Experience – Page 2 – SQM Pick

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Winter and Holiday Activities

December 21, 2019David Lipton Comment

1. Distillery District

Known for its Christmas Market, the Distillery District transports its guests to a holiday wonderland filled with lights, Christmas stalls filled with food and knickknacks, as well as, live carolling. You can continue the fun by checking out the amazing displays at the annual Toronto Light Festival from January 17^th – March 1^st, 2020.

2. Hockey

In typical Canadian fashion, what are the holidays without hockey? Check out your local Minor teams, the OHL, the AHL, and if you’re feeling jolly, spring for those NHL tickets. If you’re a Leafs Fanatic, mark your calendars to see the team practice at Nathan Phillps Square on January 9^th, 2020!

3. CNE Aurora Winter Festival

This is definitely the place to take your kids. From the rides and games to the ice rink, magical forest, and whimsical holiday-themed events, this is a ton of fun for the family. You can purchase your tickets online (Presto Cardholders get a 15% discount). You can also get your skate on and enjoy free skate rentals on Wednesdays!

4. Ballet

Christmas is the time to see the Nutcracker. Enjoy The National Ballet of Canada’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic until January 4^th, 2020.

5. Ice Skating

Show off your skills! Check out DJ Skate Nights at the Harbourfront Centre and get free skating lessons at the Bentway Skating Trail. You can also visit Ontario Place, Nathans Phillips Square or your local ice rink.

6. Courthouse visit

For all of you crime show enthusiasts, visit your local courthouse to see a real courtroom proceeding. Check out the court’s website to find out about the proper etiquette and to view the daily court lists to see which cases are being heard.

7. Trivia

Do you know what’s fun? Pub trivia. Go test your vast knowledge of pop culture, history, literature and science, and show off your trivia skills. Bar trivia is not just a holiday classic fun time, but an all year round great way to spend with friends and family.

8. Give back

The holidays are a time for giving. Check out some of the many charities across the city to help those less fortunate this holiday season.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season and a happy and healthy new year!

A (Sirius) Case of Customer Support

November 13, 2019David Lipton Comment

For many years, my wife has been a huge fan of Howard Stern – an American radio and TV personality best known for The Howard Stern Show. This particular radio show is only available on SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and since there are already more stations on the radio than I know what to listen to, I was never keen on paying extra for another 200 stations.

Nevertheless, my wife convinced me to give it a try, so we added the satellite radio service to one of our vehicles. Since first doing so, a few years ago, Sirius has been very good at retaining my business. When I first bought my car I had three free months of satellite radio, and it was so good I ended up purchasing a subscription. Whenever my subscription comes to an end, they seem to come up with a reasonable price, within my budget to keep me happy and willing to continue with the service.

Last summer, unfortunately, my need for satellite radio temporarily came to an end when we had a car accident and the car was written off. I called up Sirius, thinking it would be a hassle to cancel my remaining subscription, but they were very easy to deal with and very sympathetic to my situation. They even provided me with two options….. cancelling the remaining months and providing a refund or allowing me to place my subscription on hold. For a number of reasons I asked them to cancel my subscription and they did so—without a problem. A little while later, they sent me a kindly-worded email, hoping I’d return someday.

When I finally did get the new car, a couple of months later, I called to renew my subscription and once again, they were great to deal with. They’re pleasant to talk to over the phone, you’re never on hold for too long, and they keep in touch with email as well. In the case of the new vehicle, it came with a free three-month subscription, and they provided a reasonable rate for me to continue after the 90-day trial.

At first, I didn’t think that having hundreds of extra radio stations would be of value, but if you’re looking to listen to jazz, blues, Howard Stern, or anything in between, there’s something for everybody.

SiriusXM Satellite Radio
1-888-539-7474
https://www.siriusxm.ca/

My Oldest Friend in the World

September 26, 2019David Lipton Comment

In a previous blog, I mentioned that I found my accountant through my good friend and lawyer, Mitchell Rose. Mitch is my oldest friend in the world, as our moms met when they were expecting us. Ever since we were born, we’ve managed to keep in touch and when Mitch graduated from law school and was called to the bar, I am proud to say that I was one of his very first clients.

While Mitch continues to do legal work for me, in more recent times he has been focusing a great deal of attention on the mediation aspect of his business. Although he is still very much a lawyer, these days most of his work involves him acting as a mediator or settlement counsel.

In 2019, he started his own firm, known as Mitchell Rose Professional Corporation, with two divisions: Mitchell Rose Law and Rose Dispute Resolution. Mitch is the perfect person to be involved in mediation and settlement counsel work, as I have always found him to be a very level-headed and methodical lawyer. Mitch is practical, results-oriented, and is always thinking things through to the end and providing his clients with reasonable and sound advice. He also provides great value.

In some circumstances, Mitch has even suggested not pursuing certain actions or cases based on either the financial or emotional toll that it may take on myself and other clients. While this may have cost him money or fees in the short term, I have no doubt that this approach has served his mediation clients well, and will continue to serve him well as he attempts to grow his business.

Mitch also has an uncanny ability to look at things from many angles, always keeping the big picture in mind. With both personal or business matters, people in law often forget the human component. Whether it’s preparing or reviewing an employment contract or severance package, dealing with a neighbour dispute, or handling a debt collection issue, he takes into consideration the fact that he is dealing with people with various needs.

Mitch always works with a great deal of class, thoughtfulness, and kindness. While I have not personally had the chance to use Mitch for mediation (and probably couldn’t, due to our close friendship), I highly recommend that you or your legal counsel consider him for all of your mediation and settlement counsel needs.

Mitchell Rose
Mitchell Rose Professional Corporation
5000 Yonge Street, Suite 1901
Toronto, ON, M2N 7E9
416-227-3406
https://mitchellrose.ca/

Unparalleled Experience

August 14, 2019David Lipton Comment

Several months ago, I heard about a popular Middle Eastern restaurant that had opened up in Toronto called Parallel. The restaurant is owned by the Ozery Brothers, of Ozery Bakery fame, and the creators behind the popular pitas that are available across the country and in some select locations in the United States. The Ozery Bakery has been around for more than 20 years and has grown from a small family owned bakery to a staple for alternative bread products. The Ozery Brothers’ new restaurant is sure to become a staple for Middle Eastern cuisine due to the great food, wonderful ambiance, and the overall unique experience that it has to offer.

Where the Ozery Bakery was the creation of just Alon and Guy; Parallel is a collaboration between Alon, Guy and their brother, Aharon. The addition of Aharon is apparent in how the space, location, and ambiance of the restaurant differs from that of Ozery Bakery. By having the three brothers all collaborate together, putting their individual skills and tastes into the restaurant, they have created a restaurant that is bursting with flavour and style.

Parallel itself is a small, open-concept space that seats about 75 people. An interesting aspect of the restaurant is that it backs onto the kitchen, allowing diners to see what is happening behind the scenes. The decoration is minimal, though the art pieces that are on the walls, are statement pieces and draw the eye. The high ceilings and the trains that can be seen through the window, give the restaurant a chic, yet warm, the ambiance that is reminiscent of a working, living warehouse.

Now, don’t be fooled by the location or the modern ambiance. The food is steeped in tradition, and the dining experience is based in the community. The menu is all about shareable items and diners can share beer and food with the table. This adds to the overall experience and charm of the restaurant and makes Parallel a great place for a friendly get together, a date, or a relaxing night out.

The menu offers dishes that suit all likes and dietary lifestyles. Parallel offers gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan-friendly options, while also offering a selection of dairy, gluten and meat dishes. The menu is not overly extensive, but there is enough variety that diners feel like that they can sample a wide variety of flavourful food and non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.

The acquaintance who told me about the new restaurant raved about how great it was and told me that they had already decided to go back. They were very excited, but there was a problem; it was so busy, they had to make a reservation a couple of weeks in advance and they didn’t know if they would be able to wait that long. Now I don’t know about you, but when there is a waitlist that long, I know that I have to go and see for myself what the craze is about.

So that’s exactly what I did… two weeks after I had made my own reservation.

When I arrived, my guest and I were immediately greeted and escorted to a table that had already been set. The server was great; they were personable, friendly, and full of suggestions. There was a great variety of food and beverages available, and the atmosphere was lively. The Parallel salad was tasty, and the fried cauliflower was amazing! The mushroom dish was unique and delicious. The flavours of each dish were mouth-watering and memorable. They were plated attractively and were a decent portion size; though I will admit that I found the restaurant to be a little bit on the expensive side, the food and the experience was well worth the money. I can’t wait to go back again and explore more of their menu, because if the food is as flavourful as the cauliflower or the salad, I know that I am in for an exciting treat.

Living in Toronto means that there are tens of thousands of restaurants that are available to choose from; and it has become increasingly difficult to find a unique, fun, and delicious restaurant that stands out. That being said, Parallel is one of those restaurants that is unique, memorable, and different, and in my humble opinion, everyone should try it and see for themselves how great it is.

Parallel is closed Monday and Tuesday, but it is open every other day of the week, offering both brunch and dinner. So, whether you are looking to try a new type of cuisine, impress a dinner date, or have a fun, relaxing brunch with friends or family, Parallel is unparalleled in providing great food and a great atmosphere, and you should definitely stop by to check it out.

Parallel
(416) 516-7765
www.parallelbrothers.com

Customer Service That is Well-Done

August 14, 2019David Lipton Comment

A few weeks ago, my neighbour came running outside, jumped into his car and drove off. When he returned, I had to ask what had happened. He told me that he and his wife didn’t have any dinner made, so they had decided to order food from the Grill Gate. Despite living in the area for ten years, I was not familiar with this restaurant. My neighbour told me that I had to try the Philly cheese sandwich.

Now I have been to Philidelphia and have tried an original and authentic Philly cheesesteak sandwich. My family decided to try Grill Gate on my neighbour’s suggestion.

The resturant has a small menu, they focus on cheese steaks, cheese burgers and eggplant parm cheese burger.

The restaurant itself is quite small, it can hold up to about 25 people. It is an authentic mom and pop shop. It is owned and operated by a husband and wife team. They originally ran a food truck and it became so popular that they opened up their own place.

They also have BIG orders of fries. They get their burger buns specially made by a local bakery.

My daughter had a sandwich and it was so big that she saved the rest for lunch for the next day. It is now her fun spot, where she takes friends.

When I was there, the server asked me “how are the first few bites tasting?” I liked that as I thought that was quite personal, instead of the generic “how is everything?”

The food is reasonably priced and it is a great place with great food.

I am not a big fan of uber eats, but the restaurant does have an account with it. Use this if you can’t make it in for a dine-in meal.

It is a great place for a quick bite to eat or for take out.

I thank my neighbour for his suggestion.

(416) 631-1167
www.grillgate.ca

Good Customer Service is Only a Phone Call Away

July 24, 2019David Lipton Comment

My story starts out a number of weeks ago, when I was having problems with my cell phone….had encountered the black screen of death!

I took the phone to one of my suppliers and he indicated that I was having a software problem. When I got the phone back, it seemed as if he had corrected the issue, and the screen of death was gone, but I now noticed a pressure crack on my screen. After speaking to someone else, I was told that the LED bleeding was only going to get worse, and eventually take over the entire screen unless I fixed it.

With that in mind, I took it to the neighbourhood store, called UBREAKIFIX, where I met Steve. Steve was a nice fellow and told me that he would only fix my screen if he could also clear all of the remaining software issues. He took some time to run a diagnostic, and with my approval, decided to reset/wipe my phone.

After he did all of this, I decided to make a call to Rogers (another blog) before I spent the money on a new screen, because replacing it is fairly expensive. My contact at Rogers managed to get me a new phone, at no charge, and as a result, I did not have to incur the costs of putting a new screen on my old phone.

While there was no guarantee that if he fixed my software problem, he could fix my screen, Steve spent a lot of time trying to help me out. In a day and age where businesses know what they want and how to get it and have this “what’s in it for me” mentality, Steve took the long-term approach to build a relationship with the customer as opposed to trying to make the quick sale.

While this situation didn’t result in a sale for Steve at this particular time, I’ve already shared my experience with friends and colleagues and recommended Steve’s store. Of course, I will definitely use his services in the future as well.

For any electronic or technical challenges, Steve and the team at UBREAKIFIX are efficient, kind, and a pleasure to deal with.

UBREAKIFIX
416-483-3773
https://www.ubreakifix.com/ca

Nothing’s Tougher Than a Burton

June 12, 2019David Lipton Comment

For transparency purposes, I will say right off the bat that the person I am writing about just so happens to be my next-door neighbour, however, this article is based on work that he has done for my family.

Back about three years ago, my 90-year-old aunt fell in a grocery store and broke her hip. Because we felt that the grocery store was responsible for her fall, we quickly decided to retain a lawyer who specialized in personal injury law. While there is certainly no shortage of advertisements for these types of lawyers on TV and in newspapers, I had the good fortune of knowing one who lives 20 feet away from me: Jonathan Burton, who works at Gluckstein Lawyers.

The fact that he was my neighbour and lived nearby was only one factor in deciding to use his services for my aunt. Jonathan has been practicing law for a number of years, and my research indicated that he was extremely experienced, well respected by his colleagues, and specializes in personal injury law. From the beginning, I could tell Jonathan knew how to handle the situation. Whether it was quickly drafting up a letter, scheduling meetings with my aunt and myself, or just organizing his work the way he does, I was able to see that I made the right decision.

Over the course of the case, there were certain objectives that needed to be completed, and Jonathan always made sure to give us the information and heads up in advance. He was always prepared for upcoming activities, and we could tell that we were in good hands.

A few weeks ago, we had a scheduled mediation. For those who are unaware, before you are able to arrange a date for certain types of trials, in Ontario, you have to participate in mandatory mediation. This involves a third, unbiased party, working with both sides to find common ground. and a settlement that both can live with. It may come as a surprise to many, that the majority of cases are settled at mediation and never end up going to trial.

We were fortunate in that we had a good mediator handling my aunt’s case. Jonathan presented himself in a professional manner and dealt with the mediator and opposing lawyer in a skillful way. The other party was open to a settlement, and after a few hours of discussion, the case was settled.

I truly believe that one of the main reasons the case was settled was because of Jonathan’s reputation amongst his colleagues in the legal profession. Jonathan was never rude in his dealings and treated people with respect and honesty. He was always willing to listen, however, he recognized that he was there for his clients’ best interests. I often hear of lawyers who are rude, bullies, and not open to discussion, however, when you take on tactics like these, I believe you do it at the disservice of your clients.

I wouldn’t wish my aunt’s situation on anyone, but if you do need a personal injury lawyer, I highly suggest Jonathan Burton.

Jonathan Burton
Gluckstein Lawyers
416-408-4252
burton@gluckstein.com

Dyson – A Sucker for Customer Service

June 5, 2019David Lipton Comment

Back a couple of years ago, I wrote about Dyson when we had an issue with our office vacuum cleaner. At the time, the vacuum was under warranty and Dyson, without causing us any grief, quickly sent us a replacement part so we were able to get back to cleaning our office. The entire experience was friendly, efficient, and stress-free, and their customer service department was a pleasure to deal with.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, when on a Friday we realized that a small piece of the vacuum had broken and cracked, and as a result, we couldn’t use it. One of my colleagues got on the phone, explained the problem, and provided Dyson with our vacuum’s registration number. The employee looked us up in their database and indicated that the vacuum wasn’t under warranty anymore, but told us in the same sentence that they wanted to make sure we were happy and were going to send us a replacement part at no charge.

Since the piece had broken due to heavy use, and not necessarily some sort of mechanical failure, it made the gesture extra special. The fact that they stood behind the product goes to show you what kind of company they are, and what kind of customer service you can expect from them. The piece arrived within a few days and we were back up and running in no time at all, once again using our spiffy Dyson.

Presently, I have three Dyson products: an upright vacuum, a handheld vacuum, and the office Dyson, and I am extremely happy with each product.

Dyson was originally established in the United Kingdom in 1991 and has recently announced that they are moving their headquarters to Singapore. James Dyson, the founder, felt that vacuums could be more efficient, based on the fact that the one he was using constantly clogged up and lost suction over time. As a result, he went about inventing a completely different type of the machine, and if my experience is any indication, he seems to be on to something!

Skip to the present, and Dyson now has a line of not only vacuums, but hand dryers, lights, fans, heaters, and more. I know my wife is dying to get her hands on one of the new Dyson hairdryers, but unfortunately, given how expensive it is, she’s going to have to wait until the price comes down a bit…or I win the lottery…before I can buy it for her.

To their credit, I’ve never heard anyone complain about any Dyson product, and the reliability of their products, combined with their customer support just goes to show you why.

Dyson Canada
1-877-397-6622
https://www.dysoncanada.ca

Cooking Up Five Star Customer Service

May 29, 2019David Lipton Comment

Caplan’s Appliances, on Weston Road, south of Eglinton Avenue, is a family-founded appliance store that first opened its doors in the 1940s. Their recently renovated store has a wide selection of brands to choose from, including: Maytag, Whirlpool, Bosch, Sub-Zero, and Wolf, to name a few. In addition to the long list of brands which they represent, a few years ago they opened up a separate Miele showroom right across the street from the main store.

The owner of Caplan’s, Bob Caplan, is an old friend of mine, and I have been doing business with Bob and his family for many years. Since I know he treats everyone like he treats me…he probably treats others much better :-)…I’ve always been recommending him to my family and colleagues who have been in need of appliances.

I’ve visited Bob’s store many times before, and I felt that it was time I give his store a shout out, based on my most recent experience there. Back a couple of months ago, I was in the market for a new stove for my aunt. My aunt is 93, living on a fixed income, and Bob was aware of this. Instead of selling us a high-end appliance, Bob had given the salesperson a heads up and they were able to find us a good quality stove at a reasonable price.

In addition, Caplan’s will offer to deliver the new appliance and take away the old one. In my aunt’s case, we needed added assistance because the stove was a gas range, and it’s not something you can just easily unplug from the wall. As a result, you need a gas fitter to disconnect the old one and install the new appliance. As it turns out, the salesperson was kind enough to find me a gas fitter and coordinated the timing so we were able to remove the old stove at the same time as they brought the new one in. The fact that they were willing to go the extra mile to help out my aunt for what amounted to a small purchase, just shows how much they care about their business and their customers.

Aside from the gas fitter, Caplan’s has partnerships with other people in the trades, including interior designers, builders, and construction companies. Bob is truly a one-stop solution for all of your appliance needs.

Caplan’s has been around for a long time, and they understand the value of having a customer for life. Whether you’re looking for a starter or base type of appliance, upgrading to a new model, looking to redo your kitchen and get high-end appliances, Bob and his team are there for you.

Caplan’s Appliances
416-767-1655
https://www.caplans.ca/

Sharing is Caring

May 14, 2019David Lipton Comment

Several weeks ago, my wife and I went to a popular restaurant called Parallel. I have an upcoming separate blog about my experience at this restaurant.

This restaurant is great in many ways. During our visit, we saw something in particular that we had never seen before. They had Sharing Bottles. They are large bottles of beer, approximately 500-600 ml in size.

In comparison, a regular bottle is about 355 ml. We thought that this was a great idea, as groups of people could try multiple beers and have a small sample of each since beer comes in many different unique flavours. This makes the dining experience very enjoyable and interesting, as both food and drinks can be shared with the people you care for.

Parallel is not the only place that has these bottles available. There are a couple of breweries that have these Sharing Bottles available, and my wife and I have tried a few of them. There are two places that I recommend.

Blood Brothers Brewing has a large selection of these bottles. My wife really enjoyed the Shumei and the White Lies bottles, which are 500 ml each. The Shumei has different styled IPAs blended into it, with hints of citrus and pine. The White Lies is a sour ale that was inspired by white wine.

Blood Brothers is very convenient, as they have their own online shop. You can shop for your favourite flavours in the comfort of your own home!

Another bottle that my wife liked was from Beau’s. It was called Paper Chase and is a birchwood ale that has hints of caramel, dried fruit and baking spice. While Beau’s does not have an online beer store, they have other merchandise that could be purchased, such as apparel.

We hope that this becomes more of a trend, as this is a good way to try different beers without consuming too much. If you have a brewery that you like, you should suggest this idea, and try to see if they will start
to sell Sharing Bottles!

While trying these bottles, please remember to drink responsibly.

Blood Brothers
http://www.bloodbrothersbrewing.com/
(647) 628-6062

Beau’s
https://beaus.ca/
(866) 585 BEER

Good Things Come in Slightly Larger Packages

May 8, 2019David Lipton Comment

A few weeks ago, I was dining at a restaurant and something on the menu happened to jump out at me. The establishment was offering what they called “shared bottles” of beer. It turns out that these bottles were about one and a half times the size of a regular bottle of beer, and the idea was that it is too much for one person but perfect for two people to share. As it so happens, I’m not a big beer drinker but was with some other people who enjoy trying different beers, so it was perfect for the occasion.

The company that I know of which offers this feature, is a microbrewery in the Toronto area called Blood Brothers Brewing and is located at 165 Geary Avenue.

I really found this to be a great idea, and I’m sure there are other breweries that do it as well, but I thought It was an interesting marketing tactic to get people to try your product. Often, my wife says that a bottle of beer is too much for her, but half or 75 percent of one is the perfect amount.

Given that in today’s marketplace, there are hundreds of different beers and breweries, and even more beverages available, you really have to be creative to succeed. Normally, companies just come up with a catchy name or label but don’t do anything else to change up their product.

Alternatively, I’ve noticed that one of the tactics US companies use is to simply increase their price and portion size. However, Blood Brothers is taking a different approach, and I applaud them for doing so. I encourage other companies to think outside of the box as well.

In the meantime, give Blood Brothers a try. I’m told that their beers are all quite enjoyable.

Blood Brothers Brewing
647-628-6062
http://www.bloodbrothersbrewing.com/

The Buzz About Great Customer Service

April 24, 2019David Lipton Comment

For many years, whenever I was driving along Wilson Avenue, to the west of my neighbourhood, I noticed a small restaurant in a strip mall, called Buzz Buzz Pizza Family Restaurant. Despite driving by the location numerous times I never had the opportunity to stop by until a few weeks ago when, ironically, after going to a restaurant in the area for dinner we found ourselves still hungry.

A few of us decided to stop off at Buzz Buzz for a quick bite and to check the place out. It’s a small restaurant, with seven to eight tables, the prices are reasonable, and is known for their Italian food, Greek food, and most of all…their pizzas. Other popular items are their veal parmesan, veal sandwiches, meatball sandwiches, souvlakis, and salads.

Since the pizza on the first visit was absolutely delicious, about a week later, we decided to order the veal parmesan dinner, for delivery. When it arrived we were surprised to see it included a big piece of veal, tons of pasta, garlic bread, salad, and a can of pop for $12.99. The food arrived hot and fresh, however, I was told that depending on how busy they are, sometimes it takes about an hour for delivery. Nonetheless, you can’t beat the price of their items!

Buzz Buzz is a family-run restaurant, operated and owned by a Greek gentleman by the name of Tony. He runs the restaurant with his wife, daughter, and a few other people. Although they are also well-known for their delivery and take-out, they do have regulars in the area that stop by and eat while watching TV. The place also has a liquor license, so if you wanted to, you could grab a beer or glass of wine with your meal. Perhaps the most telling sign about the business, is that every time I’ve been to the restaurant, it’s been consistently busy.

Tony and his daughter are a pleasure to deal with—they are amazingly friendly and are willing to bend over backwards for special requests.

In a day and age when the pizza business is dominated by big chains, it’s nice to find a local, friendly business that provides good food at a reasonable price.

Buzz Buzz Pizza Family Restaurant
416-630-7777
http://www.buzzbuzzpizza.com/

Prioritize the Customer….Not the Size of the Project

April 11, 2019David Lipton Comment

A couple of years ago, my wife and I were travelling and went to the Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville. While we were there, we bought a poster that displayed the musicians that were playing that night but was done in a style that had probably been used since the early days of this venue.

Given that the Grand Ole Opry is a country music establishment, I thought it would be interesting to frame this piece of art in a different way, than simply using a frame. In particular, I thought it would be cool to mount it on barn wood—wood from a barn—to play with the country theme. After doing a bit of research I discovered barnboardstore.com: a store known for selling barn board and what is generally known as reclaimed wood. In addition to barn board, they are also known for selling wood with live edges—in other words, wood with the bark still on it. Both types of wood are high-quality and can be used for furniture, floors, and walls. For me, I only needed a small piece of wood because I had a relatively small poster.

When I went to barnboardstore.com, they were very accommodating. Even though this was a small project for them they let me pick out a piece of wood with the nice colouring I was looking for. They also spend a few minutes helping me the size and cut it, so all I had to do was glue everything together and put the poster on.

Because they took such good care of me I kept them in mind for other projects. My wife and I are currently in the process of creating some built-in bookshelves, and we wanted the counter of the bookcase to be barn wood. Just like my first experience the staff were extremely helpful and came up with ideas that made more sense and were more cost-effective. All the staff are a pleasure to deal with, and this was something exceptionally notable because, in a day and age where many companies are just looking for the “big sale” and spend as little time as possible with customers with smaller projects, it’s nice to see a company that puts the customer first.

If you have a project involving wood and are looking for something a bit different, I definitely suggest checking them out.

Barnboardstore.com
416-471-9452
http://barnboardstore.com/

Hungry for Hungarian Food?

March 27, 2019David Lipton Comment

A few weeks ago, I visited a popular, Toronto restaurant, that has been around for many years….Country Style Hungarian Restaurant. It’s a cozy Hungarian restaurant located at 450 Bloor Street West, and should not be confused with the larger donut chain, Country Style.

Country Style Hungarian Restaurant has been around for over 50 years as a family-run business. It’s an old-school restaurant with classic red and white checkered tablecloths and wooden chairs and tables. They’re famous for their schnitzel, but some of their other go-to dishes include cabbage rolls and perogies. They of course, also have goulash soup and cucumber salad, and their wiener schnitzel is absolutely to-die-for.

Aside from ordering a la carte, they also have a delicious platter prepared for two or four, which comes with a variety of meats, sausages, and potatoes. For those who are less hungry, there are schnitzel and chicken sandwiches. If you’ve saved a little room, they have great desserts including palacsinta…a Hungarian-style crepe with chestnut puree, as well as apple and cherry strudel. All of their desserts are tasty and most are homemade. Lastly, one of my favourite items on the menu is their raspberry soda…..a cold drink that is somewhat different from most pops.

Their food always comes out hot, fresh, and very quickly, and in addition, the service is great. All of the waiters are friendly and helpful, and if you ask for the sauce on the side or other dietary requests, they are very accommodating.

I find the restaurant is busy at any time, especially on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, but you usually do not have to wait too long to be seated. After dinner, if you want to listen to live music, there’s are some bars in the area, as well as live theatres, all of which are accessible via public transit.

If you’re looking to experience a different, homey kind of restaurant, head on over to Country Style Hungarian Restaurant…you will not be disappointed.

Country Style Hungarian Restaurant

416-536-5966

http://countrystylehungarian.com/

Why you should visit the St. Lawrence Market

March 14, 2019David Lipton Comment

As is the case in many cities, there are always one or two popular markets where people go to get fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, high-quality meats, and specialty foods. Toronto is no different, and for many years the go-to location has been the St. Lawrence Market.

The market, run by the City of Toronto, is located on 93 Front Street East and is currently comprised of three main buildings: The South Market, the North Market, and St. Lawrence Hall. It’s a combination of vendors where you can buy anything from fresh meat and pastries to seafood, olives and cheese. You can also get breakfast and lunch, as well as coffee and juice.

My understanding is that the lake used to come right up to the back of the market and vendors were able to bring their fish right up from the water, but the shoreline has since receded.

The market always exhibits a fun, bustling atmosphere. The vendors are always kind, and it’s great to support small, community businesses.

There’s also a number of places where you can buy meals….for example, Carousel Bakery at the market is known for its superb peameal bacon sandwiches. Buster’s Sea Cove has amazing fish and chips and Uno Mustachio is known for their large veal sandwiches.

What people often go down on a Friday or Saturday morning and get their groceries for the week. Since the market is closed on Sundays and Mondays, a couple of hours before closing on Saturday afternoon some of the vendors will put their products on sale or markdown the prices. Regardless, you can always kick it old school and try negotiating a deal.

Whether it’s to stroll around, grab a bite, or do your grocery shopping, I highly recommend visiting St. Lawrence Market.

St. Lawrence Market
416-392-7219
http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/

Ask and ye shall receive (great customer service)

February 6, 2019David Lipton Comment

Quite some time ago, I wrote about a great phone repair store called Stellar Cellular on College Street. The person who ran that store was named Richard, and he was an overall great guy to deal with, who did amazing work.

A couple of weeks ago my wife was having a problem with her phone, and so I reached out to Richard and asked him for some help. To my surprise, he said his store had moved out of town and he was not doing repairs anymore. He highly recommended Maaz at Ask Computers and suggested giving them a call. Ask Computers is run by two brothers, Maaz and Mani, on Front Street.

I called up Maaz and mentioned his colleague, Richard said I should give him a call. I explained the problem with my wife’s phone and he invited me to stop by whenever I could. They’re closed on Sundays so I drove down on a Saturday, showed him the phone and explained the problem. Right away he knew what the problem was.

Unlike some places that gave you a ticket, Maaz writes up a work order and a quote, then have you sign off electronically. Additionally, he will also text you updates when repairs are underway and when repairs are completed. He told me he’d try and get back to me later that day, but otherwise, it’d be done on Monday.

Much to my surprise, about two and a half hours after I dropped it off, I got a message saying it was ready. I stopped by again, paid him, and tried the phone out. The phone was working perfectly fine again, and I even got a follow-up email thanking me for my business and asking me to leave a review.

The location is a small store but it was neat and clean, and right away, between the look of the store and the initial conversation, I had felt I was in good hands the entire time. The whole customer service system he had in place was great—something you don’t see often in small businesses.

Whether you’re looking to buy computer equipment, get something repaired, or whether you just need advice, Maaz and Mani have a great store and I highly recommend stopping by for your tech needs.

Ask Computers

416-862-9595

Askcomputers.ca

A Taste of Good Customer Service

January 23, 2019David Lipton Comment

Lady York Foods is a unique, one-off grocery store, often frequented by folks in the Italian and Portuguese community who live nearby. They’re well-known for their butcher shop, deli and cheese section, locally baked goods, and their produce. I also go there for seasonal items, like figs and fresh olives. If you happen to be making prosciutto, you can easily get the leg of a pig and similar items—all high quality.

Last Friday my wife and I decided we wanted to make a rack of lamb for dinner. I headed over to my neighbourhood Costco and much to my sadness and shock, they didn’t have any lamb in stock, which was a rare event.

Although they had other meats, my wife and I were both craving lamb. I put my thinking cap on and while I was at Costco, I called up Lady York Foods to see if they had a rack of lamb in stock. I spoke to a young, friendly guy in the butcher shop and told him what I was looking for.

When I arrived, it was all wrapped up and ready to go. I thanked the young man for his help and headed home, eager to start digging in. When I got home my wife opened the package and was surprised because it looked different from the usual rack of lamb.

Usually, it’s Frenched so it looks very presentable, and so we were surprised it wasn’t Frenched already but we didn’t think anything of it. When we went to cook and slice it, we realized there was an extra bone in there, and when we went to continue slicing it we realized there was no actual meat, just bone and fat.

I called up Lady York Foods again and asked to speak to a manager. I told her there might have been some miscommunication and confusion, and that I was sold something that wasn’t butchered and properly presented for sale.

The young man from the butcher section told me to come in whenever it was convenient, and he would be happy to refund me. I took a picture of the lamb so I could prove I wasn’t yanking his chain and stopped by the next day.

When I approached him we ended up having a nice chat and he apologized for not having the product I was looking for, and for making me return to the store to get a refund. Lady York Foods was willing to step up to the plate to ensure customer satisfaction and the young man in the butcher shop was willing to make things right.

I showed him the picture I took of the lamb and we had a good chuckle. He ended up taking the picture for training purposes for the rest of the butchers.

I applaud Lady York Foods because they stood behind their product standards and readily refunded the money in the case of a simple miscommunication.

Lady York Foods

416-781-8585

www.ladyyorkfoods.com

A Special Thank You

January 16, 2019David Lipton Comment

Many years ago, SQM did a project for a gentleman by the name of Wassim, who works for a Canadian company called The Travelway Group. The company is a distributor of various travel-related products: suitcases, gym bags, and travel accessories. One of the products to which they have the licensing rights to are for various cartoon and superhero lunch bags, overnight bags, and knapsacks, such as Dora the Explorer, Frozen, and The Avengers.

Although it’s been several years since we last did any work for the company, I’ve kept in touch with Wassim. From time to time I’ve asked Wassim for a favour, related to some of the charity initiatives that SQM is involved with. In particular, when I’m working on any children’s related initiatives, I’ve called up to see if it’s possible to get some old or extra items that may be sitting around the warehouse, to pass along to the various organizations we are working with.

While I try not to take advantage of his generosity, whenever I’ve asked for something, without hesitation he takes down the delivery information and within days I’ll have a box full of items at my front door.

During my time in business, I’ve always made an effort to support those companies that actively support charitable causes…and especially the ones that and SQM is involved with. As a result, I wanted to do a shout out to the team at the Travelway Group for being a great partner and a great supporter of myself, and SQM. Thank you very much!

The Travelway Group

http://www.travelwaygroup.com