Canada Day events in Toronto 2014

Canada Day in Toronto means Electric Island's massive dance party returns to Olympic Island Park to celebrate. Brewer's Backyard will be serving up craft beer, cider, and snacks at Brick Works, but if you're more serious about grub Steam Whistle is serving lobster - or you can eat for free at the buffet at every Mandarin location from 12-8:30pm. Expect line ups. Get to Queen's Park (111 Wellesley Street West) if you want to meet the princesses from Frozen (after I meet them though - wait in line). For more Canada Day events check out our guide to fireworks in Toronto here, or click on over to our events section.

• Canada Day: 2014 Fireworks guide


• Music/Party: Electric Island (Olympic Island Park, Toronto Islands)


• Beer: Brewer's Backyard: Group of Seven (Evergreen Brick Works)


• Food: Canada Day Lobster Boil (Steam Whistle Brewing)


• Party: CLICK - 12hr C-Day Edition w/ Alixander III (Tota)


• Film: Commonwealth Connections (TIFF)


• Free Buffets: Mandarin Canada Day Free Buffet (Mandarin locations)

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

Photo by Kim Yokota in the blogTO Flickr pool

by Aubrey Jax via blogTO

House of the week: 292 Oak Park Avenue

If you're looking for a little country flavour in your Toronto home, 292 Oak Park Avenue might be for you. With a large setback from the road, you can actually enjoy the large windows that open up to the front yard on all three floors. A path snakes up to the front door - giving unique access to the home, though not ideal for moving in or otherwise carrying heavy packages. The backyard is spacious too. This could be a secluded urban paradise if you've got the imagination for it.

Inside, the first floor is open concept. While the kitchen design leaves something to be desired, it's bright and open and airy. The rest of the house feels roomy too - a large master bedroom and rec room being two highlights. If you get past the white walls and the bland staging, this house could has some real character.

SPECS

• Address: 292 Oak Park Avenue


• Price: $799,900


• Lot Size: 25 x 153


• Bedrooms: 3 +1


• Bathrooms: 3


• Parking: 1


• Taxes: $2,145.94


• Walk Score: 82


• Notable Features


• Unique curb appeal with windy walk up


• Open concept first floor with easy access to large backyard


• Large windows throughout


• Large master bedroom with built in closets

GOOD FOR

Outdoorsy types. You might not think of East York as an outdoorsman's paradise, but this home has A+ access to parks and trails. Less than 10 minutes and you'll be at Taylor Creek Park and connected to a series of trails that zig-zags across Toronto. Perfect for walkers, dog-walkers, runners, and cyclists. Pick your poison and get outside!

MOVE ON IF

You live for downtown and your feet are your main vehicle of transportation. While this location is quickly urbanizing due to out-pricing from nearby Leslieville and Riverdale, it's not quite there yet. The walk score clocks in at only 82, pretty low by Toronto standards. The home's only a 15 minute walk from Woodbine station, but access to restaurants, grocery stores, and other amenities is limited. Woodbine-Lumsden is a neighbourhood in transition, however, so if you buy now, who knows what the future might hold?

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Writing by Isabel Ritchie

by Staff via blogTO

EDM fest rivals Pride for Toronto's most colourful party

Digital Dreams 2014 saw the same rainbow that sparkled over the World Pride Parade beaming over Ontario Place - except this rainbow had a warble to it. Canada's largest EDM festival saw about 80,000 neon clad partiers dance to four stages worth of sets by 102 artists including Tiesto, Justice, Keys N Krates, Danny Tenaglia, Art Department, Nicole Moudaber, Nervo, Guy Gerber, and yes - someone named Bro Safari.

Massive events (don't say raves) like Digital Dreams show EDM (see explanation here) is still the culture of choice for a generation raised on vibrant Nerf-esque colour schemes and more cartoon commercial jingles than any group of humans ever - and honestly, the status quo has likely never looked so fun. If you spent the Canada Day weekend at Pride (or returning to office), here's what you missed, from confetti cannons to free carnival rides.

Check out 50 bass-dropping memories from Digital Dreams 2014 in our photo gallery.

by Staff via blogTO

Street Style: 30 looks from the Toronto Pride Parade

World Pride 2014 took over Church St. this month, with thousands of revellers packing the streets on Sunday for the biggest Pride Parade in Toronto's history. Festivalgoers let their true colours shine through, from easy sundresses and pro-equality T-shirts to barely-there outfits and fetish gear (plus at least one loincloth).

Check out all the looks in our style section.

by Staff via blogTO

Brazilian snack bar opens in Toronto

If the World Cup has suddenly piqued your interest in all things Brazil, this is a good place to start exploring your curiosity. The newly-opened Latin American snack bar in Parkdale is an ideal spot to discover the finer points of Brazilian cuisine, going way beyond rice, beans and meat.

Read my profile of Mata Petisco Bar is the restaurant section.

by Liora Ipsum via blogTO

This week on DineSafe: Khao San Road, Triple A Bar, Ghazale, Mamma's Pizza, Paris Bakery, Hugh's Room

There were no closures on DineSafe this week, averting what would have been a three-week run of red cards. Yellow cards were handed out to Khao San Road and Triple A Bar, both restaurants perhaps letting things slip a little as they focus on opening new concepts (Dear Jools from Khao San Road, and Mr. Ciao from AAA) elsewhere in the city.

Here are the restaurants this week that managed to rack up DineSafe infractions.

Ghazale (78 Wellesley St. East)

Inspected on: June 24, 2014

Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)

Number of infractions: 6 (Significant: 2, Crucial: 2)

Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to ensure food is not contaminated/adulterated. Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

Khao San Road (326 Adelaide St. West)

Inspected on: June 26, 2014

Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)

Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2)

Crucial infractions include: N/A

Triple A Bar (138 Adelaide St. East)

Inspected on: June 26, 2014

Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)

Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 2, Significant:2, Crucial: 1)

Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

Hugh's Room (2361 Dundas St. West)

Inspected on: June 24, 2014

Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)

Number of infractions: 5 (Minor: 3, Significant: 2)

Crucial infractions include: N/A

Mamma's Pizza (808 York Mills Rd.)

Inspected on: June 25, 2014

Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)

Number of infractions: 6 (Minor: 2, Significant: 3, Crucial: 1)

Crucial infractions include: Operator fail to maintain hazardous food(s) at 4 C (40 F) or colder.

Paris Bakery & Pastry (191 Geary Ave.)

Inspected on: June 23, 2014

Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)

Number of infractions: 10 (Minor: 5, Significant: 5)

Crucial infractions include: N/A

Pentagram Bar & Grill (2620 Danforth Ave.)

Inspected on: June 24, 2014

Inspection finding: Yellow (Conditional)

Number of infractions: 7 (Minor: 3, Significant: 4)

Crucial infractions include: N/A

by Liora Ipsum via blogTO

Dusk storm over Toronto

Photo by chrisd666 in the blogTO Flickr pool.

by Staff via blogTO