Hollywood North continues to expand with the announcement of a new 165,000-square-foot studio complex in Toronto's Port Lands.

The City of Toronto and Cinespace have confirmed that Marine Terminal 51 and a portion of Toronto's Cruise Ship Terminal will be transformed into a series of leading-edge film and TV production facilities.

Cinespace, founded in Toronto circa 1988, is the largest private owner and operator of studio space in North America.

Checking out the set of the award-winning show, The Handmaid's Tale, at Cinespace in Etobicoke. The Shape of Water – which is up for 13 Oscars this Sunday - was also filmed in this studio. #Oscarspic.twitter.com/5N3HzxJpmm

— John Tory (@JohnTory) March 2, 2018

Award-winning TV shows and movies like The Handmaid's Tale, Pompeii and The Shape of Water have all been filmed on Cinespace grounds in the GTA, and the procurement of this new facility will allow the company to up its game even further.

"Toronto's screen industries are experiencing a period of significant growth and investment and there is a need to protect and enhance studio infrastructure in our city," said City Councillor Paula Fletcher in a release on Friday. 

With investors now spending billions in the city each year making films and TV shows, Fletcher says that "this announcement is good for business, good for the area, and good for Toronto."

A lack of supply to meet all of the demand from Hollywood had already prompted Cinespace to start work on another studio complex in September.

That Etobicoke-based facility, dubbed "Titan Studios," is still very much a go. When its finished, Toronto will have an additional 50,000 square feet in production space and its own permanent underwater filming tank.

No word yet on when construction will begin on the new Port Lands studio space, but city officials say that it won't affect or displace any industrial port operations or cruise ship activities.

Looking for the best backpack you'll ever own in your life? Fjällräven is opening a standalone store in Toronto on Queen West near Spadina Avenue.

The popular Swedish apparel and equipment brand, founded in 1960, is famous for making functional outerwear that's both timeless and durable. You'll pay a lot for their jackets, but they'll also last you forever.

Fjällräven has been available to purchase in Toronto for a while, but this will be its first actual store in the city. Previous to this, the company had listed a "shop-in-shop" at Neon, also on Queen West, as its only local outpost.

An opening date has yet to be announced, but hiring started back in January and signs are now proudly displayed in the windows of 356 Queen Street West.

The outerwear brand will be taking over the 3,000-square-foot retail space previously occupied by (the now defunct) SHOES.com brick-and-mortar store.

Toronto businesses that closed in February included two Momofuku spaces and the city's first Kickstarter-funded restaurant. Sadly, there were also a couple of music venues that called it quits. Some of these closures already have plans for new businesses to take over, so hopefully the newbies will live up to what they're replacing.

Here are the most notable Toronto businesses that closed in February.

D-Beatstro

This beloved vegan cafe, music venue and DIY event space with gender-neutral bathrooms and diverse all-ages programming was a community hub in Bloordale. It went out with a bang, hosting a coffee & punk rock three-day music extravaganza called D-Beat Forever Fest.

Graffiti's

A longtime Kensington Market mainstay, this iconic spot known for its Black Metal Brunch on Sundays added to the unique vibe of the neighbourhood. It was also a place where local bands and musicians could perform, and had been around for over two decades before closing up shop last month.

Lil' Baci

Its Yonge & Eg location quietly closed last summer and the original in Leslieville shut its doors forever in February, much to the dismay of local fans of the Italian joint. Its owners decided it was time to make way for a new dining concept, more in line with Annabelle Pasta Bar, their restaurant at Christie & Davenport.

Loka

Chef Dave Mottershall's Kickstarter-funded restaurant on Queen West by Bathurst ceased to exist on Valentine's Day. After serving up highly Instagrammable, "crazy local Canadian cuisine" for 2+ years, fans can't wait to see what he'll do next.

Market Village

A sort-of sibling to Markham's Pacific Mall, this shopping centre officially closed at the end of February to make way for the more modern-looking Remington Centre. Twenty-eight years is a good run (plus, it's an auspicious number in Chinese).

MomofukuDaisho and Shoto

Part of chef/restaurateur David Chang's Momofuku empire, these two more upscale restaurants that spanned the third floor of the Momofuku building beside the Shangri-La Hotel in the Financial District closed down last month. One new restaurant concept will replace the two this spring.

Tortilla Flats

This Tex-Mex haunt on Queen West had definitely seen better days before a notice of termination was posted on its door last month due to unpaid rent totalling over $31,000. Strangely enough, this same situation happened a few years ago, so we'll see if it actually sticks this time around.

Whitlock's

After 27 years of serving brunch in the Beaches, this east-side restaurant closed unexpectedly in early February after it was served with a notice of distress for non-payment of rent.

Events in Toronto today are probably going to draw some crowds. A sprawling beer festival, huge vintage shows and a talk with the Raptors' boss are just some of the ways to occupy your Saturday.

Instagram’s latest street art super star Libby Schoettle – a strange online phenomenon that could only spawn out of New York – has officially hit Toronto with a solo show titled Art Prison that launched Thursday.

Best known as her paper-doll alter ego, PhoebeNewYork, Libby's collage artwork is instantly recognizable.

A post shared by Libby Schoettle (@phoebenewyork) on Jan 11, 2018 at 8:18am PST

With her round head, short bob cut and fashionable one-liners plastered onto photograph collages of models and iconic females, PhoebeNewYork has gained attention globally as a feminist artist of sorts. 

A post shared by Libby Schoettle (@phoebenewyork) on Feb 3, 2018 at 9:21am PST

Though she's been creating art for years, Libby's work only started seeing traction when she began wheat pasting prints of her work on the walls of New York City streets – à la "She's Gotta Have It" – and posting the pictures on the 'gram. 

A post shared by Libby Schoettle (@phoebenewyork) on Oct 12, 2017 at 9:42am PDT

Since then she's collaborated with Lululemon's Soho store and French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel, been featured in Teen Vogue and Glamour Italia, and reached over 21K followers on Instagram.

You can check out Libby's work at Gallery 181 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays to Saturdays, until March 31.

The top regional Chinese restaurants in Toronto just go to show how much love this city has for Chinese food. Not only do we have the Chinese chains prevalent in most major cities, we’ve also got styles from different regions plus crossover cuisine-types – aren't we lucky.

Here are the my picks for the top regional Chinese restaurants in Toronto.

Guangzhou (Cantonese)

The birthplace of dim sum, Guangzhou – or Canton in the old days – is also where most mainstream Chinese flavours originate from (think black bean sauce and roast duck). Rol San in Chinatown does both, with all-day dim sum plus a menu of pretty affordable Canto favourites.

Szechuan (South Western)

Food from Sichuan province is known to be full of spices, peppers, and a little on the oily side – a must for people who like their Chinese food with a kick. Head to Sichuan Garden in Chinatown for a big menu of spicy meals like hot dan dan noodles and sliced beef.

Chiu Chow

You’d never expect amazing food from an old folks’ home, but Vintage Garden in Scarborough is one of those rare finds. Formerly a private restaurant for the elderly, this spot is now open to the public, serving meals from Chaoshan region with a mix of veggie and seafood dishes. 

Xinjiang (Western Chinese)

Home to many ethnic groups and a large population of Muslim Chinese, food from this region is full of things you’d see in Middle Eastern cuisine but with a Chinese twist. Chinese Halal at Finch and Leslie is the place to go for if you’re looking for a selection of lamb and mutton.

Northern Chinese

Dumplings – enough said. Scarborough mainstay The Dumpling King is a quaint spot that folds incredibly juicy dumplings that will make you feel like you’re in Beijing, best paired with Northern favourites like green onion pancakes and saucy fried noodles.

Shanghainese

Food from this province has a lot of complex flavours but is usually pickled or preserved, like drunken chicken and red braised pork. Of course you can’t forget xialongbao – small steamed buns filled with soup. For those, head to Ding Tai Fung at First Markham Place.

Hong Kong (Canto-Western)

Hong Kong's menu is full of British-inspired dishes leftover from Colonial times. Phoenix Cafe by Yonge and Dundas is the spot for those fusion foods like cheesy baked spaghettis and french toasts, served with the epitome of Canto-Western creations: Hong Kong milk tea.

Taiwanese

This island just off the coast of China has a menu inspired by all its surrounding countries, but Chinese food is arguably its biggest influence. Wei’s Taiwanese in Scarborough serves up the night market specialties Taiwan is best known for: stinky tofu and popcorn chicken.

Hakka

Combine two of the tastiest cuisines ever – Chinese and Indian – and you get Hakka. Though the original diet is more veggie-based, the Indian-dominant version we know best can be found at Chung Moi by Eglinton and Kennedy with meaty dishes like chilli chicken. 

Canadian (North American)

Sweet and sour chicken is a North American-Chinese invention, but that doesn’t make it any less Chinese. If, however, you’re trying to expand from the basics, head to R&D in Chinatown for modern inventions like venison chili spring rolls and satay mac and cheese.

Walk into your local coffee shop and there's a pretty high chance the place will be brimming with laptops, iPhones, and headphones. 

Gone is the era when these communal spaces were reserved for conversations with friends over a cup of joe: these days, cafes are synonymous with getting work done – usually alone. 

While no one is saying it's a cardinal sin to bust out your laptop at the local Starbucks, there's a definite contrast between the coffee shop culture of today and that of pre-technology yore. 

To remedy this disparity, some cafes in Toronto have taken it upon themselves to forbid or discourage the usage of laptops – often during specific hours – in an attempt to revert back to the old ways of cafe communication.

Hotblack Coffee hasn't banned laptops, but you won't find a WiFi signal here. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

HotBlack Coffee, the fresh-faced space on Queen West has boldly opted not to offer WiFi to its guests since it opened in late 2016. Same goes for Baddies at Lansdowne, or the big-brand coffee magnate Nespresso in Yorkville.

Cafe Pamenar in Kensington has been running a similar play for years by enforcing its no-laptop rule after 8 p.m. – a necessary tactic for the cafe that transitions into a bar hangout after dark. 

While not as all-encompassing, Early Bird on Queen West manoeuvres around antisocial laptop users with little signs designating certain tables as laptop-free zones. 

The newest to join the computer-less front, Neo – King East's favourite cafe and Japanese bakery – has started putting up table signs of its own informing customers that laptops are no longer welcome on weekends between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. 

"Join us in creating a community that encourages social interaction and making new friends," says the sign. 

According to the founder Masashi Nakagome, the endeavour has been surprisingly well received by customers. 

"Ninety percent of people seeing this sign say, 'That's great, we need to do this,'" he says. 

Neo's new laptop free hours. Photo via Insagram.

Masashi says the decision to adopt this new policy came after receiving multiple comments regarding a lack of space at Neo – odd, considering the cafe has a capacity of 40 people. 

He realized the problem was the abundance of laptop users who would often take up an entire section of a table, a habit he first tried to remedy with a polite reminder to share the space. 

"We had a note asking people to share the table," he says, but the request went disregarded. "Most people didn't do that." 

Having worked at Little Italy's Manic Coffee for nearly six years, Masashi recalls the ease of making new friends and sparking conversations with strangers in an open coffee shop environment.

His current no-laptop rule, albeit only on weekends, is a way to resurrect that feeling at Neo. 

"The coffee shop we started is more about community, it's not an office," he says, adding that this new rule has freed up room for customers who visit Neo to enjoy coffee and cakes, not work.

"Weekends [are more] for friends meeting up with each other and families." 

So far the move has prompted only one negative reaction: despite being told twice that laptops weren't allowed, a customer persisted on using his Mac until eventually demanding his money back – a request which Neo complied with, for the sake of brevity. 

"I welcome people coming with their laptops," says Masashi, stating that four hours a day on weekends isn't a lot. At the end of the day, Neo still offers WiFi daily, so anyone desperately in need for interweb communication can log on using their phone. 

As to whether or not the cafe will profit less from customers flocking to cafes with WiFi, it seems Neo is willing to take the loss.

"We might lose money, but I love that people come for the coffee," he says. "I totally want to keep doing this." 

Restaurants to eat alone in Toronto without feeling awkward usually have designated spots at the bar, or at the very least an overall vibe that makes it easy to dine solo. While we should never be side-eyed for eating alone, it still happens, so it's best to pick the right spots.

Here are my picks for the top restaurants to eat alone in Toronto.

Vit Beo

Grab some Vietnamese snacks at this tight Bloorcourt hangout with a spot in front of the cooks. It’s the perfect place for a night out alone – this place is open until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends, making it ideal for drunken-people watching.

Yasu

This upscale restaurant in Harbourd village offers omakase, which inherently means the only person you’re obligated to be communicating with is the sushi chef (and they usually don’t say much anyway). Reserve a spot and have an intimate evening with your tastebuds.

Tuk Tuk

Located in Roncy, this Cambodian snack spot has seating all along the bar, where you can enjoy a nice cocktail and a front row seat to the assembly of your beef and papaya dish.

Kinton Ramen

Japanese culture has long embraced the art of dining alone, which is why you’ll likely feel comfortable at any of this restaurant’s eight locations around the city. All of their places feature a bar area, ideal for lone eaters to enjoy their ramen without being bothered.

Si Lom

A playful spot in the Church Wellesley Village, you can order a Thai meal for one at Si Lom. It’s on the pricier side, but it’s a fun place to splurge, especially when drunk off a ridiculously big and colourful alcoholic beverage.

Real Sports Bar

Capitalizing on the fact that most people here will be too entranced by the mega TVs to even notice you, this humongous South Core bar is as safe as it gets. Just you, your meal, Derozan and Lowry: the ultimate double date.

Hotmess Tex Mex

A cozy spot in Little Italy, Hotmess has seating along the bar where you can enjoy margaritas on some old school chairs while nomming on chilli, guacamole, and taquitos. Throw on a cowboy hat and pretend you’re an off-duty sheriff enjoying a cold one after a hard day’s work.

La Carnita (Queen East)

While this taco chain’s three other locations range from medium to large, this spot in Riverside is a bit more intimate. Sit in front of the bartenders for a comfortable distance from the rest of the crowd while still being a part of the action.

Maple Leaf Tavern

For a fancier night out, go to this pricey tavern in Leslieville and brood in the depths of their dimly lit booths for ultimate isolation. For something less dramatic, eat at the bar and maybe chat on and off with the bartender over a plate of veal brisket.

Olde Yorke

Perhaps the most quintessential thing to eat alone (if you’re British), fish and chips are the main draw at this throwback restaurant at Bayview and Leaside. Mostly frequented by regulars, you probably won’t be the only one enjoying some haddock and fries alone at the bar.

Stores for mid-century modern furniture in Toronto sell pieces for your home that are classic but not outdated. Linear, sleek, and full of teak, these home additions are less bulky than their rustic counterparts and perfect for lovers of simple design.

Here are my picks for the top Mid-Century modern furniture stores.

Zig Zag

This Leslieville spot specializes in vintage pieces, selling beautifully designed works like chairs from French mid-century modern furniture designer Michel Cadestin and sleek vanities from the 1960s.

Studio Pazo

A favourite spot for perusal in Corktown, the selection here is quirky and eclectic. Carrying chairs by the likes of the legendary Eames couple and Arne Jacobsen, this store is the go-to place for rare and modern mid century finds.

Inabstracto

Providing the West Queen West community with Scandinavian designs and Canadian-made furniture for years, Inabstracto deals exclusively in mid-century modern pieces. Coffee tables, lamps, ceramics – you’ll find it all here.

West Elm

Now with a second location at Yonge and Eglinton, this expansive American-based furniture store sells a range of products in different styles. Mostly dealing in contemporary, a large percentage of their pieces are inspired by mid-century work that’s perfect for condo living.

Phil'z

A vintage furniture store located in the Junction, this store offers a mix of modern to straight up old school. Aside from the pieces made of reclaimed wood, you’ll also find sofas from the 1960 and 70s and sleek lamps imported from Montreal.

Vintage Home Boutique

Located on St. Clair West, you’ll find an extensive selection of mid-century items here, like Danish side tables by Peter Hvidt and Canadian classics from Knechtel. They’ve also got a fun selection of mid-century lighting fixtures, with egg lamps and Danish zig zag-shaped lamps.

What The Vintage

Packed full of fun things, this furniture store by U of T Scarborough is bursting at the seams with pieces like swivel chairs, vintage lamps and lounge chairs by Kurt Olsen – all for relatively low prices.

Machine Age Modern

The collection at this Leslieville store is full of mid-century modern favourites and rarities, from teak coffee tables to Danish lounge chairs by Ip-Kofod Larsen and Kai Kristiansen shelves.

Door Number Two Vintage

This store in the Junction is sure to overstimulate your senses with its collection of colourful and affordable housewares. There’s lots of retro stuff that doesn’t quite fit into the mid-century modern category but enough teak modern furniture to qualify.

GUFF

With a giant space in Riverside, this store has something for everyone, and for low prices. Take your time to peruse through the selection and you might find some vinyl loungers from Canadian icon Stefan Siwisnki or a set of Borge Mogensen chairs.

Trivia nights in Toronto are a great way for people to let out some pent up frustration while flexing their factoid muscles in front of a crowd. It’s also a great way to mingle, and definitely beats sitting on your couch yelling answers at the Jeopardy contestants on TV.

Here are my picks for the top trivia nights in Toronto.

Drake Trivia

One of the harder trivia nights at the city, this weekly event at The Drake Hotel changes up the topic every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Regular rules apply: no assisting technology, maximum number of four people, and trash talking of other teams encouraged.

Headscratchers

Head to the Stout Irish Pub for 7:30 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays for trivia topics that range from typical to super niche. Check their Facebook group early in the week to pre-research topics like Pompeii, dry ice, Natalie Portman, and euchre.

Brass Facts

This event at The Ossington happens every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with a range of questions about culture, history, science and the like that everyone can have a stab at. There also have a monthly pop culture trivia event with prizes that happens on different days of the week.

Junction Craft Trivia

Every Wedesday at 8 p.m. you and your team of five can head to 3030 Dundas West for a hectic night of yelling and prize-grabbing sponsored by Junction Craft Brewing. It gets busy, so heading there when doors open at 6 p.m. is recommended.

Kramer’s Bar & Grill

Originally starting off with just one night of trivia on Tuesdays, the basement of this Davisville bar got so packed they decided to run another on Wednesdays too. Head over at 7 p.m. and test your knowledge with a team of six to score some prizes.

PubStumpers

This North America-wide federation of leagues holds their events at participating bars. You can find trivia happening at Dukes pubs across Toronto like The Duke of Somerset on Tuesdays and the Duke of York on Sundays, or Craft Brasserie on Tuesdays at 7 p.m., just to name a few.

Woo Hoo Classic Simpsons Quotes

The spot to go for the dearly loved TV show masterpiece by Matt Groening, this trivia will test your knowledge on all things Simpsons. Pay $5 and head to the Cadillac Lounge on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m.

TV Trivia

Another one for TV lovers, the Gladstone Hotel hosts a game night with questions about your favourite shows like Stranger Things and Golden Girls. They usually host their games at 8 p.m. on the last Thursday of every month, so make sure to check their event calendar for the latest.

The Questionnaires Present Trivia

Previously called Monthly Magpie Trivia, this event at Dundas Video has transformed into a once-a-month event happening on every last Thursday at 8 p.m. Pay $5 to join with a maximum number of six people per team and compete for prizes.

Tuesday Trivia

Hosted by The Pilot, this massive multi-level bar opens its doors 5:30 p.m. so you can start downing some craft beers before the games start at 6:30 p.m. The event is usually on the main floor but will occasionally migrate to the second floor Stealth Lounge when it gets packed.

There's a new incubator in town, and it's about to seriously change up the way we see public spaces in Toronto.

The project, called the Public Space Incubator or PS Incubator for short, is an initiative run by Canadian organization Park People that seems too good to be true. 

According to the PS Incubator's online statement, the initiative's goal is to "support tangible pilots that test new, innovative ways to bring under-utilized public spaces to life." 

Ideal candidates for the grants are "people who have bold, creative, and radical ideas for Toronto's parks, plazas, schoolyards, laneways, streets, and other public-accessible open spaces." 

The well-moneyed endeavour, funded by famed Toronto architect Ken Greenberg and his wife Eti, has a budget of over $500,000. 

With plans to fund five projects this year and five projects in 2019, the incubator is offering between $15,000 and a $50,000 per endeavour. It also plans to further support successful project applicants by networking with them amidst industry professionals.

Unfortunately, grand ideas and a bucket of paint isn't going to grant you funding for the project. The process consists of two stages, including a letter of intent and a full application with work plans, budgets, community engagement strategies, and potential risk assessments.

Though anyone is eligible, applicants must either be a registered charity or have a charitable trustee as a partner.

If the project is permanent, applicants must explain how they plan to maintain it. If it's temporary, the project should be up for at least four consecutive weeks or for a series of events. No one-offs are considered for funding, and all projects should be finished by summer 2019.

Essential things like capital costs, programming, operation, and research costs are all covered by the grants, plus honorariums for those working on the project directly. 

If you have a community-driven, innovative project for the abandoned park by your area (a see-saw city, perhaps?) apply for the first round of the PS Incubator's applications before March 29. 

Odds are if you’re a non-touring, fledgling musician without a record deal, you’ve played in some pretty weird places. Coffee shops, churches, sports bars and legion halls don’t even begin to cover it. Here are some places that are actually a joy for up and coming bands to play, and where they even stand a chance of possibly getting a little exposure.

Here are my picks for the top bars for up and coming bands in Toronto.

Dupe Shop

Most of the time this Bloordale spot is a specialty shop for all things analogue, from tapes by local musicians to cassette players and duplication services. Occasionally the area by the front window is transformed into a miniature stage. Acts such as Anamai have played intimate sets here to floor-seated crowds.

Baby G

The same person who brought us the Garrison owns another slightly smaller club on Dundas West. Divided into two halves each with their own bar, this place has a professionally elevated stage and high-grade sound system, and has played host to local rising stars Charlotte Cornfield, Luka, Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, Thrifty Kids and Cindy Lee.

Smiling Buddha

This two-level bar at College and Dovercourt has been a port in the storm for indie Toronto artists. Even smaller acts can reliably book shows here and actually get decent sound.

Handlebar

A small stage at the back of this narrow Kensington saloon regularly hosts live indie acts. The same crew actually runs Farside in East Chinatown, also worthy of mention as a local up and coming artists’ haven.

Lula Lounge

This lush space on Dundas West hosts a lot of bigger acts and Latin American music, but indie acts such as Deliluh are able to snag spots on a bill here, meaning bands just starting out get a chance to try their hand at playing a bigger stage here.

Burdock

Operated in part by indie musicians, this Bloordale restaurant hosts live acts in a beautiful space to the side with great sounds, and has always championed newcomers to the Toronto music scene.

Dakota

This basement bluegrass bar at the corner of Ossington and Dundas has proved a place for young folk and other acts to spread their wings, especially thanks to residency programs that allow bands to improve their chops playing once a week.

The Rex

This jazz bar on Queen West hosts live music every day, so it’s relatively easy for music students to get on bills and get used to playing for an audience.

Horseshoe

Garage bands can play the same stage as rock stars such as Stompin’ Tom Connors, The Police, and The Cramps at this unpretentious tavern at Queen and Spadina that’s been around for decades.

The Only

This Danforth Cafe has given plenty of songwriters their soulful start in an unintimidating atmosphere where there’s lots of craft beer on tap to quell those performance jitters.

Putting together a comprehensive photo survey of Toronto's lost movie theatres would be a rather laborious task given how many have come and gone over the years, but even a brief look back reveals a city with a rich cinematic history that has partially faded over the years. 

A number of the buildings that housed movie theatres in Toronto are still standing, but even those that have been well preserved — like the Eglinton, for instance — don't captivate the imagination as they once did.

This, no doubt, has to do with the fact that they no longer play films, but it goes deeper than this as well. The advent of the multi/megaplex ushered in an era in which theatres became more and more like big box stores: anonymous, forgettable and ugly.

And as much as the movie-going experience is focused on watching the films themselves, there's a wider ritual that surrounds a visit to the theatre that's become progressively more sterile. Is there a less architecturally inspiring place than the modern cinema?

Lest I pout too much, however, it's worth remembering how many remarkable rep cinemas keep the old school experience of going to the movies intact. From the Revue to the Royal, there's plenty of places to soak up film culture in Toronto.  

Behold, the lost movie theatres of Toronto.

Comique Theare (near Yonge and Dundas), 1910

Auditorium Theatre Toronto (Queen and Spadina), 1913

The Allen (13 Richmond St. East, later the Tivoli), 1919

Bloordale Theatre, Ca. 1920s

The Major Theatre, 1780 St. Clair West, Ca. 1930sThe Bayview Theatre, 1605 Bayview Ave. (later the Bayview Playhouse), Ca. 1930s

The Adelphi Theatre, 1008 Dovercourt Rd., Ca. 1930s

Loews (Queen and and Yonge, later the Elgin) Ca. 1940s

The Parkdale (1605 Queen St. W), 1947

The Eglinton (when it was a movie theatre), 1947

The Eglinton, Interior (also 1947)

The Nortown (875 Eglinton St. West), 1948

The Nortown, Interior, 1948

The Broadway (Queen and Bay), Ca. 1960s

The Odeon (Yonge and Carlton), Ca. 1960s

The Glendale (Avenue and Cranbrooke), Ca. late 1960s

The Uptown (Yonge and Bloor), Ca. late 1960s

The Tivoli (formerly the Allen), Ca. late 1960s

Coronet Theatre (northeast corner of Yonge and Gerrard), Ca. 1970s

Imperial Theatre on Yonge St., 1972

Imperial Six Theatre (the same location as above following renovations), 1975

The Biltmore Theatre on Yonge St, Ca.mid 1970s

Hollywood Theatre on Yonge St. north of St. Clair, Ca. mid 1970s

Downtown Theatre, 285 Yonge St., 1980

University Theatre (Bay and Bloor), Ca. 1980s

The Eaton Centre Cineplex, Ca. early 1990s

Events in Toronto today will see you get your fill of bike fever for the upcoming season, nostalgia for old toys and video games, plus breakfast food and beer. Meanwhile, you can take in all the pomp and drama of the Oscars in old movie theatre. 

The top pizza joints in Toronto rarely fail to deliver a good slice, no matter where you are. Pop by an of these pizza pie shops for your favourite triangle-shaped food in the whole world. 

Here are my picks for the top pizza in Toronto by neighbourhood. 

The Annex

Papa Ceo has been serving hungry and sleep-deprived U of T students with their massive slices, topped with generous portions of meat, cheese, and the occasional veggies for low prices.

Bayview and Leaside

For pizzas topped with some of the best pulled pork in the city, head to Conspiracy, the pizza spot located in the same place as its BBQ counterpart, Adamson Barbeque. 

Bloorcourt

Three-day aged dough makes up the crusts at Village Pizza. Buy two of their artisanal slices and get a pop for free. 

Cabbagetown

Pick your favourite pie out of nine signature options at Salt & Tobacco, where thin crust pizzas are served up in a beautifully designed, laid back shop. 

Chinatown

Located spot just north of Queen St., Maker Pizza is a narrow restaurant that offers tasty signature slices brought to you a former partner of another pizzeria on this list.

Corso Italia

Though they're better known for their calzones, Frank’s Pizza House does everything Italian well, and their pizzas are no exception. 

Conspiracy Pizza slices are covered in saucy toppings and Southern-style meats. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Danforth

Longtime pizza spot Danforth Pizza House has been serving the area for over 50 years with whole pizzas baked only for takeout, with recipes that have been proudly passed down in the Manikas family. 

Dundas West

The company's third location, this Queen Margherita specializes in wood-fired pizzas that are put in the oven for around a minute and a half before being served in all their gooey deliciousness.

Entertainment District

One of the best pizzerias in the city, General Assembly is a spacious restaurant with two ovens from Naples which bakes the pizza's dough  – which is made of both Canadian and Italian flour  – to perfection. 

Etobicoke

Serving up thick crusted pizzas with premium ingredients, FBI Pizza – which stands for Full Blown Italian, naturally – is a true Mimico gem. 

Financial District

The smaller version of its larger counterpart on West Queen West, Good Son in Assembly Chef's Hall has a menu of 12-inch pizzas that you can get in five signature pies. 

Harbord Village

There's something about Pizza Gigi that keeps the locals and nearby U of T students coming back, despite the fact that its been closed down before for slinging drugs – oh wait. That makes sense.  

High Park

For gigantic, gooey slices that will definitely give you some serious post-pizza sleepies, head to King Slice. 

Delicious pizzas and affordable slices are are the draw at Yeah Yeahs at Rosedale. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Junction

Bringing the art of the New York-Italian pizza to Toronto, Vesuvio has been serving the neighbourhood for over 50 years with menus that have been proudly been passed down in the Pugliese family. 

Junction Triangle

Get your pizza crusts at Defina Woodfired in four types: Napoletana, Roma, Kamut or gluten-free, and enjoy some delicious slices covered in luxuriously tasty toppings like pork shoulder sausage. 

Koreatown

Apiecalypse Now is the only restaurant in the city to specialize in gluten-free pizzas. Using ingredients like organic wheat flour and tapioca and pea paste cheese, you'd never guess you weren't eating meat, and you probably wouldn't miss it either. 

Leslieville

As the first Detroit-style pizzeria in the city, the pies at Descendant Pizza are all thick, gooey slices of rich pizza, cut into squares and big enough to feed a family of four (or just one really hungry person). 

Little India

As the sole pizza spot in an area inundated with Indian cuisine, Pizzeria Via Mercani on Gerrard is a spacious restaurant with a simple interior but a cozy feel and two dozen signature pizzas to choose from. 

Little Italy

An aging Italian joint on Clinton, the interior at Bitondo's has definitely seen better days, but it's still a great option for loyalists who love the place's big slices of ready-made pizzas, sandwiches, panzos.

North York

All foods at Pizza Shab are completely Halal, meaning no pepperonis, but you likely won't miss them. Slices here are big and gooey, and also come in a "rolling pizza" option, which is essentially like a shawarma with a pizza interior. 

Ossington

With multiple locations around the city, Pizzeria Libretto has become synonymous with delicious thin-crust Neopolitan pizzas, which you can devour in a comfortably classy environment. 

Parkdale

Unlike its fancier sitdown location on Ossington, this Superpoint Express is predominantly takeout. You can, however, take one of six seats at the bar and watch the chef make your $5 slice, served with some phenomenal dipping sauces. 

Defina Woodfired in the Junction Triangle is where to get handmade wood-fired pizzas. Photo by Jesse Milns

Queen West

With a small menu of pies, North of Brooklyn is a high-end joint that also does take out and delivery. Their pizzas are Brooklyn-inspired, implying the fact that a lot of care has been put into your slice, beautifully crafted with seasonal ingredients. 

Richmond Hill

Everything other than the meats are made in-house at Abruzzo Pizza, a restaurant that's been up and running since 1981. Grab the a small Margherita pizza for something reliable and quick. 

Roncesvalles

Lambretta is a date-night getaway and weekend hub for families who love the sight of the restaurant's gas-powered stone oven – a contraption which bakes the mouthwatering Roman-style pizzas the place is known for. 

Rosedale

A low-key spot with cheap slices and beers, Yeah Yeahs is a Nova Scotian transplant that's partnered with Boxcar Social to bring us crisp pizza with 24-hour fermented dough.

Scarborough

The go-to for anything baked and Italian, Lamanna’s Bakery not only serves up pizza slices, it carries ready made pizza dough in its fridge incase you want to go home and try tossing your pie. 

West Queen West

A perfect date spot for Italian food lovers (or just general fans of eating) Terroni's bustling environment adds to the excitement of ordering a gourmet pizza with incredible toppings for around $20. 

Yonge & Eglinton

A neighbourhood institution, Classico Louie’s definitely isn't your upscale pizza spot but it serves the basics and does it well. All their dough is made with Durum Semolina Crust and rolled in Cornmeal, giving their pies a distinctly unique flavour. 

Yorkville

Heads to Pi-Co for a customizable pizza that's double proofed to give it a delicious sour dough effect. Choose from sauces like San Marzano and garlic to douse your fluffy, heat blistered pizza with. 

When the food-ordering app Feedback launched four months ago, its main goal was to provide discounted food to users while reducing restaurants' end-of-day food waste. 

The app’s success has been exponential: what started as a roster of 25 restaurants has grown to partnerships with around 200 downtown eateries like Pai and Kenzo Ramen, deals with La Carnita and Sweet Jesus along the way, and over 17,000 app downloads in Toronto alone. 

Not much of that success, however, can be attributed to the app's initial main selling point: end-of-day discounts.

A post shared by F E E D B A C K (@feedback_app) on Jan 31, 2018 at 1:54pm PST

While a noble cause, Feedback’s original concept gained less traction than expected – surprising, considering the allure of contributing to a philanthropic cause while pigging out on cheap food. 

Founder Ben Waters realized that the company needed to make an adjustment to Feedback's function, and took the app in an another direction. 

"Restaurant partners wanted to use it in other ways," he says. 

The team behind Feedback decided to start offering users access to all-day restaurant discounts rather than focusing solely on end-of-day sales, and found that both customers and restaurants gravitated much more quickly to the idea. 

Applying the same dynamic pricing tactics as the flight and hotel industries, Feedback now capitalizes on blasting out different types of promotions during off-peak hours throughout the day, a pricing manoeuvre Ben calls “reverse surge pricing for food.” 

Imagine it as combining the functions of ridesharing and food delivery, but in reverse: while apps like Uber and Lyft increase prices during bouts of bad weather, Feedback sends out restaurant promotions to users, alerting them of extra food savings. 

And unlike delivery apps like Foodora and JustEat, buyers can take advantage of the deals – which range from 20 to 70 percent off – on the condition they pick up the meals themselves. 

A post shared by F E E D B A C K (@feedback_app) on Jan 4, 2018 at 9:24am PST

During the extreme cold snap three weeks ago, participating restaurants like Pokito, Salus, and Ali Baba sent out e-mail blasts through Feedback offering customers minimum discounts of 35 percent.

It was a smart move, considering the only thing most people will leave home for is food, especially if its cold, and even more so if it's cheap. 

According to Ben, the move drove four times the amount of people to participating restaurants who would have otherwise stayed home.

“We want to keep adjusting prices all day,” he says. 

While the company still needs to collect more data on customer spending and how it’s affected by factors like seasonality, restaurant proximity, and time of day, partnering restaurants have already benefited from the data play.  

A franchises like Pita Pit, for example, had heavy lunch rushes but was lacking in dinnertime business.

Using Feedback's data, the company decided to extend its dinner time window to a start time of 4 p.m. and an end time of 10 p.m. rather than 7 p.m – a result which has doubled their nighttime business. 

Despite this game-changing feature, Feedback's main mission is still the same as its outset: to be an app that helps to reduce wasted food. 

A post shared by F E E D B A C K (@feedback_app) on Nov 7, 2017 at 7:02am PST

A percentage of every meal sold through the app is donated to Second Harvest, a GTA-based food rescue organization. So far, over 1,500 meals have been donated to the agency, amounting to 10 a day: a stat you can track on the app's Feedback Community page. 

“What we’re excited about," says Ben, "is the more people we can have using the app, the bigger the impact on the end-of-the-day food waste." 

Now you can rep your love for Toronto's favourite borough with hoodies, caps, and longsleeves by local brand Life and Wisdom. 

Run by a collective self-dubbed the L.A.W. Gang, the brand's designs include plays on popular cultural iconography and prints teeming with Hennessey references and odes to street culture.

It's all in the name of Scarborough — because you're not really from there if you don't make a brand about it. 

A post shared by Life And Wisdom Clothing (@lifeandwisdom) on Dec 10, 2017 at 3:33pm PST

The company describes its origins as tied to "their strong hip hop roots ands growing involvement within the hipster community." Though they've been around since 2008, they've recently gotten more attention thanks to their newest design, released in November.

A post shared by Life And Wisdom Clothing (@lifeandwisdom) on Nov 22, 2017 at 4:30pm PST

Re-purposing the Marlboro cigarette brand iconography, Law and Wisdom's basic Scarboro' longsleeves are one of their most recognizable prints.

A post shared by Life And Wisdom Clothing (@lifeandwisdom) on Sep 26, 2017 at 7:02pm PDT

A t-shirt that says 'Hood Basics' – an obvious play on the Canadian grocery store Food Basics – is another hit. 

A post shared by Life And Wisdom Clothing (@lifeandwisdom) on Feb 4, 2018 at 12:41pm PST

Previously available at Brimz, you can now pick up their L.A.W. baseball caps at their online shop, along with flannels and hoodies to wear whenever you're at STC. 

This month, Markham is getting a Marriott hotel that will be the most opulent of its kind in York Region. 

Slated to open in Markham's Remington Development-funded downtown community, the new Toronto Marriott Markham takes the hotel's brand to new heights with an elegant, modern design.

Created by award-winning firm IIBYIV Design and Toronto-based Quadrangle Architects, the sleek new building is part of Mariott Hotels attempt to reinvent its brand.

Features of the hotel include a park area around the hotel, and close proximity to places like York's new university campus, Main Street Unionville and the Pan Am Centre, plus art installations linked to Markham's pedestrian gallery project. 

Toronto Marriott Markham's standout feature, however, is its 'Greatroom' area that boasts a light installation in the shape of a dragon's tail hand-crafted from glass. 

Inspired by a Chinese constellation, the light will illuminate an area that is foreseen to become the hotel's hub, which will include a bar, restaurant, and a bourbon program.  

Guest room designs have been awarded LEED-Silver for sustainability, with views that can oversee the hotel's green roof. 

If chilling in the room isn't your thing, you'll be able to head to the hotel's elevated infinity pool for views from through floor-to-ceiling windows, to shop at fancy stores like Cartier, or dine at restaurants like Ruth's Chris Steak House or chocolatier Cacao 70.  

After 15 years, the upscale Thai restaurant Linda Modern has closed its doors at the Shops at Don Mills. 

Though the statement on their website signed January 8 doesn't specify exactly why they've closed, it won't be the last time you'll see the owners Ernest, Linda or their son Alan Liu: they still run the ever-popular Thai spot Salad King on Yonge St. 

A far cry from the quick service style of Salad King, which caters to hungry Ryerson students, the Liu family's more modern counterpart was, according to the statement, the brainchild of Linda, who had a "dream to elevate Toronto's expectation of Thai cuisine." 

Once located above Salad King's first location at 355 Yonge, Linda's project moved to Shops at Don Mills as one of the outdoor plaza's first eateries, renaming itself from Linda Restaurant to Linda Modern. 

With a refined interior of traditional red Thai decor, Linda's was a rare restaurant in that it served Thai Select certified food, strove to be as high-end as possible, but still didn't take itself too seriously. 

While prices could be expensive, they had three-course prix fixes for cheap, and they also offered valet on weeknights and all-day on weekends for free.

They had detail-oriented presentation, like meals served in young coconut shells, but also served playful Thai twists like soft tacos with tom yum sauce and sour cream. 

Toronto's Thai food scene is diminished with the restaurant's closure.

Free events in Toronto this week offer a fascinating look into different cultures from around the world, touching on subjects like migration and immigration, while Al Gore visits the city to discuss the global issue of climate change.