[Image Credit: @ryerson_u ] It’s safe to say that not spending time on campus at Ryerson this year has left many restaurants nearby that rely on foot traffic from students and nearby offices to thrive, in need of support. So many great spots shutdown this year, but many opened as well!  If you find yourself downtown looking for a spot to grab a quick bite to eat, here are 5 of my favourite restaurants near Ryerson that you need to visit: 1. Canaima Cafe View this post on Instagram A post shared by Canaima Cafe (@canaimacafe.inc) This new spot just […]

Image Credit: Paolina Loseto The moment the city of Toronto went on lockdown in March 2020, my brain automatically went “get me out of here.” One of my biggest goals for the longest time, is to travel to as many places I can and COVID-19 has only furthered my dreams to jet off to anywhere and everywhere I’ve never been. Of course it isn’t safe yet to travel, but who says you can’t get ahead on planning (and saving) for an amazing getaway.  In other words, if you’re like me and you plan on traveling again once it’s safe to […]

[Image by: Rosalind Chang via UnSplash] There’s so many amazing spots in Toronto to grab bubble tea, but they’re often overshadowed by well-known brands like Chatime and Coco. Sometimes I feel hesitant to try new places because I’ve developed this brand loyalty to the two spots I’m most familiar with. After making an active effort to order drinks from other stores, I’m here to share my current top five bubble tea spots, plus my favourite drinks from them. Shuyi Tealicious View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paolina | Toronto Food Blog (@paothebao) Shuyi Tealicious has such a […]

(cover image: by @tetiana_bykovets Unsplash) In my last article “How to Be a Better Morning Person” I mention the importance of starting your day with breakfast. It’s referred to as the most important meal of the day for a reason! Break that overnight fast by fueling your body with good foods that will keep you energized for the rest of the day.  Here are 5 breakfast options that I find are not only quick to make before that morning lecture starts, but also won’t cost you too much to prepare. 1. Oatmeal View this post on Instagram A post shared […]

Cover image – @FreeStocks via UnSplash It’s the start of a new semester and if you’re like me, that means you need to readjust your sleeping schedule to work with all your early classes – you need to become a morning person! I hate being tired during my lectures, which tends to happen when I wake up ten minutes before they start and log into zoom.  To prevent that early morning fatigue, here are 5 tips that I use, to help make getting up a little bit easier: 1. Don’t Hit Snooze I know, it’s tempting. Would an extra five minutes […]

Photo by Dan Gold via Unsplash With dining in at restaurants not happening in the near future and COVID-19 cases rising, your favourite local restaurants need your support now more than ever. There are many initiatives going on right now in Toronto that aim to help restaurants stay afloat as best they can. One that I think you need to hear about (which is student budget friendly) is Rally for Restaurants.  This campaign is backed by Stella Artois and their parent company: Labatt Breweries of Canada. Rally for Restaurants aims to encourage people to purchase either $25 or $50 gift […]

Image Credit: @timmossholder via:unsplash This holiday season, do your best to shop from local Canadian brands! If you’re looking for some cool gift ideas and want to support small businesses, I’ve got five shops and their creators right here for you. See what products they have in store and also get to know a little bit about their owners while you’re here! All five shops produce handmade items that can be the PERFECT holiday gift for your loved ones this season (and every season really). From soy candles to macarons, I guarantee you’ll find something you love. The Lloyd Brown […]

If you’re a foodie like me, takeout and delivery are your best friends right now. With so many options to choose from and platforms to order on it’s hard to decide what to try. Here I have some restaurants I’ve already ordered from, plus a list of others I’ve been meaning to try. Be sure to follow my food instagram @PaoTheBao to see my food adventures and tag me in yours!  Lai Wah Heen One of my favourite dim sum spots, Lai Wah Heen’s quality and flavour doesn’t suffer through delivery. It’s a family tradition to go to dim sum […]

With everything going on regarding COVID-19, the food and hospitality industry in Toronto along with many other industries has taken a big hit. Many Asian businesses in particular have suffered greatly the last few months because of various societal opinions regarding the virus. It’s hard enough for small restaurants to survive in big cities like Toronto that boast hundreds of chain restaurants, but to lose valuable business due to race just isn’t right. Obviously, right now going out isn’t recommended, but when we won’t have to social isolate again, I’ll probably be visiting one of these Asian restaurants first and […]

Looking for affordable lunch spots close to campus? Here are some inexpensive restaurants near Ryerson that you should visit if you haven’t already. They’re listed in order of closest to furthest from campus. Pizza Shab Pizza Shab’s downtown location opens at 11:30AM, is right on campus (113 Bond Street) and they serve what they call rollings pizza. Essentially its giant pizza pocket, with pizza dough enclosing cheese, veggies, and meat, then covered in sauce. It’s $14 for one of these, which is cut into five slices, more than enough to share between two people. The rollings pizza was so good, […]

Sometimes you crave eggs, other times maybe pancakes. Regardless, everyone loves breakfast foods. Here are five places around campus you can check out, that serve all day breakfast. FRANS Who hasn’t heard of Frans Diner? They have two locations right by campus, one on Victoria street, the other on College. Serving breakfast favourites, lunch, and dinner options since it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week! What does that mean? You can grab The Big Breakfast, for $13.99 and even get a strawberry milkshake to wash it down for $6. https://www.fransrestaurant.com/menu/ Hours and Location Both open 24 […]

I know it, you know it, and Candadian artist Doris Wai knows it too – we all bottle up our feelings. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes by accident, but more importantly these feelings need to get out at some point. Getting stressed about academics, family, relationships, and just life in general is so common, especially around midterm season. The latest art exhibition at the Urban Gallery by calligrapher Doris Wai is one to visit, to get all those bottled up feelings out, literally.    “Bottled Feelings” is Wai’s first solo exhibit and you have until February 29th to check it out. […]

The Toronto Light Festival is back again for the fourth year in a row, at the Distillery District this winter. With the intention of showing off the art of light, this festival boasts twenty interactive light installations, designed by a combination of local and international artists. Essentially, this is your chance to bundle up, bring your camera and take some insta-worthy pictures. Plus, all of these lighting displays are accompanied by information about the artists and the meaning behind their work.  Despite this annual event being so popular, it is still free to attend! Now you have no excuses to […]

Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit like the Toronto Christmas Market. As soon as we hit November and the weather gets colder, the first thought in my mind is: when am I going to find time to go to the Christmas Market? Especially since the snow arrived earlier than anticipated this season, my eagerness to drop by has been overpowering my need to study for exams. Every year, the Distillery District gets festive from November 14 to December 22 and numerous vendors set up shop, selling handcrafted products and the best winter weather comfort food. I love the holidays […]

Recently, numerous foreign chain businesses have made their way into Canada for the first time. In downtown Toronto, Chick-Fil-A and Eataly have been extremely successful, evident through their constant line ups around the block. Naturally, one thing is clear: Torontonaians love waiting in line for the newest food trend. The latest addition to this list is Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro’s vending machines. That’s right, vending machines that sell freshly baked slices of cake, shipped from Carlo’s Bakery in New Jersey! The first of its kind in Canada, Carlo’s Bake Shop is located in three different buildings downtown: the Richmond-Adelaide […]