mellow, lovestruck indie pop to the Mod Club for four nights in support of their sophomore release, Antisocialites.
Hip Hop Food Drive (December 13 @ Smiling Buddha)
The third annual Hip Hop Food Drive features an all Canadian roster of hip hop artists in support of the Parkdale Community Food Bank. Tickets are 5 bucks with a non-perishable donation or 10 without.
An Evening of The New York Times's Op-Docs (December 14 @ Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema)
Six standout pieces from the New York Times' editorial opinionated documentaries make their way to Toronto, tackling a range of current events, contemporary issues, and historical subjects.
Laduree Toronto Opening (December 14 @ Yorkdale Shopping Centre)
The wait for macaron is over. That is, if you don't count the inevitable lineup that will no doubt accompany the opening of the world famous sweets boutique.
Studio Ghibli (December 15 @ Power Up Game Bar)
Celebrate over 30 years of stunning and heartwarming visual storytelling among some of the most devoted fans of Studio Ghibli at this screening and party.
Choir! Choir! Choir! Presents 25 Days of Charity (December 16 @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre)
The giant open group choir takes over the Phoenix for a performance benefiting 25 local, national, and international charities. Expect the most epic caroling you've ever heard.
DJ Skate Nights (December 16 - February 17 @ Harbourfront Centre)
Toronto's outdoor winter party returns with a night dedicated to classic Latin sounds, featuring DJs Blancon and Drumspeak spinning while you skate.
The Trinity Bellwoods Flea (December 17 @ The Great Hall)
Find last minute gifts all while skipping lines and crowds at this annual market at the historic Great Hall. Admission is always free.
Winter at Ontario Place (December 8 - March 18 @ Ontario Place)
Having just opened this past weekend, seize the opportunity to explore Ontario Place's new winter light exhibition before the rest of Toronto catches on.

The best meteor shower of the year is set to hit Toronto skies

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This hasn't been the best year for meteor showers thanks to some pesky interference from the moon during peak times, but 2017 is set to go out in style as the Geminids rain across the sky in the coming days.

Stargazers could see as over 100 shooting stars an hour when the shower reaches its peak on night of December 13 (i.e. the very early morning hours of December 14). In fact, 2017 could be a banner year for the shower as the source comet — 3200 Phaethon— is nearby.

According to EarthSky, "when a meteor shower’s source is nearby, the rates of meteors you see can increase." There's no guarantee, but the conditions are ripe for very good year. The slender crescent moon that'll rise at around 3 a.m. will not pose much of an impediment to viewing.

In what might be even better news for city dwellers, there's a chance you might be able to catch a few shooting stars without even leaving the city. 

"The Geminids tend to be bright," explains EarthSky. "So, on a night around the shower’s peak, you might catch a Geminid meteor, even if your sky is somewhat beset by light pollution."

If you want to catch the full out shower, you'll need to find a place far from the city's lights like a resort in cottage country or a dark sky preserve. You can always use this handy light pollution map to chart your journey.

For the best results, you'll want to look for meteors after midnight on December 14, but if you just can't stand to stay up that late, the radiant point should be high enough by 10 p.m. to yield a decent number for earlier viewings.

To see shooting stars, you really just need to find an open expanse and look up. If you can orient yourself to the east, however, that's ideal as the constellation Gemini is found here.

Good luck — and remember to bundle up!

Uber competitor Lyft officially launches in Toronto this week

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Let the ride-hailing service app games begin.

Starting tomorrow, Lyft will officially be up and running in Toronto, which means that Uber will no longer be the sole major player in a market it's had cornered for more than three years.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman will be the first person to take a Lyft ride in our city – or anywhere outside the U.S., in fact – according to a press release from the San Francisco-based technology company.

Stroman is scheduled to travel from Airship 37, near the Distillery District, to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to deliver holiday gifts for patients following a launch event for the service around 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.

Lyft Toronto General Manager Tim Houghton will turn on the company's service in the 6ix and also "make an announcement regarding a partnership with SickKids Foundation," according to the release.

Following the launch, Lyft will be available to customers in the GTA (plus Hamilton) with five options ranging from regular vehicles to luxury black SUVs.

Toronto film critics announce 2017 award winners

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As 2017 begins to draw to a close, year-end lists are starting to gain lots of momentum, which is why it's fitting that last night the Toronto Film Critics Association named their top picks of the year.

There's no doubt these films, many of which screened at TIFF, will be strong contenders going into the next phase of high-profile accolades including the Golden Globes and the Oscars.

Here are the TFCA's 2017 winners by category.

Best Picture

Winner: The Florida Project

Runners up:

Best Actor

Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread

Runners up:

Best Actress

Winner: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Runners up:

Best Supporting Actor

Winner: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project

Runners up:

  • Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
  • Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me By Your Name
Best Supporting Actress

Winner: Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

Runners up:

  • Allison Janney, I, Tonya
  • Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
Best Director

Winner: Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird

Runners up:

  • Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread
  • Jordan Peele, Get Out
Best Screenplay, Adapted or Original 

Winner: Get Out by Jordan Peele

Runners up:

  • Lady Bird by Greta Gerwig
  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri by Martin McDonagh
Best First Feature

Winner: Get Out, directed by Jordan Peele

Runners up:

Best Animated Feature

Winner: The Breadwinner, Elevation Pictures

Runners up:

Best Foreign Language Film

Winner: The Square, The Archive of Film Inc.

Runners up:

Allan King Documentary Film Award

Winner: Faces Places, Cohen Media Group

Runners up:

  • Jane, National Geographic
  • Kedi, Blue Ice Docs
Rogers Best Canadian Film Award Finalists

This Week on DineSafe: Tim Hortons, What A Bagel, Sud Forno, Starbucks, Spring Rolls

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This week on DineSafe some of the city's most popular cafes were cited by city health inspectors. Big names like Starbucks and Tim Hortons locations got busted for a number of infractions, but so did Yonge and Bloor outpost of Spring Rolls.

Find out who else got busted by the Toronto food police this week on DineSafe.

KIBO Sushi (701 St. Clair Ave. West)
  • Inspected on: December 5, 2017
  • Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
  • Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 2, Significant: 1)
  • Crucial infractions include: N/A
Sud Forno (132 Yonge St.)
  • Inspected on: December 5, 2017
  • Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
  • Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
  • Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous foods at 4C (40F) or colder.
Art Square Cafe (334 Dundas St. West)
  • Inspected on: December 7, 2017
  • Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
  • Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 1, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)
  • Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.
Lola's Kitchen (634 Church St.)
  • Inspected on: December 7, 2017
  • Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
  • Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1, Crucial: 1)
  • Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated.
Spring Rolls (691 Yonge St.)
  • Inspected on: December 7, 2017
  • Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
  • Number of infractions: 1 (Crucial: 1)
  • Crucial infractions include: Operator failed to maintain hazardous foods at 4C (40F) or colder.
Starbucks (637 Kingston Rd.)
  • Inspected on: December 8, 2017
  • Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
  • Number of infractions: 2 (Minor: 1, Significant: 1)
  • Crucial infractions include: N/A
Tim Hortons (1089 Kingston Rd.)
  • Inspected on: December 8, 2017
  • Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
  • Number of infractions: 3 (Minor: 1, Significant: 2)
  • Crucial infractions include: N/A
What A Bagel (3515 Bathurst St.)
  • Inspected on: December 8, 2017
  • Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)
  • Number of infractions: 4 (Significant: 4)
  • Crucial infractions include: N/A

Note: The above businesses each received infractions from DineSafe as originally reported on the DineSafe site. This does not imply that any of these businesses have not subsequently corrected the issue and received a passing grade by DineSafe inspectors. For the latest status for each of the mentioned businesses, including details on any subsequent inspections, please be sure to check the DineSafe site.

One of Toronto’s oldest bookstores is closing with a blowout sale

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Eliot's Bookshop at 584 Yonge Street announced last summer that it was closing, and now the time has come to clear the shelves.

The store is having a massive book sale all month long, with paperback pocket books for $2, trade paperbacks for $3, and all hardcovers for $4 (regardless of size), including art books.

The event is not without its fair share of sadness and regret, though. Eliot's is one of several independent businesses that fell on hard times attributed to increased property taxes on Yonge Street.

The owner, Paul Panayiotidis, has been in business for 40 years and is looking to clear out all three floors of the bookstore by the end of the month.

Now might be your last chance to pick up some great CanLit, art books, and literary classics from an amazing collection of used books that'll be greatly missed.

Toronto neighbourhood just got some brand new street art

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A series of abandoned industrial silos in downtown Toronto have now been fully transformed into beacons of art and community.

Check out the new and improved South Liberty Trail.

Earlier this year, MuralRoutes announced that four street artists had been chosen to work on a large-scale public arts initiative in Liberty Village.

A post shared by Tara Dorey (@tara.dorey) on

The project, made possible through the city's StreetARToronto Partnership Program, involved turning several 30 to 40-foot-tall silos and grain hoppers into "monumental and highly-visible murals" that could be seen from the Gardiner Expressway.

A post shared by Mural Routes (@muralroutes) on

Canadian mural artists Alexander Bacon, birdO, Emmanuel Jarus and Troy Lovegates were chosen to work in consultation with Mural Routes, local architects and York Heritage Properties (which owns the structures) to create these "industrial artifacts."

A post shared by Tara Dorey (@tara.dorey) on

Mural Routes is hosting an unveiling event for the repurposed silos today, between 4 and 6 p.m. at the base of Fraser Ave, outside the old Canada Bread Factory, which left the old silos behind when it closed after more than 50 years in 2011.


Toronto neighbourhood just got some brand new street art

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A series of abandoned industrial silos in downtown Toronto have now been fully transformed into beacons of art and community.

Check out the new and improved South Liberty Trail.

South Liberty TrailEarlier this year, MuralRoutes announced that four street artists had been chosen to work on a large-scale public arts initiative in Liberty Village.

liberty silosThe project, made possible through the city's StreetARToronto Partnership Program, involved turning several 30 to 40-foot-tall silos and grain hoppers into "monumental and highly-visible murals" that could be seen from the Gardiner Expressway.

South Liberty Trail

Canadian mural artists Alexander Bacon, birdO, Emmanuel Jarus and Troy Lovegates were chosen to work in consultation with Mural Routes, local architects and York Heritage Properties (which owns the structures) to create these "industrial artifacts."

South Liberty TrailMural Routes is hosting an unveiling event for the repurposed silos today, between 4 and 6 p.m. at the base of Fraser Ave, outside the old Canada Bread Factory, which left the old silos behind when it closed after more than 50 years in 2011.

liberty silos

A Toronto street is covered in giant Santas

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The holiday season is upon us in Toronto and that can only mean one thing: Kringlewood is back.

In case you're not familiar with Kringlewood, it's an annual tradition in the Moore Park neighbourhood on Inglewood Drive where neighbours get together to erect a giant, inflatable Santas on their front lawns.

The Santas started to appear late last month, but now it seems that most have cropped up all along the street, which runs off of Mount Pleasant Road near St. Clair Avenue. There are some 50 in total.

A post shared by Michael Eastman (@7mke) on

The Kringlewood tradition began a few years back when resident Amy Westin bought an oversized Kris Kringle at Canadian Tire, igniting a trend that's since grown into a community-wide, yearly attraction.

The festive display is worth checking out, especially at night when each one is lit up along the street. And if that's not enough surrealism for you, nearby Rose Park Drive might break out the snowmen for another year of frostyfriendly competition.

The Best Chicken Wings in Toronto

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The best chicken wings in Toronto aren’t all about heat. We’re a stone’s throw from Buffalo where the wing was invented and even have wing deals every night of the week so you know we take wings seriously.

Here are the best chicken wings in Toronto.

9 - Sloppy Joe's

Crowds flock for the 80 cent wings on Tuesday and Thursday nights at this South Etobicoke hangout. Flavours are relatively standard, but you can mix up any two of them.
8 - Home of Hot Taste

Roasted and “Blazing Fire” Korean-style fried chicken wings are available at this restaurant with locations in Koreatown and Thornhill.
11 - Fanzone Wings & Ribs

Wings plus personal TVs at every booth? Sounds like a perfect night in Scarborough. You can even grab an order of 100 in up to four out of dozens and dozens of flavours.
3 - Crown & Dragon

Wings are half-price not only one but three nights a week at this pub near Yonge and Davenport, and you can mix and match flavours. There's award-winning Dragon's Breath, Hawaii pineapple, and Roadside Lemonade varieties, and an array of baked wings too.
4 - The Dirty Bird (Annex)

Fried chicken has become synonymous with this mini-chain that does it up on waffles, in sandwiches, and serves just the wings. By the half-pound or pound, boneless or bone-in, you get a simple choice between honey garlic, buffalo, dry or jerk BBQ.
5 - Duff's Famous Wings

If you’re looking for authenticity and tradition when it comes to your wings, this small chain has origins in New York, fifty years of history and thankfully for us, two Toronto locations. Expect spice challenges, blue cheese dip, wet naps and bone buckets.
6 - AllStar Wings & Ribs (Danforth)

Over 200 flavours of wings have been winning awards for over a decade at this wing chain. You can get them breaded, unbreaded or skinless and grilled, and like all great wing places, you have to sign a waiver before trying their Armageddon style.
7 - The Fry

At six locations throughout Ontario you can find the simple spicy, soy garlic or crispy wings this place is known for, along with their fried and boneless chicken.
10 - Victorian Monkey

If you love wings as much as you love steampunk, this Scarborough pub is the spot for you. Their garlic parm wings are surprisingly solid, and they also have honey hot, sticky sesame, and cajun dry rub flavours if that’s more your speed.

First tickets for Toronto's Infinity Mirrors exhibit on sale this week

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The opening date for what will no doubt become Toronto's biggest art exhibit is still a few months away, but the first round of tickets for Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors is set to go on sale this week.

The privileged few who are AGO members will be able to secure early tickets for next year's exhibit beginning tomorrow at noon. That's a pretty big benefit given how quickly the exhibit has sold out elsewhere.

For the record, a gallery membership costs $110 for a single adult. That gets you into Infinity Mirrors at no cost, so if you've been on the fence about laying down the cash to join, now might be the time.

The AGO is expecting such immense ticket-buying activity that it's shutting down the rest of its website for the day to accommodate the anticipated demand. 

The exhibit will also feature paintings, paper works, and sculptures by Kusama. Photo courtesy of Yayoi Kusama via the AGO.

The exhibit has been touring around North America for the past few years and will stop in Toronto from March 3 to May 27 at the AGO.

Judging by its popularity in other cities, you can expect near big lineups, huge amounts of buzz, and some people upset that they didn't snag tickets in time.

The AGO's website gives a pretty thorough rundown on what to expect, namely large crowds and long wait times to visit the six rooms, which visitors are allotted about 20 to 30 seconds to view.

While tickets are free for members, they're not guaranteed. The rest of us will have to wait until January 16 (12 p.m.) to grab tickets, which start at $30 for adults, $26.50 for seniors, and $21.50 for post-secondary students and anyone under 17.

Huge crowds hit the streets for TFC's victory parade

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Less than 48 hours after being crowned MLS champions, TFC celebrated with their adoring fans as part of the team's official victory parade from The Air Canada Centre to Nathan Phillips Square. Throngs of people lined the streets to salute the Reds, who proudly showed off the MLS Cup. It was a jubilant scene to cap off a near perfect season.

10 cozy bars and pubs with a fireplace in Toronto

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Bars with fireplaces in Toronto are rarer than you may think. They provide the ultimate cozy ambience when the temperatures starts to drop. Some of these fireplaces are wood burning, some have majestic mantles and some are just adorable electric flame machines that help make our local watering holes feel like home.

Here are my picks for the top bars and pubs with a fireplace in Toronto.

Barrel House

Cozy might not be the first word that comes to mind when you consider the size of Amsterdam's Barrel House in Leaside, but it's a testament to the power of the fireplace that the central hearth here adds lots of visual warmth to the place. The ample wood tones don't hurt either.

Cocktail Bar

One of the coziest bars in the city is tucked away on Dundas West. Not only will its fireplace keep you warm as the weather cools, but its stellar cocktail list and snacks will help heat things up as well.

Parts & Labour

This Parkdale bar with a club in the basement can often feel like a beer hall because of its communal tables and high ceilings, but don't fret; it has a wood-burning fireplace at the front of the room to keep it friendly.

C'est What

This Front Street favourite has one of the largest, most gather-round-the-fire fireplaces in the city. Surrounded by couch chairs and tables, it seems as though it popped out of a ski chalet ad from the 1980s. That's what makes it so glorious.

The Queen and Beaver

The main room of this English-style pub on Elm St. is a lovely space, complete with photos and an antique fireplace. The multi-level pub features food and drink that's modern, yet steeped in tradition. The only thing missing here is your favourite book and some slippers.

The Fifth Pubhouse

Squint your eyes and you might just think you're at a cottage when you sit around the fireplace at this downtown pub, which is surrounded by logs and Muskoka chairs adorned with plaid pillows. It's kitschy, quaint, and cozy all at once.

No One Writes to the Colonel

There's a fireplace inside this 1970s throwback lounge in Little Italy. It's painted white and comes surrounded by comfy vintage furniture. It's a warm, friendly space that will give new life to any high waisted pants you have.

Famous Last Words

Toronto's book-themed bar in the Junction serves cocktails with a "literary twist." It also plays vinyl and has an adorable electric fireplace. With hundreds of books lining the walls, this space is ready for bookworms who enjoy reading by the fire.

The Drake

One of the more modern fireside hangs happens to be at the Drake in the main floor lounge. It's a key spot for cocktails on West Queen West, and the whole place will help warm your bones on a chilly night. The outdoor fire pit at the Sky Lounge is an added bonus.

The Abbot on Eglinton 

This pub on Eglinton West boasts a lovely central fireplace that gives the main dining area a cozy vibe that pairs perfectly with its Sunday roasts and other hearty British-influenced fare. 

The top 5 new Mexican restaurants in Toronto

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New Mexican restaurants in Toronto may start with great tacos, but they definitely don’t end there. Mole sauces, crispy fried tortillas, mountains of stretchy, melty cheese, and intriguing tequila options are just a few of the other lures at the city's newest crop of these popular joints.

Here are the top new Mexican restaurants in Toronto.

El Nahual

Tacos are the main thing on the menu at this tiny Eglinton West gem. All tortillas are made from scratch by hand, and the fish, carnitas, shrimp and house made chili de arbol hot sauce and cilantro aioli are all prepared traditionally. There’s also house agua fresca and horchata.

Itacate

Quite possibly the source of the best new tacos in Toronto, this St. Clair West spot also does gringas, quesadillas and other specials like chilis rellenos. Double-shelled tacos come in flavours like mouthwatering tongue, carnitas, and even vegetarian. Meanwhile al pastor meat spins on a skewer topped with pineapple within full view.

Chula Taberna Mexicana

By the same guys behind El Local Loco downtown, this more easterly multi-level bar on Gerrard St. has several patios, tacos, and larger plates plus a variety of margaritas. They also do a late night menu and brunch.

Hotmess Tex Mex

Tex Mex has found a home in Toronto at this Little Italy dive bar. Expect taquitos, hard-shell tacos, queso topped with ground beef, and all your other casual faves plus margaritas, palomas and cans of beer.

Mexitaco

Once located in the Annex, the family behind this real-deal joint has relocated their business to their home neighbourhood of Scarborough. Now occupying a corner spot with a wraparound patio, lip-smacking tacos, burritos, mangonadas and tequila Caesars are all here.


Someone in Toronto was charged $18K for an Uber ride

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Anyone familiar with surge pricing knows how quickly Uber fares can shoot up, but, barring the event of an actual apocalypse, $18,518 seems excessive for a roughly 20-minute-long car ride.

An Uber customer in Toronto was stunned on Friday to learn that his 5.6 km trip from The Entertainment District to St. Joseph's Hospital had cost him as as much as the price of a brand new car.

He shared a screenshot of his Uber bill on Instagram, where it was subsequently grabbed by a friend and published to Twitter.

The woman who tweeted about her friend's situation on Saturday had initially written that  Uber was "sticking to it."

Another person shared a screenshot of the Uber receipt on the Bunz Helping Zone Facebook page, according to The Sun, writing similarly that Uber would not refund the man's money.

"Uber WILL NOT reverse the charge and have stopped responding to his messages," read the Facebook post. "SO how do we start a s—storm to get Uber's attention and get my friend his money back."

A Twitter user who appeared to be the rider in question, Hisham Salama‏, also shared an image of the conversation he'd been having with Uber Support through his app on Saturday morning.

"It looks like the destination of drop off wasn't the destination initially entered in the app when the trip was requested," wrote someone on behalf of the company, in response to why the user had been charged more than $18K for what should have been a $12-16 trip.

Later on Saturday, the Bunz post was updated to say that the customer had been refunded his $18,518.50.

Uber said in a statement that the massive charge was simply "an error" that had been resolved as of Saturday morning.

"We have provided a full refund to this rider and apologized to him for this experience," wrote an Uber spokesperson to Slate. "We have safeguards in place to help prevent something like this from happening, and we are working to understand how this occurred."

Let's hope they can figure it out before New Year's Eve, when it can get a lot harder to tell the difference between outrageous errors and outrageous surge fares.

Here's a map of all the unreal holiday lights in Toronto

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Christmas lights and holiday displays have swept Toronto for another year of scenic and festive fun. Favourites from previous years are back, along with some welcome new additions to ensure this city is both merry and bright come the holidays. 

Here's a roundup of some of the prettiest Christmas lights you'll find around Toronto, complete with a map for planning your festive tour.

Nathan Phillips Square

City Hall is always a festive place in December, but once again it's being dialed up with a huge holiday fair to go along with the ice rink, the Toronto sign and Toronto's official Christmas tree.

Casa Loma

Toronto's castle gets the winter wonderland treatment with a magical light show across the beautiful grounds. Find 150 years of Canadian Christmas going down on the grounds until the beginning of January. 

Toronto Christmas Market

No surprises here. The Distillery District is home to the Toronto Christmas Market and as result been decked out with Christmas lights, a light tunnel, a giant Christmas tree and other festive paraphernalia throughout the month.

Eastern Beaches

A trip along the boardwalk need not be only a summer activity. The Eastern Beaches are covered in 80,000 LED lights for DeClute's Light Up the Beach

Christie Pits

The sparkling tiger is back at Christie Pits for another season in celebration of Toronto's Korean community. You can find it between the subway station and the park.

Eaton Centre

You'll find the country's biggest Christmas tree at the Eaton Centre this year, along with a whole lot of other festive displays throughout the mall.

Yonge-Dundas Square

If you're looking for a little break from holiday shopping and could use a bit of festive cheer outside the mall, the holiday display at Yonge-Dundas Square is worth a visit.

Saks & Hudson Bay

Keeping up a longstanding tradition, Saks and Hudson Bay have outfitted their windows near Yonge and Queen with a series of festive displays.

Financial District

Most of the major office towers in the Financial District have festive displays worth checking out if you're in the area. There are classy outdoor displays at Commerce Court and the TD Centre, while Brookfield Place and First Canadian Place have nice indoor decorations up.

Toronto Waterfront

The Spectacle of Lights is a series of displays along Queens Quay designed to bring some festive cheer to the waterfront. Installations can be found at the Peter Street Basin, the Fire Hall, and the Toronto Music Garden.

Ontario Place

New for 2017 is the huge winter festival happening at Ontario Place. From December 8 to March 18, Toronto will be treated to this free winter festival right on the lake which features a synthetic skating rink and stunning light installations.

188 Brock Avenue

The D'Elia family completely deck out their home each year in the kitschiest way imaginable. Be careful not to visit to early, though. The lights don't come on until after dusk.

165 Benjamin Boake Trail

The De Sario family lights up their home with roughly 50,000 LED lights each year in support of Sick Kids Hospital. It's the most Griswold of Toronto's Christmas light displays.

6 Holmesdale Crescent

Mary Genua has put on a roubust light display at her home near Dufferin St. and Eglinton Ave. for at least 30 years. 

Glenlake Avenue and Dorval Road

Trevor Walker and Karin Martin might just have the most creative Christmas lights display in the entire city, complete with a giant Rudolph to greet those passing by. 

Inglewood Drive 

During the month of December this Toronto street is known as Kringlewood. Residents of the Moore Park neighbourhood get together to erect giant Santas on their front lawns. This year will feature more than 50. 

8 things to do in Toronto today

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Events in Toronto today include free entry into the Royal Ontario Museum, a showcase of stunning pop culture fan art, a free comedy stand up show, and a concert by one of Toronto's biggest new bands.

Events you might want to check out:

Free Admission to the ROM (December 12 @ Royal Ontario Museum)
To celebrate the reopening of the museum's heritage Weston Entrance, the ROM is opening its doors to the people of Toronto, offering free general admission from noon until 5:30 PM.
Alvvays (December 12 @ Mod Club Theatre)
These rising stars bring their mellow, lovestruck indie pop to the Mod Club for four nights in support of their sophomore album, Antisocialites.
Banged-Up Comedy (December 12 @ Duffy's Tavern)
A free stand up comedy show goes down tonight on Toronto's west side, featuring some of the best in the scene. Cheap wings and drinks compliment the free/ PWYC admission.
Officially Unofficial Fan Art Show (December 12 @ #Hashtag Gallery)
A group of local and international artists celebrate movie franchises and other pop culture that changes their lives through unofficial but impressive fan works of art.
Stranger Things Pub Quiz (December 12 @ The Beaver)
Put your 80s pop culture knowledge to the test at the Stranger Things pub quiz. Your team of five will take on everything that made the Duffer Brother's sci-fi series such a thrill.
Le Grand Voyage (December 12 @ Toronto Reference Library, Beeton Hall, Main Floor)
As part of the Middle East in Film series, catch Le Grand Voyage, the story of a Moroccan French teenage boy and his father on a treacherous road trip to Saudi Arabia, presented with English subtitles.
Brenda MacIntyre (December 12 @ West Wing, Union Station)
Juno Award winning singer, speaker, Indigenous drummer and wisdom-keeper Brenda MacIntyre brings her soulful singing and storytelling to Union.
Sofia Coppola's Somewhere (December 12 @ TIFF)
Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Somewhere is an art film about the redeeming power of family ties, being screened in Canada for the first time ever.

The top 5 new bubble tea in Toronto

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The newest bubble tea cafes in Toronto include the first Canadian locations of global chains as well as the first downtown offerings of local favourites. While many don't know these teas are named for the bubbles that form from being whipped up and not the pearls of chewy tapioca they contain, pretty much everyone knows these drinks are delicious.

Here are my picks for the top new bubble tea cafes in Toronto.

Green Grotto

Hokkaido matcha teas are the go-to at this new Bay and College location, easily accentuated by add-ons like grass jelly, tapioca, coffee agar, honey aloe vera and popping boba. There are also pages of other drinks on the menu if you're looking for something a little different.

Latea Era

Milk foam bubble tea and Uji matcha bubble tea are the specialties at this Scarborough import from Foshan, China. If you've ever wished you could have a bubble tea topped with what's basically cheesecake, this is the place for you.

The Alley

Not only can you find drinks decorated like miniature gardens at this new location of a beloved spot near Yonge and Wellesley that itself looks like a tiny forest, they also have glittery beverages that look just like sunrises.

One Zo Tapioca

Tapioca comes in sesame, caramel, cactus and mango at this Chinatown spot, perfect in the green and milk teas available. Even better, they make all their tapioca from scratch on site.

Icha Tea

Classic tea ceremonies are on offer at this Chinatown cafe along with typical renditions of bubble tea. Crafted milk tea is brewed before your eyes right at the bar.

Toronto TV host fired for Fox News appearance

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CP24's Stephen LeDrew has been fired from his position as a news host and commentator after appearing on what his bosses say is a competing network.

LeDrew, who is also a lawyer and former Liberal Party of Canada president, was seen on Fox News late last month discussing Canadian LGBT issues with Fox News TV host Tucker Carlson.

The interview proved controversial in and of itself, despite the fact that LeDrew was arguing in defence of inclusivity training at schools.

The fallout prompted Cp24 parent company Bell Media to suspend LeDrew for a period of one week following the appearance, in which he surmised that Two Spirit people are "confused" about their identities.

"Two Spirit sounds like there's someone they don't know whether they're fish or a fowl," he said at the time. "They don't know whether they're frick or frack."

The afternoon news host was expected to resume his regular duties at CP24 the following week, but that didn't happen.

Instead, as he told the Toronto Sun's Joe Warmington yesterday, his return date was pushed to Monday, Dec. 11, at which point he was called into an office and fired "for cause."

"I was later ushered out and not allowed to go and get my coat," he told Warmington. "I guess I shouldn't have giggled when CTV news told me that Fox was its competition."

You see, LeDrew had initially been suspended for violating his parent company (which also owns CTV)'s code of conduct – not its competition clause.

LeDrew told Warmington that he doesn't believe his comments about Two Spirit individuals landed him in hot water, as much as the fact that "I talked with the press."

"They just want everybody under their thumb," said LeDrew of his former employer.

He plans on using this time off to enjoy the holidays with his family. Then, he says, he will be available to do commentary once again – presumably for networks outside of Bell Media.

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