Sweets from the Earth was around long before vegan eats became 'mainstream' (mainstream in Toronto, that is). Poised to soon celebrate its 10th birthday, this all-natural, vegan, and nut-free bakery began humbly in the apartment of Montreal native Ilana Kadonoff.

Toronto's east end fashion stores tend to fall under the radar compared to those in the west. Admittedly, Dundas West and West Queen West seem to be the go-to spot of the masses when looking for new independent design, but the Queen streetcar does, indeed, run the other way! There are plenty of fashion destinations in Leslieville with their spring and summer styles already in bloom, as well as the odd Danforth shop where you can find a great skirt between spanakopita stops. If you're looking to replenish your spring/summer wardrobe, you might want to head to some of these boutiques over on the east side.

There's a silent war being waged throughout Toronto's restaurant scene, and the battle is happening below the guise of that cheery-seeming Saturday dinner reservation for two.

Toronto restaurants were once ruled by a monopoly of sorts, with only one major service provider offering online reservation capabilities. That provider was OpenTable, and if you've ever made a dinner reservation for a Toronto restaurant through the web, you've probably used it. No doubt about it — OpenTable has the Toronto upper hand with hundreds of area restaurants signed up to its service.

Here's something to lessen the misery of continuing classes into the summer: Balzac's Coffee has arrived on Ryerson University's campus. Formerly confined to Timmie's or bring-your-own, students and staff can now enjoy espresso that doesn't come from a one-button machine, along with pastries and treats.

Read my profile of Balzac's (Ryerson) in the cafes section.

Kids are given free run to paint and do crafts, supervised by staff, while parents sip lattes and munch carrot slaw--I think some sort of saviour just landed on Roncesvalles. This new cafe caters to both kids and parents, with crafts, books, and toys for the kiddos and fresh panini and coveted moments of peace for parents.

Read my profile of Smock Cafe in the cafe section.

There are plenty of places to get an antique chandelier or dining room table in Parkdale, but few also stock 19th century peanut machines, decades-old vespas and big signs that read Prescriptions. This is Bill Jarman's haunt, recently renovated for extra room and always brimming with his latest finds. Just don't be deterred by the "Girl to Gorilla" banner.

Read my profile of Hideaway Antiques in the design section.