Toronto businesses that closed in April included some surprising places that will be difficult to live without, like a popular bar that made great mojitos, a Singaporean street food joint, a Nordic brunch spot and yet another music venue.

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

à la Carte at the Gardiner Bistro

After almost five years as the Gardiner Museum's restaurant, à la Carte will remain part of the museum's catering family while The Food Dudes will be taking over the restaurant space to launch a new concept.

Cadillac Lounge

Parkdale's famous watering hole and live music venue is now closed after an 18 year run. But fear not, a new owner is already in place and the space will be re-opening soon under a new name.

Gate 403

Known for hosting some of the best live jazz and blues performances in the city, this bar and music venue in Roncesvalles Vilage shut its doors forever in April after 19 years as a gathering place for the community.

Hawker Bar

A go-to spot for Singaporean and Southeast Asian eats on Ossington for half a dozen years, its owners decided all good things must come to an end. The laksa and the pandan banana fritters will be missed.

Karelia Kitchen

Fans of Nordic brunch were dismayed to learn that this Scandinavian-style cafe in Bloordale closed abruptly after over five years in the neighbourhood.

The Labyrinth

Eleven years in the Annex is a good run. This comic book store closed its Toronto location in April (its Oakville shop remains open), but local nerds have nothing to fear, because it has already been replaced with Thunderstruck Bookstore, which also sells comics.

No One Writes to the Colonel

Many will mourn the closing of this distinctive bar (and its mojitos) at the intersection of College and Bathurst streets that first opened eight years ago. Although, the bar's owners have told its Instagram followers that there will be a new location. Fingers crossed.

Posh Supperclub

This restaurant-nightclub hybrid on Cumberland Street in Yorkville (temporarily?) closed last month, claiming on IG that it had outgrown the space. No news yet on where its new location might be.

SpiritHouse

Known for its cocktails, this bar near King and Portland closed on April 28 in order to focus on its new cocktail company called Founder's Original, which sells premium pre-made cocktails now available at the LCBO.

Under the Table

Fans of this subterranean restaurant serving Caribbean and comfort food in Cabbagetown are upset over its closure. Its lease was up last month and negotiations with the landlord clearly did not go well. 

Located just steps away from St. Lawrence Market, this apartment is perfectly situated to come home to after work with some groceries or take-out from down the street.

The unit comes fully-furnished and is tastefully decorated, albeit a bit on the beige side.  

The kitchen, living and dining areas are all open-concept and bright.

The bedrooms are spacious and the master bedroom has a 3-piece en suite bathroom, plus ample closet space.

There is absolutely no outdoor space, but you’re close to St. James Park if you want a bit of sunshine and greenery.

Specs

• Address: #201 - 39 Sherbourne Street
• Type: Loft
• Rent: $3,795 / month
• Listing agent: Agnes Chaitas
• Furnished? Yes
• Utilities: Included
• Air conditioning? Yes
• Bedrooms: 2 + 1
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking: 1
• Laundry? In-suite
• Outdoor space? None
• Pet friendly? No

Good For

According to the listing, it’s perfect for a business executive who wants to walk to work, and who am I to argue? It’s close to the Financial District, steps to St. Lawrence Market and comes fully-furnished.

Move On If

You want outdoor space. Even though most of the units apparently come with some sort of balcony or terrace, this unit got shafted. So for almost $4,000 it seems like a bit of a ripoff if you don’t even have a place to put a barbecue.

Raptors lose, Raptors lose, Raptors loooosssse....It was a sad night for Toronto on Tuesday when our much-hyped NBA team lost by a single point, in overtime, during Game 1 of their series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It wasn't the defeat that hurt most, however; It was the sharp and crushing fall from grace that led us to this point.

Heartbreaker. pic.twitter.com/my1Di4qdkY

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) May 2, 2018

You see, the Raptors were killing it for most of the game, just like they've been killing it all season long.

Hopes were high heading into the second quarter with Toronto up by 14 points (and LeBron James feeling worse for wear after an exhausting 7-game series.)

They didn't stay that way.

So incredibly deflating. Should have won this one. Can't remember many times, if any, the #WeTheNorth starters (all 5 of them) finished a ball game. The unit capitulated down the stretch. Didn't get the job done. And a game 1 loss. This one hurts.

— Gareth Wheeler (@WheelerTSN) May 2, 2018

Cleveland bridged the gap slowly, but surely until regulation play ended with a 105-105 tie.

It was during overtime that Raptors fans had their hopes dashed, just like we did during the playoffs in 2016 and 2017, by King James and his unstoppable talent.

The home game at the ACC ended 113-112 for Cleveland, which now holds a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals series.

Dang it! The Toronto Raptors let one slip away with a 113-112 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in game one of their second round NBA playoff series. #NorthOverEverything#WeTheNorthpic.twitter.com/966eDR5ap1

— Steve Russell (@RussellPhotos) May 2, 2018

"Toronto led the entire game — literally, the Cavaliers didn’t take their first lead until the opening possession of overtime," writes SBNation NBA reporter Tim Cato.

"You can guess that the Raptors’ postseason history will come into play here, where the team has frequently underperformed and struggled even after great regular season performances."

Raptors fans right now... pic.twitter.com/RTDXjQca9w

— Crying Jordan (@CryingJordan) May 2, 2018

Shooting Guard DeMar DeRozan lamented after the game that they'd blown it.

"We had many opportunities to close this game out," he said in a post-game interview. "We couldn't buy a bucket, we got some great looks, we had a lot of shots point blank at the rim that were in and out... But it should never have come down to pin on none of those."

"It happens, now we understand what we've got to do next game."

Drake acting tough and barking at Kendrick Perkins may not end well for him. pic.twitter.com/LZsJHQQVXp

— gifdsports (@gifdsports) May 2, 2018

Tensions were running high on the sidelines mid-game, too.

Raptors global ambassador and City of Toronto mascot Drake got up from his regular courtside seats at halftime to yell at Cavaliers Centre Kendrick Perkins while he made his way to the locker room.

After the game, Drake was seen yelling at Perkins on the court once again as security, staff members and friends worked to separate the two stars.

Drake and Kendrick Perkins exchanged more words postgame pic.twitter.com/Z0rdXDe1uL

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 2, 2018

Perkins told ESPN after the game that he had simply been talking to his old teammate Serge Ibaka when "Drake butted in talking shit to me. So I said something back to him."

Drake later commented the following on an Instagram post about what Perkins claimed:

"I just said I liked the hem on his capris."

Toronto Police are trying to figure out why a mysterious car was floating in the sky above a major freeway.

The car in question, which appears to have been hollowed out, was dangling on a string from a tall bridge at Millwood Road and the Don Valley Parkway, forcing police to block off southbound traffic for safety reasons.

At first, officials thought that it was related to a movie shoot.

Car dangling from #Toronto bridge part of a movie shoot. Read more: https://t.co/G6z23TBdnNpic.twitter.com/AqR0gx6cxF

— CTV News (@CTVNews) May 2, 2018

"Bloor viaduct: Millwood bridge. Car dangling over the bridge is for a movie shoot," announced the TPS Operations Twitter account around 8 a.m. on Wednesday. "Police/EMS/TFS attended to check the area — no hazard."

Roughly one hour later, TPS revised its statement.

"No movie shoot authorized," reads the tweet. "Reason still unknown — investigation continues."

Life comes at you fast!

*Especially when you are trying to explain a hollowed out car swinging from a bridge* pic.twitter.com/kadFQZmlnQ

— Pete Evans (@p_evans) May 2, 2018

The people of Toronto are now furiously speculating as to what the car might be, and what the car might mean.

"What's weirder: the fact that there's a car dangling from a wire below a bridge, or that nobody has the slightest idea why or how the car got there in the first place?" wrote one local Twitter user.

"So many questions about this dangling car at Leaside/Millwood Bridge," wrote another. "If it was a movie prop, shouldn't there be someone watching the scene?"

I have so many theories about the dangling car on the Leaside Bridge.
1. Prank
2. Art project
3. Movie shoot
4. Spider-Man
5. Spider-Man
6. Radioactive #SpiderManpic.twitter.com/qGCfu3uT4W

— Josh K. Elliott (@joshkelliott) May 2, 2018

Some speculate that the entire thing is part of a prank.

"My guess — University Engineering prank — end of year celebrations  —  claim to fame —  the class of 2018 suspended the car off the Don Bridge," predicted one local.

"Lot's of confusion over the dangling car off of the DVP bridge in Toronto being a movie shoot," wrote someone else. "Are the cameras, cast and crew hiding? Did they finish filming and simply forget the dangling car? Was it an alien prank? Will we ever know the truth?"

Yes that's a car dangling from the leaside bridge... #wtfhttps://t.co/mGwSn33pxLpic.twitter.com/wRL6t2vqor

— Eric Liang (@etlgfx) May 2, 2018

Toronto Fire officials had reportedly cut the car down from the underside of the Millwood Bridge as of 10:30 a.m., but police are still unsure as to why it was there in the first place.

Const. Victor Kwong told CBC Toronto that "whatever it is, no permit was obtained."

The right lane of the DVP remains blocked to southbound traffic at Millwood Road, but Kwong said that there is no danger to public safety at this time.

Ripley’s Aquarium is hosting an epic 19+ Cosplay Bash this Friday for Star Wars Day. Want to attend? You're in luck. We've teamed up with them to give you a chance to win a pair of tickets.

Check out all the contest details here. 

The best food courts in Toronto can be sought out on the glitzy upper levels of malls and in the bustling confines of downtown office buildings. The safe havens of tired shoppers, frugal students, those looking for a taste of home or to try something new, you might want to visit almost every counter at these spots.

Here are the best food courts in Toronto.

Pacific Mall

Dozens of food options can be found on two levels at this legendary Chinese mall at Kennedy and Steeles. There’s Sun's Kitchen, Prairie Lamb Kabob, Saigon Station, Potato Noodle Soup of Bai and more bubble tea than you can shake a stick at.

Urban Eatery

Dozens of options within this food-dedicated area of the Eaton Centre at the Yonge & Dundas end include Urban Herbivore, Froshberg Gelato, Liberty Noodle and a Ruby Thai.

First Canadian Place

There's good options all over this Financial District building at King and Bay but you want to hear to the mezzanine level where you'll find options like Maman, iQ Food Co. and Kid Lee.

Village by the Grange

This long time favourite near the AGO mostly catering to OCAD students has options for sushi, pho, Italian, bubble tea, coffee, Greek, Thai, and more, and there’s a Mean Bao in here.

Assembly Chef's Hall

This always buzzing food fall near University and Richmond in the Financial District newer takes the concept of food court to a whole new level with rainbow lattes, confetti-filled cakes, sushi, tacos and more available at the various stations within.

Dine on 3

Yorkdale Mall asks you to take a flight of escalators up three floors to get to its food court where familiar names like Amaya Express, Big Smoke Burger and La Paloma compete with classic chains New York Fries, Manchu Wok and Teriyaki Experience.

Commerce Court

Buster’s Sea Cove, Delica Kitchen and KoHa Pacifica Kitchen are just some of the lunch options contained within this Financial District food court.

Plaza Latina

Those in the know head to this Latin American mall's food court near Finch and Weston where you can secretly get some of the best Latin American food from Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador and Cuba.

Downsview Merchants Market

Hidden in the back of this flea market building near Downsview Park is a hidden gem of a food court where non-chain vendors serve up cheap eats that reflect the city's diversity with options for Jamaican, Peruvian, Mexican, Afghani, Italian and way more.

The City of Toronto is starting to gussy up King Street in a major way as warm weather moves into the region and humans move into the sunshine outdoors.

As promised back in December, Toronto is moving forward with its plans to install 19 "vibrant, animated public spaces" between Bathurst and Jarvis in the curb lanes where car traffic has already been restricted by the King Street Pilot Project.

You know those blocked off lanes near intersections in the pilot area? The ones behind those colourful concrete jersey barriers with nothing in them for the length of an entire streetcar or two?

By summertime proper, they should all be filled with temporary public space installations and durable destination parklets.

It's all part of Mayor John Tory's plan to get more people hanging out, eating in and enjoying the transit pilot area (you know, in addition to the some 65,000 daily streetcar riders who've been loving their shorter commutes.)

A design competition was launched in January to solicit ideas for the 19 spaces, which range in length from 17 to 170 m.

The City said at the time that it hoped to see them serve "a variety of uses" including relief valves for pedestrians on crowded sidewalks, additional seating for local restaurants and cafes, bicycle parking and space for creative installations.

The winners of that contest are now public via the City of Toronto's website, and at least one chosen design has already been brought to life in front of David Pecaut Square.

Called "Everyone is (a) Kid," the temporary public space installation is essentially a very long interlocking bench and planter structure made with yellow milk crates.

"Every kid needs a place to play and every adult needs a place to feel like a kid again. Everyone is (a) Kid integrates a light-hearted splash of childhood into the public realm," reads the project's description on Toronto's website.

"Through a simple medium – milk crates, the Lego-inspired form offers a place for relaxation, wonderment, and exploration… whether you are savouring a fresh brewed coffee, basking in the sun at lunch, or hanging out with your kids on a Saturday afternoon."

The crate project was designed by Anthony Renditya, Chelsea Alexander, Ian Kendall, Iva Mihhaylova, Jeffrey Kwong, Katrina Beaudette, Krysia Bussiere, Ryan Giuricich and Sam Spagnuolo, with sponsorship by CS&P Architects Inc. and The Carpenters Union Local 27.

All of the public installations and parklets solicited by the design build competition were meant to be rolled out by May, though the process was a bit delayed on account of a horrible mid-April ice storm.

Now that the weather is nice, you can expect to see some wicked-zany, interactive installations popping up along King Street with names like "wobble jungle" and "#WouldYouRatherTO."

It's going to be a fun summer.

Toronto's newly-formed Grassroots Anti-Speciesism Shift organization will be hitting up Dundas West once again this Saturday night to protest the killing of animals for food.

GRASS is best known for starring in a viral video that features Antler Restaurant owner Michael Hunter cutting up a deer leg in the front window of his restaurant.

The militant vegans had already been protesting Antler, which is known for serving wild game meat, before the story of Hunter's deer leg stunt blew up, but they have since increased the frequency and scope of their protests.

May 5 will mark the 11th vegan protest outside Antler in just a few months.

Unlike previous demonstrations, the group hasn't expressed the intention of moving on to any other establishment after Antler. What we do know is that the theme of this week's protest is ducks.

"Antler speciesism awareness, a duck is a dog" reads the name of Saturday's event on Facebook.

The event's description mentions "Antler anger," referring to the many people who have made concious efforts to harass the vegans (both online and in real life) since the story broke.

"Why are people so angry?" asks GRASS on Facebook. "These animals are forced onto slaughter trucks, unloaded at a slaughterhouse, on their last day of life. They are bred to be killed, wild animals who have never run free in the wild."

The group says it "must keep going," not despite the backlash but because of it.

Toronto's waterfront is getting something new to play with this summer: giant balls.

From the same event that brought us last year's giant rubber duck, a giant beach ball installation is coming to the waterfront as part of the Redpath Waterfront Festival next month, from June 22 to 24.

The fun and summery installation is made up of six 6.5 feet tall beach balls swaying in the breeze from a huge frame inside of HTO Park.

The whole thing is meant to resemble the pendulum wave—the cool but kind of extra cousin of the famous scientific instrument known as the pendulum.

The huge balls will be created by Oakville-based event decor firm Decor & More. The structure will stand 22 feet tall, lie 42 feet across and weigh about 19,000 pounds.

Visitors are encouraged to play with the balls all they want, as the installation is meant to evoke the playful spirit of summer.

If the sea of people wearing t-shirts out there hadn't already tipped you off, spring is finally blessing Toronto with its lack of frosty garbage weather. 

And by spring, of course, I mean "sprummer" — because we never really get more than a few days of moderate temperatures between cold and hot.

No surer evidence of this exists than the stunning yet sudden bloom of cherry blossom trees in and around the city.

Sakura in High Park, a website dedicated to monitoring the development of cherry blossoms in Toronto's most-storied collection of groves, announced on Wednesday that we should be seeing the first blossoms of 2018 this weekend between May 4 and May 6.

Peak bloom (the point where cherry blossoms are fullest throughout the park) is expected just ahead of Mother's Day, between between May 9 and May 12.

"Bloom dates confirmed!" reads a new post on the Sakura in High Park blog. "The warmer weather has helped the cherry blossom trees, as they show definite signs of moving into the next stages of development."

"A few trees have jumped ahead even further into the forth stage, with the buds showing distinct, deep pink florets," the post continues. "Theses trees will be the ones to show us the first blossoms of 2018!"

This should come as a relief to Toronto's many cherry blossom admirers, who just two weeks ago learned that April's surprise ice storm had done a bit of damage in High Park.

"Of course weather will be the deciding factor as always," cautioned Sakura in High Park on Instagram this afternoon. "Rain and wind could knock off petals at cut viewing times short... Time and weather will tell!"

Outdoor festival season in Toronto is almost here and one of the city's biggest nightly outdoor events is back just in time for those warm summer nights.

Open Roof has announced dates for the 2018 season, beginning with an opening night celebration on June 20 and running weekly on Wednesdays until August 22.

A post shared by Open Roof Festival (@openrooffestival) on Jun 7, 2016 at 1:44pm PDT

The festivities include performances by Toronto indie musicians and screenings of independent films by local and national filmmakers. Food has been catered in the past by Toben Food by Design as well as Amsterdam Brewery.

The festival, now in its ninth season, has become a popular social experience over the years. So much so that it is moving to a bigger lot on Sterling Road in the Junction Triangle.

The season kicks of June 20 in the lot adjacent to 158 Sterling Road.

Events in Toronto today include the grand opening of the Nordstrom Rack store below the giant new condo building at One Bloor. It's also the first day of the Jewish Film Festival and OCAD's annual grad show, GradEx.

Toronto restaurant openings highlights the latest food news in Toronto and gives a preview of what's coming soon. Find us here every Thursday morning.

Open now

• Those who missed the wafting smell of delicious Indian food at Christie Pits, rejoice! The Bloor St. W. location of Banjara has reopened after it was closed due to a kitchen fire.
• Slanted Door Cafe is now open at 442 Bloor St. W. (at Howland Ave.) in a former Boil Bar space in The Annex.
• Egg Bae has soft opened, with a grand opening date set for May 27, in what was formerly Banh Mi Bar at 189 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market.
• Mediterranean restaurant Crowded House has opened at 1161 Queen St. E. in Leslieville.

Recently reviewed

• Zezafoun
• Barcelona Tavern YYZ
• The Haam
• Giulietta
• Craig's Cookies
• The Jim
• Cinco Mexican Restaurant
• School
• Sweet A La Mode

Opening soon

• SoSo Food Club, which looks to be a hip Asian spot that will serve "decent dumplings and dan dan mian" (as its site modestly boasts), will be opening this month at 1166 Dundas St. W. (by Ossington) in what used to be The Contender.
• Lot 30 Brewers opens tomorrow (Thursday, May 4) at 303 Lansdowne Ave. (between College & Dundas), in what was previouslyLansdowne Brewery.
• The Food Dudes will be launching a new restaurant at the Gardiner Museum in June, taking over the à la Carte space.
• Beer Batter, a fish'n'chips and oysters spot from the team behind The Irv Gastro Pub, will be replacing The Scullery at 200 Carlton St. (at Ontario St.), opening on June 1.
• Butter Chicken Roti is reopening its College St. location and will also be adding a new location at 1030 Bloor St. W.

Closed

• Hot Bunzz has lost its pop-up space on Spadina, but will thrive on (at special events) until it finds a permanent home of its own.

Other news

• The Coffee Lab has moved from its original small space in the Annex to an even smaller space at 141 Spadina Ave. (at Richmond St. W.)

Located in the heart of Roncesvalles Village, this three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhome is a Scandinavian dream.

The simple interior design, coupled with the exposed concrete ceilings and huge floor-to-ceiling windows, makes this unit beautifully modern and bright.  

The kitchen, dining, and living areas are all open-concept, so there’s lots of room to move about. The kitchen is very minimalist, to the point where it’s definitely lacking in storage space. I guess it could be motivation to de-clutter?

The master bedroom is filled with natural light, thanks to a giant window that looks out onto the street. You’d definitely want to close the blinds before changing, otherwise you risk giving your neighbours an interesting view.

The other two bedrooms are spacious enough to fit double beds, but all the bedrooms seem to be a bit short on closet space. There are no walk-in closets here.

The condo has an outdoor terrace with connections for water and barbecue so you can entertain in the summer.

Specs

• Address: 373 Sorauren Ave.
• Price: $1,199,900
• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking: 1
• Walk Score: 88
• Transit Score: 97
• Maintenance Fees: $674.74 monthly
• Listing agent: Avryll McNair
• Listing ID: W4107283

Good For

A small family or professional couple who have eschewed the consumerist lifestyle.

Move On If

You aren’t ready to KonMari your life to fit the strict minimalist standards set by this space. While there are some clever storage aspects throughout the house, you definitely can’t get away with a mild hoarding habit.

Water has been cascading through downtown Toronto all morning, turning subway stairs into waterfalls and causing many an unexpected soaker.

And for once, it's not the weather's fault.

Another reason to wear rain boots today. Broken water main on Yonge St. between King and Wellington. @TorontoStarpic.twitter.com/8Zr91UTPs9

— Braydon Holmyard (@BraydonHolmyard) May 3, 2018

Toronto Police say that water started bubbling up onto Yonge Street near Wellington around 3 a.m. this morning.

By 5 a.m., crews had determined the problem: A water main from the late 1800's burst just south of King Street.

Yonge/Wellington flooding update:crews tell me the turning nut on top of this old water main dating back to 1800’s has broken off so they can’t shut off the flow of water. Workers are enroute with more equipment to try and do the job. pic.twitter.com/G3rYKLqkb8

— carl hanstke (@carl680) May 3, 2018

Officials initially closed off Yonge Street in both directions near the bubbling grates due to a "large amount of water pouring down street," though only the southbound lane of Yonge between King and Wellington streets remains closed heading into the morning rush hour.

Transit-wise, the 97 Yonge Street bus is diverting southbound via Adelaide, Church and Wellington streets.

A river running down Yonge St south of King reminds us of the value of our underground water infrastructure that we rely on every day! #OntarioWater sector has great solutions for infrastructure inspection and rehab @WaterTAPOntario supports our water sector! #6ix#waterpic.twitter.com/ocSeOwX7OQ

— Peter Gallant (@PeterGallantWT) May 3, 2018

Subway service has not been impacted, according to the TTC, but both the Commerce Court entrance and Melinda Street exit at King subway station remain closed.

Crews are making progress in figuring out how to get the water under control, but it's still a pretty messy situation. Avoid the area, if you can, or at the very least wear some proper rain boots.

Spring has sprung, with some very summer-like weather, and businesses on the Toronto Islands are beginning to open up. 

While the ferries have been open since April, this weekend may be the perfect time to take your first ferry ride of the season.

While you're on the Islands and looking for somewhere to grab a bite, look no further than The Rectory Cafe. They're open now from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. 

The Toronto Island Bicycle Rental is officially open, as of earlier this week, so you can bike it all off, too.

Get a little lost in the William Meany Maze and enjoy being able to see the actual ground when it’s not covered in snow. 

Artscape Gibraltar Point is also open and their new Museum of Future Anthropology exhibition is on display at the Hallway Gallery. Viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., by appointment only. 

The Centreville Amusement Park is opening up for its 2018 season on Saturday as well, though for the month of May the park is only open on weekends (with the exception of Monday, May 21). 

While there is no fee to access the park, or Far Enough Farms (still closed), you have to pony up to get on the rides. An all-day ride pass for a family of four is almost $111 at the gate — save a couple of dollars by buying it online.

If you're a fanatic, a season pass is just over $75. Worth it if you're planning on riding the coasters there more than one day this summer, as the single-day pass is pretty steep at over $30. 

Whether you're a smooth or extreme rider (extreme meaning the log ride) there's something for you on the Islands — and luckily this year we aren't seeing any massive flooding this year, so happy trails!

Seventeen-year-old Toronto trumpeter William Leathers is on the road to Julliard and has already raised over $75,000 (and counting) to cover his first year at the prestigious performing arts school.

Only $263,000 to go before he's able to pay for the entire program.

@juilliardschool #juilliard2022

A post shared by Will Franklyn Leathers (@leathersboy) on Apr 28, 2018 at 4:34am PDT

When Leathers was 12, he became the youngest trumpeter accepted into the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Halton Mississauga Youth Orchestra.

This year, Julliard accepted only three trumpeters into its undergraduate music program and he was one of them. 

Julliard isn't cheap, however — especially for an international student.

A post shared by Will Franklyn Leathers (@leathersboy) on Dec 27, 2016 at 1:23pm PST

Leathers and his parents were able to put together $25,500 for tuition and housing this year, but at a cost of $338,500 over four years, it's not enough.

He started a fundraising page to try to cover his first year, and says he'll "see where it goes from there."

"The reality is, there's a pretty big gap between what our family can come up with, and what it costs for tuition, housing, and books," reads his YouCaring fundraiser page. 

"So if you can find it in your heart to help, my family and I would appreciate it so much."

Father & Son Duet ❤️🙏🏽 #dad #son #trumpet #tradition

A post shared by Will Franklyn Leathers (@leathersboy) on Aug 10, 2017 at 7:35pm PDT

Leathers' YouCaring fundraiser page will continue to stay open as he goes through school, and 10 per cent of all donations will go toward creating a scholarship fund for young artists.

If his full tuition is raised, all money donated past that amount will go into the scholarship fund. 

Are houses getting cheaper in Toronto, or is it just TREB?

New data released this morning by the Toronto Real Estate Board shows that the price of GTA homes dropped roughly 12.4 per cent last month, compared to what they were in April 2017.

Prices fell from an average of $918,184 to just $804,584 in one year's time.

This might sound like awesome news to potential buyers, but it's important to note that houses were way more expensive than usual at this time last year.

"While average selling prices have not climbed back to last year's record peak, April's price level represents a substantial gain over the past decade," explained TREB President Tim Syrianos in today's release.

April Market Report: The great majority of buyers are purchasing a home within which to live. This means these buyers are treating home ownership as a long-term investment. Read complete TREB market report for April here: https://t.co/qBUGflvI1Wpic.twitter.com/f955slKhxD

— TREB (@TREBhome) May 3, 2018

The real estate board notes that "after preliminary seasonal adjustment," the month-over-month change in selling prices was actually quite minimal for April of 2018, with the average price decreasing by just 0.2 per cent since March.

Home sales figures are still way lower than what we saw last year at this time, thanks to cooling measures like the Ontario foreign buyers tax and the federal government's mortgage stress-test.

TREB's director of market analysis Jason Mercer says not to worry—the comparison between last year's and this year's figures masks the fact that market conditions point toward growth for the second half of 2018.

"Once we are past the current policy-based volatility home owners should expect to see the resumption of a moderate and sustained pace of price growth," he said in the release. "[I]n line with a strong local economy and steady population growth."

Welcome to the future, Toronto, because soon you'll be able to walk around with a drink at this year's Pride Toronto Street Fair from June 22 to 24.

Pride Toronto is introducing a program where attendees 19 and over can purchase an alcoholic drink and walk around with it through designated areas. 

Dubbed Drinks on the Go, the program gives patrons the freedom to travel throughout the festival with drink in hand during open-carry hours.

The idea is to prevent lineups and overcrowding on patios and in beer gardens by letting festival goers chill out with a drink wherever they choose.

The bylaw that allows festivals to expand the designated drinking areas was relaxed in 2011, but only now are Toronto festivals starting to open up to the idea.

Caribana...?
Get it done!

'Drinks to go': You'll be able to walk on Church with your beverage at Pride this year https://t.co/IRg2Salevw
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— TFC for dayyyysss!! 🇨🇦🇹🇹 (@JayBeeGooner) May 3, 2018

This year's festival footprint has extended further south on Church Street between Charles Street East and Dundas Street West. 

Weekends events in Toronto include Cinco de Mayo in the city and Canada's Olympic sweethearts Scott and Tessa in for a skate. There's also lots of markets to explore and a film premiere featuring our iconic streetcars. May the 4th be with you!