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Just as a heads up, your French Vegetable Confit post (with the tomatoes and onions) have been marked as "adult content".

Thanks for the heads up that’s really funny 🍅

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Coffeepunk - Ideal Coffee October 27 2013

Ideal Coffee has taken over the what was Baluchon cafe on Sorauren avenue. Located at 221 Sorauren just a few blocks south of Sorauren park. 

They've kept some of the spot light light fixture and opened up the space with church pews and other similar seating. 

I do like the fridge fashioned out of a wooden cabinet as well as the minimalistic lighting and the overall vintage atmosphere to the place. In there on a Sunday morning it was steadily busy people coming in every few moments in twos and threes. Which was an interesting way to see some of the people from the neighbourhood.

http://idealcoffee.ca

http://indiecoffeepassport.com

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Coffeepunk - Fika Cafe October 21 2013

You are never going to have trouble finding good coffee in Kensington Market.

Kensington avenue itself is a bit light on cafes so its nice to have one down this stretch of the market. Fika cafe resides in a  charming turquoise house with a beautiful new deck out front. Inside was massively pleasant.

My cardamon and cinnamon latte paired with a gorgeous cinnamon bun were both fantastic. It would have been amazing just to savour and breath them in for awhile but unfortunately I've a job to run off to and will have to make it another day.

http://indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

http://fika.ca

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Coffeepunk - Cabin Fever October 21 2013

What a fun place. Fun pop art on the walls. My favourite being the Hulk and Hunter S. Thompson prints. Lighting made from old records and bottles and all kinds of similar touches made this part tea house part record store quite different than what I imagined walking into the place.

I also liked that they weren't running an espresso machine. While Coffee is available at Cabin Fever its a nice change of pace to have a place with a pleasant selection of teas,sandwiches and cookies.

I hope I get back to cabin fever soon and often to see if everything is as amazing as my Niagara Peach Green Tea,almond milk latte.

http://www.cabinfevercollective.com

http://indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

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Coffeepunk - The Abbot October 19 2013

The Abbot or as tend to refer to it “the coffee shop under the stairs” is my secondary Parkdale coffee spot. The shop was named after Toronto's first black doctor Rufus Abbot and contains some memorabilia reflecting the doctor and the history of the area. 

I have my favourite up on Queen street but should they be closed or too busy which has happened on a occasion I will hike down to King and Spencer and go just behind the fire escape and am more than pleased for the excuse to down to the Abbot.

http://www.theabbott.ca

http://indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

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The Rhino Fall beer and cider festival October 27 2013

Fun relaxing Sunday afternoon. I picked up a ticket for the noon opening of the festival which included brunch and was well worth the extra expense. It was very nice with the different beers and ciders. I spent the whole afternoon sampling and was entertaining myself pairing cookies and beer. The red velvet white chocolate worked well with a pale ale. 

The Rhino does these events really well.Not to hype, a good spread of food, a great selection of locally brewed beer and the ciders were surprisingly welcome and enjoyable as well. I was particularly fond of the West Avenue Pumking Cider. 

http://therhino.ca

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Coffeepunk - Bicerin October 19 2013

Bicerin Espresso Bar is a nice little space located at 37 Baldwin st. I think it might be a rebranding of the T.A.N. Coffee roastery which had occupied the location last year. The shop under the Bicerin name has a darker more comfortable interior with a dark wood bar and shelving with light wood tables and chairs. It's a nice balance and fits with the treasure trove of Baldwin St. 

The Bicerin drink the shop takes it's name from is a mildly spiced mix of coffee chocolate and cream. Subtle in its flavouring and grandly enjoyable. 

http://indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html 

bicerin we

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Coffeepunk - Cafe Olya October 12 2013

I had a great talk with Michael from Cafe Olya. We spoke about how he likes to rotate the coffee he uses, about the different coffee roasters. About trying to be different and bringing different coffee from the states than is usually available in the GTA.As well how all the baked goods are made in house and how they are always evolving and trying new recipes and ideas and making things depending on what ingredients are available. 

We spoke about coffee culture in Toronto and around the world, how it is to grow a business and find your stride in the marketplace and how it is built by building relationships with your customers. It was a great talk carried on with a boundless enthusiasm which envelopes his and Olya's smart little Cabbagetown Cafe.

http://indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

http://www.cafeolya.com    

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Coffee Punk - Cafe M October 12 2013

If there was a strip that really needs an indie coffee option it is Yonge Street. Especially between Bloor and College where you will now find Cafe M at 672 Yonge st. 

On the strip of a million Starbucks, adult stores and creepy discount clothing shops it is something special to walk in from the bussle of Yonge into a cafe that feels like its something that is nestled in one of the cities cozier neighbourhoods. I was impressed by the atmosphere and how comfortable the it was.

My americano was well prepared and had the most beautiful crema and was greatly enjoyed as I wandered around and enjoyed our unnaturally warm October. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cafe-M/531299673565266

http://indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

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Coffeepunk - Bloor Barista October 11 2013

Bloor Barista out at 1280 Bloor west is where I picked up my coffee pass this year. It’s only a few moments from my house and in area thats becoming pretty competitive with coffee options. I found it to be a friendly and youthfully arty place. I don’t really have much more to say other than it’s a nice new option in my area and it’s been a pleasure to drop in a few more times since the first visit.

http://indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

https://www.facebook.com/BloorBarista

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Indie Coffee Passport October 10 2013

I had the impression that the Indie Coffee Passport wasn’t coming back to Toronto this year. So it was a pleasant surprise to see that the Indie Coffee Pass was coming back this year. 

The Indie Coffee Passport has been great for me I’ve gotten to places in the city I normally wouldn’t have trekked out to so I’ve had lots of good coffee and gotten to explore my city and find all sorts of other interesting things and learn about different neighbourhoods. 

A few changes though. The scope is a little bit smaller with twenty two shops rather than thirty. Also the pass is focused on newer shops and cafes. Staying with places that have only been open for three years or less. Which I think is a pretty great idea. Established cafe’s have their clientele they are not as dependent on newer traffic and word of mouth to get them the business they need to thrive. People form all over the city using the Indie Coffee Pass have a reason to check out new places and get out to new parts of the city which starts the word of mouth and gets the newer shops noticed. I’ve hit many of the coffee spots on previous passports again and again and its been great to have a place in mind for a coffee when in areas I’m not out to very often. 

http://indiecoffeepassport.com/toronto/index.html

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Hammercon October 5th 2013

Today I’m off to Hammercon , the Hamilton Comic Convention. It’s rainy way too early and I’m spending the day as a different hairy Canadian. 

It was a very fun convention. It was small but comfortably busy. Really fun to wander to see the displays and other cosplayers.

My lovely companion was dressed as Fluttershy from my Little pony and probably has never looked so adorable. Lots of other fun costumes and the people and I had a fun time with parents asking for picture with me dressed as Wolverine with their adorable little kids while being terrified I accidently poke them with my homemade claws.

I really liked the History of comics in Hamilton panel and am looking forward to different panels and learning about things at different conventions. A good time and well worth the trip out to Hamilton which is super easy from Toronto on the GO bus. 

Am looking forward to next years Hammercon.

http://www.hammertowncomiccon.com

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TBW Epilogue Wellington Boot Chuck September 22 2013

For the most part Toronto beer week ended yesterday. A few of us are continuing on with one last beer adventure. 

Starting off with a half of lager at An Sibin pub we met our mates and waited to get loaded into the party bus and headed up to Wellington County drinking wonderful Wellington Arkell Best Bitter and Special Pale ale. 

It was a bit windy and cold up at the brewery but still excellent fun with good food, plentiful awesome beer and the extremely entertaining boot chuck competition. Which consisted of people tossing a rubber boot as far as they could out into the parking lot which was measured out like a football field.Apparently I can throw a boot a solid fifty feet. It’s going to take a bunch of practice to do better than that and approach the winner who incredibly got near a hundred feet. 

(I totally made Moyra go up and chuck a boot,then we drank lots of beer together which I am lucky enough to say happened a good many times)

Along with my beer buddies Moyra,Damon and his lovely companion we went on a brewery tour and saw where the magic happened. Even with everything going on they were still busy brewing more beer. Which is pretty awesome to see Ontario craft brewers doing well. The Toronto Beer Lovers and I do our part to keep them busy but even we can only drink so much so its great to see that Wellington and some of our other favourite breweries are busy working hard. 

After the tour I wandered over to see the Freakshow of Orbax and Sweet Pepper who were guys I used to see when I frequented punk and psychobilly shows a few years ago. Fun and mildly gross show with those guys, good to say hi to them and catch up a bit.

Much more beer later like the Gourdon Lightfoot pumpkin ale we got back on our party bus to head back home. A couple us us still sipping away our bus was laid back with good conversation while we watched Ghostbusters with one exception but generally cool. Where I heard the other bus was a bit more rowdy. 

Thanks to Scotty and the rest of the wellington crew for such a fun day out and making such great beer. 

http://www.wellingtonbrewery.ca

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TBW 3rd Annual Toronto Beer Week Pub Crawl September 21 2013

Not the most inviting weather for starting a pub crawl with pouring rain but still it’s decently warm and what better end to Toronto Beer Week then getting in on the Official Pub crawl. 

We started at Clinton’s at Christie and Bloor. I’d never been in before, it had always been one of those places I thought I should go to but the idea fades into the subconcious until you wander by again.To cheer the pub crawl and the crawl sponsors Spearhead I had a Spearhead Hawiian pale ale to start. Which paired well with my pretzel necklace. 

Afterwards we made our merry way through the annex to the Victory Cafe. Where me made the big climb up the stairs to try the new Spearhead Jamaican Fire stout. Made with scotch bonnet peppers it definitely had a healthy but delicious burn to it. 

We got left behind at Victory Cafe but found our way to the next stop the Cloak and Dagger out on College. A much smaller space but incredibly fun having the place filled with our fellow pub crawlers. I stayed with the Spearhead theme and had some of their Morrocan Brown ale and Big kahuna Pale ale. Really great atmospere with all kinds of people chatting over delicious beer. 

We ran off to the street car to head out to Stout Irish Pub. I became the official pub crawl envoy. “ If you are part of the pub crawl this is your stop, or if you would like to be part of a pub crawl this is our stop”.

Incredibly happy to end the crawl at Stout and scribbling away drinking an impossibly drinkable Innis and Gunn Irish Whiskey Stout. 

What a great time. Thanks to Dimitri and the rest Spearhead for taking us out and thaks to all the bars for taking such good care of us. 

www.clintons.ca

http://victorycafe.ca/home/

http://cloakanddaggerpub.com

http://www.stoutirishpub.ca

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Disco Inferno has a brilliant wrestling mind whilst you ain't shit.

I don’t think Mr. Gilberti does. He was painful to watch on WCW and that he was taking up screen time rather than a Rey , Jericho or Lance Storm is part of why WCW is gone. I disagreed with nearly everything he said about booking and it ran contrary to most other wrestling minds I listen to like Cornette, JR, and even Konnan himself. Disco to my knowledge has never been apart of anything I've enjoyed and he is the type of personality that makes me embarrassed to be a wrestling fan.DI isn't my bag of tea if you enjoy his work awesome. The world would be a boring place if everyone liked all the same things.