Samantha Burton

We’re now halfway through the month of November, and there’s a definite chill in the air. With it comes everything that we feel is comforting—a hot cup of cocoa, a warm blanket, and of course, tempting meals! There is nothing like sitting with a steaming hot bowl of chilli while winding down on a cold day. Here are some of the best restaurants to grab a bowl of chilli from in Toronto. Lazy Daisy’s Cafe serves up a host of pure culinary comfort dishes. You’ll be thankful for their versatile menu

If you’re in the mood for an authentic curry, Toronto is one of the best Canadian cities to find it. We’re bursting with options as far as South Asian cuisine goes, which can sometimes make it tricky to narrow down a restaurant. Whether you’re a meat-eater, a vegetarian, or a vegan; prefer yellow, red, or green curries, or mild, medium or spicy flavours, here are five restaurants that serve up authentic Indian and Thai curries. Indian Street Food Co. offers you the colourful and energetic cultu

It’s spooky season, and what’s better than curling up on a cold night with a scary flick and some tasty treats? Trick-or-treating might be reserved for the kids, but us adults like our Halloween treats, too. Here are our top picks for places to purchase last-minute Halloween cupcakes in Toronto. Located in a charming nook just off Yonge Street, these cupcakes have a sweetly divine reputation. The talented artists of the Cupcake Shoppe design classically revered Halloween imagery, like the jack-

October’s not over yet, and pumpkin is still very much in season. Pumpkin flavour extends far beyond the classic pumpkin spice latte. Thanks to its rich, sweet sweet flavour and abundance of health benefits (pumpkin is super high in fibre but low in calories), it makes a great ingredient in some of your favourite pasta dishes. Here are our top picks for pumpkin pasta in Toronto. Located on busy Dundas West, Stelvio brings a taste of Milan to Toronto with its homemade pastas and authentic Italia

Let’s face it—when you think vineyards and wine tastings in Ontario, you either think of Niagara-on-the-Lake or Prince Edward County. There’s no doubt that these areas possess a rich tapestry of options for wine selections and experiences. But what about the other sweet and cozy towns that you’ve yet to have your taste buds explore? Just an hour’s drive from Toronto, there are plenty of Instagram-worthy vineyards to explore. Here are our top picks for some last-minute sips this October. This es

Along with cozy sweaters, cooler nights, and Halloween costumes, October is also pumpkin season (and we’re not just talking about pumpkin spice lattes). This weekend, friends and family will be sitting together over a delicious turkey dinner, and for those who still have room for dessert, this will likely include some pumpkin pie. Toronto is bustling with pumpkin pie options, ranging from your classic nutmeg-spiced slice to gluten and vegan-friendly options that are so good, you wouldn’t spot th

Physical activity is one of the multiple elements of life that have been adversely affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Full emergency lockdowns closed gym doors altogether, while various levels of restrictions still greatly limit the use of classes and capacity for smaller facilities.

Everyone has had more than a difficult time stopping to smell the roses these days. With a worldwide pandemic casting gloom and doom over every social event, finding the colour and joy in a moment is more precious now than ever.

As 2019 rolled into 2020 at midnight, no one was considering whether or not they should hug their friends. We drank from cups that a stranger served us, we climbed into Uber's and rubbed our eyes without a second thought. Some of us dealt with that Canadian chill the traditional way, bundling up and heading into bars and night clubs with a mass of strangers hoping to distract from the cold. Others jetted off into an entirely new climate, celebrating the gifts the new year would offer. None of us knew what that new year was going to bring us a reality—an unprecedented challenge that generations had yet to face.

The first chapter centres around the beginning of a drive to create something that will change the world, titled Spark. It is highlighted by a riveting spoken word performance by Lishai Peel called Go on and dance. “Dance was made for inviting people into your story,” she proclaims. “I think, therefore, I dance.” The next chapter is called Build. This is where one of Prosserman’s most repeated phrases arises once more in relation to creating a foundation for a fruitful non-profit—“building the

Most people on social media are aware of the Bell Let’s Talk Campaign and its aim to de-stigmatize mental health issues and to normalize the experience of mental health. Their website boasts impressive statistics: from 1,168,302, 700 interactions over social media and donations since the initiation of the campaign in 2011, to partnering with more than 1,000 organizations who have supported over 3,806,409 Canadians with access to mental health services. There is absolutely no doubt that they are

By Samantha Burton Shot by Selina | Edited by Darryl Friday Graphics by Amisi In March of this year, when spring was slowly blooming, the entire world was put on pause. Some had heard of this supposed novel virus spreading across the earth like wildfire, others not at all. It was mainly out of sight, out of mind. No one could have predicted the complete standstill that every single country was forced into, combined with the sheer horror of something directly lifted out of a Stephen King novel

If you have been paying attention, then you are aware of the influx of news stories surrounding the tragic deaths of people of colour and black individuals by the hands of police officers. This unfortunately though, is not a new problem in the United States and Canada—a CBC investigation found that there have been 461 fatal police encounters in Canada between 2000 and 2017.

The city of Pickering Ontario is a mere 40-minute train ride outside of the big city and is quickly growing into a more affordable area for both couples and families. But that doesn’t mean that there is any less to do! This rapidly rising hub of entertainment has something for everyone, whether you’re pounding the ground solo, or are looking for something enjoyable for the kids. 1. Go by the Bay on the Waterfront Trail • Where: Alex Robertson Park- near south end of Sandy Beach Rd. or Petticoat

Who hasn’t taken the edge off some ravenous hunger with a sweet little treat? And who in their right mind is going to turn down a chocolate bar? Thankfully, we have abundant choices to satisfy our personal snack cravings. From plain milk chocolate to caramel injected, to toffee and peanut butter layered, Canadian grocers and convenience stores will certainly have you covered. The following is a list of chocolate bars in Canada that the US doesn’t have. Many Canadians will lament about the deli

There are many people who do not want to believe in climate change and what that means for us as humans on earth. But science has proven time and time again that climate change is a the reality we must learn to face, and something we must learn to tolerantly educate the public on.

Here are some of the traditions, customs and other things that our great country is known for. These are the first things that come to mind for most people around the world when asked about Canada. There is not a single past time that is more associated with being Canadian than the sport of hockey. If you were born and raised in Canada, there is a high probability that you played hockey as a kid, or were at least exposed to the National Hockey League and/or the Olympics.

Every person can recall some point in time when they felt demeaned, belittled, and unfairly criticized by people who are in their immediate environment. Many of us can remember a time in elementary school or high school where our appearance, religion, demeanour, gender, sexuality, or any other differentiating trait was used as the butt of a joke or a long-term theme of harassment. Maybe it was our haircut, the colour of our skin, wearing a hijab, etc. Whether this torment was stretched out over time or minimally experienced, every person can agree upon the fact that it was harmful and wholly unacceptable.

Canada is known as America’s nicer, more polite, easy-going sibling. Canadians as a whole are rarely associated with anything remotely aggressive (hockey is an exception), and even less so, with dangerous elements. But all those soft snowy notions vanish when one enters the Canadian wilderness. There is absolutely no doubt that the great outdoors of Canada are stunning, but within that stunning aesthetic, are also very good reasons for taking caution.

The first dogs in Canada were bred and kept by the Dorset peoples (500 BC to 1500 CE), the Thule peoples (1000 to 1600 CE) and their ancestors the Inuit people. For hundreds of years, they were used as sled dogs as means of fast transportation of people and supplies across areas of the Arctic and Subarctic regions of Canada that would otherwise be inaccessible.