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Where to Get Good Stuff Cheap 2012: how to decorate your home for less

Where to Get Good Stuff Cheap | Home

Edison bulbs
Eclectic Revival
3075 Dundas St. W., 416-766-5500
When LEDs and compact fluorescents became the norm, decor radicals opted for replica Edison bulbs—the low-tech lighting equivalent of a turntable. The bulb’s distinct amber glow is produced by fragile carbon filaments; it’s a warmer, softer light than the tungsten coil on an incandescent emits. They’re becoming easier to find—Restoration Hardware carries them now—but the city’s cheapest source remains the vintage lighting store Eclectic Revival. $15 each.

Check out our 17-item home guide to living the good life for less »

The Informer

Urban Diplomat

November 11, 2011 | 12:25 pm

4 Comments

Dear Urban Diplomat: what’s the etiquette for tipping with Groupon?

(Image: Vincent Desjardins)

Dear Urban Diplomat,
I used a Groupon recently to get my hair done at an expensive Rosedale salon. It saved me 65 per cent. When it came time to pay, I tipped 20 per cent of the reduced price and got the stink eye from the counter girl. Was I being cheap? What’s the etiquette for tipping with Groupon?
—Tipping Point, DANFORTH VILLAGE

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The Dish

From the Print Edition

May 18, 2011 | 9:08 am

7 Comments

Nine West Coast wines that are flying off the shelves

By David Lawrason

(Image: Jack Dylan)

California wine has always had a certain easygoing appeal, and the region’s big-ticket bottles have been a staple in collectors’ cellars for the last three decades. In my opinion, however, they’ve also suffered from excess—they’re too expensive, too candy-coated, too oaky and too hot on the finish. I get angry when I taste a $300 Napa Valley icon wine and discover it barely deserves 90 points—the quality doesn’t match the price. But a new generation of California winemakers is breaking away from tradition and working with new blends and grape varieties. Regions like Mendocino County, the Sonoma Coast and Paso Robles, which typically live in the shadow of Napa and Sonoma, are producing wine that’s more refined, better balanced and much more affordable (in the $20 to $40 range). This improvement, combined with a strong Canadian dollar, has boosted sales at the LCBO’s Vintages stores, where, for the first time ever, California wines are outselling those from Italy and France. In 2010, they brought in $70.8 million, which is a 21.5 per cent increase from 2009 and accounts for a fifth of all Vintages sales. I recently tasted several dozen of these top sellers and picked the best of the bunch.

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The Dish

From the Print Edition

April 13, 2011 | 8:55 am

1 Comment

Return to Oz: the LCBO is introducing 30 new Australian wines. Here, David Lawrason picks the top nine

Faced with tanking sales, Australia’s winemakers are discovering smaller is better by David Lawrason

(Illustration: Jack Dylan)

Just three years ago, Australian wines were the darlings of the New World: cheap and cheeky, with cute critter names. But wine fashion is as fickle and furious as an outback brush fire, and Aussie sales around the world have been spiralling steadily downward. Recession-stricken consumers moved to cheaper wines from Argentina, Chile and South Africa for their New World fix, and, let’s face it, Australia’s mass-produced shirazes and chardonnays were starting to seem monotonously similar. Add to this downturn years of vineyard-crippling drought, and it seemed Australia was down for the count. However, on a recent visit, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Aussie winemakers are focusing on regionality, single-vineyard production and distinctive new grape varieties and blends. The last couple of vintages have shown an improved balance of alcohol, acidity and fruit, without losing their easy-drinking appeal. This month, the LCBO will introduce more than 30 new Australian labels that are, for the most part, high quality, moderately priced and full of character. Here, my picks from the new wave of wines from Down Under.

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The Dish

From the Print Edition

March 30, 2011 | 10:05 am

60 Comments

Best New Restaurants 2011

Oysters from Frank's Kitchen

This year’s crop of restaurants, from a million-dollar dining room to a brazen burger joint, pushed Toronto’s culinary culture in creative, comforting and blessedly cheap directions. Here, the 10 new spots that are redefining the way we eat, drink and play in the city By Chris Nuttall-Smith | Photography by Ryan Szulc

See the list »

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The Hype

Reality Bites

March 23, 2011 | 10:30 am

18 Comments

The Avenue recap: new Web series “takes” Toronto—and so far, we want it back

Toronto-focused television already has its place in fiction, from the mind-warping fantasy of Being Erica to the gang’s-all-here approach of Metropia. So when The Hills collapsed in Lauren Conrad’s absence and a trashy void needed to be filled, Toronto stepped up with the racial stereotyping of Lake Shore. Or that’s what we thought until we saw The Avenue.

Local production company Fisher/Morris had dollar signs in their eyes after meeting Gregory Gorgeous, a flamboyant, back-treading gay caricature from an undisclosed Ontario suburb, and stuck him in the show. The Avenue is a Toronto-based Web series that has generated some early interest after only five heavily scripted Webisodes (everyone seemed to be talking about its coming finale on Twitter last night). Here, we go back to the beginning to recap the first installment, following the show’s five vacuous wannabes as they tear up over snubbed non-contracts, difficult gay men and the trials transplants face when trying to “make it big” in the dark, mean streets of semi-privileged Toronto.

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The Goods

Business of Fashion

March 16, 2011 | 3:32 pm

8 Comments

Joe Fresh’s anticipated New York opening excites tourists, not analysts

Joe Fresh is making the move to New York this fall, but some skeptics suggest that the Mimran dynasty may have to pull back to Canada sooner than anticipated. Analysts seem mixed on the potential success of yet another fast fashion retailer. The Financial Post notes that companies who moved south of the border (among the fallen are Danier, Harry Rosen, Tristan, La Senza and Brown’s Shoes) haven’t always been welcome, while the New York Times highlights a boom in tourist traffic around Joe’s chosen 5th Avenue and 43rd Street location.

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The Dish

Opening

February 23, 2011 | 10:32 am

6 Comments

Introducing: Salad King, the Yonge and Dundas cheap eats stalwart reborn

Salad’s new kitchen and dining room (Image: Renée Suen)

It’s been 10 long months since its kitchen last sent out an order, but judging from the reaction over Salad King’s soft opening this past weekend, there’s no question about who reigns over the corner of Yonge and Dundas. The mainstay of cheap eats might have been shut down on the eve of its 20th anniversary (following a building collapse), but after battling through a tricky renovation in a new space, the King is back, with even shinier new digs.

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The Informer

In Transit

January 19, 2011 | 2:07 pm

6 Comments

Diesel vs. electric trains: study vindicates Clean Train Coalition on debate over rail line to Pearson (but the province is buying diesel cars anyway)

Finally, a transit story that has absolutely nothing to do with Transit City.

This one’s about a basic disagreement over technology choices and hasty cost-cutting by the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty. In order to build a rail link between Pearson and Union Station in time for the Pan Am Games, Metrolinx has chosen to run diesel-powered trains through neighbourhoods where 25,000 schoolchildren play. Local activists, primarily the Clean Train Coalition, have been trying to get the province to consider electric trains instead. Today, they were (slightly) vindicated by a report from Metrolinx that recommends electrification—but not until 2017.

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The Goods

From the Print Edition

January 13, 2011 | 3:33 pm

Comments

Where to Get Good Stuff Cheap

The recession might be over. The dollar is flying high. But we’re still feeling conflicted about money. Spend conspicuously and you’re either a heroic economy booster or a reckless squanderer. Admit it: your lingering frugality is fighting your inner lust for stuff. The solution? Think like Rob Ford (just the tightwad part) but live it up like a robber baron. Our annual guide to the city’s best bargains offers 200 ways to do it.

By Fraser Abe, Kate Daley, Alanna Davey, Andrea Ford, Carley Fortune, Patrick Fothergill, Rachel Heinrichs, Signe Langford, David Lawrason, Maryam Sanati, Courtney Shea, Amy Verner and Victoria Walsh

100 items under $10

Toronto’s five best vintage stores

Three cameras that hit the mark for under $500

11 selections for a kick-ass and low-cost charcuterie plate

How to put together a party outfit for under $200

Six designer sample sales that make lining up seem entirely sane

How to make your own soda water

Nine of the city’s best foods for under $6

Hit the fashion zeitgeist with this fuzzy, furry trio

Where guys can get their groom on—cheaply

Three unbeatable go-to spots for home improvement

Want an iPhone? Here’s how to make one (sort of)

The best deals for kids’ favourites

A massive mirror for a modest cost

How to glam up a parlour on a not-so-huge budget

Five genius ways to save on everyday technology

Three great wines for recession hangovers

Four standout dinner dates for penny pinchers

The Dish

From the Print Edition

January 13, 2011 | 9:14 am

Comments

Good Stuff Cheap: four standout dinner dates for penny pinchers

(Image: Lorne Bridgman)

FOR A CINQ À SEPT
Devoted locavores should head to Beast after work Wednesday through Friday, when former Jamie Kennedy chefs Scott and Rachelle Vivian serve up nose-to-tail small plates—including pig’s head pappardelle for only $4. Lovely Quebec and Ontario beers for pairing are also just $4; a number of wines are $5 a glass. 96 Tecumseth St., 647-352-6000.

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The Dish

From the Print Edition

January 13, 2011 | 9:12 am

1 Comment

Good Stuff Cheap: 11 selections for a kick-ass and low-cost charcuterie plate

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The Dish

From the Print Edition

January 13, 2011 | 9:09 am

Comments

Good Stuff Cheap: three great wines for recession hangovers

SPARKLING
Langa Hermanos Reyes De Aragón 2007 Brut Reserva Cava $13.95
This classic Spanish cava, with a complex nose of almond, green olive, cedar and chalk minerality, is priced to make cork-popping a daily habit.
Vintages. LCBO 194803

WHITE
Trapiche 2007 Astica Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon $7.45
It’s rare to find this quality for under $8. The full, bright Argentine blend highlights the best of both grapes: sauvignon’s zestiness and sémillon’s savoury green-olive flavours.
LCBO 359083

RED
Castaño 2007 La Casona Monastrell $8.70
Superb value from the monastrell grape grown in southeast Spain near Valencia. For oenophiles who like soft, juicy reds brimming with blueberry flavours, this is the real deal.
LCBO 143743

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The Goods

From the Print Edition

January 13, 2011 | 9:06 am

Comments

Good Stuff Cheap: a massive mirror for a modest cost

(Image: John Burgoyne)

Mirrors as tall as people are leaning chicly on every kind of wall (traditional, contemporary, lofty, you name it), bouncing light where windows are scarce. The oversized Beverly is a beauty, measures 30 by 70 inches, and hails from the hugest of all big box stores. It’s just the thing for an entranceway or bedroom and, at $135, fabulously priced; some home decor shops charge as much for delivery alone.

The Home Depot, 101 Wicksteed Ave., 416-467-2300, plus several other GTA locations.

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Coleslaw delivers creamy crunch with a kick (even better as a topping on the pulled pork sandwich). $4. The Stockyards, 699 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-658-9666.

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