Results tagged “coffee”

Now that the Obama Cafe is co-existing peacefully alongside the newly minted Bana Cybernet Ltd on the Danforth at Greenwood, Torontoist decided to stop by to see how Obama is faring in our fair city.

When is the new Dark Horse opening? For a fragment of the coffee-obsessed populace, the tease of a West Side Edition of the beloved café on Queen East became a mild obsession. The buzz began in January on Twitter, when word spread that co-owners Deanna Zunde and Ed Lynds would be expanding to a second location. (Zunde was surprised when asked back then for some more information on their plans. "We only took possession of the space a couple of days ago!" she said.) Delays caused by a stalled permit from the city turned the launch into a tantric exercise for devotees and, on Tuesday, the doors flung open at 215 Spadina Avenue.

Local latte mainstay i deal coffee is about to be sold. At least that's the plan, according to founder and resident bean-master James Fortier. But while you would be forgiven for assuming that the decision to unload the company is because of the topsy-turvy economy, Fortier says that that's not the case. As it turns out, it's all about making time for his family-to-be.

In the last twenty-four hours, have you held the door open for a stranger? Tapped the shoulder of someone who dropped his or her glove on the subway? Placed a toonie in a homeless person's hand? If you answered yes to all three, well, you could do better. In a recent Harris/Decima poll, sixty per cent of Canadians said that, as a country, we're still "not kind enough." Yet, in the same survey, thirty-seven per cent said they'd done a good deed for a strangers within the last day. In a country where strangers apologize profusely for ever-so-gently brushing shoulders on the street, we still think we should up the ante. Of course, the poll was commissioned by Maxwell House, conveniently timed with their "Brew Some Good Week," where they catch random acts of kindness on the street and reward them with TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!!! Er...two coffee coupons. But still, sixty per cent? We hope those surveyed knew that claiming to be "nice enough" didn't fall into the unkind/rude category. It's just the way we are.

The current issue of NOW may be focusing on coffee in general and where to get the best cup, but this is an informal grassroots study of Tim Hortons, which put "double-double" into the language ("A Canadian term used to describe how you take your coffee—two teaspoons of sugar and two creams. Preferably used in any Tim Hortons location," says Urban Dictionary).

Three months or so after the Toronto Star predicted that it might save the “blighted” intersection of Bathurst and Queen, Starbucks is finally open on the northeast corner, the former site of a doughnut store/hangout for what outsiders regarded as degenerates, dope fiends, and all-round ne’er-do-wells.

Have a closer look at the posters on 234 Augusta Avenue after the jump.

The Post is reporting that talks are currently underway with Starbucks to rent the former home of J & J Fruit Market—on the corner of Augusta and Nassau and thus smack-dab in the heart of Kensington Market. Some Market residents who the Post interviewed were unsurprisingly ready for a fight, and, as the property is partially on city land, Adam Vaughan has said that it will require neighbourhood approval anyway and will become a "very public and pitched debate." That, and he wants Kensington composed of "small, family-run businesses.” So: probably not gonna happen. The winning serve comes from i deal coffee owner James Fortier, who tells the Post that he has no issues with Starbucks coming; he just thinks that the big chain won't make any money if they do. There's the rub: if, by some miracle, Starbucks gets its wings and opens up shop in Kensington, against the violent protests and certain vandalism from the locals, it could still only survive as long as customers' demand for it did.

While Second Cup and Starbucks have offered Wi-Fi service for years, the cost model has always leaned towards laptop users: customers can choose to purchase internet for an hour, a day, or a month. However, the explosion of Wi-Fi enabled smartphones changes the use of Wi-Fi: checking an email, using GPS, or finding a telephone listing takes minutes. Here's a catch: in the States, the internet period is limited to a single session. Once you log off, you're done for the day. We wonder if Bell will make the session cumulative or if the telco will follow suit. (Doesn't it appears that telcos plan to take advantage of the changing market to manipulate Wi-Fi at the major coffee chains to become marketing tools for products like the iPhone or WiMax?)

Someone at Maxwell House's marketing department must be catching on to some of the hints we've been dropping lately, because on the morning of Wednesday, March 26th, they'll be giving out free coffee to TTC riders at Eglinton Station. Get this—they're also giving free subway rides to the first 10,000 subway riders. It's a pretty awesome random act of kindness. And for good PR measure, Maxwell House is donating $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity.

Snappy Answers runs every Saturday afternoon. Send your questions, be they tough or trivial, to snappyanswers@torontoist.com.

You may have noticed the sharp rise in coffee cups littering our streets, which can only mean one thing: it’s Roll Up The Rim time at Tim Hortons once again. When Torontoist was young and starry-eyed, we used to dream of unrolling our cup and finding that we had won a car or a boat or some awesome camping gear. (What ever happened to that prize anyway? It was always the best one.) After years of winning nothing but the occasional muffin and coffee, we can’t help but feel rage every time we roll up that annoyingly pompous “Please Try Again.”

The owner of a Coffee Time franchise at Queen and Sherbourne was arrested this week for allegedly selling marijuana, crack, and illegal cigarettes out of the store. The news won’t surprise those familiar with the neighbourhood, but it will bring new meaning to the question "Will that be one lump or two today, sir?"

After reading today's ad, Torontoist is certain of one thing—modesty was not a key element of the "Yorkville style," especially when it came to attracting dancing queens and boogie kings looking for a place to strut their stuff. The neighbourhood had a cluster of disco floors waiting for John Travolta wannabes to demonstrate their dance skills and soak in the attitude. One might have been lucky enough to see celebrities like Sonny Bono indulge in the Yorkville way of life!

Torontoist is ending the year by naming our Heroes and Villains of 2007––the people, places, and things that we've either fallen head over heels in love with or developed uncontrollable rage towards over the past twelve months. Get your dose, starting Boxing Day and running into the new year, three times a day––sunrise, noon, and sunset.

Torontoist is ending the year by naming our Heroes and Villains of 2007––the people, places, and things that we've either fallen head over heels in love with or developed uncontrollable rage towards over the past twelve months. Get your dose, starting Boxing Day and running into the new year, three times a day––sunrise, noon, and sunset.

Mark Renton knew what the ideal bathroom would be like: "Brilliant gold taps, virginal white marble, a seat carved from ebony, a cistern full of Chanel No. 5, and a flunky handing me pieces of raw silk toilet roll." Of course, like the rest of us, under the circumstances he'd settle for anywhere. Now, thanks to MizPee, you won't wind up in "The Worst Toilet in Hogtown" again. Just type in your location and...

Most of the bronze plaques bolted to the city's historically designated sites and monuments commemorate some virtually forgotten piece of minor Toronto history—but take a stroll along Queen Street West and some familiar round medallions might particularly pique your interest. The strange plaques were part of the grand Gestures installation by the 640 480 Video Collective, which aimed to memorialize inconsequential events captured on video at ten spots around the city. Each marker was...

Torontoist likes its java joints in all shapes and sizes. Whether it's a mom-and-pop lunch counter that has fired up the pots since Confederation, multinational chains, or the latest in fairly traded barista artistry, Toronto is home to a wide variety of places where one can find an honest cup of joe and a comfortable place to sit. Our latest discovery may be the city's coziest coffee counter. Located on College west of Bathurst,...

First and foremost, we're going to warn you that the video above may not be safe for work, children, or the faint of heart. It's from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario's latest ad campaign. In the video, a young sweet sous-chef with her whole future ahead of her happens to slip on some grease, spilling a vat of boiling water all over herself and horribly scalding her face. While she's on...

How does a newly-opened shopping complex bring in shoppers? Hold a British-themed sale, featuring specials on fine UK products like Orange Julius and Gordon Lightfoot records! The Yonge-Eglinton Centre opened in October 1973 with Dominion and Horizon as its anchors. The short-lived Horizon chain was an attempt by Eaton's to enter the crowded discount department store field. This location was converted to an Eaton's store when the company pulled the plug on Horizon in...

Premier Dalton McGuinty says that he is not prepared to follow Quebec's example and ban cell phone use while driving, in spite of studies showing that the practice is more dangerous than driving drunk. McGuinty said that "some people also distract themselves by drinking coffee, eating and applying makeup while driving" and he wouldn't know where to draw the line. Because if you can't stop one stupid and extremely dangerous practice, there's no point in stopping any of them.

Ok, so we're starting to get the message that we need to act on this whole "we're killing the planet" thing, and fast. But amongst all the noise about how much trouble we've gotten ourselves into, it's sometimes hard to hear the solutions and see the positive ideas. Enter GreenTOpia, the third installment in Coach House Books' uTOpia series, which is being released at a party this weekend into our eagerly outstretched arms. As we...

Ballet Jorgen's Anastasia is making its way around the country, and if you missed its Toronto stop on Saturday, you missed quite the treat. Audiences packed into the Toronto Centre for The Arts to see Bengt Jorgen's intricately choreographed tale about the infamous Russian Grand Duchess, which follows the four years leading up to that fateful day in 1918 when she disappeared forever. Jorgen is known for his eccentric ballets, but with Anastasia he...

For some, November is the month to begin bundling up against the inevitable bombardment of the holiday season. For others, November is the time to anxiously welcome the frenzy of National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short.

Monday morning, amidst a first-rate buffet of coffee, chocolate chip cookies, and fresh orange juice at the Four Seasons Hotel, a disheveled group of journalists and bankers gathered to hear the shortlist announced for the 14th annual Scotiabank Giller Prize. Only the second year that the final contenders were culled from an initial longlist of 15 books, this annum the task fell to the jury of staunch decipherers David Bergen, Camilla Gibb and Lorna Goodison. All three affected a slightly bemused expressions when founder Jack Rabinovitch reminded them of the fact in his opening statements, presumably as the memory of tackling so many novels in just under a month physically caught up with them. Cookies and coffee indeed: it’s a miracle they could even read their entries out at the podium.

Tired of being bombarded with the bitter bits of business? Want to hear about commerce that strives for a sweet deal for everyone involved? On September 19, Alternative Grounds, one of Toronto's leading purveyors of liquid energy and social justice, will host an awesome event put on by Coburg-based human rights organization Horizons Of Friendship.

"Good frickin' lord, it's too dang far to walk to the corner store to buy me a frozen yogurt," you might moan. "I'll just have to be a global warmer and gas up the SUV to drive there." Not so, my friend! Not only is it good exercise, but it's just well, great to perambulate. With this Walk Score, a nifty calculator, you can determine exactly how walkable your address is on a scale of zero to one hundred, with zero being you stranded in a car-only desert and one hundred being you having ascended to a pedestrian paradise. Taking into account factors like a main neighborhood centre, accessibility, parks, and public space, the nearness of schools and workplaces, speed controlled streets and pedestrian friendly design, Walk Score uses a whizbang algorithim to figure the feet friendliness of your 'hood.

Jimmy Hogg's one-man show Curriculum Vitae is charming, hilarious and remarkably energetic. He begins the show in a dressing gown and with a cup of coffee and, over the course of an hour, proceeds to get dressed and ready for a job interview, all the while detailing the amusing circumstances of his previous employment with comic aplomb.

So much for preserving Toronto's cultural heritage—it looks like pretty much the entire stock of Sam The Record Man's flagship store is going up for auction.