October 2019

The Best Bakeries in Toronto

October 11, 2019

There’s nothing quite like the irresistible aroma of freshly baked bread.

There are several excellent bakeries in Toronto where dedicated bakers are kneading dough at the crack of dawn, pulling their soft, warm loaves out of the oven before most city-dwellers are even awake. At these fantastic bakeries, you will find fresh pastries, crusty baguettes, handmade cakes and so much more.

Here are just a few examples of the best bakeries that Toronto has to offer.

The Rolling Pin

The Rolling Pin is one of the most well known bakeries in Toronto, famous for their elaborately decorated over the top donuts. The owners of this bakery, Isabelle and Vanessa, are truly passionate about creating innovative desserts. They experiment with new flavours all the time and they always offer creative taste combinations – such as a Key Lime Pie donut or a marshmallow Fluff filled donut topped with Rice Krispies and drizzled with Nutella. The Rolling Pin also offers baking classes, so you can learn how to make your own unique cake creations.

Through Being Cool Vegan Baking Co.

If you don’t eat animal products, that doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the bakery fun. Through Being Cool is a vegan bakery that serves up everything from cookies, doughnuts and scones – harming no creatures in the process. They believe that vegan food doesn’t always have to be healthy salads and other “rabbit food” – it can be sweet, indulgent baked treats as well! They also serve great coffee, made with high quality beans from Anchored Coffee.

Sweet Hart Kitchen

In a fantastic location just a few streets away from bustling Kensington Market, Sweet Hart Kitchen is a friendly, welcoming bakery serving up gluten-free, allergen-free and entirely vegan options. Everything they make is 100% vegan and uses real, whole ingredients. They avoid artificial flavours and colours and they make sure their ingredients are fair trade, organic and locally sourced whenever possible.

Roselle Desserts

From coffee caramel cakes to lemon tarts to Earl Grey infused cakes, you’ll find a delightful selection of treats at Roselle Desserts. The bakers, Bruce Lee and Stephanie Duong, honed their dessert-making skills in Hong Kong and Paris before they set up shop in Corktown. There is a strong Parisian influence here, with dainty and delicate French pastries decorated with toppings that are as delicious as they are beautiful.

Bakerbots

Located on a side street near Ossington Station, Bakerbots is a friendly and welcoming bakeshop that offers sweets such as cookies, macarons, cupcakes and fruit pies. One of their specialties is ice cream sandwiches, with surprising and delicious flavour combinations such as cocoa and French mint, Burnt marshmallow, Guinness stout and Maple bacon.

Planning a trip to Toronto?

These are just a few of the many delicious bakeries you can check out when you visit Toronto. For a warm and welcoming place to stay during your trip, take a look at our furnished apartments.

Events, Family Vacations in Toronto, Holiday Events, Vacation Travel

Tips for Better Thanksgiving Travel

October 8, 2019

Canadian Thanksgiving, celebrated on the second Monday in October, will take place on Monday October 14th this year (2019).

The week of Thanksgiving can be one of the craziest travel periods of the year, with millions of people flying to visit family and friends for the holiday. This can make things pretty stressful.

However, traveling during Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Here are some tips for your next Thanksgiving getaways.

Smart Thanksgiving Travel Tips

Plan ahead and arrive early, think about the rush hour times for each city you have to drive through. Unexpected delays might happen, so it’s a good idea to build in extra time just in case.
When driving, consider taking the scenic route. Even though the distance may be longer, you won’t end up sitting bumper to bumper so it might be faster.
Download the Waze app. It allows you to see real-time updates on accidents, traffic, police traps and more.
If you’re road tripping with kids, make sure you bring along plenty of books, toys and other distractions to keep them happy and entertained while on the journey.
If you have to travel by plane, save money by flying back on Black Friday. Everyone is too busy shopping and the rates for flights are often much cheaper.
If the airline gives you the option for text messages with flight updates, take it! Sometimes it’s really useful and can alert you to last minute updates.
Also, you can use your smartphone to check-in early and have your boarding pass delivered electronically. This will allow you to bypass the line at the check-in kiosk.
If you can be flexible with your dates, you can usually find last minute deals on Skyscanner.
If you’re tempted to stay in a hotel rather than sleep in the spare room or sofa, hotels are usually underbooked during Thanksgiving and you may be able to find last minute deals.
When bringing food, sweet, treats and other goodies with you on the plane, make sure you check with the airline first. For example, gravies, relishes and jams are often considered “liquid” and are not allowed on the plane.
When it comes to what clothing to pack, the key word is layers. Temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day in the autumn, so make sure you can adjust when things cool down.

Where to Go for Thanksgiving

What if you’re planning to hit the road and enjoy a getaway over the Thanksgiving holiday? There are many different Thanksgiving destinations available throughout Canada and the USA – here are a few great options you might consider.

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee: This family-friendly destination has lots of great festive events around American Thanksgiving. For example, you can enjoy Winterfest, a beautiful celebration of lights.
Toronto, Ontario: Head to the bright lights and big city of Toronto for Thanksgiving. There’s so much to see and do in the city!
Las Vegas, Nevada: Why not go on a Thanksgiving getaway to Sin City and have a bit of fun in the casinos? If you hit the jackpot, you’ll have a lot to be thankful for!
Montreal, Quebec: This beautiful city is so much fun to explore over Thanksgiving. The autumn leaves look spectacular and the weather is just right. Do some shopping, check out the art galleries and more. (Note: Thanksgiving is known as action de grâce in Quebec and it is celebrated slightly less than in other parts of Canada.)
The Adirondacks, New York: This stunning forested area in New York state looks even more beautiful in the autumn as the leaves begin to change colour. Check out the many award-winning spas, golf courses and restaurants in the region.
Chicago, Illinois: Why not pair your Thanksgiving turkey with a deep dish pizza while you explore this exciting and culturally rich American city? Check out the famous stand-up comedy scene and go on an architecture tour (skyscrapers were invented here).
Vancouver Island, British Columbia: Stroll the beaches of Tofino, go on a whale watching tour or take a walking tour of historic downtown Victoria’s turn-of-the-century buildings.
Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee: Explore the great outdoors at one of the most popular National Parks in the USA. With over 150 official hiking trails, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to breathe in the fresh and crisp fall air.

(Keep in mind that if you will be traveling over the border on Thanksgiving long weekend, you should allow for extra time. The border will be busy and you may need to wait in line for quite some time.)

Be Thankful

Last but not least, the most important tip for Thanksgiving travel is to be thankful. Even though your journey may be delayed and crowded, express gratitude for the opportunity to travel with your loved ones and enjoy your holiday.

Business Travel, Community Events, Uncategorized

The Best Team Building Activities in Toronto

October 4, 2019

According to a recent study by the Kenexa Research Institute, companies with highly engaged employees achieved twice the net annual income of companies whose employees were not engaged. In addition, the researchers found social interaction outside the workplace influenced 50% of positive changes in workplace communication.

This means that initiatives that foster employee engagement (ie. team building activities in Toronto) are not only fun. They also have a significant positive impact on the bottom line.

Toronto is an excellent location for corporate team-building. It offers a wide range of options for exciting and memorable activities that will bring a team together. Therefore, here are just a few of the options for team building activities in Toronto:

SPiN Toronto

SPiN is a ping pong social club where you can host a tournament with your entire office, or enroll in ping-pong lessons. The club has two fully licensed bars as well as twelve ping pong tables, a full menu and a private party room. Playing ping pong can be a great ice-breaker and a bit of competition can really bring your team together.

Le Dolci

If your team members are obsessed with sweet treats, they will love the experience of taking part in a cake baking challenge at Le Dolci. The Grand Cake Challenge is a competition to create the perfect dessert and it’s hosted by a professional baker. Your group will split up into small teams of 4-6 people and will design, bake and decorate a sugary masterpieces. In addition, prizes will be awarded for teamwork, originality and execution.

PaintLounge

Take your team for a “social painting” experience at PaintLounge. You’ll get access to high quality painting supplies and you’ll be invited to play around with colours, lines and ideas.
This is a great way for your team to use the creative side of their brains and think in a different way than usual. You don’t have to be Da Vinci to enjoy this activity. In fact, you don’t even have to have any art-making experience at all. If you need help, the artist staff are always there to assist you.

Far Shot

How about axe throwing as a team building activity? This activity is quickly becoming popular for corporate team building and events and it will encourage your team to get outside of their comfort zone. Plus, there’s something extremely satisfying about learning how to deftly throw an axe and hearing it “thunk” as it embeds in the target.

Far Shot, located in Black Creek Pioneer Village, is one of the best places in Toronto to organize an axe-throwing team building event. They are experts at running large group events. The facility has catering, meeting spaces and its own brewery. Meanwhile, your team can also try archery, knife throwing and other games.

Planning team building activities in Toronto?

Delsuites offers high quality furnished apartments in convenient locations. Most importantly, the top notch amenities will make your team feel right at home. To learn more, contact us today.

Business Travel, Downtown Toronto, Uncategorized, Vacation Travel

The Essential Travel Packing List

October 1, 2019

When you are planning for a trip, it really helps to have a travel checklist you can follow along with – to make sure you don’t forget anything important.

Packing can be stressful and it’s easy to accidentally forget something important. With a checklist, you don’t have to think so hard. You can simply follow along with the checklist and make sure you have remember all the travel essentials you wanted to bring.

So, what should you include on your travel packing list? Your packing list for vacation will of course depend on where you are going and what you plan to do when you get there. However, there are a few essentials that you will likely want to bring along with you on any trip – which is why a general international travel packing list is helpful.

The key to packing light is to bring items that are compact and serve multiple purposes. For example, a sarong is a great travel essential. It can roll up very small but it can be used as a scarf, a skirt, a swimsuit cover-up, a towel and even a lightweight sheet or blanket. Another great item is a simple cotton dress that can be worn with casual shoes or sandals during the day, then dressed up with jewellery in the evening.

Also, remember that if you are coming for a long trip you might be able to find the items you need when you arrive. Most items are available in local shops and pharmacies abroad – with the exception of special prescription medication and some other personal items.

Travel Packing List: What to Pack for A Trip

Wondering what to pack for a trip? Here are some of the typical essentials that most travelers will want to bring with them on their trip. You can use this vacation packing list as a base for developing your own unique, personalized packing checklist.

Clothing Essentials Packing List

Socks
Underwear
Bras
T-shirts
Pajamas (although, these are not necessary if you are short on room. You can sleep in a t-shirt)
Swimsuit
Shorts
Jeans
Belt
Dresses
Skirts
Sweaters (even if you’re in a warm destination, pack one lightweight layer for air-conditioned airports and buses)
Scarves
Sandals
Running/Walking Shoes
Purses/Handbags/Wallets
Sarong
Travel towel

Toiletries Packing List

Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Soap
Deodorant
Shampoo/Conditioner (some hotels will have it, but it’s not guaranteed.)
Small packet of laundry detergent (so you can wash your clothes as you go)
Hairbrush
Hair elastics
Hair products (gel, hairspray, mouse, etc.)
Facial Cleanser
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Shaving supplies
Contact lenses and solution
Makeup/Makeup Remover
Tampons/Pads/Diva Cup
Birth control/Condoms
Nail clippers
Tweezers
Hand sanitizer
Bandages
Antibacterial ointment
Painkillers
Insect repellant
Imodium
Motion sickness pills (especially if you will be traveling by boat)
Cold and flu tablets
Medications
Anything specific to the location (such as antimalarial pills)

Electronics & Miscellaneous Items Packing List

Laptop
Smartphone
Chargers
Adapter (research which type of electrical socket is used at your destination!)
Digital camera
Memory card
E-reader
Headphones
Earplugs
Tissues
Gum
Lip Balm
Water bottle
Sunglasses
Important Documents & Travel Necessities
Passport
Flight confirmation
Credit cards
Emergency contacts
Copies of passport/credit card, etc.

Tips for Maximizing Space in Your Luggage

Don’t leave packing to the last minute. Give yourself time to think carefully about what you should bring.
Place the largest and heaviest items in first, then pack the other small items around them.
Bring some laundry powder and wash your clothes in the sink as you go, so you can wear them more than once and don’t have to pack as much. (Wearing clothes with quick-dry fabric really helps with this.)
Wear your bulkiest clothes and shoes while on the plane to save room in your luggage.
Roll your clothes rather than folding them. It saves more space and eliminates creases.
Bring a couple of canvas bags. They roll up small and can be used for dirty laundry, shoes or shopping bags.
Pack items inside other items. For example, roll up socks and put them inside your shoes.
Last but not least – if you want to pack light, simply bring a smaller suitcase. You’ll be forced to choose only the things you really need.

Share your packing tips with us!

What do you include on your packing list? Do you have any smart packing tips you use when you travel? If there’s anything we’ve missed on this vacation checklist, let us know in the comments below.

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