Eglinton West Subway Station

Rated this place:

1300 Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario, M6C2E4

$5 parking: Eglinton West station offers a $5 flat rate Monday to Friday until 3pm, and then $2 from 3pm-2am. The weekends and holidays, however, are free! Watch out for the traffic though, this tends to be a busy area because of Allen Road.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• $5 parking

Burrows Hall Community Centre

Rated this place:

1081 Progress Ave, Scarborough, ON, M1B5Z6

Boxercise class: The classes are run from the City of Toronto' Parks and Recreation fitness program, and cost an affordable $30 or so for a couple of weeks. The instructor helps you to tone more than just your arms and chances are your whole body will be aching in the first few classes. Hang in there, and you'll see the results!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• boxercise class

The Bay

Rated this place:

176 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M5C 2L7

Holiday celebration: A Holiday tradition in Toronto. When I was younger, my sisters and I would look forward to the creative storefront windows and the way that some of the mannequins would be animated. Even now, it still gets me into the spirit of the season!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Holiday Celebration

Baldwin Village

Rated this place:

Baldwin Street, east of Spadina, between McCaul and Beverley, Toronto, ON, M5T 1L1

Restaurant street: My family and I have been going to one of the lower ground Chinese restaurants (Hua Sang) for years and recently my boyfriend and I tried the Indian restaurant there as well. We were torn between there and the Thai place next door. Everything is super reasonable in pricing!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• restaurant street

Organic Oven

Rated this place:

31 Melanie Drive, Unit #7, Brampton, Ontario, L6T 5H8

Gluten-free bakery: There's no difference in the taste. They also have vegan- and vegetarian-friendly options. They have a store location, but mostly operate as a wholesaler, so you'll find their products within retail grocery stores like The Big Carrot.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• gluten-free bakery

Yonge-Dundas Square

Rated this place:

40 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M5G2C2

Place to buy theatre tickets at half-price: There's a special booth where you can buy tickets for half-price for certain shows, like Evil Dead The Musical, Spamalot and Dirty Dancing. We paid $35 each for $70 seats, whatta bargain! BUT you must attend the show the day of purchase, and when you make your transaction, you receive vouchers (not tickets) that reserve your seats. Then you exchange these vouchers at the theatre/venue for real tickets.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• place to buy theatre tickets at half-price

Fusaro's Kitchen

Rated this place:

147 Spadina Ave #108, Toronto, ON, M5V2L7

Italian takeout: The best time to arrive is anytime before 12:30pm or so, when the lunch rush begins and the line can stretch outside the door. Sounds crazy? There's a good reason: Fusaro's is about quality and for some diehard regulars, their bountiful portions are worth the wait. Their vegetarian lasagna is filling and deliciously cheesy. I also love how they offer free bites for people to eat while standing in line.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Italian takeout

Big Al's Aquarium Services

Rated this place:

1295 Kennedy Rd, Scarborough, ON, M1P2L4

Shark-watching: Anything you'll ever need that has to do with aquarium pets belong here. Follow their call to "Dive the Deep" and step into the basement to view their massive shark tank (not sure if the sharks are for sale). Gander at the wide selection of tropical fish, from prehistoric size to little Nemos. From corals to sea horses, geckos to snakes, and even piranhas, Big Al's has it all!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• shark-watching

Art Gallery of Ontario

Rated this place:

317 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON, M5T1G4

Cheap entertainment: I love it for being open to everyone and having kickass exhibitions (I missed Andy Warhol and was very sad). They are also free Wednesday nights.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Cheap Entertainment

Old Mill Inn & Spa

Rated this place:

21 Old Mill Dr, Toronto, ON, M8X 1G5

Event venue: We gave my uncle a surprise birthday party here and in between running around on errands to get the cake in on time before he arrived, I am grateful that they had a dressing room where I could change out of my sweats and into my party gear. They've got an Old World feel here, with a very sophisticated vibe. If you have seniors as guests here, there are a lot of stairs! The parking can also get very packed and you may have to walk quite a distance away, probably better in the summer.

Rock Oasis

Rated this place:

27 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M5V2P1

Indoor rock climbing: It's fun and affordable when you don't want to go see a movie! Test your limits!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Indoor rock climbing

Dr. Julie Yoo, O.D.

Rated this place:

300 Borough Drive (Scarborough Town Centre, suite 61), Scarborough, ON, M1P 4P5

Eye doctor: Don't be surprised by how young she looks, she knows her stuff. She took the time to explain everything and never let me feel like just another number. She was very helpful, and I learned a lot of things about how to take better care of my sight, like avoiding contact lens overwear!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Eye Doctor

Los Arrieros

Rated this place:

276 Jane Street, Toronto, ON, M6S 3Z2

Colombian serenade: You can't get any more hidden than this -- I came here almost two years ago and lost the name, but I loved the experience so much that I tracked this place down to fave it again. It hasn't changed. The decor isn't fancy, but the food is authentic and they have a guitarist on Saturday afternoons from 4-8pm. Their walls are plastered with memorabilia of all things Latin American, and the staff are always friendly.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Colombian serenade

Mendoza's Bakery

Rated this place:

1071 Danforth Road, Scarborough, ON, M1J 1E4

Pandesal: Pandesal is a filipino sweet bread that resembles dinner roll buns. My family and I have been buying their pandesal even before they became a bakery and the owner had a home business, baking from her basement. You have to try them for yourself, they are soft, warm and addictive!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• pandesal

Gandhi Roti

Rated this place:

554 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M5V2B5

Spicy roti: They're not kidding about how spicy it is. Some places tend to disappoint when it comes to the punch factor, but Gandhi really burns my tongue! Big, delicious portions too.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• spicy roti

Golden Wheat Bakery & Pastry

Rated this place:

652 College St, Toronto, ON, M6G1B8

Nata: Nata is a Portuguese pastry that I was introduced to by a friend of mine in this Little Italy locale. I love how light and flaky it is, and tasting custard filling was a new experience for me. They also serve great hot chocolate!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• nata

Playdium

Rated this place:

99 Rathburn Rd W, Mississauga, ON, L5B4C1

Place to take the kids: Oh man, this is more of a way-back memory for me but yeah, total fun. Buy your playcards or visit when they have their powerplay specials and play tons of video games to your heart's delight. I think they got rid of their climbing wall, but the go-karts are still there and one lap just doesn't seem to be enough.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Place to Take the Kids

Riverdale Perk

Rated this place:

633 Logan Ave, Toronto, ON, M4K3C4

Secret cafe: Park your car nearby on the sloping residential streets and step into this hidden cafe deep in the heart of Riverdale. It's some distance from the bustle on Danforth Avenue, and this low-key locale serves a mean hot chocolate and treats.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• secret cafe

Sushi On Bloor

Rated this place:

515 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, M5S1Y4

Sushi pizza: Great portions and I love the texture and slight crunchiness to the sticky rice! Order it in salmon or tuna, you won't be disappointed!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• sushi pizza

Best Buy

Rated this place:

Toronto Eaton Centre, 65 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON, M5G2C3

Gift certificate for men, Place to play guitar hero: Always a safe bet to give a certificate for gadget lovers. Even if they don't spend it right away, chances are, they're going to need something electronic from this store.

I refuse to buy the game because I know how addictive it can be. So I get my occasional fix by playing it whenver I happen to be inside a Best Buy (or any other store that has it on display). Lining up to play Aerosmith is worth it!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• gift certificate for men
• place to play guitar hero

Future Bakery & Cafe

Rated this place:

483 Bloor St. W, Toronto, ON, M5S1Y2

Patio: The crowd is often students and indie hipsters, but the patio is a sweet spot for hanging out in the Annex. The food selection is also decent, and their cakes are to die for!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• patio

Cafe Taste

Rated this place:

1330 Queen St. W, Toronto, ON, M6K 1L4

Wine bar: Count me in as one of the many patrons who are impressed by the owner and self-professed "wine geek" Jeremy Day. Here, you'll find an intimate setting that has a gorgeous patio made by Jeremy and his brothers from recycled materials. In the evening, be sure to sip on some reds and whites under the stars and soak in the candlelit, laid back vibe.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• wine bar

CJ Lunchbox

Rated this place:

403 Richmond Street, Toronto, ON

Cheap sushi: I couldn't believe that I could get 8 pieces of salmon sushi, a small box of chicken, and miso soup for $8. Pay with cash for speedy service, and don't worry about the long lineups -- they go at a steady pace so you don't wait for too long.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Cheap Sushi

Deep Blue Fish and Chips

Rated this place:

749 Broadview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 2P6

Fish and chips: The fish and chips are lightly battered and delicious (not greasy).

Johny Banana

Rated this place:

181 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2R7

Chicken burrito: There are only two sizes: small and jumbo. I took the small and it was satisfying. Their burritos are so packed, you can't let your eyes fool you into thinking that you need to supersize your meal, or you'll end up with leftovers! Love how my chicken burrito included the works -- refried beans, rice, the regular veggies, sour cream, and an extra spicy kick!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Chicken Burrito