Eating Fresh

Eating Fresh

 I’ve been eating at Fresh for at least ten years and been working there for the last year. And really, I couldn’t be luckier to have this kind of access to such healthy and delicious food (especially as a student!). Fresh is a vegan juice bar and restaurant which is locally owned. There are four of them in Toronto. I work at the Spadina location, just south of Queen, as a cashier and hostess.  

 The food at fresh, well, is fresh, to say the least. They use unique ingredients to make balanced and flavourful dishes, that anyone, even carnivores can enjoy. My favourite juice is the Red Velvet, that’s strawberry, beets, pineapple and ginger. It’s hard to narrow down my favourite dish, but for now I’m going to go with my classic choice which is the Beach Bowl. First there’s a choice of brown basmati rice, or soba noodles, topped with roasted red pepper, sweet potato and zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, avocado, sunflower sprouts, olive oil, tamari, mixed herbs, lemon AND again your choice of grilled tofu steaks or chevre. I always go with the chevre, however, if I’m feeling extra peckish then I’ll treat myself to both!

       

                                                                                       

And it’s just such a fun environment to work in. It gets crazy busy, but I am part of a fabulous team of young woman who run the front of house. My older brother works at Fresh too, as a cook, although because of school we barely end up having shifts at the same time. But we did meet up at the staff party this past weekend, which was at the Piston on Bloor. I love staff parties because you get to see such a different side to everyone!

Anyways, I love where I work, I suggest you come and try something new.

~ Michaela Woeller

Word Count: 302

The Hidden Gem that is Hamilton - Stephanie Perez

The Hidden Gem that is Hamilton

Hamilton skyline at night

 

I am from the “Steel City”. Yes, that’s right I’m a steel city girl. You know that delightful image of the smoke stacks you get when you go over the skyway bridge to Buffalo for some cross border shopping? Well I was raised there and I have a secret to share with you, it’s the most incredible city.

Hamilton is the oldest city in Ontario. It’s a city so steeped in history I swear you can feel it. Hamilton also has a wonderful mix of culture, nature and nightlife.

Hamilton is known as “The Waterfall Capital of The World” with over 100 waterfalls. The waterfalls and their surroundings are incredibly beautiful and you will find yourself hypnotized by their majesty and sound.  There are several easy to climb trails among the waterfalls where you can ride your bike or take in a picnic.

 It’s even more impressive in the wintertime when the waterfalls freeze into ice sculptures. The natural escarpment on which the waterfalls are located provide for scenic jogging and running. These are accessed by any one of the 5 staircases along the escarpment edge. You will often see fitness enthusiasts breaking a sweat on the stairs. The Bayfront Park stretches along Hamilton’s harbour. It has a very “Central Park” feel with lush tall trees lots of lawn space and adulations. The park has an abundance of swans geese and ducks to enjoy. Fishing and sailing are popular activities here as the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club sits right on the park. In the warmer months you will see families taking evenings strolls along the water. Here are provisions for bike lanes as well.

 Hamilton’s Durand neighborhood is a living museum with the largest concentration of in-tact 20^th century mansions in Canada.  These buildings are a marvel to take in with a coffee had from Locke St. , a bustling village very close to this tony neighborhood with gourmands, restaurants and shops.

If you’d like to take in some art, please visit on the second Friday of any month where Hamilton’s James St. N has “Artcrawl”. All the galleries have an open house.  “SuperCrawl” is Artcrawl on steroids with live bands in the street and food trucks galore- you MUST check this out.

And finally, when you get in the mood to dance, head down to Hess Village for posh nightclubs, down to earth pubs, live music and food!

 The small street gets overrun by party goers. It’s also a great place to drive through in your Ferrari or Lamborghini in the summer as you will have the attention of all the patio dwellers.

So, the next time you and your friends are looking for something different to do and want a break from the congestion of the big city (and the even bigger price tags), take the west bound ramp and find yourself in Hamilton.

Saving for the Non-believers

Saving For The Non-Believers

One of the most frustrating things that I find and I am sure that many others also find frustrating is trying to save money! It can be difficult for a number of reasons. Perhaps you have an enormous phone bill that you racked up in the last month or your paying off your credit card because you HAD to have the matching Coach purse and shoes. Whatever the case may be, it can be frustrating however I have come across some helpful tips to get you on the road to a more fuller and satisfying bank account.

After a year of being in post secondary education, I have noticed that things sure do add up! You need to pay transportation such as bus tickets or gas for those who drive to class, maybe you buy your lunches from on campus facilities or maybe you are paying your own way through college like my self. In the end, you are left with a whole in your pocket and a lot of stress on your plate. By going through these more often than not situations, I have discovered doing a little research on how to save is extremely useful and beneficial. It's helped me, maybe it will help you!

For those who have not heard of it, go open a Tax-Free Savings Account or more commonly known as a TFSA. A TFSA offers bankers an opportunity to save money, grow interest on their end-of-month balance and not get taxed! TFSA's may require an initial deposit, however it won't be a high deposit. At the end of each month you gain interest on your final balance and it gets added to your amount, so your account grows and grows with each amount you add!

Secondly, what I found that works for me, is to take all the small change that you have accumulated in your wallets, jacket pockets and the bottom of your purse and throw it in a jar! Really, it's a great way to save and adds more incentive to save more. I know it is great to have that spare change laying around so you can grab a large coffee first thing in the morning, but wouldn't it be more rewarding to save that $2 each day? By the end of the week you have $14!

Lastly, another thing that probably has helped me and probably many others in the long run, is write down everything you make on your pay cheque, write down what you need to pay for the month and with what ever you have left, put a majority of it in your savings and leave the rest for a bit of pocket money to lean on. When you have visuals in front of you, it makes it extremely clear as to where your money is going and what you have left.

To everyone that feels saving is near to impossible and just does not believe they can do it, it is possible and with the right attitude and self control, you will be surprised at exactly how much you can save.