It was because of these cravings that I began to research for authentic Polish restaurants with amazing pierogi.

Once I had a couple of options, I emailed my Foogasmic crew.  What does foogasmic mean, you ask?  Foogasmic is a word that my friend Wine Girl and I made up several years ago.  Both of us are foodies and one evening, while we were having dinner at Modo (which has since closed down) enjoying the absolute best beef carpaccio ever, we created the word foogasmic – the sense of satisfaction one feels upon having consumed food so delicious that it rivals the satisfaction of an orgasm.  My Foogasmic crew is a group of like-minded girlfriends who appreciate delicious cuisine and will go to any lengths to achieve the bliss of a foogasm.

After having completed my research, I emailed my crew and last Friday, we embarked on our adventure of finding delicious pierogi.  The restaurant is very simple and homey, though it could be cosier. It was almost like a warm cafeteria.  Unfortunately, our table was close to the door, and so there was huge, freezing cold draft whenever the door opened.  But let’s not detract from the food.  Foogasmic foodies will brave any environment in search of phenomenal taste.

We start our meal with the free bread.  It was nothing special at all, but I wanted to provide a warning.  Don’t get the bread because it just takes up prime tummy real estate.  At this place you must skip the free bread.

It was really hard to choose food from the menu because everything looked so good, and the prices were very affordable.  It didn’t take me long to settle on my meal though because I knew that I wanted pierogi.  So for less than $15, I ordered sauerkraut and mushroom filled pierogi and dill soup. 

I wanted to get the mushroom soup, but they were sold out, so my options were dill soup or dill pickle soup.  I was getting the sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi and I’m not crazy enough about sour foods to get dill pickle soup (and the waitress said it’s pretty sour), so I opted for the dill soup.  Who would’ve thought that a cream based soup could taste so refreshing?  It was a very large portion (as large as or potentially larger than Cheesecake Factory type portions) but it tasted great.  It went down smooth and tasted so fresh.  You feel light and heavy at the same time.  In hindsight, as good as this was, this meal likely would have been more volume-manageable had I opted out of the soup combo.

The service was on the slow side, but we were in good company so it wasn’t that big of a deal.  However, it was a bit inconvenient in that I had to get up and go request an extra spoon so that JC could try some (GummyLee:  you really should not have opted out.  Just TASTE it!).

JC ordered the Hunter stew ($13.50).  This is a fairly popular dish that I had seen reviewed on several websites.  It did not disappoint.

We giggled about the fact that it came in a Korean sul rong tang bowl but this was even more satisfying than the soup (and that says something coming from an Asian girl).  It was so flavourful, and the meat was so soft and tender.  However, the portions are so massive that JC only managed to put down half of it.  The rest of it got doggie bagged; but she was not alone in the doggie bagging.

GummyLee ordered the potato pancake ($12.50).  I think the next time I go there, I’m going to order that too. 

This was unbelievably delicious.  The potato pancake was the perfect level of crispiness.  It was also amazingly fluffy.  I’m trying not to gush and use too many superlatives, but it’s avoidable.  I’m drooling just thinking about it.  There was a lot of meat filling that was again the perfect texture.  The sauce was a little bit sweet (in a good way) and gave such a feeling of comfort.  I’m not much for beets (so I didn’t try them) and there was too much food on the table so I didn’t try the carrots either, but the cole slaw was out of this world.  I don’t generally like cole slaw.  In my life, most of my cole slaw experiences were with KFC.  It’s so much mayonnaise, and it glows in the dark.  It’s just so disgusting.  I’d rather eat their mushy macaroni salad.  But at GummyLee’s insistent urging, I gave the slaw a try and it was truly a great slaw experience.  It wasn’t drowning in mayonnaise, and it was light and fresh.  It had the perfect kick of sour with a light sweetness.  You could see (and more importantly, taste) the black pepper and the whole thing still had a bit of crunch.  I’ve now learned how to appreciate good cole slaw.  The funny thing is, despite being such a phenomenal dish Gummy wasn't even able to take down a third of it.  Her doggie bag encompassed almost her entire entrée.

Finally, we get to the reason this all happened – pierogi.

Maybe this doesn’t look that impressive, but that’s because you didn’t taste it.  I would like you to behold, twelve pillows of the most perfect pierogi I’ve had to date.  The pastry is not sticky or gummy.  The sauerkraut and mushroom filling dances lightly on your tongue and leaves you with a warm and happy taste memory as it travels down to your belly.  That little container on the left is onions sautéed in bacon fat (I know, sounds so unhealthy) but it makes a huge difference to the eating experience.  They make it themselves at this restaurant.  However, despite serving me a dozen pockets of heaven, I only managed to down five of them.  I took the other five home (I can do math, JC and Gummy each had one to taste.  So that’s twelve).  Just as a side note, when I reheated these babies the next day, they tasted just as good as they did at the restaurant.  You know food is really good when the leftovers taste as good as when it was originally served.

We also ordered three cabbage rolls as appetizers ($6), because what’s Eastern European food without cabbage rolls?  However, we ended up eating our entrées first.  We were so unsuccessful at finishing our entrées because the food portions were so huge.  If I had known, I would have opted to skip out on the rolls.  Actually, no.  I take that back.  I’m so glad we ordered these. 

My first real encounter with cabbage rolls (aside from the ones I made when I was first learning to cook), were the ones my ex-boyfriend’s mom made.  MV’s mom’s cabbage rolls were out of this world.  In fact, shortly after we broke up, she called me at work one day (because my office was very close to their house) and asked me to drop by.  When I got there, she presented me with a package of cabbage rolls that she had made and frozen for me in a little care package.  What did she say?  “I don’t know if or when I’ll get to see you again but I know how much you love these so I purposely made them for you to take home.”  His mom was so sweet.  But I digress.  I haven’t had cabbage rolls since then.  So I was pretty excited about ordering these.  And man, they did NOT disappoint.

They were not drowning in sauce like I’ve seen them served at other restaurants and the sauce wasn’t over powering.  It was flavourful, but in a light complimentary sort of way.  It didn’t completely smother the wonderful taste of the soft filling.  It was so yummy!!  My tummy was very full but very happy.  Not quite the same as MV’s mom’s but definitely a new favourite.   And yes, even this, we did not finish.  We each ate half a cabbage roll, and tossed the other half in with the rest of our takeout.

So what did the after photo look like?  Usually, at successful Foogasmic events, every dish is practically spotless.  Ironically, at this AMAZING foogasmic event, this is the “after” shot.

I know I said this is the after shot, but what Foogasmic event is complete without dessert?  Yes.  You read that correctly.  We ordered apple strudel.  And WHAT A STRUDEL!?

It was the perfect sweetness.  It was warmed.  Our forks cut through it like a hot knife through butter.  No chewing was required because each bite would just melt in your mouth.  We could’ve done without the ice cream.  And there was no regret with this.  So much so, that the after shot looks like this:

So the verdict?

For all of you who couldn’t make it (or made up a phoney excuse because for some reason you thought you had something else better to do ;) ), you missed out on the most phenomenal foogasmic eat fest to date.  JC, GummyLee and I agreed that this was up there as one of the most phenomenal meals we’ve ever had… and the damage?  $66 including tax and tip.  Not each.  Total.  So for $22 each, we had a fabulous meal, and enough fabulous leftover to be a second meal (or in Gummy’s case, second and third).

You know what this means?  Next time I ask you if you want to visit a Polish oasis in Toronto, you’d better not say “no.”

Peterborough Lift Lock

Located in Peterborough Ontario, the Peterborough Lock is #21 on the Trent Severn Waterway System. Although there are lifts that are higher, at 65 feet it is the worlds highest hydraulic lift. The lock works using a counterweigt system and is not dependant on any external power supply.

The Big Nickel

 Sudbury Ontario is home to what The Guinness Book of Records calls the world`s largest coin. The coin sits on the property of Dynamic Earth and is a 30 ft replica of a Canadian 1951 nickel.

Casa Loma

Visitors can go on guided tours of  Casa Loma located in Toronto Ontario. The castle took 300 men three years to build at a cost of aprox. $3.5 million. Upon it`s completion in 1914 the 98 room castle was considered to be the largest private home in North America.

Niagra Falls (Horseshoe Falls)

The Falls were created when glaciers receded at the end of the last ice age and serve as a border between Ontario Canada and the state of New York. Visitors can ride below the falls on the glass bottomed Maid of the Mist.

The Canadian National Exhibition (C.N.E)

Located at Exhibition Place in Toronto Ontario, The C.N.E is the largest fair in Canada. The fair is open from mid August to Labor Day. Attractions include a working farm, midway rides, international food pavilions, as well as the three day International Air Show.

Black Creek Pioneer Village

Located in Toronto Ontario, Black Creek Pioneer Village is the perfect place to step back in time. Take a guided tour through an authentic pioneer town and see how things used to be done.

Blue Mountain Scenic Caves

Located just outside of Collingwood, two hours North of Toronto, Blue Mountain offers visitors so much more than just a breathtaking view. You can spend your day re-discovering natural caves or walking over the suspension bridge that is 25 metres above ground and 300 metres over Georgian Bay. Those who need some extra excitement, they can rid a Zip cord down the side of the mountain. Be sure to wear your hiking shoes.

The Girl suggested we hit up the Niagara region, specifically the tiny village of Niagara-On-The-Lake. This is a part of Southern Ontario known famously for its wineries, antiques, and of course the popular Shaw Festival: a theatrical festival celebrating the works of playwright George Bernard Shaw. At first I was hesitant, hearing largely that the area attracted an older crowd. Regardless, The Girl marched on making preparations for the day in spite of my fears of this generation gap. “It won't matter after going wine tasting,” I thought to myself.

It was decided that both of us would take Friday off and start on our little journey to the Niagara Region around 11 AM, life moves at a slower pace down there for the better, so why not start the day off with a relaxing little sleep in! Heading down the Q.E.W. we slowly saw the city fade into suburban bliss, developments dotted alongside the highway turned into bungalows with spacious lawns, and finally rows of grape trees neatly lined up one after the other as far as the eye could see.

Our lineup of activities consisted of grabbing a bite to eat, some wine tasting, and then taking in the matinee performance of “Mrs Warren's Profession”. The area itself is pleasing to the eye; large trees and lush lawns engulf the area as you head down winding roads into the main strip of town on Queen Street. It is here where most of the action takes place. Unique gift shops, restaurants, old historic buildings, horse drawn carriages, hotels, and two of the Shaw theatres neatly file down the large street as people leisurely stroll up and down.

After taking a short drive down the main strip, parking and paying a mere dollar for an hours worth of time (a dollar!), we headed into the “Stagecoach Family Restaurant”, a bustling diner with fast and courteous service. I ordered a BLT and The Girl opted for a very authentic Greek salad in a place that seemed like it wouldn't serve one. Our meals came and went quickly, the staff gets the throngs of people in and out in a timely fashion (with no push to rush) in order to cater to their consistently full house.

The Niagara region is well known for its numerous vineyards, providing the country and the world with award winning wines. After driving around and scoping out the scene, we settled on Pellar Estates Winery, a sprawling vineyard with a beautiful building which houses the wine tasting and event areas for those special occasions. The place literally transports you to the wine tasting centres of the world like the Nappa Valley, especially when that trip to California isn't exactly in your budget at the moment.

Our sommelier Mike greets us with a warm welcome, something that we've grown accustomed to since arriving in the area - everyone is friendly! Over the next hour he educates us on the different methods of wine tasting, all the while making us feel like he is totally not selling anything. We learn about the proper tasting techniques, how to enjoy your wine, and how the glass makes a difference when tasting. We make sure not to take in too much of the tasting; we still have to go see a play! After some recommendations from Mike, we proceed to the exit - with a couple of bottles for later on at home of course!

Finally we arrive at the last destination of our fun little day trip away from the city, a performance of Bernard Shaw's “Mrs Warren's Profession”. One of Shaw's raciest plays (the house programme tells me that it was banned practically everywhere when it was first produced) it focuses on Mrs. Kitty Warren, a hard working mother providing for her daughter Vivie. Upon learning of how her mother obtained such wealth, scandal breaks loose and mother and daughter battle each other over love, sex, money, and morality.

The play is housed in the large “Festival Theatre”, the Shaw's flagship theatre that can seat up to 856 people and is used for large-scale productions. With a café and outdoor patio, we decide to enjoy another drink before the show starts and also take in a stroll around the surrounding garden. The production is as racy as it was described to be. I will admit that Shaw's “Pygmalion” is one of my all time favourite plays, so I have nothing but glowing things to say about this playwright.

With our day at an end, we lazily made our way back to the car and headed back to the grind and noise of the city. On a whole the trip was a great change of pace, and we're thinking of going back for a weekend to try out some one of the lovely bed and breakfast's or inns around the area. For a fun, interesting, and relatively inexpensive trip, the Shaw Festival along with the village of Niagara-On-The-Lake is a great place to head to relax the soul and stimulate the mind!

Toronto is a record-breaking place - the CN Tower is the world's tallest complete structure, Yonge Street is the world's longest at 1,896km and PATH is the world's largest underground shopping centre at 371,000 square metres.

This clean and welcoming city of 2.7 million people is also the world's most culturally diverse, so you can not only sample maple syrup, but a whole range of fantastic restaurants showcasing the world's menus.

For example, the CN Tower is home to the 360 Restaurant with the world's highest wine cellar and in the Distillery District you will enjoy eating at The Pure Spirits Oyster House and Grill.

Visit the Royal Ontario Museum and the CN Tower, and enjoy the contrasts between state of the art modern blocks and older architecture dating back to the first British settlers in 1793.

Well-informed tour guides will show you both the modern and traditional in this city of many nationalities before you return to your hotel. Recommended places to stay include the Novotel Toronto, situated in an attractive area once below the surface of Lake Ontario, until it was filled in here to extend the city, and the Sheraton on the Falls.

A couple of hours south of Toronto are must-see Niagara Falls, where you can witness the 53m high falls for yourself by helicopter, or get drenched by the spray in the Maid of the Mist boat.

Not far from Niagara, wine lovers will love Ontario's wineries, which offer tastings. Taste the country's famous ice wine, made from crushing frozen grapes.

Or you can travel three hours north to the Algonquin National Park, which is jaw-droppingly beautiful and one of the last true wildernesses of our planet. Outdoor enthusiasts can canoe or kayak on Opeongo Lake, or take an explorers tour and view the amazing wildlife, including moose and birds of prey.

With its good exchange rates and cheaper living costs than many other countries, Canada offers superb value and an experience you will want to relive over and over again.

Check these out for more information

• Ontario: Yours to Discover
  
• Niagara Helicopters
• Maid of the Mist

A few weeks ago, my friends and I went to try out Four. It's a new restaurant in the heart of corporate Toronto and it boasts healthy dishes only: all dishes are less than 650 calories.

I wasn't going to write about it because it was a huge disappointment. But after I read this article in the Globe & Mail, I decided that some truth needed to be shared.

I deliberately waited three weeks after opening to go. Although my dinner at Two Rosehill (this was many years ago; it's now called Rosehill Venue Lounge) on opening night was spectacular, I don't expect every restaurant to be like that. Some places have a lot of glitches to work out. Unfortunately, even after three weeks, Four still had several.

The reason everything is less than 650 calories is because it's just expensive, oversized tapas. The dishes are too big to be considered tapas, but too small to be considered full-sized main courses. Just because something is all natural and fresh doesn't mean that it's automatically good. If I took a fresh orange and squeezed it on a piece of fresh chicken, rolled it in organic cocoa powder and then steamed it, I doubt it'll taste fantastic. It might not taste horrible (though I suspect it will), but it certainly won't be the epitome of "yum."

The other thing I couldn't stand was the fact that the wait staff didn't know anything about the dishes. A fish dish was served up and there was a large pitcher with some sort of broth in it. When I said, "Wow. This is an elaborate set up. How do we eat this?" The response was, "I don't know." Oh great. So if the staff doesn't know, how the heck are customers supposed to know. Sheesh.

The desserts, though not special, were probably the best thing we got. The four of us (yes, four of us went to dinner at Four) all agreed that in future we'd come back just to have drinks and dessert, but the food was definitely overrated.

So people hate Montreal politics and may eye Ottawa for its scenic Rideau canal but then again Montreal has its mountain in the middle with its tam-tam goers that frequent the slopes religiously. It has become the city of festivals which although attractive has had its downside. There are two many festivals concentrated not only over the summer period but also over the winter as well. I used to think that planners would run out of buyers but it appears the city is strong enough to sustain all of them yet the viewing public for some may be less than others.

Toronto has the atmosphere of being like a middle American city. I get the impression of not being able to make more than several appointments in a day, something I can do in Montreal with relative ease. Alright the city is on an island whereas Toronto has now spread out to encompass cities that were once suburbs like Scarborough. Rent in Toronto is astronomical compared to Montreal, one would have to pay at least 700 bucks for a basement apartment which may nit be conveniently located. While in Montreal it is still possible to live on your own, above ground for 500 near the center of the city.

One way to choose affordable housing is not just by looking on the web but by scanning ads in local papers and consulting bulletin boards. I would check in with the older tenant to see what the rental hike would be before jumping in.

Since I am into directing/producing short films these days besides finding artsy venues to show my art, I'll choose Montreal over Ottawa or Toronto as a place to get people involved and by the relative easiness to find spaces and venues to put on shows or do rehearsals. Again with Ottawa there aren't as many repertoire cinemas or joints with a screen as there are in Montreal be it a café or converted cinema establishment. Toronto is too spread out. When I was there a couple of years ago for their festival it took me too long to combine visiting venues that I was able to do in Montreal or Ottawa.

One can still get volunteers by the dozen in this city, people who will work in order to further their expertise or if they are students to add something on their resume or school curriculum that they were able to assist a production company in order to make a marketable product. This may be true for Toronto and Ottawa but then again because of the higher standard of living and working low budgets I wouldn't choose Toronto unless I were able to crash at someone. The number of student films and student work posted on the web for Toronto puts Montreal and Quebec to shame.

They have almost every game ive ever looked for, even the old NES games.

Wide library of video games. However their prices when it comes to new games are quite expensive and a game may drop over $40 (if you bought it new) when you try to sell it. The staff are very rude, so forget about asking them to test it (unless you are very persistent like me). If you are going to icemans keep your old games, and buy them used, because the price isnt worth it. The library of cheap classics more than makes up for it though

4.5/5

2. Microplay.

Basically like EB games, except cheaper, but with a smaller library. A new 60 dollar game, opened 5 minutes ago may cost $15 there. THey are useful for pre-orders. If you want to give a gift a microplay gift card is great. I find that the staff are willing to help, and are usually more than happy to test a used game before selling it.

4.5/5

3.EB games.

This store has a wide selection of modern games, and good staff. This store will probably rip you off the least when it comes to selling a game. However they are very progressive and do not keep the classics that we have all come to love today. Forget SNES they do not even have play station (1) games.

4/5

4. Best Buy

In terms of prices best buy cannot be beat. Oh yes their prices are so high you will have trouble finding somewhere more expensive. Since its quite a big store testing is out of question. But you can always count on them having the latest games or allowing you to pre-order them. I have NEVER had any trouble with them.

3/5

5. China Town

Whats more to say? Cheapest games in Toronto. As long as you have a mod chip in your console which costs about $80 games are cheap there. Since its not an actual store theres no money back, waranty, or any other luxuries that you are used to.

2/5