Perfect Chinese Restaurant

Rated this place:

4386 Sheppard Ave E, Scarborough, ON, M1S1T8

24 hour restaurant: You can go there anytime and they'll be open! A clubber's dream :)

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• 24 hour restaurant

Sweet Fantasies

Rated this place:

398 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1X4

Ice cream experience: Located in the Annex on busy Bloor, it's refreshing both for its fare and its nostalgic feel. Go back to the days when a smiling face hands out your fave ice cream flavours (cash only) from a windowsill while happy, bubbly music plays overhead. On the small patio at its front, plenty of patrons young and old alike chat on the wooden picnic benches. They recently added organic ice cream to their menu. How sweet it is!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• ice cream experience

John Steinberg and Associates

Rated this place:

585 King St W, Toronto, ON, M5V1M1

Hair salon: Alicia, the junior stylist, is friendly and talented. She gave me great hair tips, such as explaining why rinsing your hair with cold water at the end of a shower makes your locks shinier and smoother, and gave me a great haircut to match my style and features. The cut and wash cost only $40 (before tax) and it was well-spent!

Fire & Ice

Rated this place:

25 Cochrane Dr, Markham, ON, L3R9S1

Healthy alternative restaurant: If you're new to this place, the idea is unconventional. You customize your dishes by selecting the protein (or meats/seafood), vegetables and sauces to accompany them. Make an order of your protein choices to your server from the menu, which ranges from any type of beef, chicken, and seafood. Grab your order slip and pile your veggie selections buffet-style onto a plate, picking out anything from bean sprouts to red peppers. Finally, choose the sauce for the stir-fry and voilà, you're done!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• healthy alternative restaurant

The Outer Layer

Rated this place:

577 Queen W, Toronto, ON, M5V2B6

Quirky store: Everything here ranges from scented bath products (like Miso Pretty! love the name!) and Burt's Bees samples to kitchy decor and sassy fridge magnets. I have ended up dragging many friends to this place and every single time we end up spending at least 20 minutes in there browsing and smiling to ourselves at all the cool stuff. Think Urban Outfitters with a twist.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• quirky store

Dragon Fencing Academy & Fitness Club

Rated this place:

175 West Beaver Creek Rd Unit 18, Richmond Hill, ON

Drop-in fencing classes: My friends and I were able to go there for a triple double date for $30 each. The instructors were friendly, knowledgeable and the lessons were extremely fun!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Drop-in fencing classes

Marcy Fine Foods

Rated this place:

2064 Sheppard Ave E, North York, ON, M2J5B3

Two words: balikbayan boxes: "Balikbayan box" is a term used by filipinos to describe the massive boxes they fill with miscellaneous items to bring "home" to the Philippines. But really, many cultures who have families overseas use these huge, cardboard boxes and if you're born in Canada, these are awesome for moving day.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Two words: Balikbayan boxes

Benjamin Automotive

Rated this place:

4118 Sheppard Ave E, Scarborough, ON, M1S1T2

Billboard of platitudes: Whether you're driving, walking, or taking the bus westbound along Sheppard Avenue, look for their yellow billboard of sage advice. I always end up craning my neck to read both sides to benefit from their zen sayings. Today's personal gem: "Everyday we make choices. At the end, the choices make us"/"Kindness goes a long way."

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• billboard of platitudes

New York Subway

Rated this place:

520 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M5V2B3

Spicy burritos: It's a no-nonsense food stop for cheap and quick burritos, both jumbo-size and regular. I had their chicken burrito, which had ground chicken with tomatoes, lettuce and spicy sauce, as well as their jumbo chicken satay burrito, which had the same ingredients only the chicken was skewered. The spiciness was just enough; not overwhelming, with just the right amount of kick.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Spicy burritos

Reingewirtz Paint Stores Ltd

Rated this place:

107 Baldwin St, Toronto, ON, M5T1L5

Mural: Seeing this is just another reason why I love Baldwin so much. I had a friend who lived above this store with this beautiful Starry Night-esque mural. According to its website, this local, family business has been selling paints since 1929.

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

Starbucks Coffee Co

Rated this place:

220 Yonge, Toronto, ON, M5B2H1

Coffee hangout, Java chip frappucino, Vanilla bean latte: My usuals are the Vanilla Bean Latte and the Java Chip Frappucino. Yes, you pay more than other coffees, but pretentiousness costs extra!

Yes, diabetes runs in my family. Yes, this icy goodness has chunks of chocolate blended with espresso, topped with whipped cream and MORE chocolate syrup. Don't judge me.

I always order Vanilla Bean with whipped cream, sometimes with double shots of espresso when I need an extra kick in my day!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• coffee hangout
• java chip frappucino
• Vanilla bean latte

Ni Ji Sushi

Rated this place:

1095 Ellesmere Rd., Scarborough, ON, M1P 2W9

Scarborough sushi joint, Spicy salmon maki: It's hidden away at Midland and Ellesmere in Scarborough, but word of mouth has made this place very popular. Not only do you have great service, but there are always complementary appetizers provided as well -- edamame, mackarel, and seaweed with hot sauce.

The pieces themselves are average, but the spicy, minced salmon topping punches you in the mouth.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Scarborough sushi joint
• Spicy salmon maki

Saving Grace

Rated this place:

907 Dundas W, Toronto, ON, M6J1V9

Banana french toast: It melts in your mouth! Thanks for the heads up, I went to this intimate place to try out the brunch and I will definitely come back again. Sliced baguette with powdered sugar and maple syrup....delicious. Saving Grace is also packed, no doubt it's because of its word-of-mouth reputation.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Banana french toast

The Fish House Restaurant & Seafood Bar

Rated this place:

7501 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, ON, L3R2W1

Fish restaurant: Cedar-planked, jerked, broiled, grilled, pan-fried, poached, lemon peppered or blackened: the options here at this casual fish house are endless. Much better than the bland dishes you'll find at Red Lobster, this place spices things up (sometimes literally) with lots of variety in its seafood menu. Great for dates or anyone avoiding fatty steaks.

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

Barrio Fiesta

Rated this place:

19 Lapsley Rd, Scarborough, ON, M1B1K1

Caterer, Filipino cuisine, Place to exchange money and send overseas: Sometimes my family parties are too huge to handle as a potluck, so we go to Barrio Fiesta and order 100 rolls of lumpia (sort of like eggrolls, but stuffed with meat). Other stuff they can provide include pansit (noodles), and large orders of special filipino dishes (e.g. sinigang, a traditional soup). You can call in and make a pre-order, then pick up your food to go!

If my grandmothers or parents can't make it, this place is the next best thing. I like buying their snacks like ube (translated to mean "purple yam" in tagalog) and their hot meals like sinigang (a traditional stew with spinach, eggplant, and meat or fish). If you plan to eat in, they've got tables and an area where you can watch a filipino channel/movie. This place also doubles as a filipino food grocery store.

My family often sends money to the Philippines to our relatives. Barrio Fiesta can take your Canadian dollars and exchange them into pesos to be sent to your chosen destination. I believe it takes a $10 fee for the transfer/exchange, and it's worth it because I know that I can trust them.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Filipino cuisine
• Place to exchange money and send overseas

Laura Secord

Rated this place:

2 Bloor Street East (Hudson's Bay Centre), Toronto, ON, M4W1A8

Chocolate chip ice cream: Those Canadian Heritage commercials are a lie: Laura Secord went on mission to warn the British troops that the Americans were going to steal a top-secret chocolate chip ice cream recipe (fridges were another secret invention back then). Lt. Fitzgibbon was like, 'Oh, hell no!' and so they kicked Yankee ass, with much-needed help from the Natives, who also enjoyed the flavour. This is why Laura Secord's chocolate chip ice cream is much more crunchier today than Baskin Robbins'.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• chocolate chip ice cream

Winners

Rated this place:

17890 Yonge St, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 8S1

Designer pumps for wide-width feet: I am very picky when it comes to finding the perfect shoe that looks and feels good, one that I can wear for more than a couple of hours. So, I found the brand Elie Tahari, which fits the arches of my feet perfectly and makes me feel like Cinderella. I can only find them at Winners, and apparently, the only other places to find them is Holt Renfrew's (yeah, right) and Bloomingdale's (which is based in the U.S.).

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• designer pumps for wide-width feet

Jesse Jr. Restaurant

Rated this place:

4415 Sheppard Avenue East, Scarborough, M1S 1V1

Filipino cuisine: People who are used to seeing the Harvey's at Sheppard and Brimley won't be disappointed that Jesse Jr. took over its locale. The setup, like many filipino restaurants, has a grocery section as well as an eating section. You can choose to drink a traditional ice drink like halo-halo or delicious snacks like barbecued meat on a skewer. Be sure to also catch a filipino movie on their massive plasma TV!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Filipino cuisine

Ravi Soup

Rated this place:

322 Adelaide St. W, Toronto, ON, M5V 1R1

Soup and wrap place: It's a narrow space that's often packed with hungry people at its peak hours, but the wait in line is worth it for one of Ravi's soups or wraps that he makes himself. There's even a dish called Ravi Stew, with ingredients that change according to whatever Ravi himself decides on a whim. The portions are extremely filling, and one wrap at Ravi's is equivalent to two wraps anywhere else. I also love the impressionist mural that resembles a sunset in its patio at the back.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• soup and wrap place

Scott Library

Rated this place:

133 Central Square, York University, North York, ON, M3J 1P3

Hidden computers to write essays at yorku: This happens a lot: you visit every computer lab imaginable, and all the slots are full or they don't have MS Word. There's another place where you can access computers in Scott on the library's second floor (across the bathrooms!) that is usually either open or has a shorter lineup. There's also a printer station.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• hidden computers to write essays at YorkU

The Spoke Club

Rated this place:

600 King Street West, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5V1M3

$15 burger and fries combo: It's funny because this private club/venue would probably keel over at the thought of having "combos" on their pretentious menus, but it was honestly the best burger and fries I'd ever tasted. The fries (or pomme frites) are light, crispy and not-oily while the burger patty was made from "9 oz. House Ground 'Wellington County' Beef." It didn't need to be overwhelmed with toppings, just lettuce, tomato and onion. So, rich people aren't better than the rest of us . . . it's just their food.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• $15 burger and fries combo

TTC Light Rail Transit (LRT), eastbound

Rated this place:

Between St. Lawrence East and Ellesmere station, Scarborough, ON

Commuter art: On dreary days, looking outside the window at brightly coloured graffiti art along the brick buildings piques anyone's interest and you can't help but admire the intricate detail that these artists must have put into their work. ETA: This photo here is a Scarborough landmark, and has been around for years. All Scarborough city commuters will agree that this and another mural that you also view one/two blocks down the rail, are equivalent to "Welcome to Scarborough" signs.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• commuter art

York Lanes Mall

Rated this place:

4700 Keele Street, North York, ON, M3H1P3

Late-night chicken shawarma at yorku: When working late production nights for the campus paper, I often found myself wandering in Falafel Hut Village around 12am-ish and their staff will always have a friendly smile on their faces. Their chicken may be microwaved, but when they wrap it up and put it together with extra hot sauce, it is dee-lish!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• late-night chicken shawarma at YorkU

York University

Rated this place:

4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J1P3

Free star-gazing, Secret passage to avoid wind and/or rain: It doesn't matter if you're an avid stargazer or a hopeless romantic, you can come to York University's Observatory (4th floor, Petrie Building) on Wednesday nights for free and marvel at the universe. Bonus edu-tainment factor: a guide gives you a mini-tour of the equipment inside the dome AND helps you view the planets.

You can travel from Central Square all the way to the Chemistry Building by following a path through their basements. Explore it for yourself and this is the order you should find: Central Square's basement leads to Computer Science Bldg, then Steacie Science Library, then Petrie, then Chemistry. You'll feel a little like a lab rat, but you'll be better than the suckers above-ground!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Free star-gazing
• secret passage to avoid wind and/or rain

Museum Station

Rated this place:

75 Queen's Park, Toronto, M5S 1K7

Ttc station design: Compared to other dingy or rundown looking subway stations, I'm glad that we have this to light up an otherwise miserable commute. It's also one of those little things that makes Toronto worthier of its reputation as a city of arts and culture.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• TTC station design