…I’m at least much more placated when a cupcake shop is opened in its place! Very excited that the lovely Desmond & Beatrice is opening soon on Queen St. E., just a bit east of Broadview, in the spot that the equally lovely Roxanne Reads used to be.

Funny side note: My roommate and I looked at an apartment right next door to this spot. Yup, that’s right, I almost lived next to a bookstore that later became a cupcake shop. I would’ve been poor, and then poor and fat. Probably a good thing that I live a 45-minute walk from there.

Local Motion: Election Hangover Party, Tuesday 7-11:30pm, Lula Lounge, $5 or FREE with book purchase (Facebook event page)

Still down in the dumps after the municipal election? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Come join a bunch of like-minded folks at the launch of the final title in Coach House Books’ uTOpia series: Local Motion: The Art of Civic Engagement in Toronto. If the politicians aren’t going to get things done, let’s take matters into our own hands, Torontonians! Now, more than ever, it’s time to get engaged in our city and make positive change our mission. Coach House is touting the event as “Toronto’s unofficial election hangover party,” and it will feature a roundtable discussion with some of the book’s many contributors (including Kelly Grant, Jonathan Goldsbie, John Lorinc, and Mike Smith), discussing “how individuals and groups can make things happen in their neighbourhoods in the months to come.” (If you can’t make it to the event on Tuesday, you can still buy the book wherever cool books are sold!)

MeshMarketing, Wednesday 8am-5pm, AllStream Centre, $539 regular/$99 student/FREE volunteer (Website)

For the past two years I’ve volunteered at the Mesh Conference, an annual web conference that’s always a fun and informative experience. This year I’m also helping out at MeshMarketing, described on their site in 140 characters as: “1 day of insight & info 4 U 2 capitalize on growing digital market. Thought-provoking keynote talks in AM. Followed by interactive & engaging panels & workshops.” Speakers at this year’s event include representatives from online superstars such as Porter Airlines, Pepsi Canada, Zappos, and Whole Foods. If you’re interested in marketing in the digital space, this is the conference for you, so go check out the varying ticket options – they might even still be in need of a few more volunteers, who get to attend the entire conference for free.

ECW’s Fall Literary Party, Thursday 7-11:30pm, Supermarket, FREE (Facebook event page)

My publisher, ECW Press, is holding their fall literary party with readings from a host of fantastic authors (including George Murray and Evie Christie), and I’ll be there to show my support! Come and join me for a night of great readings, great books for sale, great conversations, and great drinks. The event is free (!), but you’re definitely going to want to pick up a few books after you hear these talented authors read, so be sure to bring your wallets!

What cool upcoming events are you going to in Toronto?

All this is why, my friends, I will be bringing a designated amount of money with me to WOTS this Sunday, and will not allow myself to take out any additional cash or use any credit or debit cards. Because as much as I’d like to leave the festival carrying as many books as the guy pictured on the right, I’d probably break my back (and my bank account).

Whether you’re a book lover or a magazine lover, if you live near Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, or Kitchener, get yourself to The Word on the Street festival this Sunday.

{Photo by Garry Knight}

(photo by bookgrl)

Once a popular sweet ending to a child’s birthday party, the standard Betty Crocker chocolate cupcake with rainbow sprinkles has recently undergone a massive makeover. Specialty cupcake shops now create beautiful (and delicious!) works of art with ingredients as exotic as lavender and matcha tea powder for celebrity customers such as Ringo Starr and Katie Holmes (and little Suri!).

As a self-proclaimed cupcake connoisseur, I perform taste tests at cupcake shops in every city I visit, I read cupcake blogs regularly, and I even bake my own cupcakes from scratch. The worldwide popularity of cupcakes has touched down in Toronto with more than a dozen “cupcakeries” in the downtown area alone. But where are the best places to go when you’re in need of a mini-cake fix? Read on for my four favourite cupcake spots in T.O.

Life Is Sweet (2328 Queen St E, 416.698.0555)

Subtitled “A Cupcake House”, this small east-end bakery offers a wide variety of delicious and unique flavours daily. For $2.25 per cupcake, you can choose from flavours such as Vanilla Bean, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Lemon Drop, Butterscotch, Earl Grey, Orange, Chocolate Chip, Coconut, and White Chocolate. On my visit I chose to try both a Chocolate and a Mint Chocolate Cupcake, and I couldn’t have been more satisfied. The cake was light, fluffy, and oh-so-chocolatey, and the lovely employees freshly piped the divine icing onto the cupcakes while I watched!

The Cupcake Shoppe (2417 Yonge St, 416.322.6648)

Peek-a-boo cupcakes from The Cupcake Shoppe!

Offering a total of 17 nut-free flavours, with nine available in-store each and every day, The Cupcake Shoppe wins the award for having the most creative cupcake names. Some of my favourites include Yonge ‘n’ Eligible (vanilla or chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream), Sleepless in Toronto (vanilla or chocolate cake with coffee buttercream), Curious George (vanilla or chocolate cake with banana buttercream), and Eh? (vanilla cake with maple buttercream). At $2.50 a pop, these little cakes taste as amazing as they sound and more than worth the price.

Lollicakes (859 Mount Pleasant Rd, 416.482.2253)

While Lollicakes doesn’t offer a wide variety of flavours (vanilla or chocolate cake with vanilla or chocolate icing), they sure do make their cakes to be the very best they can! The cake is light, yet rich in flavour, and the icing is very sugary sweet. Best to pair these $3.00 cupcakes with a glass of milk! Like The Cupcake Shoppe, Lollicakes also offers nut-free cupcakes, but additionally they are certified Kosher. I tried a chocolate cupcake with pink vanilla icing on my first trip to this bakery, and they impressed me by freshly piping the icing to order! Sometimes the littlest touches make the biggest difference.

Miss Cora’s Kitchen (69 Kensington Ave, 416.593.2672)

This adorable Kensington Market bakery only sells mini-cupcakes, but they sure are mega-delicious! Available in chocolate, vanilla, lemon, and carrot cake (with amazingly rich cream cheese icing) for $1.50 a piece, they truly are heavenly little creations. And because they’re so small, you can eat more of them without feeling guilty! You’re definitely best to order yourself a whole dozen and try out every flavour!

Truly one of the best ways to perk up your day is to enjoy a perfect individual-sized cake just for you! The map below will help you find my favourite T.O. cupcakeries, but where are yours? Share your top spots in the comments, and happy cupcaking!