November 2012 Archives

Milk Unleashed Gift Pack Giveaway

Everyone in my house is a milk-o-holic. I should have a cow in my backyard. Other than water, it is the only thing my little man will drink. I love that it finally comes in drinking boxes, because something healthy should. Yes that's right, from Milk Unleashed comes single-serving shelf-safe milk boxes that don't need to be refrigerated. And what's even better is that the team at Milk Unleashed have given me a Milk Unleashed variety pack to give away to one of my lucky readers. Here's what the prize includes:

The Saint | Ossington: NOW CLOSED

*The Saint on Ossington closed in spring of 2016.*

I don't know why I don't hear more about the Saint. It is one of the best restaurants I've been to on Ossington. The vibe is hipster pub, but the food is inspired Jacobs Steakhouse quality (they actually use the same supplier as Jacobs & Co.) Everything is made in-house, and I love a server who is not only genuinely knowledgeable about the menu but so passionate about the food that I found myself totally excited about the wedge salad, and as Homer Simpson so wisely put it, you don't win friends with salad. I think Homer would have made friends with this one. It had delicious salty meat in it.

We all had steak, and our server organized the most ideal cut in the kitchen to ensure an optimal meat-eating experience. It tasted like candy.

There is a 40-ounce porterhouse on the menu, apparently it is very popular. Not surprised. The Saint is open for dinner and weekend brunch. Rosie :)

Humble & Fred's 250th Podcast Party

Did you know that Humble & Fred have a podcast? They actually have 250 of them, and they recorded that 250th in front of a live and laughing-very-loudly studio audience Thursday night at Redfish Studios. As co-host of the Toronto Mike'd podcast on the Humble & Fred Radio Network, I was lucky enough to attend the event, which was filled with many long-time fans and supporters of these Toronto radio legends. They delighted the crowd with the fun, effortless banter everyone loves them for and it was such an entertaining hour to watch. Here are some pics from the night, starting with the Humble & Fred interns including Phil Hong warming up their voices:

Me & Phil before the show:

Toronto Mike delivers some well wishes to Humble & Fred:

The studio audience:

Dave Bish and more #100percenters:

Dan Duran joins the desk:

Humble Howard & Fred rehearse:

There were some great musical performances and lots of laughs including funny business from Scary Pete and Chicken Shwarma, who my husband was a particularly big fan of in the CFNY days. They are hilarious. To hear the show, visit the Humble & Fred website where you can also check out the Toronto Mike'd podcast. Rosie :)

Images From The City: Herbs in Chinatown

On Spadina near Dundas in Toronto's Chinatown.

Send your image from the city to rosie@mytorontoscoop.com or tweet it to @rosieintoronto. Rosie :)

13th Street Winery in Niagara's Twenty Valley

Niagara wine country is something special, and the wineries of the Niagara Escarpment are Ontario treasures. After only about an hour drive from Toronto, you can just pop off the QEW and find yourself at a place like 13th Street Winery.

This winery is located near Jordan Village, which is situated in the heart of the Niagara Escarpment in an area known as Twenty Valley. It is home to many lovely wineries including Cave Spring Cellars and Flat Rock Cellars. We stopped here on our way back from Great Wolf Lodge (the area is only about a half hour drive from Niagara Falls) thinking it would be fun to pick up some Ontario wine that isn't readily available and heavily marked up at the LCBO. 13th Street Winery wasn't a name we recognized, and we thought we'd check it out.

What a pretty place, filled with beautiful bottles of wine. We wanted to try some and buy a few, but our toddler did not. He graciously allowed us to browse for a few minutes while he admired the art, but we had to move on before we could ask any questions as they were quite busy with a tasting event. 13th Street Winery had no waterpark and little man has no patience, although he does enjoy a good abstract canvas.

The address of 13th Street Winery is 1776 Fourth Ave., St. Catharines, Ontario. There is a lovely bakery in addition to the wine store, and they host art exhibits and a busy schedule of winery events. If you are planning a trip to the Falls and are looking for a lovely and affordable hotel with a pool that isn't Great Wolf Lodge, the Courtyard Marriott is just one of the Niagara Falls hotels to choose from. Rosie :)

A Real, and Awesome, Toronto Sample Sale

When me and my very stylish friend Steph were in university, we used to eagerly await "the call." Yes, this was before e-mail if you can believe it... we were on a list for a clothing supplier's seasonal sample sale, and they would call us when it was time to sell off the samples. This was, and still is, a true sample sale- actual samples of super fashionable high end brands used to sell clothing lines to Toronto boutiques. Some of my very favourite pieces of clothing are from these sample sales... my DEX puffy gold coat, my VELVET pink dress... those are still around while others have long been worn out. These sales are only advertised by word of mouth, and there aren't any fancy fitting rooms, customer service or return/exchange policies. You get in, shop, and get out. You pay by cash or cheque. Don't be surprised if you see frenzied flashes of bums and boobies; these are serious shoppers. You try things on where you can. The sizes available are typical sample sizes (4-6) but quite often you'll see size 8s so it's worth it to check out even if you aren't model skinny.

There is a sample sale coming up and I want to share it with my readers; dates and location details are here:

When you get there, say Jodi sent you. And get yourself on Jodi's list so you get the call from now on! Rosie :)

Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls

Great Wolf Lodge is a hotel with a giant indoor waterpark right onsite. It's in Niagara Falls, about an hour and a half drive from Toronto. Only guests of the hotel can use the waterpark (which is over 100,000 square-feet) so it isn't crazy busy with huge lines. Unsurprisingly, the Lodge is a very popular destination for families looking for new and exciting ways to amuse the little ones, especially in the cold weather. Every time I mentioned to someone that we were going to Great Wolf Lodge, their first reaction was "Oh you'll have a blast!" and the second reaction was "Bring water shoes, it's really disgusting!" I think all these comments had me expecting a cesspool of filth so I was pleasantly surprised that it really seemed fairly hygienic, at least as hygienic as one can expect from a waterpark mostly overrun with children under 10 years old.

The Lodge knows how to entertain kids. There is a great arcade with lots of fun brightly blinking games and cute little rides, and a bakery with really yummy-looking sweets.

The Lodge isn't cheap but you do get value for your money since the waterpark passes are included in the room rate. They often have specials so keep an eye on the deal section of the Great Wolf Lodge website if you are considering it for a little family getaway. Since you are so close to one of the world's greatest natural wonders, I recommend taking a drive by the Falls after you leave- no matter how many times I see them, they never fail to take my breath away. Rosie :)

Sorel Toddler Boots From GetOutsideShoes.com

It's winter and I needed a pair of boots for my little man, who likes to play outside hard. There is no wet muddy ditch that goes unexplored and no puddle that goes unstomped in. I really wanted Sorels because they are super warm and super waterproof, and I didn't want to actually have to go shopping in a store for them. I found them at Get Outside Shoes and they shipped them right to me in a couple of days. Shipping was only $5 and they came with an adorable Converse keychain which I don't really need but is a nice touch.

There are two Toronto locations of Get Outside Shoes which has a huge selection of name brand shoes and boots: downtown at 437 Queen Street West and uptown at 3456 Yonge Street. Rosie :)

Canoe | Financial District

There are a lot of luxe restaurants in Toronto, but one of my favourites is Canoe. It is expensive, but justifiably so. The food and service are consistently amazing. I completely and totally get why it's considered one of the best restaurants in Canada. The view from the 54th floor of the TD Bank Tower in downtown Toronto is really something special. If you are going there for a happy occasion (like your ninth wedding anniversary, just say) request a table by the window. And get the sticky toffee date pudding with passion fruit ice cream and almond foam for dessert. Rosie :)