A Spanish hotel brand best known for its beautiful, all-inclusive beachfront resorts is expanding into the great white north after years of hosting Canadians in sunnier destinations like Montego Bay and Cancun.

RIU Hotels & Resorts, the company behind those popular "RIU Caribe" resorts down south, announced on Wednesday that it will be opening its first-ever property in Canada by 2021.

Naturally, they've selected Toronto for the privilege—and specifically a newly-built modern tower block in Toronto's Financial District.

The $100-million hotel project will see RIU create at least 350 hotel rooms as part of the mixed use development, along with a gym, a bar and restaurant, meeting rooms and residences on the upper floors.

RIU Hotels & Resorts has announced the construction of a hotel in its Riu Plaza urban line, in Toronto, Canada https://t.co/JniOmYHwdg#ItsRiuTimepic.twitter.com/8FxPWBSJ3M

— RIU Hotels & Resorts (@RiuHoteles) January 16, 2019

Don't expect towel swans and all-you-can-drink pool service, though. This hotel is being built as part of the Riu Plaza line, which is distinctly urban in its scope.

Six Riu Plazas currently exist around the world in places such as New York, Berlin, Dublin and Miami Beach, with others slated to open in Madrid, London and, of course, Toronto over the next few years.

"RIU Hotels & Resorts has had a relationship with Canada for years, with the country being one of the main markets for RIU hotels in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America," reads the company's announcement, "but it is only now with the opening of this new hotel that it is physically establishing its presence in the country."

No visit to Mexico is complete without taking a tour of the popular Mayan ruins of Tulum or Cobá, at the surrounding areas of our Riu Palace Riviera Maya 🔥https://t.co/x2jZLaQtjs#ItsRiuTimepic.twitter.com/LVldyVCmoi

— RIU Hotels & Resorts (@RiuHoteles) January 12, 2019

RIU describes the Toronto hotel's intended design as "sophisticated" and "avant-garde."

"We hope this hotel attracts RIU customers around the world to discover the city of Toronto with us, and also hope that the loyal customers we have in Canada decide to discover our urban product," said company CEO Luis Riu.

"This project means a new drive to raise awareness of our brand within and beyond the country."

Fingers crossed for daily aquasize classes in what looks to be a well-sized outdoor pool.

Last year's Toronto Blue Jays were borderline unwatchable at times. They weren’t the worst team in baseball last year, but they were a far cry from their Cinderella 2015 and 2016 former selves.

The on-field product might be subpar once again this season, but the Blue Jays unveiled their new “Ticketmaster Lounge”anyway; an all-new premium section on the 300 level of the Rogers Centre which boasts some of the best sightlines in the ballpark.

For the low price of around $400 per home game (or $33,000 per season), fans can feast on Arctic char, socialize and maybe look up every so often to watch the Blue Jays play a baseball game.

The Blue Jays hope to sell more of these new premium seats than those shown filled in this rendering.

On the other hand, for those seeking a budget-friendlier option, consider a lower price of close to $300 per home game ($24,000 per season). These fans can pay for the privilege to strong-arm someone else into taking these seats third or fourth-hand from a friend who can’t make the game.

This new premium space is an attempt to cater to the business crowd, not unlike how the suites at Scotiabank Arena are often half-filled with Bay Street suits during Leafs and Raptors games.

Judging by the outfits worn by the clientele in the pictured mock-ups, Blue Jays paraphernalia is strictly forbidden in the Ticketmaster Lounge.

Ticketmaster Lounge holders have access to private bathrooms, the opportunity to reserve tables within the lounge, concierge service and the ability to order premium fare from the kitchen.

Premium fare is available to those who shell out for the extra price, like the two confused women in this rendering.

The spring and summer-inspired menus boast items like Arctic char crudo, fried goat cheese, seared black bass and carrot cake twinkies.

At $33,000 per front row seat and $24,000 per second row and bar rail seat, if the Blue Jays find takers for all these seats, they’re looking at a potential of over $3 million in additional revenue per season.

Not to mention, the undisclosed amount that Ticketmaster paid for the exclusive sponsorship title. It’s no wonder the Blue Jays demolished the former press box and flipped it into a money-maker.

As a comparison, for fans who prefer to get closer to the field, “In the Action” season tickets are available starting from $24,814 per season.

The game is so thrilling in fact, that some prefer to sit with their back to the action.

These are the seats directly behind home plate, where fans are often found waving in front of TV cameras to validate to friends and family why they spent a small fortune on baseball tickets.

Construction is underway on the Blue Jays’ new Ticketmaster Lounge and it will be ready for the start of the season. The Blue Jays open their 2019 schedule against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday March 28^th.

Toronto neighbourhoods on the rise this year are city enclaves flexing their muscles when it comes to new developments driving business to their part of town. While there's no shortage of new projects in the city, change is afoot in these neighbourhoods, and in a big way.

Here are some neighbourhoods on the rise in Toronto and just beyond.

Thorncliffe Park

The city's fourth Costco on Overlea Boulevard caused pure chaos when it finally opened in July after months of anticipation. On top of that, the Thorncliffe Park Women's Committee scored a Park People grant for their shipping container cafe and are partnering with Sidewalk Labs too.

Yorkville

Sure, Toronto's poshest area has always been a tourist hub of sorts, but there's been fewer and fewer reasons for non-locals to head there, especially with staples moving out of the hood. That'll definitely change with the anticipated arrival of the massive Eataly store this year as well as a huge slate of redevelopment underway.

Weston-Mount Dennis

With the Eglinton Crosstown well underway, this neighbourhood will soon cast off the ghost of Kodak Heights and become the westernmost terminal of the new LRT, a.k.a. the second largest transit hub after Union Station. That, plus construction starts this year on Mount Dennis' monumental net-zero childcare facility—the first in the city. 

Leslieville

Family-friendly Leslieville has long been on the up-and-up, but mostly on Queen, Carlaw and Gerrard. These days, Eastern Ave. has been in the spotlight. The Hell's Angels' clubhouse is long gone as is the Weston Bakery. On the way is Wonder Condos, along with GM's huge new Urban Mobility Research Development centre. 

Downtown Markham

Forget downtown Toronto: this 243-acre planned community by the Remington Group has been developing at full speed ahead. At this point the growth is unstoppable, with projects like Gallery Square, the new state-of-the-art Yamaha School, Marriott Markham, and a $100 million movie studio on the way.

We're one day closer to the weekend and events in Toronto today have lots going on. The Bentway is offering free skate rentals and lessions and Peter Jackson's newest work is screening. The Gladstone is once again hosting Come Up to My Room and there's a huge interior design show on.

Originally a candy factory dating back to the early 1900s, the Robert Watson lofts are a true testament of how old industrial buildings can make for great living spaces.

This bright and airy loft boasts 1,400 square feet of living space with soaring ceilings, polished concrete floors and exposed ductwork that will have any hard loft lover drooling.

The layout is a bit unconventional with the main floor being more of an open plan triangle than a rectangle, which could make for some awkward furniture placement, but the current owners have managed to work around it.There’s tons of natural light thanks to the two-storey wall of windows. And if that wasn’t enough natural light, you can always step out onto the balcony that has BBQ gas hookups or walk down the street to Sorauren Park or High Park.

I’m in love with the den space that overlooks the main floor of the loft. It’s super bright with loads of bookshelves and looks like a great place to read and drink coffee on the weekends. It could also make a great home office space.

The loft has two bedrooms, one on the main floor, and the master bedroom is on the second floor.   

The only let down of this modern loft are the bathrooms, with don’t really match the rest of the place, with the mismatched tiles and cheap-looking fixtures.

Specs

• Address: #110 – 369 Sorauren Ave.
• Price: $1,024,900
• Bedrooms: 2 + 1
• Bathrooms: 2
• Parking: 1
• Walk Score: 88    
• Transit Score: 100
• Maintenance Fees: $1,020.57 monthly
• Listing agent: Lisa Bednarski
• Listing ID: W4330958

Good For

Plants. With two-storeys of huge windows you can have all the plants your heart desires. Even the fiddle-leaf fig tree won’t die!

Move On If

You don’t want your view to be of a parking lot and you have no interest in listening to the GO train rumble past every 15 minutes.

All your favourite snacks are just a click away with Fryday Box. This new Toronto delivery service has everything you're craving including drinks, cookies, candy bars, alcohol and much more. Want to try it out? We've teamed up with Fryday Box to give you a chance to win gift certificates.

Check out all the contest details here.

In the ever-growing battle that is the Toronto public versus construction, the people have finally chalked up a point. 

Residents of Forest Hill successfully managed to prevent a seven-month-long road closure near Bathurst and Eglinton, and they received an apology from Metrolinx to boot. 

The transit agency announced plans last month to close Bathurst one block north of Eglinton to speed up construction of the Forest Hill Station on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. 

Proposed closure by @Metrolinx of Bathurst St at Eglinton Ave will NOT go ahead. They don't have City permit to do so. @JoshMatlow and I have strongly recommended they hold open & transparent consultation process with community in New Year & present alternatives to their proposal pic.twitter.com/77Dffj4wkD

— Mike Colle (@ColleMike) December 6, 2018

Already-disgruntled business owners, many of whom have been struggling to stay open during the already disastrous construction phase, joined forces with residents and local councillors to express their outrage. 

We will not be pursuing the proposed Bathurst Street closure. Read our statement pic.twitter.com/X0KC5nFQBc

— Crosstown (@CrosstownTO) January 16, 2019

Many pointed out that the closure would only save about three months, per Metrolinx's analysis. To them, the seven-month-long closure of a major road is not worth the time saved. 

"We acknowledge we could have done a better job engaging the community and the councillors," reads a statement from Metrolinx posted to the Crosstown's Twitter page. 

The agency then goes on to promise further collaboration with the community. 

Metrolinx will still hold tonight's town hall meeting for those who wish to offer more thoughts. Will they listen twice in one day? 

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

• Kibo Secret Garden, Kibo Sushi's new omakase restaurant, has just opened at 1415 Bloor Street West in the Junction Triangle.
• McEwan Foods is now open at a Bloor Street East (at Yonge).
• Friday Roots And Vibes, a soul food restaurant, live venue and event space can be found at 876 Dundas Street West (at Claremont Street).
• Mexican spot Pancho Y Emiliano now has a second location in what was formerly Pearl King at 291 King Street West (at John) in the Entertainment District.

Recently reviewed

• Zakkushi Queen West
• Incha
• Mount Pleasant Rose
• Neruda
• Grand Bizarre
• HuaJia Rice Noodle
• Fleets Food

Opening soon

• Flipside Donuts, a licensed cafe, is coming soon to 12 Case Goods Land in the Distillery District.
• The Daily Dumpling Wonton Company is opening a brick-and-mortar shop at 792 College Street (at Roxton Road) in Little Italy.
• Playa Cabana will soon be debuting its Taqueria Norte at 21 St. Clair Avenue East (by Yonge).
• The Good Son will soon be opening its third location, this one located at the Shops At Don Mills at 11 Karl Fraser Road (at Don Mills).
• In addition to having Resto Boemo at Assembly Chef's Hall, chef Ivana Raca and TV personality Brad Smith will soon debut Chef's Table, which will focus on healthy eats, in the space that was previously occupied by Bluenose Lobster.

Closed

• Arvo Coffee has closed its Liberty Village location.

Other news

• Vegan Mexican restaurant Rosalinda is now offering a $23, three-course prix-fixe lunch on weekdays, and will be launching weekend brunch on February 9.

Have you seen restaurants opening or closing in your neighbourhood? Email tips to editors@blogto.com.

Toronto Police are warning the public to be careful when using debit cards in taxis after charging a ring of crooked cabbies with more than 250 counts of fraud and identity theft.

Six people are alleged to have stolen thousands of dollars from unsuspecting customers around the GTA in recent months—often without said customer's knowledge.

It all links back to an elaborate (and recurring) scheme involving rigged Point of Sale machines, decoy debit cards, stolen PINS and drained bank accounts.

One man arrested after a taxi debit-card scam. Be vigilant when using debit cards . Maintain possession at all times. pic.twitter.com/scdy0FAXpv

— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) September 7, 2017

Here's how it works, according to police:

Drivers pick up a customer in the early morning or evening hours and drive them to their destination. When the customer attempts to pay using debit or credit, they're handed an "altered Point of Sale" machine by the driver.

The customer enters their PIN, at which point the machine returns an error. The driver then asks for the machine back—with the card still in it—to see what's going on. At this point, the driver switches the passenger's actual debit card with someone else's from the same banking institution.

It normally isn't until later that the customers realizes that their PIN was recorded by the fake Point of Sale machine. All a cabbie needs to do is hit up the bank, enter your code, and voila: Your cash is now their cash.

"The customer's funds are depleted from their accounts fraudulently," explains a Toronto Police media release. "The customer usually has no knowledge of the fraud until the bank notifies them, or they attempt to utilize the card provided to them by the driver at a later date, realizing it has been swapped."

This past November, one victim told the CBC that he'd been bilked out of $3,500 by fraudsters. Another victim said he lost $4,100 in one fell swoop.

0117 07:00 Arr Md In Taxi Fare Scams, Four Men, A Woman & A Boy, Fac... Ft Fraud Chgs, https://t.co/H78OPcb7gz

— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) January 17, 2019

Police announced on Thursday that four men, one woman and a 16-year-old boy, all from Toronto, had been arrested in connection with the recent bank card thefts. 

They are collectively charged with over 262 counts of fraud-related crimes. The cab companies they worked for were not involved in the scam, say police, and will not be held accountable.

Police do warn, however, that "there are still a number of incidents occurring" and that "there are still outstanding individuals actively defrauding the public utilizing various cabs in the GTA."

Be careful.

The indie coffee shop scene in Toronto is thriving. In neighbourhoods across the city, baristas are slinging expertly crafted cortados and flat whites, often made with locally roasted beans of course.

Check out all 50 essential Toronto coffee shops in this photo gallery.

Need a good reason to stop by the auto show this year? I'll give you Sixteen—the Devel Sixteen, that is.

The world's most mysterious luxury car is set to make its North American debut next month at the Canadian International Auto Show, right here in Toronto, where at least one notable resident is said to have pre-ordered the whip for a cool $2.2 million.

This is a huge deal, regardless of whether you're into cars or what you think of Drake's fancy lifestyle.

Not only is Canada getting something before anyone in the U.S. (always a delight), Torontonians will get a chance to see a vehicle so exclusive that many people don't even believe exists. 

The Devel Sixteen Is Fake: https://t.co/90dEiM3QyZ via @YouTube

— Eric (@revmatchtv) November 4, 2018

Built in Dubai, the so-called "hypercar" is rumoured to reach speeds of up to 500 km/h with a V16 engine and 5,007 horsepower.

"All this from a car made by a startup company from Dubai? It all sounds like a joke, I know," wrote Máté Petrány for Road and Track of the Devel Sixteen, which made its debut as a prototype in 2013.

"Vaporware we shouldn't give a second glance? Perhaps. But while the Devel Sixteen may very well turn out to be a failure, it's worth noting a few key facts while keeping an open mind."

Fast forward to Tuesday, when the Canadian International Auto Show announced that Devel Motors co-founder and car developer Majid Al Attar would be a featured guest speaker at the MTCC on February 13.

On top of that, his much-hyped car will serve as a centrepiece in the car show's much-hyped "Auto Exotica" feature.

The mysterious and powerful Devel Sixteen hypercar, with its V16 & 5,007 hp, will be featured in Auto Exotica at #CIAS2019!

You've never seen anything like this!

Tickets are on sale now at https://t.co/UPGPJn8DB7 .#ThePassionWithinUspic.twitter.com/RFzgHnXX5j

— Canadian AutoShow (@autoshowcanada) January 16, 2019

"The Devel Sixteen is catching eyes around the world, including those of Toronto’s hip hop megastar Drake," said Al Attar in a press release for the auto show.

"We are looking forward to bringing the Devel Sixteen to Toronto as we get ready to put the car into production later this year."

Prior to its North American debut next month, the production prototype will have only ever been showcased in Dubai and Paris. Video footage does exist of the hypercar's prototype zooming around the UAE desert, but few people have ever seen it in person.

You could be one of them in less than a month, if you happen to be in Toronto. Take that, New York, with your early access to Cool Ranch Dorito-shell tacos.

Restaurants a Toronto first-timer needs to try are just as essential to native Torontonians as they are to the visitors who get told to check them out. As pretty much the most diverse food city in Canada, it’s tough to narrow down where to go your first time coming here, so here’s a little help with that task.

Here are my picks for essential restaurants a Toronto first-timer needs to try. 

Seven Lives

Kensington has this spot for giant seafood tacos that’s a favourite with the locals. which usually has a huge lineup.

Nom Nom Nom Poutine

If this is your first trip to Canada, period, everyone will probably tell you what you need to try is poutine. This unique shipping container stall destination for the staple of fries, gravy and cheese curds on Dundas West has a ton of varieties to sample.

Planta 

Plant-based visitors will want to hit up this Yorkville vegan joint that locals agree is one of the classiest and best (but don’t worry, they still do a mean veggie burger).

Kingsway Fish and Chips 

This place at Bloor and Royal York has been around forever and has a classic vibe, great fish and chips both fried in beef tallow, and a ton of local sports memorabilia for decor. 

Chris Jerk

Jerk chicken is practically a part of the Toronto food pyramid, and this Scarborough spot near Finch and Kennedy does an amazing version of it that they even serve on top of poutine. 

Terroni

Multiple locations throughout the city of this crowd-pleasing Italian mainstay make a meal here a no-brainer for a first-timer to Toronto.

Lady Marmalade

Locals often have lots of suggestions for what to do for dinner or nightlife in town, but sometimes forget that you still have to wake up the next morning and find somewhere to break your fast. This beloved brunch spot in East Chinatown does just the trick. 

Stockyards Smokehouse

Chicken and waffles as well as green chilli burgers are hidden gems at this charming restaurant found in the somewhat unassuming St. Clair West neighbourhood. 

Sukhothai 

The pad thai from multiple locations of this place is fiercely adored, so get a taste of one of Toronto’s favourite cuisines here. 

SanRemo Bakery

Everyone goes gaga over the hot table at this Etobicoke place, and a first-timer to Toronto is sure to do the same.

Bad news for students from low-income families: free tuition is no more. 

Under the previous Liberal government, the province introduced free tuition via a grant for students whose families made under a certain amount of money. Those grants are being discontinued.

Now, that funding will be coming in part from a loan. Students with families making under $50,000 a year will receive most of the tuition grants with these new changes.

Also, some funding would have been granted to students from families that make less than $175,000. Now that threshold is $140,000.

This announcement comes on the heels of a 10 per cent across-the-board tuition cut announced by the PC government earlier this week. 

Restaurants on Queen St. West are mostly the realm of fast food chains, generic sushi shops and a pair of warehouse concepts, but there are some genuinely amazing restaurants along the busy strip as well. You just have to hunt them down amongst all the fabric, clothing and music stores around. 

Here are my picks for the top restaurants on Queen St. West.

La Palette

This French restaurant right near Denison has come under fire several times for serving (delicious) horse, but it just seems to make it all the more tantalizing. Expect a little taste of Paris at this place that also does fabulous bone marrow, foie gras and mussels.

Zakkushi

A textbook atmosphere for enjoying izakaya cuisine, including some of the city’s best yakitori has been created at this restaurant at Markham. 

Aloette

Accessible yet upscale bistro fare like steak tartare and shakes can be found at this ultra cool counterpart to Alo just off Queen on Spadina.

Saku Sushi

It can be hard with such a high concentration of sushi places in one area to know which ones are any good, but this spot near Augusta won’t disappoint. 

Rickshaw Bar

Upscale Indian and Southeast Asian cuisine is plated beautifully at this restaurant near Bathurst.

Gandhi Roti

Not only is this spot near Bathurst one of the cheapest and most reliable roti places in the area, it’s also one of the yummiest.

Kinton Ramen

Everyone loves ramen and you can’t go wrong with a bowl of it from this chain with a location at Queen and Cameron.

Lisa Marie

Bar-friendly brunches and dinners including beloved pad thai fries are served at this relaxed spot between Markham and Palmerston.

Banh Mi Boys

Popular consensus is that if you’re craving a Vietnamese sandwich in this neighbourhood, you have to head to the location of this small chain right near Spadina.

416 Snack Bar

This place is just a little off Queen on Bathurst, but handheld bar eats draw lines even longer than those for restaurants with an address right on Queen. 

Toronto mayor John Tory announced Thursday morning that the city's long awaited (and desperately needed) downtown relief subway line might be finished by 2029.

Sure, that's still a decade away, but completion was initially scheduled for 2031—and 10 years are better than 12, right?

That's two years less of annoying construction. Two years less of dangerous overcrowding. Two years less of people griping about how puny our subway system is compared to other major cities. And it'll only cost the TTC an extra $162 million...this year.

"People have made it very clear to us, and we understand, as do the experts, that we need relief when it comes to our transit system," said Tory during a press conference at Pape Station this morning.

Proud to be at Pape Station this morning to talk about the TTC's proposal to speed up the Relief Line timeline by two years. pic.twitter.com/ba6v15gQDp

— John Tory (@JohnTory) January 17, 2019

"That's been clear in every poll conducted on transit," the mayor continued. "It's been clear in every expert report and it was very clear in terms of what the people had to say to us at the time of the last election."

To accelerate construction, Tory said that $325 million would need to be added to the TTC's capital budget over the next two years— a pittance, really, contrasted against the project's total expected cost of at least $6.8 billion.

The money would go towards such things as technical equiment and utility relocation, should City Council approve the modified 2019 TTC budget.

Once complete, the downtown relief subway line will provide a direct link between Osgoode and Pape Stations, hopefully alleviating some congestion on the busy Yonge-University-Spadina line.

Girls' night out in Toronto is the time when you and the crew can catch up and wind down. Any time spent with friends is a guaranteed good time, but the top spots for your gathering should have ample seating for large parties, some shareable eats, and definitely enough drinks on hand. 

Here are my picks for the top places for a girls' night out in Toronto.

Coffee Oysters Champagne

This pristine French restaurant in the Entertainment District is the perfect place for a classy night out. Rosé bottle-lined walls and a rotating selection of oysters are the perfect mis en scene for a well-deserved catch up session.

Come See Me

Live DJ's every night and delicious bar food: what better combination for a needed unwinding with the gang at this Little Italy party spot. Prepare for a night of dancing, fried chicken with waffles, and many, many shots for a wild (read: messy) night.

Pursuit OCR

Open until 11 p.m. on weekends, the city's biggest ball pit could be the best way to release some endorphins with your friends. Who needs cocktails when you can race each other on the tricycle race track? Head to this indoor obstacle course in Etobicoke for the night of your life.

Echo Karaoke

Let's be real, there's nothing more perfect than some 'yoki for a group of four or more. This Koreatown favourite has private rooms, cheap drink specials and a massive catalogue of songs to choose from including a selection of 6ix God tunes for the Drake lovers. 

Vatican Gift Shop

Duck behind this low-key gift shop in Leslieville and find yourself in this dark and sultry bar. You and the gang can squeeze into big Godfather-type couches, eat pizza, sip on strong cocktails, and possibly catch some live music. 

Lula Lounge

What better way to shake off some stress than a night of dancing. This salsa staple in Little Portugal has musical acts every day of the week, but their Havana Club Fridays and Salsa Saturdays are where it's at, complete with pre-party dance lessons and ladies-free-discount before 10 p.m. 

Her Majesty’s Pleasure

It might be clichéd but sometimes there's really nothing more relaxing than an evening of primping with your BFFs. It doesn't get more fancy than this King West spa, which offers party packages including manis, pedis, and a glasses of bubbly for groups of five or more. 

Rooftop at Broadview Hotel

Bring the whole crew if you want: the city vistas of Broadview and Queen from this 7th floor rooftop can be viewed from all around this sprawling restaurant. With tons of seating and a sleek ambiance, it'll be easy to pass hours here with the besties. 

EFS

This King West staple is a necessary destination for any girl and her band of Instagram baddies. Grab a coveted booth and be served by bottle girls clad in body con dresses for the quintessential club experience. Just a head's up: EFS stands for Everything is For Sale. Take that as you will.

Rock 'n' Horse

Still one of the most popular places for bachelorettes and girl gatherings, this Entertainment District saloon comes equipped with all the gaudy trappings of a Hollywood-approved night on the town, from the cowboy-themed menus to the quintessential mechanical bull. 

Weekend events in Toronto may require some bundling up. Down by the waterfront, Ice Breakers kicks off a season of interactive artwork and Design Week events are happening all over. The Women's March is back and the Light Festival takes over the Distillery. Stay warm!

The aging basement of the Chinatown Centre is known for little more than its quiet food court, empty courtyard, and collection of businesses, slowly shuttering one by one. 

But as of yesterday, people officially have a new reason to visit one of the neighbourhood's most iconic landmarks. 

An arts-focused community space called Tea Base opened its doors to the public last night, bringing new life to the area behind the shopping centre's main stage with creative programming, workshops, and of course, tea. 

Tea Base will host a collection of comminity-run workshops and cultural events.

Once home to the longstanding ice cream shop Xuân Hu'o'ng, Tea Base has transformed the 350-square-foot store into an accessible gathering place for Asians, POC, creatives, queer folk, and everyone in between. 

"On a simple level, we want [it] to be a gathering place for artists and residents in and around Chinatown," says Michael Vu, who co-founded Tea Base alongside Hannia Cheng and John Smith. 

"But my larger intention is to bring together the older and younger generations, so that we can learn from them the histories we were not taught in school, and act to shape our collective futures.”

Performances by Toronto artists Maxhole and Eyeda kicked off the grand opening last night. 

As the landscape of Chinatown faces some major changes, the future of the neighbourhood's institutions like Chinatown Centre and Dragon City Mall rest on the shoulders of young Asian-Canadians to reclaim significant spaces.

"Tea Base represents the identity-specific space I wish I had when I was younger to have these kinds of conversations, share, grow, and organize," says Cheng. 

Decked out with WiFi, art by local artists like Ness Lee, and a future projector screen, the space also offers pots of tea ($5) from Toronto tea brands like Throwback and Momo Tea.

You can also grab a cup of Crimson Teas' special blend for $1.50. 

Tea Base replaces the 20-year-old Vietnamese ice cream shop Xuân Hu'o'ng in the basement of the Chinatown Centre.

Chairs and tables are leftover furniture from the old Vietnamese ice cream shop, where visitors can hang out and maybe catch some Caribbean-inspired bubble tea courtesy of Caribubble, or attend workshops like button pressing by Be Awesome. 

The space is open on Sundays and Mondays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. From Tuesday to Thursday they're open from 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Those interested in renting the space can do so between $75 and $175, depending on the time of day. 

Remember when actor Damian Lewis dressed up like late Toronto mayor Rob Ford—in full prosthetics—and terrified the crap out of everyone who saw him filming around town?

It wasn't just for kicks, as I'm sure you already know. It was for the film Run This Town, which we've just learned is set to premiere at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival in Austin, Texas, this March.

Be the Damian Lewis halfway dressed to play Rob Ford you wish to see in the world pic.twitter.com/QVfJZezsxt

— Gabriella Paiella (@GMPaiella) April 24, 2018

The political drama, while set against the backdrop of Ford's last year in office, doesn't actually feature Lewis all that heavily according to director Ricky Tollman. Rather, it focuses on the investigation into Ford's crack abuse scandal and the Toronto Star journalist(s) who broke the story in 2013.

Broadway star Ben Platt will play a ficticious character whose role in what came to be an international news story is loosely based on real-life investigative reporters Kevin Donovan and Robyn Doolittle. The casting choice was not without controversy of its own.

DGC Ontario Production Run This Town has been announced for the 2019 #SXSW Film Festival Narrative Spotlight section! Congratulations to all Members involved! https://t.co/b9WrtnBxyk🎬pic.twitter.com/VTV4jwPCli

— DGC Ontario (@OntarioDGC) January 17, 2019

"After graduation, Bram gets his dream job at a local newspaper. In his mind he’s the next Woodward (but he’s probably more of a Bernstein)," reads a description of the movie on SXSW's website.

"A year in, he realizes that maybe the paper business is no longer what he'd seen in the movies. Instead of investigative journalism, he is writing easily consumable Top 10 Lists - Best Hot Dogs in the City! Ten Ways to Tell You Grew Up in the 90s!"

Har har.

"After the paper is hit with another round of layoffs, Bram stumbles upon a potentially explosive story involving the city's controversial mayor," the blurb comtonues. "But he needs to beat the mayor's smooth talking aide, Kamal, to the punch. This could be Bram's big break — if he had any idea how to be a real journalist."

RUN THIS TOWN, about crack smoking Toronto mayor Rob Ford, set for #SXSW premiere. But will we get the TIFF Gala??? https://t.co/69tbjwhVmz

— Pat Mullen (@cinemablogrpher) January 16, 2019

Ford only be a minor character in the film, but Torontonians are waiting with baited breath to see the most interesting political scandal in our city's political history portrayed on the silver screen.

Sadly, the legend himself passed away from cancer in 2016, but his legend lives in on at least 10 books, hundreds of iconic video clips, and now, a legit Hollywood movie.

SXSW will host the world premiere of Run This Town as part of Narrative Spotlight program in March, though a specific date for the screening has yet to be announed. Along with Lewis and Platt, it stars Nina Dobrev, Mena Massoud, Jennifer Ehle, Lauren Collins and Scott Speedman.

One of Toronto's leading purveyors of obscenely decadant milkshakes has quitely closed its doors on West Queen West.

Hollywood Cone, known for its "mutant" freakshakes and "titanic" 18-inch-long ice cream sundaes, opened its first location in The 6ix just under two years ago at 1167 Queen Street West after finding success with its popular food truck and Oshawa store.

The Oshawa location is still going strong, judging by the company's Instagram feed, but the Toronto location appears to be lights out with landlord distress warrant signs on the door.

Hollywood Cone owes more than $25,000 in back rent to the building it was renting space from in downtown Toronto, according to the warrants. The store's windows are now papered over and a "retail for lease" banner has been plastered under its logo.

Oddly, the business mentioned nothing of this on any of its social media channels.

An Instagram account specific to the Hollywood Cone store in Toronto hasn't posted since November of 2018, however, and the company could not be reached by phone for comment.

Customers seem a bit confused.

"Where are you guys located in Toronto now since Dufferin location is closed?" asked one in response to a recent post on Hollywood Cone's main Instagram page.

"So the old store is permanently closed?" asked another. "I went by and I was about to cry."

The company has been saying in its posts recently that a new store is "coming soon," but have yet to release any details about when or where that'll be.

For now, you can get your cereal shakes and Reese Wheresmyspoon sundaes in Oshawa, or by tracking down Hollywood Cone's food truck at festivals and events around Ontario.