Nomad is no more, according to a sign posted on the front door of their now abandoner West Queen West boutique.

"Flashback to 2005 when we opened our first location at 431 Richmond," reads the closure notice, published late last month on Instagram.

"After 13 years of business today will be our last day of operation," it continues. "We would like to thank our customers and friends who have supported us through the years."

A post shared by Nomad Toronto (@nomadtoronto) on Feb 21, 2018 at 2:40pm PST

Hundreds of customers have responded to that message in recent weeks to express their sadness and dismay over losing the store, which has hosted pop-up events for Justin Bieber and The Weeknd, including the musician's short-lived Starboy store last year.

"It's funny, you don't realize how iconic something is til it's gone," wrote one dan. "You guys will be missed."

"You guys played a special role for us," wrote the jewellery line HNDSM's account. "Remembering the extended chats with Zeb, meeting Drake, and most of all for being one of the first supporters of our brand... Thank you."

Some of Toronto's most covetable addresses belong to old, industrial-era factories that have been converted into lofts.

A proposed development for 2 Tecumseth Street and 125 Niagara Street could very well be one of them in just a few years – but only for people who can stomach the idea of living in a former slaughterhouse.

The infamously stinky Quality Meat Packers and Toronto Abattoirs shut down for good in 2014, though some west-end residents still complain of rotting, death-like odours coming from the land on hot summer days.

Prior to this, abattoir workers had been killing up to 6,000 pigs a day for nearly 100 years. That's a lot of pig ghosts (and blood in the ground) to reckon with.Still, the facility's location in a fast-gentrifying area, just east of Liberty Village and north of Fort York, makes it an attractive space for developers and buyers alike.

Real estate development firm TAS wants to build a 91,347-square-metre residential, retail and office complex on the site, calling the project "an opportunity to reflect and reimagine iconic elements of Toronto's heritage."

The KPMB-designed complex would include six buildings of various heights (the tallest being 38-storeys) according to development proposal materials submitted to the city in November.

Three existing buildings will need to be torn down for the project, but one will be retained: the former Toronto Municipal Abattoir building.

"We will retain the heritage shell of the former meatpacking building," reads one proposal document.

"It will be repurposed to house a food market hall and restaurants at grade, 11 floors of Class A commercial above, topped with a fully integrated commercial-scale greenhouse, designed to bring food production back to the site."

A 196-page "contaminated site assessment" submitted to the city  with these documents suggests that anything gross related to the old slaughterhouse will be removed in the course of excavations.

The same report shows that "odours relating to the historical operations carried out on-site" were identified as recently as 2016.

"Staining" was also observed on concrete floors throughout the abattoir building, which has not been cleaned or maintained since 2014.

If you live in the area, join our community consultation meeting for development at 2 Tecumseth Street. We'll be at 250 Fort York Blvd. on March 22nd, 6:30pm-9:00pm, and would love to see you there. Find more background on this site here: https://t.co/c4pY1hqiqApic.twitter.com/7qgXnhnKAQ

— TAS (@tasdesignbuild) March 14, 2018

Developers have scheduled a community consultation for March 22 at the Fort York National Historic Site, on the recommendation of Toronto's City Planning Department.

No names for the development have been put forward yet, so I'm suggesting "Pork Chop Lofts" in the spirit of other local industrial conversions (The Toy Factory Lofts, Feather Factory Lofts, Candy Factory Lofts, etc.)

It's either that or "Hogtown," and I think most people are over that name by now.

Conventional wisdom holds that public displays of affection on the TTC are kind of gross, at best, illegal at worst.

One young couple in Toronto proved all of that wrong this weekend with nothing but a little bit of music and some wholesome ballroom dance moves.

Patrick Boccongelle and his girlfriend, Deanna Di Vito, found themselves stuck on a delayed subway train this St. Patrick's Day with a man who just happened to have an accordion.

"This guy was just jamming out when we got onto the subway car," wrote Boccongelle in a Facebook.

"There was a delay, so naturally...," he wrote, before posting another video with the caption "I needed to dance!"

Boccongelle and Di Vito are seen in the video performing a simple two-step waltz, of sorts, while smiling at each other and laughing a bit.

The entire streetcar looks on as the duo becomes a physical embodiment of #RelationshipGoals. Di Vito is perfectly decked out in green, as is the according player, making everything all the more festive and magical.

"Happy St. Paddy's from my subway car to yours," wrote Boccongelle in a later Facebook post. "Signed, a visibly inebriated Patrick."

"Drunk danced on the subway with my boyfriend last night to a guy playing the accordion," wrote Di Vito similarly on Twitter the next day. "I'm so lucky to have found a guy like @pboccongelle."

See what I mean? Relationship goals.

Big ups to this adorable pair for reminding us all that the TTC can be lovely and romantic... sometimes.

The Canadian chapter of the Specialty Coffee Association hosted its East Qualifier Barista Competition in Ottawa on Friday, but it was Toronto that came out on top.

Of the eight top baristas who will compete for a national title in May, six are from The 6ix.

 They are:

• Anne Cumby of Reunion Island in Roncesvalles
• David Lalonde of De Mello Palheta Coffee Roasters at Yonge & Eglinton 
• Nathaniel Fried of Pilot Coffee Roasters in Little India
• Graham Hayes of De Mello Palheta 
• Yadi Arfin of Kensington Market's Fika
• Raichel Neufeld of Pilot Coffee Roasters 

A post shared by Toronto Coffee Community (@torontocoffeecommunity) on Mar 18, 2018 at 1:45pm PDT

All of these Torontonian baristas will go on to compete in the 2018 Canadian Barista Competition.

They accomplished this by wooing a panel of sensory and technical judges with 3 different espresso based drinks.

The national competition is set to be held in Toronto during the Beanstock Coffee Festival. The winner there will go to represent Canada at the World Barista Championship in Amsterdam this June.

Sad news today for fans of pierogis topped-to-the nines like woah.

Loaded Pierogi has moved out of its building at 1044 Gerrard Street, where it was stationed for around three years, to open up a new location at 524 Church Street.

A sign posted to the door of Leslieville's (former) favourite polish dumpling spot indicates that a restaurant called Blackjack BBQ will be launching there in May.

"We want to take the time to thank our amazing staff who have helped us build our brand along the way and their efforts for consistently providing exceptional service to our valued customers," wrote Loaded Pierogi on Facebook when announcing the closure.

"We also want to give a big thank you to everyone in the neighbourhood who has supported Loaded Pierogi over the last three years, as we would simply not be where we are today without you!"

For those who might be worried, the Loaded Pierogi on West Queen West is staying right where it is, as is the chain's location near St. Lawrence Market.

The provincial election race continues to heat up this week with a speech from the throne by Ontario's Liberal government.

Like NDP leader Andrew Horwath and the PC party's Doug Ford before her, Premier Kathleen Wynne previewed the some of star points on her government's agenda leading up to the June 7 general election.

The speech itself was read by Ontario Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell this afternoon at Queen's Park, where Wynne has prorogued the legislature.

This Throne Speech is about where Ontario needs to go next. It's about supporting care & creating opportunity. In this new & changing economy, people need new supports so they can take care of themselves & their loved ones. We get that — & our plan shows we do. pic.twitter.com/eBlckki4zb

— Kathleen Wynne (@Kathleen_Wynne) March 19, 2018

You can read the entire address on Ontario's website right now, but two of the major highlights involve healthcare and education.

"OHIP+, the pharmacare program that is providing free medications for children and youth, will be expanded to include other parts of the population," said Dowdeswell, without mentioning what those other parts actually encompass.

"More people without a drug or dental benefits plan will have access to more affordable prescription drugs and dental care," she continued, later promising that "more students will be able to attend college and university, tuition-free."

Help me out here, economic experts: are prescription drugs *free*... or *absolutely* free? #onpoli Throne Speech pic.twitter.com/GMhsTrptuK

— ChrisMcCluskey (@ChrisMcCluskey) March 19, 2018

Ontario's general election is now just 80 days away and, as The Star's Robert Benzie points out, some public opinion polls suggest that the Liberal administration may be "on its last legs" after 14 years in office.

More details about the party's platform – including how much everything might cost – will be announced in the government's pre-election budget on March 28.

Dowdeswell did, however, caution that the budget will "show a modest deficit next year of less than one per cent of our GDP" on account of the government's choice to make more investments in services for Ontarians.

Events in Toronto today brings us the first of two performances from Pink and a transformative gallery experience from artist Jeneen Frei Njootli. Meanwhile, the Canadian Film Festival kicks off, showcasing some home-grown talent.

The CBC Music Festival is back for another year and has announced its lineup of all-Canadian talent. 

This year's lineup has July Talk, A Tribe Called Red, and Charlotte Day Wilson headlining, plus a slew of other artists like Milk & Bone that have been making a name for themselves among Canada's indie music scene.

A post shared by CBCMusic.ca (@cbc_music) on Mar 20, 2018 at 4:42am PDT

For a full day packed with music, ticket prices are considerably cheaper compared to rivalling music festivals taking place around the city. And like the others, this one also includes a fleet of food trucks.

Tickets for the festival go on sale this Friday March 23 at 10 a.m. for $39.50 while the festival runs all day May 26.

Just one hour East of Toronto is a tropical paradise called Jill Jensen Botanicals. Located in the small town of Newcastle, this Instagrammable 40,000-sq.-ft. greenhouse boasts some of the rarest and most exotic flora you can find in Southern Ontario.

What makes Jill Jensen Botanicals so special is the sheer variety of plants, flowers and trees catalogued in the greenhouse - many of which are shipped directly from Florida – including lemon, lime and orange trees you can easily keep in your kitchen.

A post shared by Katherine (@kat_m_palumbo) on Mar 12, 2018 at 11:54am PDT

If you don't have a green thumb, there's plenty of low-maintenance foliage including hundreds of air plants, aloe hybrids, monster ferns and cacti of all sizes – some as large as 10 ft tall. There are also thousands of succulent assortments to choose from, perfect for jazzing up your home or workspace (and, they’re nearly impossible to kill!).

A post shared by Jill Jensen Botanicals (@jilljensenbotanicals) on Feb 12, 2018 at 4:23pm PST

Along with small house plants, there are tons of large plants and trees available including desert roses, Licuala grandis, fig and olive trees, and king sago palms. As long as these trees get enough warmth and sunlight, they will flourish year-round inside your home.

A post shared by Jill Jensen Botanicals (@jilljensenbotanicals) on Dec 8, 2017 at 2:24pm PST

Jill Jensen Botanicals is open to the public on weekdays. If you can’t make the trip out to Newcastle, be sure to check out the website to see which retailers around Toronto they supply.

Queen's Park is not the Oval Office, and newly-minted Progressive Conservative Party leader Doug Ford is not Donald Trump. 

Still, it's hard not to notice the parallels between their respective journeys to power right now.

A jam-packed "unity rally" hosted by the latter businessman-turned-politician in Etobicoke last night made this all the more clear.

Packed house for the @fordnation Unity Rally tonight! #PCPO#onpolipic.twitter.com/zyC6XdNVET

— Melanie Paradis (@Melanie_Paradis) March 19, 2018

By some estimates, as many as 2,000 people showed up for Ford's Monday night rally.

The fact @fordnation can pull together a room this packed, on less than a week’s notice, NOT downtown Toronto, on a weeknight should make the Wynne Liberals very, very nervous. #onpolihttps://t.co/JmXvj1O5LV

— Kate Harrison (@KatlynHarrison) March 19, 2018

Further to this, a Mainstreet Research poll released today shows that Ford's PC Party currently has 47 per cent support among "decided and leaning voters."

Kathleen Wynne and the Ontario Liberals were found to have 26.2 per cent, Andrea Horwath and the NDP sit at 18.6 per cent, and Mike Schreiner's Green party had 6.4 per cent support among those surveyed.

As more fresh polling ( Mainstreet Research ) reveals this morning that Conservatives would win a massive majority with 47% in an election held today, Doug Ford whips up his base in a Trump-like rally last night that drew a couple of thousand... https://t.co/8DEe3CV9zm

— john stall (@johnstall_radio) March 20, 2018

More concerning still (for those who aren't fans of Trump-style politics) is the language being used by Ford and his supporters in the run up to the June 7 provincial election.

The brother of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford told the crowd at his rally last night that he would "take back this province," similar to Trump's assertion that "America is back!" under his leadership. 

Ford Nation, meanwhile has been calling upon the politician to "Make Ontario Great Again" (or "#MOGA," as some have abbreviated the classic Trump campaign slogan.)

Thank freaking God! Go get em Doug. Let's All Make Ontario Great Again!

— Colonel Murray (@mikepredyk) March 20, 2018

Ford had been blowing off comparisons to Trump as recently as last month, though some on Twitter are sharing a clip from 2016 this week in which he pledges his "unwavering support" for the then presidential candidate.

"Doug Ford, a Trump-like 'faux populist', is on his way to becoming the next premier of Canada's largest province," reads a recent Al Jazeera piece called "The Trump 'virus' spreads to Canada."

"The brothers Ford are proof that with the right help, at the right time, and given the right circumstances, lots of gullible people, propelled, in part, by fear, avarice and ignorance, are susceptible to the appeal of calculating charlatans."

What an exciting evening at the Doug Ford Unity Rally in Toronto! Our new Leader packed the house! pic.twitter.com/PAyethi211

— April Jeffs (@April_Jeffs) March 20, 2018

It may also be of note that Ford took the stage at last night's rally to the Rocky theme song, "Eye of the Tiger," like Trump did at a rally in Pennsylvania circa 2016.

Or maybe old white guys just really like that song, I don't know.

Toronto's most iconic structure is being changed for the better, bit by bit – but only on the inside.

A full renovation of the CN Tower's main observation level has been underway for almost a year now, with an expected completion date sometime in June.

Upgrades to the observation deck will bring new food and drink offerings, as well as two new, floor-to-ceiling panoramic window walls – both of which are already in place.

Phase 1 of our renovation is now open to the public and here’s how it looks! While we’re still under construction, you can travel 33 storeys higher to SkyPod complimentary, while we finish up Phase 2 of our renos. Come and check out the new space & the awesome views for yourself! pic.twitter.com/mS4R7h6mFB

— CN Tower/La Tour CN (@TourCNTower) March 20, 2018

Parts of the tower are still off-access, but the attraction announced today that "phase 1" of its renovations had been completed, and that the LookOut level is open to the public once again.

"As we continue to improve your experience with our Phase 2 construction, we're elevating you 33 storeys higher to SkyPod for free," the CN Tower noted on Instagram. "Come and check out the new space and the awesome views for yourself!"

Will do, CN Tower!

Events in Toronto this spring are jam-packed with literal jamming from the likes of Canadian Music Week, Field Trip, and NXNE. There's also a ton of free events that won't cost you a cent. If you're not there, where are you?

This mansion is next-level unreal. There’s an indoor basketball court, gym, home theatre, wine cellar, bar and jacuzzi. There’s even an elevator in this house!

With 16,000 square feet of living space and almost two acres of land, this piece of Toronto real estate will set you back a jaw-dropping $12,800,000.

The entire place is modern, spacious and bright thanks to the soaring ceilings and many skylights. In fact, it’s so spacious I’m convinced you could drive a compact car through the hallways. But it’s a mansion so I would expect nothing less.

I’m not a huge fan of the staging but I’ll concede that ornate antique furniture does suit the opulent home.

The kitchen comes equipped with state of the art appliances ready for a live-in chef if your heart desires.

The bedrooms are massive, to the point of looking empty there’s so much room.

The walk-in closets are probably larger than my entire apartment.

My favourite room is the library. I can just imagine it filled with books and the fireplace roaring. It could easily be one of the coziest rooms in the house, with the dark walnut wood contrasting sharply to the white vastness of the rest of the place.

While the listing says“no expense spared”, the in-ground pool and backyard are not finished. So whoever buys this place is still going to have to put money into landscaping and finishing the backyard, which seems a bit ridiculous considering the price tag.

Specs

• Address: 382 Old Yonge St.
• Price: $12,800,000
• Lot Size: 1.99 acres
• Bedrooms: 6 + 1
• Bathrooms: 13
• Parking: 16
• Walk Score: 30
• Transit Score: 83
• Listing agent: Barry Cohen
• Listing ID: C4065245

Good for

Someone rich and famous ... A rapper, an NBA player or at least a dude with a massive car collection. This place is so over the top it needs someone with enough ego and personality to fill it.

Move on if

You’re not rich or famous. Real talk, this place is only for the one per cent.

Girl power will be front and centre at Hot Docs this year as the fest tackles female representation in film, the workplace and the world.

Opening night will see the world premiere of Maya Gallus' The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution. The Canadian filmmaker takes viewers inside the the kitchens of the world's top female chefs.

Meanwhile, the Silence Breakers program features stories of brave women breaking down gender barriers, fighting disease and challenging themselves and cultural stereotypes. In total, half the works in the 2018 Hot Docs lineup are by female filmmakers.

Other program highlights include an expanded DocX program (with virtual reality and interactive experiences), and special 25th anniversary treats.

One you won't want to miss is a free IMAX screening at the Ontario Place Cinesphere of The Trolley, which showcases Toronto as one of the only cities in North America to have kept up an extensive streetcar network.

The festival runs from April 26 to May 6. Tickets go on sale to the general public on March 27 at 11 a.m. 

For the second year in a row, Toronto is celebrating its sweet 16th place status on Mercer's annual Quality of Living Ranking.

Mercer, a massive research and consulting firm based in New York City, released its 20th annual version of the well-regarded ranking on Tuesday.

The firm spoke to "Canada's continued strong performance" in 2018 when releasing the data, noting that four Canadian cities had placed in the top 25 and that "recreational cannabis is expected to come into effect nationwide" this year.

At fifth place, Vancouver came out on top for Canadian cities, while Toronto tied with Melbourne, Australia (again) at spot 16.

Ottawa wasn't too far behind, sharing 19th place with Hamburg, Germany. Montreal just missed out on making the top 20 by tying with Perth, Austrailia, for spot number 21.

Here are the top 25 cities in this year's Mercer ranking, in case you're just dying to know more:

• Vienna, Austria
• Zurich, Switzerland
• Auckland, New Zealand / Munich, Germany 
• Vancouver, Canada
• Dusseldorf, Germany
• Frankfurt, Germany
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Copenhagen, Denmark
• Basel, Switzerland / Sydney, Australia
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Berlin, Germany
• Bern, Switzerland
• Wellington, New Zealand
• Melbourne, Australia / Toronto, Canada 
• Luxembourg, Luxembourg
• Ottawa, Canada / Hamburg, Germany

News of the burgeoning Vegandale block on Toronto's west side has been spreading far and wide since we first reported on it two weeks ago– some with generous interpretations of what (and where) the community is.

Billed as "mecca for the ethically minded and hungry," Vegandale is simply a collection of restaurants and services "co-existing on one city block in downtown Toronto."

That block can be found in Parkdale, on Queen Street West, between Dufferin and Brock – but it is not Parkdale, nor is it trying to take over Parkdale.

There's more bullshit in this attempted "rebrand" of my neighbourhood - the historically rich, diverse, gentrifying Parkdale as "Vegandale" than in all the world's meat production combined. pic.twitter.com/OCboTC59hj

— Liisa Two Evil Eyes (@LiisaLadouceur) March 8, 2018

By the way some people are reacting to concept, however, you'd think that vegans were trying to gentrify an entire a village turned Toronto neighbourhood – one that stretches all the way west to Roncesvalles, and up from the water to well past Queen.

the attempt to rebrand parkdale as vegandale is one of the ugliest and whitest thing to touch toronto since rob ford

— jonah hill (@gabrielle_mckay) March 13, 2018

The hooplah started when a brand management group called The 5700 Inc. promoted the renaming of its forthcoming food festival series – the one that used to be known as the Vegan Food & Drink Festival.

In the process of announcing the Vegandale Food Festival, the group revealed on its new website that seven cruelty-free storefronts would be available on the block by the end of 2018.

"Our downtown Toronto urban playground for the vegan and vegan curious exists to bring the best of the vegan world together..." reads a press release announcing the festival's name change from March 6. 

"But we can't contain that to one city block, so we're packing up and taking over the world!"

If you come up to me and refer to Parkdale as Vegandale there's a 98.9% chance that I'm gonna spit in your face, or worse.

— That Dude. WOOOO!!!! (@TheDudeSSC) March 8, 2018

Currently, the area is home to three restaurants managed by The 5700: Doomie's, The Imperative and Mythology Diner by.

Restaurants called Vegandale Bracitorium, Prohibition Pie and NYM are all expected to open in the neighbourhood this summer.

To make true change (and not just a bourgeoisie movement for the elite few with the luxury of making ethical considerations), we need #veganspaces that are accessible to ALL bodies, income levels, eating practices, and cultures. I know that we are completely capable of this.

— Jayeden W (@Vernal_Wisdom) March 9, 2018

Vegans from all over the world have been swooning over the idea of a meat-free district like this in their own cities, but their fantasies may be a bit overblown. I might even have something to do with that.

What's important to note is that nobody wants to kick Parkdale out of Parkdale.

Vegandale – a name that started as a joke among staff at The 5700 – is really just a group of businesses forming a community for those with similar goals and interests.

I love vegan food and vegan pride, but I do not love gentrification that displaces and replaces neighbourhood communities and cultures. #vegandalepic.twitter.com/19NZD91VJb

— Stressanie (@booksnook) March 18, 2018

In terms of gentrification, Parkdale has biggerproblems than some vegan shops.

Of course, like veganism itself, there are those who will remain staunchly, almost inexplicably opposed to the existence of such a district– especially given Vegandale's self-described "roots in abolitionism" and "unapologetic messaging."

"This premiere destination for the vegan and vegan curious is the only one of its kind," reads the group's website.

"Promoting a world where animal exploitation is a thing of the past."

Wooowww. Okay. Just one week after brutally snubbing Toronto on their list of upcoming shows, Jay-Z and Beyonce have done it again.

The married superstars just added nine more dates to their highly-anticipated On The Run II stadium tour, which kicks off this June, and Toronto wasn't one of them.

Beyoncé announcing 9 new #OTRII dates but still no Toronto date pic.twitter.com/ShWeG95Imn

— Sydney Urbanek (@sydurbanek) March 20, 2018

Once again, Vancouver stands alone as the only Canadian city to be graced by Bey and Jay.

Many fans are complaining today that this is disappointing and surprising, as neither artist has skipped The 6ix on a tour for ages.

and yet still no toronto!!! must i change my postal code to give you my money, beyonce? I mean, I will but i'd rather not!! https://t.co/0fgBB2BkT6

— stuiie (@Stuiiee) March 20, 2018

New shows have been added in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Rutherford, New Jersey, Columbus, Ohio and Columbia, South Carolina.

All of these places now have two On The Run II tour dates booked, with the exception of Seattle, Columbia and Columbus.

what of Toronto??? pic.twitter.com/qIIHTRlGNq

— JDegarson (@johndegarson) March 20, 2018

Hold up, they don't love us like we love them.

There's always the possibility of more new shows being added to the tour... but that five-day-long window between Detroit and Buffalo that fans were hoping might be a placeholder for Toronto is gone.

Enjoy the show, Ohio.

After a series of delays, Hotel X at Exhibition Place is finally open for business. 

It’s a wonderful sunny day and @HotelXToronto is open for business! pic.twitter.com/9bJwbXQGVP

— Exhibition Place (@ExPlaceTO) March 20, 2018

The luxury hotel, by the upscale Library Hotel Collection, is welcoming guests during its soft opening, starting today. 

Some of the lovely photos taken during last week’s #HXTsneakpeek event! 😍📷 Photo credits to @thejenobrien @justsultanto & @hoteladele!

A post shared by Hotel X Toronto (@hotelxtoronto) on Mar 1, 2018 at 9:23am PST

The impressive lobby comes complete with a living green wall, kicking off a theme of bringing nature indoors.

How epic is the lobby of Toronto’s newest hotel that’s set to open this month? @hotelxtoronto @libraryhotelcollection 😍 These tiles are from 4️⃣ different continents and that is a living green wall 🍃 . . . . . . . . #toronto #urbanresort #hotellife #luxuryhotel #luxurytravel #hotelx #hotelxtoronto #libraryhotelcollection #torontoblogger #travelblogger #travel #torontolife #luxuryhotel #luxuryhotels #suitelife #luxurytravel #lobby #hoteldesign #wanderlust #ilovetravel #writetotravel #instatravelling #instavacation #instapassport #postcardsfromtheworld #traveldeeper #trip

A post shared by Just Sultan (Blog) (@justsultanto) on Mar 8, 2018 at 6:08pm PST

When it's complete, the self-described "urban resort" will feature a movie theatre, rooftop pool, indoor tennis courts and an athletic centre. Not to mention killer views of the city.

Winter isn’t so bad when you have views like this😍 We can’t wait for you to see for yourselves! #TheView #torontoskyline #comingsoon 🌇🙌

A post shared by Hotel X Toronto (@hotelxtoronto) on Feb 4, 2018 at 8:36am PST

Even the shower has a view.

#comingsoon #toronto #newhotel #amazingview #feelinggood #hotelxtoronto by #libraryhotelcollection

A post shared by Hotel X Toronto (@hotelxtoronto) on Oct 21, 2017 at 5:26pm PDT

If it's sleep you're after, go ahead and rest your head on this.

#feelssogood #surroundedbynature #comingsoon #hotelxtoronto by #libraryhotelcollection #urbanresort #newhotel

A post shared by Hotel X Toronto (@hotelxtoronto) on Nov 17, 2017 at 5:51pm PST

While the opening is almost three years behind schedule, and some of the hotel's attractions are still under construction, guests can take advantage of discounted rates until May 31.

One of the best rock bands ever to come out of Toronto is bringing home some stadium love (minus the actual stadium) this week with a special event at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

Metric will be on hand to join fans in Toronto for a screening of their groundbreaking new concert film on Thursday, March 22 – and they'll be sticking around for a Q&A session afterwards.

Called Dreams So Real, the feature-length 4K documentary captures Metric's sold-out, year-long world tour in 2016.

Screenings for the Metric Concert Film, "Dreams So Real" begin March 21st across North America. Toronto Diehards, we've got a surprise for you: we'll be joining you for the show annnnddd we'll do a special Q&A after the screening. Got a question for us? Grab your tix up top!

A post shared by Metric (@metric) on Mar 20, 2018 at 8:43am PDT

"The [2016] show in Vancouver, BC was the culmination of a year's work on behalf of the band and their dedicated crew," reads the movie's website. 

"Their performance was recorded by 26 cameras, finished in 4K with audio mixed by multi-Grammy winner David Bottrill."

Viewers of the resulting film can expect an immersive, concert-like experience without the smell of stale, $16 beer or pushy crowds.

Glam Cardio ✨#tbt 📸 @robertmaccready

A post shared by Metric (@metric) on Mar 15, 2018 at 12:06pm PDT

"With plenty of arena-worthy moments," says the website, "Dreams So Real is a stunning recreation of an incredibly special evening."

The film will premiering all over the world in the next few weeks, from Syndey, Australia to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but so far, Toronto looks to be unique in its hosting of a Q&A with the band.

That's right – Emily Haines, James Shaw, Joshua Winstead and Joules Scott-Key are coming to hang out with fans exclusively in their home city. Lucky us!

It looks like the good people at Sidewalk Labs are trying to familiarize themselves with Toronto before building their own "futuristic mini-city" inside of it.

Good for them, I say! And even better for us.

This open-source, open-data, "Old Toronto" version of Google Maps
(OldTO, as they're calling it) is absolutely incredible.

Released today by the Alphabet-owned Sidewalk Labs, OldTO maps more than 30,000 historic photographs from the City of Toronto Archives onto our current street network.

This means that anyone can search and explore images of the city's history, based on its geography, thanks to the power of geocoding.

It's easy to use, totally free and very, very dangerous to the productivity of office workers.

"As we think about the kinds of digital tools that help people develop, navigate, and maintain neighbourhoods and cities, the ability to organize information geographically and by time comes up again and again as a critical requirement," reads a blog post from Sidewalk Labs explaining the project.

"Old Toronto relies on some of the same technologies that can support a future neighborhood, and as we continue to build new prototypes, we will use them to explore the digital infrastructure needed for more substantial applications."

Right now, clicking on a photo will show any information contained in the description of the archival holding, such as the date, title, condition and copyright restrictions. 

The photos sourced for this project were taken all over the GTA, well beyond the 12-acre section of Toronto's eastern waterfront that Sidewalk Labs will be moving into.

Here is Lady Eaton and some friends at a garden party in King City circa 1930, for instance.

Here's a "coal & coke" shop near Woodbine Avenue and Gerard Street East in 1938.

And here are the (seemingly reluctant) first place winners of the "Danforth Baby Show" near Pape and Cosburn in August of 1930.

Engineers say they're exploring additional features to add to the tool, including an aerial button that will "enable people to see how the city has changed from a bird's-eye view."

They're also releasing the data in JSON format and encouraging software developers to go nuts and create their own features.

"We suspect there are many creative uses of this data that we haven’t thought of, and people will only come up with them when the data is easily available," reads the post.

Thrilled to release #OldTO today, a tool that maps 30,000+ historic photographs from the City of Toronto Archives' incredible collection. We hope it helps Torontonians discover things about their city’s past they never knew. Check it out! https://t.co/EOGINlWFMd@TorontoComms

— Sidewalk Labs (@sidewalklabs) March 20, 2018

"We're also in the process of preparing OldTO for release as an open-source tool, so local urban-tech enthusiasts or civic hackers can build on top of it."

Over time, the company plans to add even more images from both the city archives and other sources.

The blog post notes that the city archive alone holds more than 1.7 million photographs dating all the way back to 1856.