Category Archives: toronto

Jul 29 0 comments
business, food, toronto

Do one thing, really really well.

It’s my our 9th wedding anniversary!

9 years ago today the Scottish Bastard and the Irish Wife Girlfriend hooked up ’til death do us part and all that stuff.  Those 9 years, well actually more like 10 if you include the dating, etc, has FLOWN by. Not a day goes by where I think to myself ‘did I make the right choice?’.  We still have lots of fun, joke around and generally enjoy each others company every day.  Why?  Well, I’d like to say that we do the relationship thing really well but that’s not it.  We’re friends first, which makes the rest easy as pie.

Today was all about food.  Breakfast at The Sunset Grill. Dinner at The Boiler House and dessert at The Pie Shack.

Here’s the run down…

The Sunset Grill (Port Credit location) was under staffed.  We waited 20 minutes to get our table cleaned, another 5 for coffee and a menu and when the food arrived it was, well, OK.  It’s hard to screw up breakfast, so I’ll give them that. With so many places to choose for a good breakfast we’re left wondering why a place like this is rammed to the doors with patrons.  I guess most people just have low standards for breakfast fare?  It’s not that I need a mind boggling gastronomic experience for breakfast.  Eggs and bacon are just fine, but get me some fucking coffee within a few minutes of sitting down thank you very much.

Now I’ve heard that other locations aren’t so bad, so I won’t hold it against the chain. But I’d recommend somewhere else if you’re looking for breakfast in Port Credit. They do breakfast, but not very well.

Don’t ask why we decided to go there with so many options in our back yard.  Lesson learned.

The Boiler House does architecture, design and decor well.  The food is good, but not out of this world.  The $35 strip loin I had was somewhat overdone, fatty and gristly.  The Wife’s was underdone (almost blue in some spots) but otherwise OK.  The frites were excellent, and the bread was to die for. What pissed me off was their by-the-glass wine selection.  It was OK, but heavily biased to the Shiraz/Chardonnay drinking crowd as opposed to the Malbec/Sauvignon Blanc types. I call it simple wine.  That’s not to say that the Scot doesn’t dig on Shiraz, but I’m a little sick of Australian wine everywhere I turn.  The bottled selection was great, but being the CHEAP Scottish Bastard I’d rather come home and crack a bottle that cost me $25 as opposed to $50 for the same thing at the restaurant.

The service was very good but the room was the draw.  If you live in Toronto and have never been to The Distillery it’s a must-visit. The old Gooderham and Worts distillery complex (construction started in 1859) is full of cool stores, shops and restaurants. Something for everyone. If you appreciate architecture and design you need to check it out.

However, when I go to a restaurant I go to eat not to look at pretty things and because of this The Boiler House barely gets a passing grade.

Pie, done well.

The Pie Shack.  Ahh, here we go.  They do one thing, PIE, and they do it very well.  A quaint spot on Queen St. East (in the Beach) with a 14 year old dog out front in his ‘dog shack’, and cottage kitch inside. Order a slice of pie (I had Strawberry Rhubarb, the Wife had Peach — awesome), and some tea, grab a board game (they have a good selection) and saddle up to a bench table that could easily find a home in a 50 year old cottage in Muskoka.  The pie arrived just in time to see the Wife sink my aircraft carrier.  I haven’t played Battleship in probably 25 years.  I lost. What more is there to say?  If you like pie and live in Toronto check it out.

The Pie Shack is tops on the days food experience, and we’ll definitely be heading back there again soon. Now if only they’d open one closer to home… You listening Pie Shack? We’re in the west end…

Do one thing, and do it well. The rest will fall into place.

Happy anniversary baby.  Love you.

Apr 15 0 comments
finance, ontario, toronto

An Open Letter to the Ontario Liberal Party

…or more specifically to my Member of Provincial Parlament, Laurel Broten.  I wrote this a few weeks back when the 2009 Ontario budget was tabled.  Interestingly I CC’ed my City Councilor, Peter Milczyn and his is the only office to respond as yet.   I’d like to think that Ms. Broten’s office is simply indundated with similar hate mail, but I can’t see this being the case.  I’m sure I was relegated to the ‘shitpile’.

I encourage feedback/debate on this issue. Enjoy.

Ms. Broten,

The latest Ontario budget amounts to nothing more than a tax grab at the worst possible time.  Is there really a good time for a tax grab? Your Premier has effectively lost my vote. I have lost all confidence in the party’s ability to effectively lead, and manage the business of the province of Ontario.

With specific respect to the harmonization of the PST and GST: It sickens me to think that in an economic recession, the depths of which many of us have not ever experienced, that the current government has the balls to even suggest hiking taxes in such a manner.  Sugar coating it with refunds and exempting certain areas makes it no less palatable. This will directly, and negatively affect the middle class, especially in Toronto.  If you want to see a return to spending, and a healthy retail economy why would you dare to take money directly out of the pockets of those who actually fund that sector?!  And forget the automobile industry… I’m buying used next time. Sure, you’ll get your tax but in order to save money I’ll have to find something less expensive. Was considering a Honda or Toyota too, you know the ones built right here in Ontario?

Coupled with Mayor Miller’s tax increases, and horribly thought out tariffs (garbage collection, land transfer tax, vehicle registration, etc) you are essentially pushing out the middle class and hitting us where it hurts the most. In the last 4-5 years my expenses have increased well beyond my pay increases, and I do not live beyond my means.  My expenses have increased because you are taking money from me. I am so pissed off at the political state of this city, province, and in fact this country, that am I exercising extreme restraint in this letter by not spewing expletives.  For to tell off this government like that would not be effective.

I will speak at the polls, and so will the rest of Ontario. Can you see the writing on the wall?  Goodbye Liberal leadership in Ontario.

I have not voted Conservative for one simple reason – Their beliefs with respect to religion in government. I believe religion has no place in government and the separation of church and state should be strictly enforced.  However, at this time I am willing to overlook the conservative religious agenda as I firmly believe that this is the WRONG time to attempt to take MORE money of out MY pocket.  My raise last year?  Gone. My raise next year? Gone, thanks to your budget.  What the hell am I working for?  Dalton McGuinty’s spending spree? The mismanagement of this provinces finances?  Why isn’t anyone in government ever held accountable for this kind of thing?  If cities were listed on the stock market they’d never make a dime because nobody would invest; you’d be stupid to.

Another government will win an election based on a favourable economic policy.  This is not favourable to me, the average Torontonian.

Mar 16 0 comments
toronto

Getting around Toronto this week?

It’s March Break! The Scot loves March break because it means his commute on the TTC is quieter and less likely to be late due to overcrowding on the system.   As much as I despise the TTC, if you are running about within the downtown core, there really isn’t a better way to get around.  Taxi’s are too costly and walking, unless it’s nice outside, can be time consuming and tiresome.  So, if you’re planning an excursion this week the TTC has a pretty good deal on.

The Day Pass is only $9 for this week only (March 16-20), and it can be used for up to six passengers.  More details here.