International Chefs Day isn't officially until tomorrow (Oct 20) but this past crisp and sunny fall Saturday was when Toronto got to celebrate it at Yonge-Dundas Square.

For $2 or $3 apiece, chefs from across the city sold their culinary creations in celebration of their profession while supporting the non-profit Second Harvest.

This week the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) launched four cultural food guides highlighting where city dwellers can buy locally grown ingredients for Chinese, South Asian, Middle Eastern and African Caribbean cuisine.

Foodies, Philanthropists and some local entrepreneurs all got together Friday night to rub elbows, grease some wallets, and help out some much-in-need Canadian Athletes from the CAN foundation. Add a healthy set of wine, beer and Scotch pairings to warm the rain soaked evening up, and some local delicious treats mingled in-between sips, and you have one well-rounded event. The charming historical Campbell House was the setting for the foodie-fueled fundraiser, its small intimate hallways and corridors proving to be a good way to get to know other guests quickly.

Eco-gourmands descended upon the Brick Works Sunday afternoon to feast on slow food served up by some of Toronto's most prominent locavore chefs, inspired by the cuisine of countries far and wide. With more than 60 food stations - and a personal commitment to trying something from each one - it sometimes felt like a dine and dash to get to the next booth. OK, maybe that's the glutton in me talking.

But at an event like this, it's impossible not to stop and smell the food and fall into lively conversation with a chef, farmer or other guest. The free-flowing wine (15+ wineries) and beer helped too, conveniently intermingled amongst the food purveyors.

While wandering the streets during Toronto's 4th all night contemporary art thing, you're bound to get hungry.  So I decided to create a "survivor guide" breaking down where and when you can get your eat and drink on during this year's Nuit Blanche.

Of course, there will be Toronto's normal proliferation of hot dog vendors scattered throughout the city. And you better believe most of them will be keeping extended hours, especially in high traffic zones. But if you're feeling a little more adventurous, I have broken down eats and drinks by zone with my picks of the restaurants, bars and cafes worth spending money at.

iYellow Wine School is now offering up a social and approachable way to learn about wine - touting price tag of $25 a class, a laid-back atmosphere, and an hour and a half of casual wine drinking.

Wine is a pleasure as complex as it is simple, as universal as it personal. And like most things in the food-o-sphere there is an infinite amount to know in understanding, evaluating and appreciating it. Terroir, micro-climates, soil (or lack thereof), blending, aging and vintage are just a few of the words that buzz around wine events and tastings to the chagrin of the wine novice.

So when I heard about a new wine school on the block, I thought I would check it out.