Location:
2403 Bull Street
Savannah, GA
31401
One thing at the very top of my Savannah list of places to visit was the Back in the Day Bakery. I'd seen it on Jamie Beck's blog and she highly recommended it on the list of must-sees she gave me.
On a rainy day it was an amazing, indulging breakfast pit stop.
I mean, biscuits and jam? I could have those every day.
(Also, who knew that I could have been sitting so close to one of my Instagram connections - wow, small world!)
Location:
1240 6 Avenue, New York, NY
You knew it was coming (if you follow me on Instagram, that is). There are several locations of Magnolia in NYC, and although I never made it to the original location in West Village, this one at Bloomingdale's wasn't too shabby.
Have you been? The cupcakes are divine - the red velvet cupcake was mighty tasty.
Location:
Outside the Louvre.
Paul, the French bakery (since 1889) came highly recommended by our friend A, so when we discovered a kiosk outside the Louvre, we stood right in line!
I must say, eating a chocolate chip baguette and tomato, mozzarella and basil sandwich under the shade of a tree in the Carrousel Gardens was one of the best experiences of the whole trip.
Location:
184 Lakeshore Road East
Oakville, ON L6J
I'm happy to announce that I have found possibly the best apple pie, ever.
It exists at Black Forest Pastry Shop in Oakville and is only $12.99!
After popping it into the oven for a few minutes, it came out flaky yet melted in the mouth. The apples were cooked yet crispy with just the right amount of cinnamon.
The other things on hand at the bakery: Red Velvet Cupcakes amongst other tasty treats.
Location:
87 Avenue Road, Toronto
Cost: Hot chocolate $2.99 (mint shot $.50), cooked sushi combo 6.49, avocado roll $5.99
To clarify; this review is not about the Whole Foods Market in Yorkville....which I actually like very much and can't complain about. Instead, this post is in regards to the absolutely disgraceful service we received at the Whole Foods cafe, Whole Hearth (located on the street level of Avenue Rd.) one afternoon after a day at the spa.
It's very surprising that such a location as this in Yorkville (or anywhere, for that matter) would have staff like this employed.
Imagine this, if you will. Three perfectly relaxed women, sauntering into the cafe for a mid-day snack after a leisurely few hours at the Nova Spa across the street. Each picking a sushi snack tray from the freezer section and standing at the cashier ready to pay.
At once we notice how our server is incredibly short with us...ringing in my friend's sushi while impatiently gesturing for mine as well. I tell him we want to order a hot chocolate which he doesn't even acknowledge, still waving for my sushi tray. I try to tell him that my sister and I will be sharing our hot chocolate (my friend had also ordered a hot chocolate) but it goes unacknowledged (although appears on the receipt).
We take our sushi to the table (sans hot chocolate) and begin to eat, all the while looking to see if our hot chocolates are being made. Instead he seems to be occupying himself with other tasks and then begins moving around from one end of the cafe to the other.
At one point, my sister stops him mid-walk and asks about our hot chocolates to which he snaps, "In a minute, I'm not going in that direction..", meaning he was heading away from the coffee counter. Seriously?
Finally..and I mean by this time, my friend has already finished her sushi, he plops down her hot chocolate whereas ours is nowhere to be seen. So again, my sister begins to ask for an extra cup for the hot chocolate (assuming he plans to bring it) to which he rudely retorts, "In a minute, after these customers". So now they are other customers waiting, but weren't we also waiting?
Eventually we receive our drink (and the second cup) but are not happy with it (besides the manner in which it was produced, it didn't taste all that good either).
Later he returns with some 'leftover samples' from the bakery - some pizza which he shoves in front of our faces without explanation so I ask what kind of pizza it is, veggie or meat (my sister is vegetarian). His response? A classy, "chicken!" and then whips it away from me offering it to my friend who helps herself.
Wow.
As we get up to leave, we're barely out of our seats and gathering up our things when he comes over and starts moving the tables apart. I was practically still sitting in the chair. Yikes!!
My sister and I were appalled and even my usually zen-like friend was amazed at his actions.
Forget Whole Hearth, we sure got a WHOLE lotta attitude! What a horrible person to keep employed. Shame on you Whole Hearth.
Location:
2425 Truscott Dr, Mississauga ON
I'm sure you will agree, there's nothing quite like freshly baked bread; the smell, the taste, the warmth, it's all so very good!
I definitely heart bakeries. When I was growing up there was a lovely little bakery called Hot n' Crusty where the breads were baked fresh every morning; it was always such a treat to go there.
Recently we discovered Truscott Italian Bakery & Deli - a quaint little bakery right in the middle of a parking lot on the border of Oakville/Mississauga. It's been there only eight years yet it appears as though the parking lot was built around it.
I imagine though, that the past eight years have been enormously successful judging from the steady stream of customers at 8 in the morning! 
The cappuccino on the patio sounded like a great idea!
The breads! Rows of crusty, floured, multigrained loaves. I wanted to try them all...and in due time I will, but to begin....we got some fresh buns, croissants, and this:
Spacatelli....which I've never had before, but which was undeniably fresh (and still warm!!!).
The trays of muffins, pies, cookies and pastries were astounding!
I've yet to try their hot-table items, but I got their mini cakes/tarts for a tea party recently and they not only looked pretty they were pretty delectable, too.
Then there's their deli meat counter which boasts a variety of European meats, the huge selection of pastas (I recently purchased some corn pasta [gluten free] and added to it the all natural Mediterranean Garden's "fiery hot arrabiata" pasta sauce, which was fantastic), fancy imported drinks (lemonades and juices), farmed fresh eggs, and of course a massive collection of olives and olive oils! Heaven!
With our morning breakfast made complete with the addition of a divine "elephant ear" - stuffed full of chocolate - we were ready to start the weekend!
I'm sure many start their weekends this way and I for one can't wait to do it again!
Location:
483 Bloor St. W., Toronto
Cost: $10-15
Speaking of cake...
Future Bakery's Kahlua Truffle Cake is to die for....or to share with friends.
Great little cafe in the Annex, to hang out with the people you love until the wee hours of the morning...or until 2am, when they close :)
