Barista Sam James will open the doors to a surprise second location, Sam James Coffee Pocket, at 688 A Bloor Street West sometime this weekend. The media darling, whose Harbord Street Sam James Coffee Bar was the winner of our recent Best Cappuccino in Toronto poll, decided to keep his second, 120 square-foot, location a secret until today. I met up with James a few hours ago to get the scoop.

The Business Woman's Special (BWS) marked its one year anniversary last night at their monthly queer party at Augusta House in Kensington Market. The party is one of the now many queer events taking place outside the Church and Wellesley Village.

Leaving the village to party is not new for Toronto's queer community. However, parties like BWS, Yes Yes Y'all and Big Primpin' are creating a newer, more casual, fun-loving and inclusive queer community outside of a centralized gay scene.

Fresh off his battle against Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone, Chef Jean Pierre Challet is full of inspiration and is ready to teach Torontonians a thing or two about dining.

After designing and opening the kitchen in the Windsor Arms over ten years ago, chef JP Challet is returning to the boutique hotel to open his restaurant, Ici. Along with partners Jennifer Decorte and Peter Tsang, Challet plans to open his restaurant with a concept that could very well spell the death of fine dining in Toronto.

When chef Jean Pierre Challet applied for a liquor licence for his new restaurant Ici Bistro, he dreamed of a place where locals could meet over brioche. Little did he know he would instead bring the community together over a political battle that still lies smouldering.

After working for years in some of Toronto's most respected restaurants (The Fifth, Le Select Bistro, Windsor Arms Hotel, Auberge du Pommier) Challet turned his attention to opening a small bistro on the corner of Harbord and Manning. He was confident he had chosen the right location.