Marlborough's Stationery Inc

Rated this place:

2346 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, M6S1P3

Great for stationary supplies: On first look into this store you might think that it is a small Staples selling paper, calendars, binders and things like that. Well they not only have all of those office supplies and more. I have picked up a Melissa and Doug toy or two there for a party and some great creative toys too. They often have good sales so all the birthday parties more economical. Even for some organizers for the kitchen, keeping track of paperwork in stylish and not so generic looking folders and holders. If you are in Bloor West or surrounding area it definitely worth a visit.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Stationary
• business supplies
• office supplies

Sporting Life

Rated this place:

2665 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M4P2J6

Sporting Life 10K Marathon: I first ran this race in 2008 and loved it. It was a fun first race and a great motivator to get out, enjoy the spring and chat with friends. Going out for a run on your own is not the easiest thing to do, there always seems to be something else to do other than head out down the road. Committing to this race meant that I had to make time for myself and get out there and train for it. It was a great sense of achievement when I crossed the finish line, but almost more importantly it showed my four year old daughter that practicing (or training) how to learn something new. She watched me go out for a run, not always happy about it, but then saw me with the other thousands of people running and then understood why mommy had to go out and practice at running. She even wanted to do her own race with her friends after I had completed the run! We do lead by example!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Sporting Life 10K Run
• Sporting Life 10K Marathon

Epicure Cafe

Rated this place:

502 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M5V2B3

Cozy Cafe: Although I don’t come here all that often, I do enjoy the atmosphere. They have a good variety for lunch and dinner, but I like to come here for their brunch. Epicure’s brunch is really for an egg lover as they have about 5-6 varieties of Eggs Benedict and about 8 types of omelet’s. No pancakes or French toast here if that is what you are after. A very cozy, friendly vibe and good food.

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

Hot House Cafe

Rated this place:

35 Church St, Toronto, ON, M5E1T3

Excellent buffet brunch: This is a fantastic place to take a group of friends or family for an amazing Sunday buffet brunch. The selection and quality is top notch. They also have live jazz band on Sundays to add a little extra ambiance to the already warm atmosphere. Hot House Café has a fantastic brunch menu--they have an omelets station, waffles, muffins, French toast, croissants, scones, pasta, smoked salmon, a roast beef carving station….I could go on and on!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Sunday brunch
• buffet brunch

La Paloma Gelateria & Cafe

Rated this place:

1357 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON, M6E1C5

Awesome gelato!: This is probably the closest you will get to true authentic Italian gelato without having to go to Italy. In the summertime this place is always packed and they are open on the weekends to midnight if you suddenly get a late night craving. I’ve seen line-ups snaking out of the store even at 11 p.m! La Paloma has so many varieties of gelato to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. Some of my favorite flavours include Forest Berries, and anything with chocolate and hazelnuts. They also sell other desserts and pastries for anyone not in the mood for gelato.

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

Ontario Science Centre

Rated this place:

770 Don Mills Rd., Toronto, ON, M3C1T3

A Great Place to Take the Kids: This is such a great place for the kids and adults to have fun and learn so much at the same time. My kids enjoyed making body prints and standing on the projected fish in the main foyer. They also liked checking out all the musical instruments, and watching the balls fly up through an air stream. There was even a section for my youngest to play without me worrying about being knocked over. I love this place because it makes science and learning fun. There is so much to see and do that you can literally spend all day here.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• place to spend a rainy morning with kids

Mountain Equipment Co-Op

Rated this place:

400 King St W, Toronto, ON, M5V1K2

The Great Outdoors: I’m not a huge outdoor adventurist but I love coming to Mountain Equipment Co-Op because I just find it so inspiring and motivating to get outdoors! I have purchased many different bags and backpacks from MEC. They really are the best –and you can find one suitable for any activity. And they are still in very good condition! MEC has everything you need for camping, cycling, mountain climbing, kayaking, skiing….everything you need for activities in the great outdoors. Staff are always very helpful and attentive. Another thing I like about MEC is that they really care about the environment and sustainable living and sustainably sourced materials. Great store!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• outdoor gear

Amazon Indoor Playground Inc

Rated this place:

21 Vaughan Rd #108, Toronto, ON, M6G2N2

Great play centre for toddlers: Playing at the park is always fun, but there are times when being inside has it’s bonuses too. Amazon is a great indoor place to meet up with friends and let the kids play while the parents catch up. They have an area for lunch or snacks too. It is a perfect place for toddlers just learning to climb and go down the slide as it’s very safe and not too intimidating for parents to either help or watch the kids play.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• indoor play centre
• toddlers

Harbourfront Centre

Rated this place:

235 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON, M5J 2G8

Free festivals: We love going to Harbourfront Centre in the summer. It’s a great place to watch the boats go by and stroll along the water. They have many different festivals, exhibitions and concerts, which are all free! Harbourfront also holds various ethnic festivals which is not only a great way to experience all the diversity Toronto has to offer but is also a way to sample a variety of yummy cuisines! In the winter you can also ice skate.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• summer festival
• outdoor skating
• free activity

Ikea Etobicoke

Rated this place:

1475 The Queensway, Etobicoke, ON, M8Z1T3

Affordable funtiture: I think Ikea appeals to almost everyone! Both kids and adults have a fun time coming here. The Etobicoke store has a great supervised play area where the kids can colour, jump in the famous multi-coloured ball pit and play with other kids. I personally like Ikea because the prices are so great. I also love how I can sit and touch and see the furniture in various settings. It’s very inspiring and you can really get a feel for how the different furniture and styles can work in your home. The have a variety of styles, and prices to suit anybody’s taste and budget.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• furniture
• affordable furniture
• kids furniture

Royal Ontario Museum

Rated this place:

100 Queens Pk, Toronto, ON, M5S2C6

Have fun and learn at the same time!: The ROM is a fantastic place to take the whole family on a rainy or cold winter afternoon. My girls are too busy having a blast to realize that they are learning about history and archaeology. The museum has main exhibits, plus a special children’s area where they can play with puppets, and draw and you can also put on goggles dig for treasures—watch out for flying sand! The museum (not including special exhibits) is free on Wednesdays from 4:30pm-5:30pm, and admissions is half-priced on Fridays after 4:30pm.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Museum
• family outing
• Place to Kill a Rainy Afternoon

Tap Phong Trading Co

Rated this place:

360 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T2G4

Cheap kitchenware!: The store doesn't seem like much on the outside but inside it's a treasure trove of kitchenware! I like to buy bamboo steamers here for our Mommy Chef classes. They also sell woks, bowls, knives, sushi sets, dishes, bake ware, industrial pots, and Asian ceramics. I keep coming back here because the prices are very affordable. I could go into a brand name store and spend two-three times as much.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Kitchen supplies
• bamboo steamers

Yumi Japanese Restaurant

Rated this place:

2384 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, M6S1P5

Great sushi: Sushi is one of my children’s favourite meals. At Yumi Sushi the bring a noodle soup almost as soon as you sit down which keeps the kids busy while we order. They are friendly and don’t mind the edamame shells that get dropped on the floor. Their sushi is ‘Yumi’ and comes out fast so there is no hanging around. It opens at 5pm which is the perfect time on the way home from an after school activity to stop in for a night off in the kitchen for me!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Sushi
• japanese food

Shoppers Drug Mart

Rated this place:

755 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4J 1L2?

The store that has everything!: Ok what’s not to love about Shoppers Drug Mart? The stores feel fresh and inviting and they sell everything from magazines, to makeup, tp prescription medication and first aid to groceries. If you have the Optimum Card, you collect points from every purchase you make which can lead to great savings. Most locations are open to 10 pm with some open to midnight which has been a godsend in a few emergencies.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Cosmetics
• pharmacy
• beauty products
• first aid

Toronto Public Library

Rated this place:

1675 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON, M4C5P2

Toronto Public Library (Multiple Locations): What’s not to love about the Toronto Public Library? A great place to bring the kids and start them on a lifetime love of reading. They love to pick out their own books and this really get’s them excited about reading. I love how I’m saving money borrowing books from the library then buying them from the store. Because of this, I can explore and discover new authors I might not normally read. I love how I can place holds and renew books online—so easy and convenient.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Books
• Reading
• Library

Toronto Eaton Centre

Rated this place:

220 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M5B2H1

It has everything you need!: I really like the Toronto Eaton Centre because it has a lot of my favorite stores and parking is never a problem. Even better, the subway has 2 stops attached right to the mall. Because it is considered a tourist location, the Eaton Centre is often open on most holidays. There are 4 floors of shopping so you will get tired before you tire of looking in all the stores! It can be extremely crowded during holidays but then again which mall isn't?

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• shopping
• Mall
• Shopping Centre

The Clay Room

Rated this place:

279 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON, M4K1N2

The Clay Room: This is a great place for adults and kids---all you need is a little creativity and a desire to express yourself! You get to pick from a wide variety of ceramics like mugs, piggy banks, vases and plates that you get to decorate to your heart’s desire. Then you get to take it home (1 week later—after they fire it in the kiln) and show it off proudly for all to see.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• pottery
• place to spend a rainy afternoon
• arts & crafts

Amaya Indian Room

Rated this place:

1701 Bayview Ave., Toronto, ON, M4G3C1

Great indian food and delivery!: Although I haven’t been to the restaurant yet, I was quite impressed with their delivery service. The portions were nice and the prices were quite reasonable and everything came nicely packaged. Their Indian food was very delicious and I would definitely order from them again...or actually make it to the restaurant!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Indian Food

Blackstone Organic Meats

Rated this place:

207 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON, M4K1N2

Organic Local Meat: Organic butchers on the Danforth. Blackstone specializes in organically raised, local meat and produce and aims to source almost everything in the store from within a 100-mile radius. They also sell prepared foods, sandwiches and salads, fresh bread and produce.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Butcher
• organic meat
• local

Organic Oven

Rated this place:

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

Organic Oven: Organic Oven is fabulous! I love their gluten-free and sugar free muffins, kamut wraps and their gluten-free multigrain pizza crusts which get nice and crispy in the oven. I also love their gluten free and yeast free brown rice bread and buns and they also have these great raisin quinoa cookies that are gluten and sugar free. Obviously you can see the theme here—Organic Oven makes (awesome!) gluten-free baked goods. While they don’t have a retail store, you can order and pick up from them directly.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• gluten-free bakery
• pizza crust
• yeast free bread

Riverdale Farm

Rated this place:

201 Winchester St., Toronto, ON, M4 X1B8

Riverdale Farm: This is a fantastic place to take little kids! Perfect little activity within the city and great for recharging and getting back to nature. At the farm they have cow’s horses, pigs, chickens and other animals, which get the kids so excited. Since they only know these animals from books, it’s such a joy to see their faces light up when they see and hear all the noises the animals make! Riverdale Farm also offer’s hands on activities for young ones and you can also host birthday parties there as well! The farmers market is open at the every Tuesday from May-October.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Place to bring the kids

Pickle Barrel

Rated this place:

Sherway Gardens, 25 The West Mall, Etobicoke, Ontario, M9C 1B8

Pickle Barrel: Good service, very affordable, great place to take the whole family and they have all day breakfast and some healthier options.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• good food
• affordable family restaurant

Yoga Sanctuary

Rated this place:

95 Danforth Avenue, Suite 301, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 1N2

Yoga: Yoga is just a great way to shake the stresses of everyday living, get mentally focused and stretch and tone your tight muscles. I like coming to The Yoga Sanctuary because I really like the instructors and also because the location is great--very nice studio and it's right near Broadview subway station!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Yoga
• ashtanga
• hatha

Sweets from the Earth

Rated this place:

Toronto, Ontario

Awesome natural baked goods!: Sweets from the Earth is a vegan bakery using natural ingredients, with no added refined sugars and preservative and GMO-free. I'm not even vegan and I love their baked goods! I especially love their chocolate vegan cake—so rich and chocolaty! They offer a variety of dairy and egg-free desserts using only high quality, natural ingredients. For my last birthday, a friend had ordered a cake from Sweets From the Earth and everyone raved about it and could not believe it was vegan. While they don't have a retail location you can order cakes from them directly or find their products at many retailers in the city.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• chocolate cake
• vegan baked goods

Beretta Farms

Rated this place:

80 Galaxy Blvd, Etobicoke, Ontario, M9W 4Y8

Order directly or from various retailers: Whole chicken, ground turkey, turkey sausages….all organic. They also have grass-fed beef. I love their Cajun turkey sausages—just the right kind of kick! Beretta farms products are sold at various retailers in the city or you can order directly from the company. They offer free home delivery for orders over $150. You can also get your friends and family together to become a "Buying Club" and you can get discounts on your order!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• organic meat
• turkey sausage
• grass-fed beef