Joe Fresh Style

Rated this place:

396 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, ON, M4P3N3

Cheap clothing store: Joe Fresh clothing is stylish, comfortable, and, above all else, affordable! Find adorable sweaters for less than $30, or scout out the sale items (most less than $15). The best part is that these stores are in conjunction with Loblaws, so you can stock up on everything you need in one outing. Food and cheap/stylish clothes - I couldn't think of a better combo.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• cheap clothing store

Mashu Mashu Mediterranean Grill

Rated this place:

387 Spadina Road, Toronto, ON, M5P 2W1

Chicken pita, Mediterranean restaurant: I like to order all the necessary ingredients (chicken skewer, coleslaw, etc) and create my own chicken pita(s). All of their Mediterranean salads and toppings have a traditional flavour and the chicken is so tender...I want one right now!

I'm going on three days in a row of Mashu Mashu - that's right, a successful hat-trick - and for good reason! The food is fresh, authentique, and delicious. The Israeli salad deserves a notable mention, as does the grilled chicken skewer. Throw them in a pita with some hummus and you've got yourself a nutritious and enjoyable meal.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Mediterranean restaurant
• Chicken Pita

Peter Pan Restaurant

Rated this place:

373 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M5V2A4

Lunch spot: How could a girl named wendy not love a place called Peter Pan? I've been going to this restaurant for years, and every dish is delicious. They take pride in their cuisine and customer service...their daily pasta special is definitely worth trying. With its high ceilings, booth-seating, and eclectic menu, it's the perfect place to go for lunch in the Entertainment District.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Lunch Spot

Salad King Restaurant

Rated this place:

335 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M5B1R7

Takeout spot: Salad King offers fast, affordable, and incredible Thai cuisine. It's often bustling with Dundas-Square-ers and local students...I recommend skipping the crowd and grabbing some takeout, but either way the food is just amazing.

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

Zoe's Bakery Cafe Ltd

Rated this place:

548 King St. W., Toronto, ON, M5V1M3

Smoked turkey wrap, Soup: The honey mustard is the real glue that holds this baby together....it's sweet and tangy.....I get the wrap made with greens, tomatoes, and turkey, and it's superb.

I'm new to the fancy soup scene (never liked anything other than traditional chicken noodle soup), but Zoe's has really helped me ease into this transition by serving the most amazing spicy tomato and eggplant soup. It's jammed with flavours and different textures, it's filling and, as the name suggests, it's pretty spicy. Definitely a warmer lunch option now that the weather is getting a bit cooler.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Soup
• smoked turkey wrap

Type Books

Rated this place:

883 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON, M6J 1G5

Coffee table bookstore: They have a unique and wide selection of interesting coffee table books, particlarly in areas of art and fashion. I love browsing through the shelves and flipping through the large, glossy pages. It's a good place to go for a house-warming gift, or just to support a great local business.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• coffee table bookstore

Joso's

Rated this place:

202 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON, M5R1J2

Fine fish and seafood house: I don't even like fish and I love everything about Joso's. Their selection of fish and seafood is unparalled in the city, and there's tons of Mediterranean art and interesting pieces that will catch your eye while you wait for your meal. The fact that this restaurant is not in the heart of downtown Toronto makes for a welcomed change in fine dining.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• fine fish and seafood house

Langolino Wine Bar Grill

Rated this place:

50 Clinton St #C, Toronto, ON, M6G2Y3

Pasta: This charming little resto off the College strip is a true prize. I recommend the pasta with giant shrimps - so fresh and large. All of their pastas look delicious. Go for the great food and stay for the friendly and traditional atmosphere.

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

Nami Japanese Seafood Restaurant

Rated this place:

55 Adelaide St E, Toronto, ON, M5C1K6

Tempura, Upscale sushi: It's simply the best in the city - while you will pay more for vegetable and shrimp tempura than most places, it's well worth the extra cost. Not too fried, not too soggy, just fresh and plump stuff surrounded by yummy goodness.

This is my favourite place for Japanese fine dining. From the service to the presentation of the food, Nami surpasses all expectations with flying colours....the sushi is so fresh and the meat in the chicken terriyaki is so tender and flavourful. If you're making a reservation, ask for one of the private sitting rooms where you dine in traditional Japanese style- great for large groups (I always enjoyed the chance to take my shoes off for dinner when I was younger!)

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Tempura
• upscale sushi

Motophoto

Rated this place:

7355 Bayview Av, Thornhill, ON, L3T5Z2

Photo developing: I may be relatively tech-savvy, but I still genuinely enjoy getting my digital pictures developed from photo developing services...and Motophoto has never let me down! Always the best quality prints with friendly service and cheap prices. I frequent the location in the Forest Hill Village on a regular basis, I think they're starting to know me by name (or at least by picture face).

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• photo developing

Quiznos

Rated this place:

5487 Dundas W, Etobicoke, ON, M9B1B5

Chocolate chip cookie: Their subs are absolutely amazing - so toasty and flavourful - but the real allure is the soft-baked chocolate chunk cookie! I love so many cookies, but this one has the perfect dough-to-chip ratio. They also list the nutritional information on the back of the cookie, 13 grams of fat for such a glorious creation doesn't seem like a large toll to me.

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

Winners

Rated this place:

17890 Yonge St, Newmarket, ON, L3Y 8S1

Cheaper clothing: You don't just 'browse' through Winners stores, you roll up your sleeves, turn off your cell phone, and get involved with those clothing racks. While there is some ugly stuff, I've also found amazing designer apparrel (the one in Lawrence Plaza is of noteworthy mention) and it's also the best place to go for little trinkets and housewares. I recommend going alone or with someone who understands the sheer joy of finding that amazing new shirt amid a pile of polka-dotted acrylic suit jackets.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• cheaper clothing

LeVack Block

Rated this place:

88 Ossington Avenue, Toronto, ON, M6J 2Z4

Ossington bar: It's crowded, cool, and classy- a fun place to go for drinks or celebrate a friend's birthday. I particularly like how the bar caters to different moods - chill out and have some drinks in the front area, maybe peer out the large windows that overlook Ossington, or you can dance it up in the back.

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

Pizzeria Libretto

Rated this place:

221 Ossington Ave., Toronto, ON, M6J 2Z8

Marinara pizza, Trendy pizza place: The pizza at Pizzeria Libretto is well worth the wait (On a Saturday night expect to wait approx. 30 minutes for a table, but pull through- there's light at the end of the tunnel!) Without a doubt the best and most authentic pizza I've had in the city - the pizza marinara was so garlicky, soft, tender and bursting with flavour. I asked them to add mushrooms to it, which meshed well with the large cloves of garlic!

Forget the large chains, Pizzeria Libretto cherishes the art of pizza. This casual-yet-trendy pizza joint on the Ossington strip is the perfect place to go for good, hearty food and a light bill. Check out the cool light fixtures above the bar when you're there..they're nice to look at while you wait in line for the newest gourmet pizza experience in the city!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• marinara pizza
• trendy pizza place

The Rose Emporium

Rated this place:

204 Dupont St, Toronto, ON, M5R2E6

Place for roses: This place has the most gorgeous roses I have ever seen! We're talking large, vibrant roses that transformed my place into its own botantical garden...I would recommend calling first to make sure they are open.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• place for roses

Edwards Gardens

Rated this place:

777 Lawrence Ave E, North York, ON, M3C1P2

Outdoor stroll: What better way to celebrate summer weather in mid-october than taking a trip to Toronto's own botantical gardens! Edwards Gardens is a slice of the country right in the city...a great free way to enjoy the weather...I recommend taking the TTC to Lawrence and Leslie because on a gorgeous day the parking lot is packed.

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

The Bay

Rated this place:

176 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M5C 2L7

Curtains: They have a great selection of drapes and curtains nestled within the home decor section...the Bay really is the best place to go for home decorating on a budget - their curtain prices are great - just be willing to sift through a ton of the packages until you find the one for you!

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

Whole Foods Market

Rated this place:

87 Avenue Rd., Toronto, ON, M5R3R9

Gourmet to go: I was reliant on a good Whole Foods run when I lived in the states, so it's great to have a WFM near me...great selection of interesting prepared gourmet food, like roasted potatoes and onions, rice paper wraps, sushi, fancy chicken salad....go see for yourself and bring your appetite and some extra cash!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Gourmet to go

Bata Shoe Museum

Rated this place:

327 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1W7

Shoe museum: As a passionate shoe-lover I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued to learn that T.O. had a museum solely dedicated to the art of shoes...my advice: first trace the evolution of the shoe at the musuem and then go express your new-found knowledge through some shoe shopping at the nearby Bloor shops!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• shoe museum

Ezra's Pound

Rated this place:

238 Dupont St., Toronto, ON, M5R1V7

Cafe atmosphere: Ezra's Pound is that type of cafe where you can chill out with your laptop and watch hurried Dupont-ers go to and from the subway station...aside from the food and drinks it's a nice atmosphere with large tables, interesting/random paraphernalia and friendly baristas.

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

Impressive Printing

Rated this place:

94 Cannon Street West, Unit #1, Hamilton, ON

Printing and printer services: I really enjoyed my experience at Impressive Printing. Aside from the wonderful service, they offered great prices...it's not too far from Burlington either. I plan to return to this place for sure!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• printing and printer services

Johny Banana

Rated this place:

181 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2R7

Large burrito: One word: heavy. I was nervous the small wasn't going to satiate my lunchtime hunger so I opted for the large and it was the perfect daytime mini feast. I got the chicken on whole wheat, perfectly grilled with perfectly delegated veggies and rice...I overestimated the spice level and will kick it up to a level four next time.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• large burrito

Massimo Pizza & Pasta

Rated this place:

302 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T1R9

Pizza: There's a perfect soft-to-crunchy crust ratio, the veggies are fresh, the sauce is unique and flavourful, and the pieces aren't oozing with cheese - all essential pizza qualities in my books...and they have a fast delivery service.

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

Niro and Orna Hair Design

Rated this place:

394 Spadina Rd., Toronto, ON, M5P 2W2

Hair salon: This is a great place to go when you just don't feel like styling your hair yourself...I've never left this salon without being completely satisified with my hair and the treatment from the staff - who are all related. A very friendly family-owned salon that's great for last-minute appointments...and they're open Sunday!

Ultra Supper Club

Rated this place:

314 Queen St. W., Toronto, ON, M5V2A2

Dance club: The music is always great and the patio is stunning during the warmer months (with a view of the CN tower serving as a nice backdrop)...drinks are pretty expensive but what you'll expect at a trendy downtown place.