Photo by Brandon T in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Today in Toronto the One of a Kind Show, the year's biggest craft show (not that we're short on craft shows around here), kicks off at the Direct Energy Centre, where it will host 1000 Canadian artisans selling handmade gifts - plus a gift wrapping centre (fancy as the mall!). On a smaller scale Ryerson Artspace at the Gladstone will host the Full Frame Print Sale, including work by artists Max Dean, Robert Burley, Annie MacDonell, Sara Angelucci, and more.

The Brazil Film Fest will run all weekend (Nov 27 - 30) at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. The fest opens with Getulio, the story of President Getúlio Vargas's suicide in 1954. If you've been meaning to check out AKIN Collective's crits, MOCCA's invited them to host one at their temporary bar tonight. For more events, click on over to our events section.

• Craft: One of a Kind Show and Sale (Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place)
• Film: Brazil Film Fest (TIFF)
• Art: Althea Thauberger (Susan Hobbs Gallery)
• Comedy: BeerProv presents "The Draft" (Comedy Bar)
• Music: Cellphone EP release (Double Double Land)
• Art: Full Frame Holiday Print Show (Ryerson Artspace)
• Art: AKIN Crit at MOCCA (MOCCA)
• Theatre: Butcher launch party (Videofag)
• Film: Best of Toronto Short Films (Carlton Cinemas)

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

Photo via Getulio at Brazil Film Fest

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

OPEN NOW

• Kefi Lounge has replaced the short-lived Bar Oak at 511 Danforth Ave. in Greektown.
• A new cafe and sandwich shop, the Purple Penguin, is now in business at 889 Queen St. East where restaurants The Commissary and Bero once stood.
• Fresh Burger is already operating a Richmond Hill location, but as of this Friday, November 28, it's launching a second location downtown at 524 Church St.
• Sully's Sandwich Kitchen is now open at 821 Gerrard St. East, serving up po'boys and fresh takes on BLTs.

RECENTLY REVIEWED

• The Contender
• Mama's Boys Burgers
• Pizzeria Libretto (University)
• Pulp & Press

OPENING SOON

• Uncle Tony's, a casual Italian trattoria, is in the works where Swish by Han used to be at 38 Wellington St. East.
• BarFish, an all new drinks-focused destination, is soon to open in the former outdoor space of Blowfish at 668 King St. West.

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

Photo via Kefi Lounge on Facebook.

There are 250 kilometres of laneways in Toronto and almost all of them are underused, according to a non-profit that's trying to tap the potential of the city's back streets. Rather than using alleys for garbage collection and car storage, laneways could be transformed into bicycle thoroughfares, gathering places, markets, miniature strips of bars and cafes, even residential neighbourhoods with just a few tweaks of the rules, they say.

"There's no more space for low-rise residential housing in the city and as a result the cost of low-rise residential is going through the roof," says Ariana Cancelli from The Laneway Project. "Allowing laneway housing is one way to increase the amount of low-rise residential in the city, and that seems to be what people want."

More than that, at a time when recreational space is becoming increasingly strained by a booming population, laneways have the potential to act like parks or even convenient and safe car-free streets. Cities like Melbourne, Australia (pictured below) have allowed restaurants, bars, and cafes to open in laneways, turning narrow downtown service roads into bustling destinations.

"We're interested in how laneways can expand our public space network," Cancelli says. "Our city is growing very quickly and our park system and public space system is finite so we want to look at laneways as another layer of public space."

Here are 5 ways Toronto could improve its laneways.

Recognize that there are different types of laneway
Right now, Toronto doesn't count laneways as public space. Officially, our back roads are for access to garages and sometimes garbage collection. "Once we can start to classify and name the different types of laneways [residential, commercial, narrow, wide] ... you can decide what you can do in one type of laneways versus what you can do in another type," Cancelli says. Laneways behind stores or restaurants might be good for patios, markets, or tiny stores, for example.

Connect up water, electricity, and sewage
One of the biggest obstacle to using laneways as commercial or residential space is a lack of basic services. "It's expensive to create laneway housing because you don't have water, sewer, and electrical," says Cancelli. Finding a way to make laneways ready for inhabitation (by expanding winter snow clearance, for example) is vital.

Give laneways names
Named laneways feel more like real places, but they are also more likely to be recognized by delivery companies and, most importantly, the emergency services. "That's one of the things were planning to do at the Laneway Project, to create a guide for communities to name their laneways," says Cancelli. Without a proper address, laneway buildings have to be approved as rearward additions to existing structures, which can prove legally problematic.

Tweak the zoning bylaws
Every house in Toronto is supposed to have a minimum of one parking space, and that's a problem for laneway houses, which often replace garages and lack the space required to store an automobile. In addition, city planning policy makes no allowances for laneway buildings and, as Toronto architect and prospective laneway home builder Brandon Donnelly writes, getting the necessary approvals is tough.

Get involvement from the public
Not every Toronto laneway is going to become a bustling strip of cafes and pubs like Vulcan Lane in Auckland, New Zealand, but without feedback from the public, none will get the chance. Right now, the city is accepting public feedback on possible changes to the official plan, the document that guides the direction of urban planning in the city. "If they see there's enough of an interest [Toronto] might start to pay more attention and put more resources towards research," Cancelli says.

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: Jason Cook/blogTO Flickr pool, Steve/Flickr

After three years building a cult audience online (and a previous visit to Toronto in pop-up form), this modern menswear brand has brought its elevated basics to a permanent new home on Queen St. In addition to tons of classic (and surprisingly affordable) buys, they've also brought a cafe and a barbershop to the space.

Read my profile of Frank & Oak in the fashion section.

Doug Ford surprised many people this morning when he announced that he will not make a run at the provincial Tory leadership. The former city councillor and Toronto mayoral candidate announced that he wasn't interested in making a bid for the role on account of the strong candidates currently in the race and in particular his support for Christine Elliott.

This despite the fact that Ford Nation might be at its most powerful on the provincial level given the strong support both Ford brothers have received from suburban areas in Toronto. Ford has mulled a move to provincial politics for sometime, and did reveal that he has no intention to leave politics at this time. He cited the need to take "a little break" as one of the other reasons behind his decision.

Photo by Christian Bobak

Art shows in Toronto this winter serve many purposes, but we are a brutal people once the cold sets in, and a good show fills one certain criteria: it takes our minds off the frozen salted sludge leaking into our boots, be it through challenging paintings or charming miniature dioramas. While the AGO's programming will dominate, Dundas West will be a hot spot for visual art and Union Station will be entering the ring as a makeshift gallery.

Here are my picks for winter's must-see art shows in Toronto.

Chris Thomas - Hood Times (November 28-30, Goodfellas Gallery)
Fans of miniatures and cityscapes won't want to miss Chris Thomas' exhibit over the weekend at Goodfellas Gallery, which will include some works inspired by Toronto's own Parkdale. Hit up the opening if you want to chat with Thomas about gritty commissions of your neighbourhood.

Beware of the Beast (November 28 - December 20, Narwhal)
Jamiyla Lowe's Beware of the Beast is a special take on snakes and ladders, and here artists Nicholas Aoki, Nicholas DiGenova, Amy Lockhart, Jamiyla Lowe, Noel Middleton, Andrew Remington-Bailey, and Will Sweeney take inspiration from the history of games. No longer in the Junction, the gallery is now just east of Roncesvalles on Dundas West.

Art Spiegelman Retrospective (December 20, 2014 - March 15, 2015, AGO)
Pulitzer winner and one of the Time's 100 Most Influential People, the Maus cartoonist's work is a thrill to see in person. The AGO exhibit will include rarely seen works from Spiegelman's career, including autobiographical continuous strip called Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@?*!.

Michael Dumontier (January 10 - February 7, MKG 127)
In the new year, see (former, RIP) Royal Art Lodge member Michael Dumontier's illustration work at MKG on Dundas West. Not sure if Neil Farber, Dumontier's partner in giving animals sharpies, will have work up as well.

Villa Toronto (January 16 - 23, Union Station)
Some exciting news for Toronto art fans: Union Station will host this mysterious week-long exhibition featuring 20 galleries from near and far including Toronto's Art Metropole, Jessica Bradley, and Cooper Cole plus galleries from London, Milan, Tokyo, Reykjavik, Paris, Barcelona, Zurich, and Mexico City.

JD Walsh (January 16 - January 23, Cooper Cole)
While Cooper Cole's stark gallery doesn't care much if you get their thing, JD Walsh's show might be a good entry point - the New York artist's music themed sculptures are especially accessible, yet beautiful all the same. Learn more via PS1's website.

Burn with Desire / Anti-Glamour (January 21 - April 5, Ryerson Image Centre)
These two shows make an interesting contrast: Burn with Desire will feature images of Hollywood stars from RIC's collection, including commercial portraits and work by Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol. Anti-Glamour: Portraits of Women's photo and video works will take closer look at women's public personas.

The Unfinished Conversation: Encoding/Decoding (January 24 - May 17, Power Plant)
Power Plant at the Harbourfront comes through with the winter's highbrow exhibition. Best to book solid time with this ultra contemporary show featuring Terry Adkins, John Akomfrah, Sven Augustijnen, Steve McQueen, Shelagh Keeley, and Zineb Sedira, as you likely won't get much out of a pit stop.

Douglas Coupland (January 31 - April 19, MOCCA)
Canlit fans will be excited about this upcoming exhibition at MOCCA: Douglas Coupland's everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything installation will continue the writer's obsession with tech and pop culture via whatever means necessary - including Lego.

Jean-Michel Basquiat (February 7 - May 10, AGO)
Another AGO blockbuster, this will be Canada's first large retrospective of the NYC graffiti/fine art artist. Basquiat's often massive paintings are fascinating to behold in person, as child-like sketches and sardonic scrawled wordplay tackle issues of racism, social justice, and politics that are unfortunately just as relevant today.

What did I miss? Add your suggestions for winter art shows in the comments.

Images: "Obnoxious Liberals" (1982) © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York, Art Spiegelman image from Maus; Dumontier illustration via Juxtapoz; Union Station photo by Gerald Querubin in the blogTO Flickr pool; Photo: Manfred Linus, Untitled [Marilyn Monroe], date and location unknown. BS.2005.190119/113-1226. The Black Star Collection, Ryerson Image Centre; Installation view of Spectres by Sven Augustijnen, VOX, centre de l'image contemporaine, Montreal, from May 11 to July 13, 2013. Photo: Michel Brunelle via Power Plant; Copeland image via MOCCA

This old school pizzeria has been operating for almost 30 years but is suddenly attracting all sorts of new attention after recently undergoing a major renovation. Discover what Woodbridge residents have known all along: their neighbourhood pizza joint is way better than yours.

Read my profile of Ricci's Pizzeria in the restaurants section.

It's been a boom year for new restaurant openings in Toronto, and there's hardly a neighbourhood in the city that's without at least one sparkling new addition. From novel new cuisines to expansions of already-beloved eateries, there's somewhere new and delicious to try no matter where you live.

Here are my picks for the top 25 new restaurants in Toronto by neighbourhood.

See also:

The top 30 burgers in Toronto by neighbourhood
The top 30 pizza in Toronto by neighbourhood
The top 30 sandwiches in Toronto by neighbourhood

THE ANNEX
Chef Anthony Rose doubled his additions to Dupont this year with the openings of Fat Pasha and Schmaltz Appetizing. The hand-chopped liver tossed table-side with gribenes, onions and egg was one of the best things I've eaten this year.

BLOOR WEST VILLAGE
Sparrow Restaurant, from the same folks behind the neighbouring Kennedy Public House, opened in May adding a new all-day destination for brunches, lunches and dinners.

CABBAGETOWN
Ronnie B's Southern Kitchen opened this fall, introducing a vibrant atmosphere fuelled by jazz and a line up of po'boys, jambalaya and blackened catfish.

CHINATOWN
People's Eatery, a spin-off from the same team behind 416 Snack Bar, launched this utensil-free, late night eats destination with a nod to the Chinese and Jewish histories of the neighbourhood.

THE DANFORTH
Chicken pot pie bites and bangers 'n mash are among the house specialties at The Borough, a new Brit-style pub with a focus on sustainable, locally-sourced fare.

DISTILLERY DISTRICT
Cluny, the opulent new bistro and boulangerie brought a little Parisian flair to the Distillery District when it debuted this summer with an playful menu featuring modern takes on the classics. Expect to find tuna tartar nicoise and ginger-chili-fried frogs' legs.

DUNDAS WEST
There were a number of notable openings on this stretch of Dundas West this year (shout outs to Essen, Branca and Kadbanu) but Patois, the Asian-Jamaican mash-up, best captures the spirit of Toronto's melting-pot culture in dishes like pierogi-style kimchi potstickers and Jamaican patty double down sandwiches.

ETOBICOKE
Big Butcher Barbeque on Kipling is more than just a burger joint. The fast food offshoot of Market Jolly boasts a from-scratch menu featuring a lineup of impressive burgers, plus Balkan specialties like chevaps (minced meat kabobs) and plyeska (pork burgers).

FINANCIAL DISTRICT
The newest outpost of Pizzeria Libretto has proved a popular pick amongst the throngs of office workers looking for casual pizza lunches.

JUNCTION TRIANGLE
Farmer's Daughter, the sister location to Farmhouse Tavern opened this past spring and quickly earned big points for chef Leonie Lilla's playful menu featuring beef heart tartare at dinner and eggs mollet at brunch.

KING WEST
Bar Buca, an all-day destination, transitions from espressos and brunch to cocktails and snacks. Expect to find an offal-friendly menu stocked with stuffed focaccia, spiedini and fried delicacies.

LESLIEVILLE
Coastal cuisine landed in Leslieville this summer with the opening of Eastside Social, a casual, cozy dining room and bar where the menu features comfort foods like clam chowder, Yorkshire pudding poutine and homemade Hamburger Helper.

LIBERTY VILLAGE
Local Public Eatery might be part of a chain of restaurants, but tailored to this specific enclave of the city, it fits in quite nicely - plus, it's hard not to like the 20 tap beers, hard liquor on tap and table-side made guacamole.

LITTLE INDIA
Maha's introduced Egyptian brunches to Greenwood this fall, and to be honest, I'm a little jealous that the novel cuisine isn't closer to my own home. Dishes include sunny eggs with foule and a "Pharaoh's po'boy".

LITTLE ITALY
Top honours go to chef Nick Liu's long-awaited restaurant Dailo and complementary cocktail lounge, Lo Pan. Launched in August, the two-storey spot offers contemporary takes on classics like truffle fried rice and roast duck and scallion tacos.

NORTH YORK
Han Ba Tang is a notable new addition in Willowdale, where innovative cocktails and Korean foods are the main event. Highlights on the menu include spicy shrimp tacos, kimchi fries and cheese fondues.

OSSINGTON
Mamakas Taverna brings a taste of Greece to Ossington with a menu of authentic, rustic fare including mezze, grill items and market specials.

PARKDALE
Duggan's Brewery is now fully operational in Parkdale, serving up the house brew and menu of beer-friendly foods like jerk fried chicken, Miami style beef ribs and daily tacos.

QUEEN WEST
The provisions at Tavern by Trevor exceed expectations with menus offering Reuben sandwich-style pot stickers, steak frites and duck confit carbonara.

RIVERSIDE
The east side expansion of The County General saw County Cocktail & Snack Bar spring up on Queen East in March. The newest outpost brought over favourites like fried chicken thigh sandwiches and a strong cocktail menu.

SCARBOROUGH
Chris Jerk on Birchmount has garnered quite a buzz in the months since it opened. The Caribbean bistro isn't fancy, but the menu, featuring jerk chicken poutine and shawarma, has proven itself a winner.

ST. CLAIR WEST
Sea Witch Fish & Chips specializes in just five types of fish offered one or two pieces at a time with chunky fries, or on a bun.

WEST QUEEN WEST
Among the notable openings (including The Good Son and Nana) on West Queen West, the most notable might just be Brit-style pub The Bristol. After outgrowing its former home near Christie Pits, the perpetually-packed source for hangover-crushing brunches found a new home in the expansive space that was previously the Samuel J. Moore.

YONGE & EGLINTON
Little Sister, an Indonesian-Dutch snack bar, introduced a menu of satay skewers, lettuce wraps and nasi goreng to Midtown when it opened this July.

YORKVILLE
The third location of the Buca empire opened behind the Four Seasons this fall, debuting with a menu of handmade pastas, crudo misto platters and signature stretched pizzas.

What did I miss? Disagree with my selections in the comments.

Top photo of Eastside Social by Jesse Milns.

Business travellers, baseball fans, and aquatic wildlife enthusiasts will be happy to know that a new hotel has opened up at Bremner and Lower Simcoe. The Delta Toronto Hotel opened today, boasting 567 rooms over 40 storeys that tower over the rapidly tourist-drawing and condo-ifying South Core area. It's a stone's throw away from half a dozen major tourist draws.

The new space looks modern, cheery and colourful, with bold pops of colour in the lobby and some swanky standing bathtubs in the rooms (which go for $179-$299 a night). On site will be a new eatery, SOCO Kitchen + Bar - reportedly Mediterranean-inspired, even though the menu features $19 burgers and hand-cut bison tartare; you'll also find Toronto's latest Prohibition-inspired whiskey and cocktail bar, Char No. 5.

See the new hotel in all its glory in person or online.

Weekend events in Toronto will knit you up to the ears in craft shows, including an outdoor pop-up in a parking lot near Yonge and Dundas. Fans of EDM mega-parties will don their whitest and most disposable gear to get sweaty at Rogers Centre, and hungry foodies will want to be at Wychwood Barns on Sunday.

Here are my picks for the top events happening in Toronto November 28-30, 2014.

SHOPPING & LIFESTYLE

One Of A Kind (November 27 - December 7, Direct Energy Centre)
Want a craft fair version of the mall experience? All week about 1000 Canadian artisans will be selling handmade gifts. Find edibles, wearables, decor, and more, plus a handy caffeine station and a gift wrapping centre - gotta compete with the mall. Check out their site for late night shopping and more.

#localTOmrkt (November 29 - December 24, 335 Yonge St.)
Yonge & Dundas/Ryerson will host a chilly pop up shop in a vacant lot by Dundas Station (and Eaton Centre, heh). Deck the halls, skip the mall(s), ho ho ho we have details.

Toronto Fair Trade Show (November 29-30, Gladstone Hotel)
What does fair trade mean? How fair is fair? You can chat about that with vendors of all sorts for free this weekend at the Gladstone. Someone on your list wants fair trade Zambian honey and doesn't even know it yet.

PARTY & MUSIC

Skinny Puppy (November 28 - Sound Academy)
Naturally the Vancouver band couldn't make our goth list, but the industrial legends are bound to our darkling community: Friday will be a who's who of studded jackets and those who nail the Sound Academy complaining thing, since complaining is their thing. Our thing.

Sensation (November 29, Rogers Centre)
30,000 people donned in white will flock to this touring sea of audio and visual over-stimulation, with its $150 ticket including booze and eats that supply enough fuel to kept energy high well into the night. Under no circumstances should you call it a rave. Check out our gallery from last year.

FOOD

The Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair (November 30, Wychwood Barns)
Back for its second year on Sunday, tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door for an all-inclusive sampling experience and the opportunity to purchase and discover foods from the best artisanal cheese makers, bakers, charcuterie butchers, craft breweries and restaurants. LI

Psychic Brunch (November 30, Flying Beaver)
The last Sunday in November brings us Psychic Brunch, where meals are paired with spiritual consultations in Cabbagetown, but you already knew that because you have the gift - or you read our review.

ART

Karine Giboulo - HYPERland (Until Dec 20, Angell Gallery)
In one of Ossington's last remaining galleries, Karine Giboulo's installations can't be missed. The Montreal artists' childlike miniatures take kitsch and turn it on its head, depicting disturbing visions of globalism. Read our review here.

Chris Thomas - Hood Times (November 28-30, Goodfellas Gallery)
Fans of miniatures and cityscapes won't want to miss Chris Thomas' exhibit over the weekend at Goodfellas Gallery, which will include some works inspired by Toronto's own Parkdale.

FILM

Brazil Film Fest (November 27-30, TIFF Bell Lightbox)
The Brazil Film Fest will run all weekend at TIFF. From dramas to love stories, you can't go wrong with films mostly set in much warmer climes, and bearing titles like Never Too Old to Meow, The Dognapper, and S.O.S. Women Overboard. Well, you can go wrong by staying home.

Blood in the Snow (November 28-30, Carlton Cinema)
Back for a third year, this bloodbath fest of Canadian horror wants to drain everything good and hopeful out of your mortal body and replace it with fear. Also check out their horror-themed holiday vendor village for macabre gifts.

THEATRE

Macbeth (November 18-23, Monarch Tavern)
Having made waves on the indie theatre scene with clever and contemporary adaptations, Shakespeare BASH'd returns with Macbeth. Monarch Tavern serves as the site-specific setting for their immersive, bare bones adaptation. The company proves that beer and the Bard is a natural fit. KB

SPARKLE

Calvalcade of Lights (November 29, Nathan Phillips Square)
The family friendly tree lighting festival (doesn't that sound like something out of Frozen?) is back this year. Fireworks are at 8:20 pm, and musical performances include Shad, Maestro Fresh Wes, and Kardinal Offishall. Naturally, food trucks will be waiting for you.

CONTEST

We've partnered with the City of Toronto to host the official photo contest for Cavalcade of Lights and will be giving away prizes to the top 3 photos.

• 1st place: $300 gift certificate to Henry's Camera
• 2nd place: $150 gift certificate to Henry's Camera
• 3rd place: $50 gift certificate to Henry's Camera

To enter the contest please submit your photos via Flickr or 500px. The submission deadline is December 7th. Good luck!

For more events this weekend click on over to our Events section. Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit it for free using this form.

Contributions by Keith Bennie, Liora Ipsum. Photo by Alejandro Santiago

Photo by Ernesto Di Stefano in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious events, festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.

THIS WEEK

• Fonda Lola at 942 Queen St. celebrates its "juan-year" anniversary today, Friday, November 28 between noon at midnight. Expect pinatas and tequila every hour plus freebies like handheld Caesar salads at noon, free tequila tastings at 4pm and a $35 Mexican fiesta featuring the entire menu offered at 6:30pm and 8:30pm seatings.
• The Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair is on this Sunday, November 30 from 11am to 4pm at Artscape Wychwood Barns (601 Christie St.). Admission at the door is $40 for sampling and shopping with local bakers, charcuterie butchers, cheese makers and craft brewers.
• Starting Monday, December 1, Hogtown Smoke (1959 Queen St. East) will be offering a weekly crawfish boil from 5pm until sold out.

UPCOMING

• A Film About Coffee will premieres on Thursday, December 11 at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. Doors open at 8:40pm for the 9:20pm screening
• Tallboys Christmas Craft Beer Carnival is coming to the Centre of Social Innovation (720 Bathurst St.) on December 20 starting at noon. Tickets are $15 and available online now.

Photo of Fonda Lola by Jesse Milns.

Are you looking for yet another opportunity to fill up on tasty snacks and shop for local crafts and handmade goods this holiday season? If neither Dundas Square nor Union Station nor any other spot on this list quite meets the exact standards of holiday cheer you're after, maybe a little evening shopping in Kensington will scratch that itch.

The Kensington Night Market will see local retailers extending their hours until 10pm for three consecutive Thursdays - December 4, 11, and 18. Several area shops are getting on board, including Kid Icarus, Sub Rosa Vintage, Anice, Don't Call Me Cupcake, The Skin Care Queens and 214 Augusta with a few stores hinting at deals and surprise discounts.

It's a welcome change to Kensington which usually feels somewhat abandoned once night falls. Here's hoping local shops get hooked on the idea of staying open late and it can become more of a regular thing in 2015.

Photos of churros by Jesse Milns

For the past decade, Spacing magazine has been shedding light on the people and infrastructure that make the backbone of Toronto (while simultaneously making better TTC merch than the TTC ever did). Demand grew for their special twist on Toronto's iconography until opening a retail space felt like a natural move - and a necessary one, considering that this might just be Toronto's first-ever city store.

Read my profile of the Spacing Store in the design section.

Dance parties in Toronto this December come as it gets cold enough that clubbing has heavy competition from warm living room couches, but before you hibernate, remember that it's only getting worse after December. Besides, what better way to unwind from the stress of office parties and family gatherings than getting sweaty on the dance floor afterwards? NYE parties are getting announced every day (look out for our guide), but there's no reason to wait for the annual amateur partier night to go out dancing in December.

Here are my picks for the top dance parties to hit in December.

Funk D'Void (December 5, Remix Lounge)
Scottish underground veteran Funk D'Void has a strong track record as a producer, but it's his DJ skills that have earned him a such devoted fan base in Toronto. His last two local appearances were at the 2013 Harvest Festival and this past summer on the Kajama boat cruise, so this will be the first time he's played a traditional club gig in quite a while. 10pm, $20.

Promise German Sparkle Party (December 5, Atlantis)
It's hard to explain what this imported German party concept is, but it's loosely based around the quirky video for this silly techno pop song, and basically just an excuse to wear strange costumes. For this edition, Promise are bringing in Dutch tech house DJ Miss Melera, alongside their usual roster of local heroes. 10pm, $30.

Skream (December 6, Coda)
Don't expect UK superstar Skream to drop the big room dubstep he was once known for, as he's made it clear he's distancing himself from EDM as much as possible. It's hard to predict what he'll play, as his current tastes have bounced from disco revisionism to moody tech house, but you can bet his hardcore fans will be receptive to wherever his fancy takes him. 10pm, $15.

DBX (December 13, Adelaide Hall)
Breakandenter celebrate 7 years of quality underground dance parties with a live appearance by techno pioneer DBX (Daniel Bell). While Bell is most closely associated with the 90s Detroit scene, he grew up in Canada, so this rare local performance will be a bit of a homecoming for the influential veteran. 9pm, $25.

Dennis Ferrer, (December 20, Ryze)
NYC DJ/producer Dennis Ferrer originally made his name with soulful jazzy deep house, but has since proven himself just as skilled at crafting dark minimal tech house grooves, giving him the versatility to play engaging, epic DJ sets. Expect him to give Ryze's powerful Dynacord sound system a real workout, not to mention sweating he'll inspire on the dance floor. 10pm, $20.

Photo of Miss Melera by Anouk Tuitel via 3voor12

Before Rob Ford turned all of Toronto into a giant crack cocaine joke, our international claim to lame was a little monkey in a shearling jacket. (That, and maybe The Love Guru.) Darwin the macaque, better known as the IKEA Monkey, was found wandering in the store's Vaughan location in December 2012. He quickly became the star of his own thee-ring media circus when his eccentric owner launched a court battle to keep the monkey in her care.

He was rehomed to a primate sanctuary in Sunderland, Ont.; now, the owners of the Story Book Farm Primate Sanctuary have launched a campaign to find him a new home. The Darwin's Dreamers Indiegogo campaign is seeking to raise $490,000; if that seems like a lot for a single foot-tall monkey, it's because they're actually trying to relocate the entire sanctuary, complete with 21 other monkeys, thanks to "change in our human family situation." (What are those other 21 monkeys, chopped liver?)

Still, the "56 acres of rolling hills with trees aplenty" they're hoping to purchase sounds pretty nice - I can't begrudge Darwin a little extra elbow room after what he's had to put up with. Check out the campaign here.

It's been over four years since designs were approved for a brand new St. Lawrence Market North building, but you'd be forgiven for forgetting that the project was still in the works given that very little by way of progress has happened since that time. There is, however, a light at the end of the tunnel -- one that market-visitors will be able to get a glimpse of soon.

Thanks to Urban Toronto, we now have an idea of what the temporary structure slated to replace the north building will look like. The first signs of construction have popped up at 125 Esplanade, where business will be conducted during the demolition of the current north market and its eventual replacement, which is slated for completion in 2016.

The temporary market isn't altogether that exciting in and of itself, even if it looks like it will be a big, high-ceilinged space. What's most noteworthy about construction starting on the project is that it promises that progress is actually being made toward the realization of the gorgeous new North Market building from Adamson Associates Architects and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

Even if the plans have been scaled back since they were originally pitched, the new building should prove to be a dramatic edition to the Market area -- once the thing is actually built. At last there is a sign of progress to get excited about.

The One of A Kind Show and Sale is back at the Direct Energy Centre from now until December 7 for its annual holiday exhibition. If you've ever been to the show in the past, you can know what to expect: 800-plus Canadian artisans selling everything from home goods and art to clothing and gourmet treats. Here's our gift guide of 40 items you can find at this year's show. (Psst - once you're done shopping, there's a gift wrapping service offered at the show too.)

Check out all the gift-worthy items in this photo gallery.

The best meatloaf in Toronto will oblige cravings for homestyle comfort foods like no other dish will. Better than the version your mom made, these restaurants stick to traditional recipes, offering slabs of minced meat with classic accompaniments like gravy and mashed potatoes.

Here is the best meatloaf in Toronto.