Sandy De Almeida is a busy woman. In addition to holding things down Friday and Saturday nights at the Gladstone Hotel, she also moonlights behind the bar at Churchill, Unit and Reposado. And while she's more than capable of pumping out vodka sodas at breakneck speeds for the weekend warriors of West Queen West, she's at her best when she's crafting cocktails and shooting the shit with whomever might be hunched over her bar that night.

I met up with Sandy on her day off to talk about movies, public nudity and New York City.

Whether it's printmaking or developing new sausage combinations, Zocalo's chef Joel MacMillan devotes himself to both creative mediums. The artist turned chef now showcases the country comforts he grew up with and the communal dining style he enjoys in a small, yet inspired menu. It's local, simple, honest food.

Rick Madonik has traveled the world and back as a photographer — shooting everything from conflict zones overseas to our local sports teams over the years. A photographer at The Toronto Star since 1999, he's had an eventful and compelling career. He highlights the 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver as one of most exciting times (after all, he was there to capture Sidney Crosby's reaction to the big goal). He's also received some well deserved recognition along the way, winning the George Gross Award for Outstanding photography.

It's easy to see how a shop like Bunner's has been so successful in such a short time. Its goods are sweet, wholesome and delicious while catering to those with restricted diets and sensitivities. Recently, I met up with baker and co-owner Ashley Wittig to talk about food, friends, flours, and the future of her specialty bake-shop.

From the moment he stumbled across the property (formerly an old record store), chef Russell Nicholls had a vision for the space. While the east side, he says, was written off at the time, Nicholls dreamed of opening a coffee shop that would capture the essence of the diners he frequented when he was younger. Fourteen years later, Aunties and Uncles (named after a Jam song) has become one of Toronto's most beloved brunch spots with its unique retro aesthetic and comfort fare. Though he's worked at fine dining restaurants, Nicholls says it always come down to serving simple, well-valued food, in a space where his customers can call home.

Toronto is a hub of photography. In addition to being one of the most photographed cities in the world, some of the best professional and amateur photographers out there can be found roaming our streets with camera in hand. To keep tabs on all this local talent, we regularly feature the work of a Toronto-based photographer in our series "Toronto through the lens of."