This seems like an unfair marketing ploy. How do you say no when your daughter has a gingerbread girl in her hand and begging in her eyes? It looked to be a great way to encourage impulse shopping, until Helen, the owner, came by.

“Take it! It’s my present to you,” the petite, polish lady said to the youngster. Helen and her husband George own T&T Café and Bakery, which they run with the help of their two children and a gaggle of relatives. New customers, regulars and staff are drawn together into an extended family of sorts, in spite of the hustle and bustle of the lunch rush.

Customers order at the front counter and then sit to be served at one of the twenty tables. The menu is varied and enticing, featuring a mélange of Polish and Canadian comfort foods. Pondering aloud what to order can lead to a sudden onslaught of opinions from staff, regulars, or even the newbie who has just tasted ‘the best soup I’ve ever had.’

Fresh, homemade soups and salads are a great choice for starters. Make sure you specify that you want a small, though, or you will get a meal-sized serving of crisp, garden veggies or a steaming bowl of soup full of cubed beef or chicken. Another delectable alternative would be one of the pastries offered hot from the oven. Stuffed with spinach, polish sausage or just a plain croissant, these delights are flakey and light.

The daily specials vary and are usually comfort foods. They can include Swedish meatballs, perogies or rich and savory pot roast. These are typically served with mashed potato as a side, but salad can be substituted. All day breakfasts are also on the menu and can be made to order; egg white omelets, grilled tomatoes and a myriad of other modifications are cheerfully accepted and cooked to perfection.

T&T is open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m., but Helen’s kitchen runs much longer hours in order to create pies and baked goods that can be bought by the slice for dessert or purchased whole and taken home to enjoy later. Waffles, hot off the grill and tantalizingly covered in sugar-soaked strawberries and whipped cream, are a fantastic dessert option, too. A recently acquired specialty coffee machine offers a variety of espresso-based drinks, with lattes deserving particular mention. For a lighter dessert option, pair a latte or cappuccino with a cookie from the front counter. While the cookie probably won’t be free, it will be freshly baked, beautifully decorated and delicious down to the last crumb!

Googling the term ‘Adventure Travel’ can lead to a plethora of tour companies that offer excursions for all different interests and skill levels. Camel rides in Egypt, Turkish bazaars and expeditions to Antarctica are all on the menu! Below are some recommended adventure opportunities that can be found right here in Canada.

Adventure travel does not need to be hiking the Himalayas. You can find adventure-themed vacations right here in Canada. Decide what your passion is, maybe it is a place you’ve always wanted to visit or a sport you’ve always wanted to try, like rock climbing or caving, and then try it. There are so many companies waiting to help you turn your dream into a reality, all you have to do is look.