Where to find the best Christmas cookies in Toronto

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10:35 am

Baking Christmas cookies is one of the most fun parts of getting ready for the holidays.

But between last-minute shopping and cooking up a holiday feast for the whole family, sometimes, baking takes a back seat. Luckily, bakeries across the city are busy baking up a storm for all of your holiday needs, and are still accepting pre-orders from now until Christmas Eve.

Here are five amazing bakeries to get your Christmas cookies from.

Almond Butterfly

Indulge a little more this holiday season, when you order your Christmas cookies from Almond Butterfly. Having opened in 2011, this petite bakery and bistro has always been completely gluten-free, and has added a series of festive cookies to its in-store menu. A 24-picece holiday cookie box ($85) features an assortment of Christmas favourites like sugar cookies and chocolate walnut and cranberry. If you’re looking for something extra, Almond Butterfly is also selling holiday yule logs, done in lemon blackberry or raspberry chocolate flavours.

Craig’s Cookies

With multiple locations across the city, Craig’s Cookies is all set for the holidays with a number of decadent creations. Try the gingerbread white chocolate cookie, or go for something a little more classic, like the red and green M&M’s cookie. For those who love peppermint, there’s the minty candy cane shortbread, or the mint brownie. All of the cookies can be pre-ordered for pick-up or are available for delivery online via craigscookies.com. We know it’s hard to pick just one flavour, which is why Craig’s Holiday Mix Bundle with six flavours is the perfect solution.

Bobette & Belle

Santa comes at midnight on Dec. 25, so make sure you’re ready with a a few of these gorgeously piped babble cookies from Bobbette & Belle. Each elegant and tasty cookie is neatly packaged in a clear bag with a matching ribbon. Don’t miss out on their adorable white polar bear sugar cookies, complete with a cute face and a fashionable red glitter scarf.

Roselle Desserts

French patissiere Roselle Desserts, located in Toronto’s Corktown neighbourhood, has reintroduced their annual cookie tin in a beautiful rose fold rectangle. The bakery’s 22-piece holiday cookie collection includes vanilla dipped danish cookies, espresso, orange & hazlenut biscotti, Roselle speculoos, chocolate sablé Breton and cardamom sammies.

Short and Sweet

While this bakery is mostly known for its cupcakes, the Christmas cookie spirit is alive and well at Short and Sweet. Their holiday menu is now live, and includes everything from peppermint bark to pumpkin pie. Cookie flavours include cranberry white chocolate, traditional crinkle cookies, and x-mas sammies, which are two vanilla sugar cookies stuffed with festive green or red vanilla buttercream frosting and sprinkles. If you still can’t decide, the assorted 29-piece cookie gift box ($50) features an assortment of shortbread and sugar cookies that comes perfectly wrapped in a silk bow.

The top 5 restaurants to visit on Christmas Day in Toronto

By

Nicole Richie

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11:49 am

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This year, instead of slaving over the stove and trying to make the perfect Christmas meal for your family, why not let someone else do the work for you? These upscale Toronto restaurants are offering Christmas dinners big enough for you and the whole family. Here are the best places to dine at on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

STK

The stylish Yorkville steakhouse is serving up a Christmas Day feast with their Holiday Cheers menu. Indulge in STK’s decadent selection of Wagyu from around the world, Pumpkin Ravioli with Dungeness Crab, and more including delicious holiday cocktails like the Naughty Claus made with reposado tequila, licor 43, chocolate bitters, grand marnier and cocoa powder.

Café Boulud

The Four Seasons is always ritzy, but the landmark hotel gets particularly glammed up during the holiday season and its signature restaurant, Café Boulud, is no exception. Indulge in a festive feast at Daniel Boulud’s French brasserie for a decadent holiday brunch, featuring waffle, chef and seafood stations, along with a delicious dessert buffet. Available from Saturday, December 23, to Tuesday, December 26, from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, and on Monday, January 1, from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm, priced at $130 per person.

The Drake Hotel

The Drake Hotel’s annual Festivus menus are back again this year, available starting Christmas Eve. The dinner menu is priced at $55 for adults and $25 for little ones and includes a three-course dinner with all the fixings. The meal starts with a celery root veloute followed with roast turkey served with + smoked turkey leg, savoury challah stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, roast butternut squash, cranberry bourbon sauce and cocoa gravy, or if you prefer a vegan alternative, opt for the beet truffle wellington. Make sure to save room for dessert as sticky toffee pudding completes the meal. Vegetarain options are also available.

LOUIX LOUIS

Set on the 31st floor of the St. Regis hotel, LOUIX LOUIS’s impressive decor makes it the perfect spot to have a super fancy holiday feast. Indulge in a variety of festive dishes, from wagyu carpaccio to Canadian lobster, and finish your meal with decadent desserts like the bûche de noël and the renowned King’s Cake.

J’s Steak Frites

Queen West steakhouse J’s Steak Frites prix fixe Christmas menu is $56 per person and includes a 10 oz NY striploin , along with house-made bread and butter, green salad with candied walnut and lemon vinaigrette, unlimited fries, and a house-made butter sauce. Make sure to save room for two festive Bouche de Noel cakes made in house by co-owner and pastry chef Tara Tang.

Here are Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2023 in film and TV

By

Julia Mastroianni

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3:33 pm

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queenofmydreams — Still from The Queen of My Dreams, courtesy reelasian.com

With the end of the year upon us, we’re taking the time to honour some of the most inspiring women of 2023. Despite an actors’ and writers’ strike, the year has been filled with incredible artistry — here are the most inspiring women in film and TV, from directors to actors, in Toronto. You can find the rest of the list of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2023 here.

Keris Hope Hill

The young Mohawk actor starred in the powerful Crave and APTN series Little Bird this year, about the Sixties Scoop in Canada, at just eight years old.

Still from The Queen of My Dreams, courtesy reelasian.com

Amrit Kaur

After her breakout role in Mindy Kaling’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, the actor stunned in queer coming-of-age film The Queen of My Dreams at TIFF this year.

Malaika Hennie-Hamadi

The actor starred in TIFF favourite Bria Mack Gets a Life this year, a laugh-out-loud series following a recently graduated young Black woman navigating adulthood with an imaginary hype-girl by her side.

Emma Seligman

The director’s satirical movie about a queer high school fight club, Bottoms, rewrote the script for the teen sex comedy, and was so popular it expanded from its 10-theatre run to over 700.

Courtesy Elena Ternovaja/Wikimedia Commons

Celine Song

The writer-director’s moving, semi-autobiographical debut feature, Past Lives, was stunning and earned her a whopping four Oscar nominations.

Danis Goulet

The director and screenwriter has always been a champion of Indigenous voices, and in closing out the final season of Reservation Dogs this year, she’s put an Indigenous-led show on the list of some of the top TV shows of our time.

Jennifer Podemski

In co-creating and showrunning the stunning and devastating Little Bird limited series this year, Jennifer Podemski brought to light a story that Canada has almost never seen shared on the big or small screen before — the Sixties Scoop.

Deepa Mehta

The acclaimed director brought bold new documentary I Am Sirat to TIFF this year, following Indian trans government worker Sirat Taneja, and helped bring to life the joy and pain of trans existence in a time when anti-trans rhetoric and policies are growing in Canada and beyond.

Madison Tevlin

The YouTube star has gone from hosting her own CBC talk show to starring with Woody Harrelson in feature film Champions and representing people with Down syndrome along the way.

Yes, food costs more on Uber Eats: Here’s how much more you’re paying in T.O.

By

Jennifer Schembri

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1:26 pm

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Having a hard time choosing between staying home and dining out? A common dilemma on most nights. Toronto’s culinary scene has transformed with delivery services like UberEats, ensuring convenience for those cozy Netflix marathons at home.

But, this convenience may come with a financial trade-off. The cost difference between ordering on Uber Eats and dining in is worth exploring (excluding the tip—remember to tip!).

Here’s a breakdown of some of Toronto’s favourite restaurants, showing the price differences from the most budget-friendly to the more indulgent options.

Is the convenience of Uber Eats worth the additional costs? That’s for you to decide.

Lambo’s Deli

This deli is a local favourite known for its stacked sandwiches, homemade soups, and fresh salads, offering a diverse menu catering to both meat lovers and vegetarians.

The Food: Italian Trio Sandwich + Classic Combo Sandwich
Menu Price: $16 + $16 = $32 + tax = $36.16
Uber Eats price: $ 18 + $18 = $36 + Uber taxes and other fees: $9.40 + Uber delivery fee: $0.99 = $46.39

The difference: $10.23

Maker Pizza

A downtown gem, this pizzeria crafts artisanal pizzas with unique toppings like pulled pork, truffle oil, and jalapeño honey.

The food: Tropic Thunder (Small) Pizza + Frank’s Best (Small) Pizza
Menu Price: $24 + 24 = $48 + tax = $54.24
Uber Eats Price: $27 + $28 = $55 + Uber taxes and other fees: $11.22 + Uber delivery fee: $0.99 = $67.21

The difference: $12.97

STK

A stylish steakhouse in Yorkville, STK’s menu features premium cuts of steak alongside an array of sides and starters. Signature cocktails and a lively atmosphere add to the experience.

The food: Steak Frites & Blue Iceberg
Menu price: $43 + $27 = $70 + tax = $79.10
Uber Eats price: $49.45 + $33.35 = $82.80 +Uber taxes and other fees: $14.04 + Uber delivery fee: $0.99 = $97.83

The difference: $18.73

Timothée Chalamet hit up Yorkdale last night surprising hundreds of fans

By

Ron Johnson

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10:34 am

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Last night, one of the world’s most popular film stars, Timothée Chalamet, delighted fans with an unexpected appearance at an immersive screening event for his new Wonka movie in Yorkdale Shopping Centre.

The Wonka’s Sweet Escape experience is located within the mall and will be open until Jan. 2, 2024, offering fans the chance to step into the whimsical Wonka world for all the social media things.

The event drew hundreds of enthusiastic fans who gathered to catch a glimpse of the Hollywood star at the event.

To celebrate the film’s theatrical release, Chalamet greeted his fans, participated in a Wonka-themed candy carpet press line, and delivered a heartfelt introduction to a packed house at a special advance screening. Before bidding farewell, Chalamet joined fans for the ultimate group selfie.

Wonka is a new prequel of sorts based on the beloved character from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Starring Timothée Chalamet in the lead, the movie sees a young Willy Wonka, destined to become the world’s greatest inventor, magician, and chocolate-maker.

Wonka’s Sweet Escape allows visitors to walk through Wonka’s storefront, providing multiple photo opportunities with a life-size Wonka bar and a replica Wonka cane from the film. A wild 30-ft-tall chocolate cherry blossom tree adorned with larger-than-life chocolates sits at the centre of the experience.

These are Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2023

By

Julia Mastroianni

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3:52 pm

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As 2023 comes to a close, it’s time for our annual showcase of the city’s most inspiring women features artists, activists, athletes and more who have led by example, achieved against all odds and made this city and this year special. We’re shining a light on some of the most incredible women in Toronto and honouring the work they’ve done this year. These are our most inspiring women of 2023.

From The Narwhal journalists Fatima Syed and Emma McIntosh exposing the provincial government’s shady Greenbelt dealing to Carley Fortune getting a royal nod from Meghan and Prince Harry for her latest book to Winnie Harlow receiving a Global Citizen Award from the UN for her advocacy and entrepreneurship, Toronto is home to some of the world’s most inspiring and incredible women.

Hear from their friends, colleagues and fellow industry professionals — including some inspiring people in their own right, including 2022’s inspiring woman Lesley Hampton and Olympian Christine Sinclair — on why these women are so incredible and deserve the honour of 2023’s women of the year.

Stay tuned for more inspiring women of the year!

1. The journalists | Fatima Syed and Emma McIntosh

2. The actor | Rachel McAdams

3. The author | Carley Fortune

4. The athlete | Kia Nurse

5. The entrepreneur | Winnie Harlow

6. The designer | Sage Paul

7. The politician | Olivia Chow

8. The trailblazer | Diana Matheson

9. The chef | Nuit Regular

10. The musician | Nelly Furtado

11. The humanitarian | Dr. Samantha Nutt

12. The scientist | Dr. Rama Khokha

Click here for a full list of 2023’s most inspiring women.

For last year’s list of Toronto’s most inspiring women, click here.

Toronto’s Most Inspiring Women of 2023- Fatima Syed & Emma McIntosh

By

Julia Mastroianni

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3:33 pm

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emma & fatima — Courtesy Christopher Katsarov Luna

The journalists | Fatima Syed and Emma McIntosh

When Premier Doug Ford first announced the province’s plan to open up parts of the Greenbelt — and those parcels of land just happened to be owned by developer friends of his — Ontarians were suspicious. But if it wasn’t for the intrepid reporters at independent media outlet The Narwhal, we might have never known for sure that the provincial government had substantial control over choosing which parcels of land to open for development and were directly influenced by the developers who benefited from them — and Ford might have never finally reversed the decision to open the Greenbelt! The Narwhal reporter Emma McIntosh was one of the journalists who broke the first story, and her colleague Fatima Syed hasn’t let up on Ford either, exposing the provincial government as it attempts to quietly remove environmental protections, change land boundaries and gut conservation authorities. Armed with a whole lot of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, McIntosh and Syed are examples of the power of local journalism in a time when the media industry is continually underfunded and layoffs abound.

By Charlie Pinkerton – Colleague, Deputy editor, The Trillium

By Lesley Hampton – Friend, Indigenous designer

I met Sage in 2017. She was assisting on the costuming of the movie Through Black Spruce and reached out to connect my designs to their costume team. In 2018, she established the first Indigenous Fashion Week in Toronto, where we were able to show our Lithium collection. Fast-forward to this year, and I was one of the six Indigenous designers who went with Sage to Milan Fashion Week. The work and the hustle that Sage puts in to be able to support us in our journey to present at such an international level is amazing. I’m so inspired by her strategy, the way she can formulate a show in her mind, like Indigenous Fashion Arts, and bring it to such an incredible platform like the Harbourfront Centre or next year at the Art Gallery of Ontario. The way that she can really see Indigenous designers in spaces like Milan and make that happen is incredible. She has layers and layers of experience, and there’s no one more deserving than Sage for this recognition. She’s paving the way for other Indigenous talent to see ourselves in spaces that we haven’t been able to experience before, and she’s making those opportunities to have other designers take up space in the more mainstream market. I think it’s so inspiring for the next generation of talent.

For more of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2023, click here.