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Mexican done right at Grand Electric, Toronto

Last night I spent the evening at a new restaurant in Toronto called Grand Electric with my friend Pamela. Okay It’s not really new, it’s been around for a while but it’s been written about, and hyped up so much I wanted to let that hype blow over a little before making my way over to try it. 

Grand Electric is a tiny little place in Parkdale that’s serving up Mexican food alongside designer bourbon and whisky drinks. The music is loud—maybe a notch too loud since my voice is raspy from yelling over it this morning—but at least it’s good music… well good if you like 90’s hip hop like Group Home, which I do because, let’s be honest, it’s never been as good as it was in the 90’s, just sayin’… 

The food and drinks are listed on chalk boards around the room in place of actually menus. We started off with some cocktails, I got the Grand Electric Sour complete with frothy egg topping, my dear friend got the Bourbonade which she loved. They also have craft beer and rye drinks and I could see how one could easily drop a wad of cash getting drunk on these $8.00 cocktails, but let’s move on to the food.  

The menu itself is tight, Grand Electric isn’t trying to do something for everyone they just focus on doing what they do, really, really well. Taco’s are a mixture of spicy Arbol chicken, beef cheek, Baja fish, and pork belly al Pastor. You can get single taco at $3.50 a pop or three for $10.00.

These are the baja fish, (delicious!) sorry for the terrible quality of the photo I didn’t bring my camera and had to rely on my phone. (Dear Apple, please hurry up and release the iPhone 5). Anyway, blurry photo or not the baja taco was amazing. My friend got a beef cheek taco as well, I didn’t want to interrupt her taco love to take a photo though. 

We also got the tuna ceviche on a toasted crispy tortilla. I loved the combination of tender citric fish, fresh cilantro, and crunchy tortilla. I might just go back for this. 

By the time dessert rolled around we were stuffed BUT my friend heard rumours of their pie in mason jars—since she’s totally addicted to anything in a mason jar, and I’m totally addicted to anything with pie in it—we ordered up a key lime pie to split.

Pretty sure that could not be cuter. It was also a great way to finish the meal since it’s not at all heavy and it’s not too sweet. I liked that the key lime wasn’t super tart–sometimes the tartness in key lime can be overboard but this wasn’t at all. 

Overall, fantastic food, magnificent music, delicious drinks, and most of all a wonderful chat my lovely friend. 

Grand Electric 1330 Queen Street West  Toronto, ON M6K1L4(416) 627-3459

http://www.grandelectricbar.com/

Open: Sun, Mon, Wed-Sat 6pm—Late

What's with this Rome City Tax?

If you’re looking to book accommodations in Rome, you’ve probably come across some fine print about an additional ‘city tax’—also sometimes referred to as the ‘Rome Tourist Tax’—which is levied against visitors to the city. If the term ‘city tax’ sounds like your hotel is running a scam, rest assure it isn’t. This is unfortunately a real tax that has been in place since 2010. As my grandma always said ‘the only things for sure in life are death and taxes.’It’s no secret that Italy is struggling with their budget, so In 2010 a city councillor in Rome announced that in order to avoid taxing locals extra the government would be instating a hotel tax, because well, who stays in Roman hotels? Tourists—not locals. HOW IT WORKSYou’ll be billed for the hotel room you book, (plus tax of course!) PLUS an additional rate per person, per day based on the star value of the hotel you are staying in. Here is the breakdown:4 & 5-Star Hotels: 3 Euros per person/per night for a maximum of 10 days 1, 2, 3-Star Hotels, B&B, Farm Inns, Rented Rooms, Holiday Homes, Holiday Apartments: 2 Euros per person/per night for a maximum of 10 daysCampsites: 1 Euros per person/per night for a maximum of 5 daysSo the maximum each person can be taxed is 30 Euro (that’s if you stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel for the maximum of ten days). The tax is dropped after the tenth day for hotels (five for campsites) meaning long trips won’t completely bankrupt you. Let’s say you are staying for 15 days for example—you will be taxed 3 Euro per day for the first 10 days (30 Euros p/p) and the remaining 5 days will not have the additional tax. As you can see this can add up to a sizable sum, especially if you are traveling as a pair. If you and your significant other stay in a 4 star hotel for a week, you are looking at an extra 42 Euro on your hotel bill. Just sayin’ that’s a lot of gelato.WHY?You’re probably feeling a bit ripped off right about now. I mean it’s not like we don’t have enough taxes to pay, but keep in mind that many other major cities do the same thing, take New York for instance, you’re charged dollarsignr2.00 per room, per night to stay in a New York hotel, they just call it a “bed tax”. I know, I know, you’re spending a pretty penny to travel, stay, and eat, in an already expensive city, so an extra tax feels like the straw that broke the camel’s back. Just try to keep in mind that these taxes are suppose to go to the restorations of the hundreds of those ruins and monuments that we tourists love so much. Those ancient ruins don’t restore themselves people. Don’t get me wrong, I could argue that this extra money is in-fact not going to restorations. I could say that simply charging more admission to each attraction would be a more logical way to generate the extra dough, but that tends to leave a bad taste in my mouth so I’ll just move on. LOOP HOLE:There aren’t many ways around this tax apart from not visiting or staying in Rome (I shudder at the thought) however, as you can see from the list of accommodations ‘hostels’ are not listed—meaning that they subject to the extra city tax. If hostels are your thing (they certainly aren’t mine) you might be in luck. The only thing I’ll say about this is to check with the hostel you are staying in first. A few of the hostels in Rome are registered as room rentals (or some other type of accommodation), and therefore would be INCLUDED in this city tax. It would be awful if you picked a hostel just to avoid the tax and got a surprise at checkout. HOW DO I MAKE MY MONEY BACK?Okay this isn’t exactly what it sounds, the tax is the tax, and there isn’t any magic refund at the end of your trip if you keep your receipt however, there are a few ways you can save money throughout your stay in Rome that will essentially add up to the money you shelled out for the city tax. Some of the way you can make back those euros are listed below.1. Travel smart. Use the local trains to-and-from the airport and between Italian cities. This is one way to save a ton of dough as the local trains are much cheaper than the tourist trains.2. Don’t be afraid of the public transit. Trust me, it really isn’t scary and it’s very cheap, only 1 Euro per ride!3. Research your sight-seeing and restaurant choices so you get the most for your money.Being informed and planning your trip efficiently will help ease the financial blow when you finally get home and see just how much you actually spent on gelato.

The Trevi Fountain in Rome.

The lovely Trevi Fountain in Rome

Did you know that legends say that if a visitor throws a coin into the fountain they ensure a return visit to Rome?

I think I’ll throw in a few euros so I can guarantee it!

Bar Pompi: Best Tiramisu in Rome

I don’t know about you, but when I’m in Rome I spend a lot of time walking which requires a lot of espresso to get me through the day. By the end of the evening, despite several espresso shots, I’m still dragging my feet and in desperate need of a pick-me-up that won’t keep me up half the night. So while in Rome, I thought why not try the classic Italian dessert tiramisu—which literally translates to ‘pick-me-up’ (see what I did there?)

Although tiramisu wasn’t created in Rome (Siena, Tuscany actually) it has since become a favorite of many all over the world. It’s easy to see why people love it since it’s made of coffee soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone, and flavoured with cocoa and booze, all very good things. When you suggest tiramisu to just about anyone you instantly see longing, and maybe a bit of drool, wash over them. I however, have never had a really good tiramisu. Don’t get me wrong they are never bad, just never drool worthy. Since I’m not going to Tuscany this time around I thought I would seek out the best tiramisu Rome had to offer. Pompi is said to have some of the best tiramisu this side of Tuscany, so obviously I had to try it!

The reviews weren’t wrong the tiramisu is pretty good, although I liked the strawberry one more than the classic, but that’s just me. Check out the close up pictures below, just don’t drool on your keyboard. 

Pompi has other sweet delights as well, although the tiramisu counter seemed to be the most popular. Here are some pictures of the other goodies they carry. 

The other interesting thing about Pompi is the bar section in the back that is open until 1:30am (late for Roman standards). The bar is dark with black lights and club music pumping, so not really great for a romantic moonlit dessert chat. Apparently they often have DJ’s from abroad who spin sets for the late night crowd with a sweet tooth.

BAR POMPI - VIA 7 ALBALONGA, ROME

Open Daily 6:30AM-1:30AM

http://www.barpompi.it/

Super cute bow sneakers in a Naples shop window. Perfect for...

Super cute bow sneakers in a Naples shop window. Perfect for spring. 

There is just something about Italy…

It’s tough to pinpoint exactly what it is I love so much about Italy—the food, espresso, wine, history, shopping, weather, the food…  Yes I know I mentioned food twice, but let’s be honest, the food really should get a second mention! Pizza and pasta are some of my absolute fave foods, so much so that I think I should have been born Italian.

When working out my itinerary for this trip to Naples and Rome I wanted to make sure I got a taste of some of the best these cities have to offer, and I wanted to try to avoid as much of the tourist stuff that I could without missing any of the important sights, like the lovely Colosseum. 

I just love this picture! 

Balthazar cafe and restaurant in SoHo is a really nice little...

Balthazar cafe and restaurant in SoHo is a really nice little French restaurant, perfect for brunch or your evening meal. Bartender can make a mean cocktail and they have a delightful bakery inside too!

80 Spring St, New York- (212)-965-1414 

http://www.balthazarny.com/

The Future Perfect in NoHo

This is THE best place to get interesting gifts or some new pieces to spruce up your home. TFP (The Future Perfect) carries the latest and greatest in art and design for your home, and stocks pieces you won’t find anywhere else. They carry a lot of New York designers and some from other places as well. Their inventory is fresh, new and totally perfect. 

55 Great Jones St, New York (212) 472-2500

http://www.thefutureperfect.com/index.php

colorful window display with ceramic dishes above.

New York, New York.

New York, New York.

Thank you for the follow up on the Biltmore Hotel pool information. My uncle owns three of the restaurants there and I work at one of them. Quite interesting.
Awesome blog by the way. Have a good day! Cheers!

No worries, I had to double check myself to make sure I had it right. I had the brunch at the Biltmore and it was amazing (if that’s one your uncle owns pass along my thanks for the stellar meal!)

agentizzy353: alphacityguides: Time for a swim! The Biltmore...

agentizzy353:

alphacityguides:

Time for a swim! The Biltmore Hotel has the largest pool in the USA. It’s 600, 000 gallons of water and surrounded with private cabanas you can rent for the day. Cabanas are stocked with plenty of towels and a phone to ring room service when you start to crave their popular frozen vanilla mango colada, YUM! Seems like the perfect place to kill the rest of the day!  

Wait really?! Lies! 

I go here all the time. It’s not that big.

Actually,  according to a lot of people it is the LARGEST OUTDOOR POOL IN THE USA. Lucky you, that you get to use it all that time :)

http://www.irasabs.com/?tag=largest-hotel-pool-in-north-america

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/miami/images/image-11504-8$11504-8

Rogan in the Bowery (East Village)

Rogan is a really modern line by Rogan Gregory that is a bit utilitarian or functional but also totally chic. 

Great basics with a little twist, love this coat!

330 Bowery, New York - (646) 827-7567

www.rogannyc.com

Self Edge in LES is a small mens boutique that carries premium...

Self Edge in LES is a small mens boutique that carries premium Japanese salvage denims and caters to a crowed that craves quality, raw denims. Although they are hella fashionable they aren’t what you would call “fast fashion”, so they aren’t cheap. You’ll pay around $300+ for a pair, but they last forever and look even better with age. 

157 Orchard St, New York- (212) 388-0079

http://www.selfedge.com/

Pretty yellow dress from Sample in Nolita, New York  268...

Pretty yellow dress from Sample in Nolita, New York 

268 Elizabeth St, New York- (212) 431-7866

Scout Vintage T-Shirts in Nolita

If you’re a t-shirt junkie, Scout Vintage T-shirts will probably be like heaven for you. Concert tees, ironic tees, sports tees and some down right odd tees can all be found at this Nolita shop.

They are all arranged by color so if you need a tee for a certain outfit you’ll have no problem picking one out. They also carry an array of cowboy boots and some bags and sunglasses too. Sorry that pic is a little blurry…

The best thing in the whole store would have to be this vintage Prince Purple Rain Tour crew tee. Awesome!

227 Mulberry St, New York- (212) 966-3828

http://www.theclothingwarehouse.com/