Dear reader,

For this week’s Curb Appeal: a financial analyst at Eataly balances everyday expenses while sending aid to Ukraine, a red-brick by Casa Loma with a staircase that looks like a sculpture and a beach house in New Toronto with a Malibu-like view. 

Anna Voblaia moved to Toronto from Ukraine in 2016. She had always prioritized saving money, but when the war escalated in early 2022, Anna changed her thinking. “When I saw what was happening—how one rocket could destroy people’s homes and lives in an instant—I stopped saving for some unknown future,” she says. “I want to make the best of my life right now.” Here, an item-by-item roundup of how Anna spends her money.

This $7-million property sits on a corner lot in the tranquil midtown neighbourhood of South Hill. At 4,400 square feet, it comes with five bedrooms, soaring arches, enormous windows and a huge backyard.

Once a drab post-war bungalow, this lakeside residence on the southern fringe of Etobicoke is now going for $5 million. It has five bedrooms, two kitchens, two decks and a giant walk-in closet.

Toronto used to have one of the best transit systems in North America. Now it’s crowded, unreliable, underfunded and dangerous. In our July issue, the inside story of what went wrong and who’s to blame. Also in this issue: Shania Twain’s Toronto years, essential stuff for the pampered pooch, the summer’s best street food and more. Still not receiving Toronto Life at home? Subscribe today.