FRANKIE’S FAVOURITE EATERIES 

Hot tables are a staple in Toronto... Pre-cooked foods, behind glass, and you pick your meal.

They are what many Torontonians go to when they need something to bring home, or a great lunch meal, often inside bakeries, etc.

Some good ones are Italian, Chinese, Polish, and Greek. Many other cultures have them as well, as Toronto is so multicultural—Jamaican, Persian... I could go on and on.

Here are a few of my favourites.

I LOVE the hot table at Tre Mari on St. Clair. I know this location and family very well because it's next to my mom’s flower shop (Verdi), but it also has all the classics I really like. It's got the tripa, the potatoes, always a great pasta, and rapini and peppers are always hanging about. I love Tre Mari—it's an institution. Their breads, cheeses, and everything else are great as well, but I'm a sucker for the table.

My next most often frequented hot table would be the one at California Sandwiches on Dufferin and Castlefield. It's slightly different from the other Californias and has a lot of extra options when you're looking for more than just a veal sandwich ;). I probably don't need anything more, but I'm always splitting a salad or rapini with whoever shows up with me. Large olives and extra sauce are always accompanying my sandwich, which is most often with cheese, mushrooms, and hot peppers.

I love, love, love the hot table at Arkady. It's a Polish classic at Burnhamthorpe and Dixie. I'm shocked at how many fresh dishes they have on the table. I think it's because Poles don't generally go out for dinner or lunch, and if they did, they would try other foods, as making food is such a big part of the culture. Moms teach kids to cook as part of tradition and time together. Let me tell you—the food at Arkady is authentic and very delicious. Soups galore, potatoes and dumplings up the ying-yang, and more beef, stews, and porky dishes than you can imagine. The salads with cabbage, carrots, and beets are in abundance. If you've never tried Arkady, you should.

You know where I love a good grab-and-go Chinese? T&T Markets. This grocery store is full of Asian deliciousness, but I also love their great hot table. It's one of my faves—something for everyone, with typical Mandarin-style "North American Chinese" and more authentic chicken feet for the adventurous ones like me.

I like this one spot for Greek that I've been going to for YEARS but only recently rediscovered. It was called Jessie's for years, but the new name is CREW Eatery. The food hasn't changed at all since the new owners came on, and the portions are still massive. I go for the chicken plate, which is Greek salad, rice, a chicken breast, and I ask for triple tzatziki on top. If you need a quick meal where you can pick fresh things in Mississauga, I would stop at Matheson and Kennedy and enjoy a feast at Crew.

TECH SPOTLIGHT

Meta Connect 2025 wasn’t just another keynote—it was part gadget runway, part comedy of errors. Mark Zuckerberg unveiled not one, not two, but three new smart glasses: the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2), the Meta Ray-Ban Display with its Neural Band wrist controller, and the Oakley Meta Vanguard for athletes.

The showstopper? The Neural Band—a sleek wristband that reads tiny hand movements so you can “write” texts in the air. (Finally, a way to reply without fumbling for your phone while juggling groceries.) The Display glasses themselves feature built-in apps, alerts, and directions projected right onto your lens, straight out of a sci-fi film.

Of course, no tech reveal is complete without a hiccup. During a live cooking demo, Meta’s AI couldn’t quite get the recipe steps straight, leaving everyone laughing (and Zuckerberg blaming the Wi-Fi). Still, with features like 3K video recording, conversation focus, and hours of battery life, Meta seems serious about making smart glasses the next big thing.

Whether you want to text mid-jog, look futuristic on your commute, or just impress dinner guests, there might be a pair of Meta’s new glasses with your name on them.

Check it out here!

REAL ESTATE SPOTLIGHT

If I was a Bay Street guy (Toronto's Wall Street) with a few bucks and wanted to be in a party neighbourhood within walking distance to work. This is the unit I would buy. If you want to check it out give Nigel Denham a buzz. 

Check it out!

REAL ESTATE SPOTLIGHT - PT 2

Welcome to your new slice of Yorkville luxury! This bright and airy south-west corner suite isn’t just a condo—it’s a lifestyle. With 855 square feet of thoughtfully designed living space, you’ll have room for everything and everyone, thanks to two bedrooms, two full baths, and a bonus den that’s ready to be your chic home office, cozy reading nook, or creative space.

Floor-to-ceiling windows fill the suite with sunshine and city views, while sleek finishes and modern touches add a dash of sophistication. The kitchen is a showstopper with its integrated Miele appliances, quartz countertops, and a generous island that makes entertaining a breeze. When it’s time to unwind, your primary bedroom retreat awaits, complete with a walk-in closet, custom organizer, and spa-like ensuite.

Even better? This suite comes fully furnished, so you can skip the heavy lifting and settle right in.

Life at Cumberland Tower is all about balance—whether that’s swimming laps in the indoor pool, meditating in the serene studio, or relaxing in the rooftop garden. And with 24-hour concierge service, a fitness center, hot tub, and poolside lounge, you’ll feel like you’re living at a five-star hotel every day.

Just steps from the Four Seasons, the Hazelton Hotel, U of T, Whole Foods, and endless dining options, this address puts the very best of Yorkville at your doorstep. Parking and a locker are included, making this move-in ready gem a total win.

Check it out!

WORD OF THE WEEK

Lugubrious

What It Means

Lugubrious is a formal word used chiefly to describe something that is very sad especially in an exaggerated or insincere way. The word can also describe something that shows or expresses gloom.

FRANKIE’S SONG OF THE WEEK

I added these two housie tracks to my play list last week... Hope you enjoy them.

Listen Here! - Spotify

Listen Here! - Apple Music

Listen Here! - Spotify

Listen Here! - Apple Music

100 WEEKS OF POSITIVE MESSAGES

Frankie did 100 days of positive messages 3 years ago. He wanted to center them around mental health and positivity. We will post them each week for 100 weeks.

“You find it offensive and I find it funny?

Hmmm, that’s interesting.

What I noticed when I came to Canada was something strange.

In Europe when you went to parties you chatted about Art, you laughed, you gathered ideas, you danced and your opinions about the world were not so heavily scrutinized.

The dinner table was free rein and still feels like it is.

In North America when you go to a party people like to talk about possessions and if you throw out an opinion it feels as though you can’t take it back, like you are either taking one side or the other and dancing is gone.

Everyone has become so highly sensitive, at least that’s how it feels to me.

Room for discussions is non existent, everyone has the final word and has been told they have the right to it.

Do I like GMOs? Do I not?
Do I like medicine? Do I prefer natural?
Do I believe in more welfare? Do I believe in less?
Do I like the super flu shot? Do I not?
More immigrants? Less immigrants?
Do I like guns? Do I not?

We have become so black and white and divisive.

Just because we don’t have the same opinion on something shouldn’t mean we can’t be friends, right?

As a matter of fact, what makes a great friendship is when you can disagree, work together and remain buddies.

Have you ever been to a state capital like Ottawa or Washington?

The same people that you see on the news, arguing about the things that you are so passionate about in the capital buildings are the same people that are having drinks and making jokes with each other at 3:01 pm at the local pubs.

The joke is on us.

My dad once said to me, Frankie in Poland we went to work to have fun, that is where we drank and shared ideas.

Comedy is the lubricant that makes tough subjects open to dialogue.

Let’s leave comedy alone, it is good for your brain and your body to laugh.

Does anyone have a great polish joke?”

🧠A Weekly Dose of Psychology You Didn’t Know You Needed 🧠

Hi everyone! I’m Maya, I hold an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science and Psychology (basically, I can analyze both a crime scene and your overly complicated coffee order). I’m also an incoming Master of Arts candidate in Counselling Psychology, which means I spend a lot of time thinking about how the human brain works, and why it sometimes does the exact opposite of what we want it to do.

Fall is officially here, which means cozy sweaters, warm drinks, and… a brand-new season of Netflix’s Monsters dropping October 3. This year’s subject is Ed Gein, one of the most infamous names in true crime history. So, let’s lean into the forensic side of psychology this week.

Psych Fact #12: Not all serial killers are legally “insane.”

When people hear about figures like Ed Gein, it’s easy to assume their crimes come from someone who completely lost touch with reality. But in forensic psychology, legal insanity has a very narrow definition: it only applies if someone didn’t understand what they were doing or couldn’t tell right from wrong at the time.

Here’s the twist most people don’t realize: the majority of serial killers don’t meet that definition. Many carefully plan their crimes, understand consequences, and even try to cover their tracks. That awareness usually rules out an insanity defense, no matter how shocking their behavior might look from the outside.

So while Netflix will deliver the scares this October, the real psychological puzzle is how someone can be deeply disturbed without being considered legally insane.

Until next time,
Maya 🧠✨

TRIVIA

Category: True Crime!

UPCOMING SPORTS EVENTS

CHRIS’ CORNER

School Sports Matter

One of the best things about elementary and secondary school is the fact that kids can try playing a variety of sports.

From football to soccer to basketball to tennis and almost anything else you can think of. Though my kids are soccer-first, they do enjoy shooting hoops or picking up a tennis racquet on occasion – that’s because I love doing that too.

But they would never have tried volleyball without school sports teams or curling or cross-country skiing, or anything else that wouldn’t fit into our daily schedules.

I was chatting about this with another parent who very much has the same mentality as I do: tryout for every school sports team, try every sport that you can. Even join intramurals if that’s an option so you see if you enjoy a specific sport or not.

I know that high schools still do their best to offer as many sports as possible, but I have been hearing about more and more schools cutting back on former staples like soccer and even volleyball because they don’t have the people willing to facilitate it.

It’s a shame. Back when we were growing up we had all the options all the way through to help keep us active and engaged.

Sports offers great physical benefits, as well as offering social opportunities, leadership growth, confidence, and much more.

Having them available to everyone at our schools is vital to provide equal opportunities to those whose families may not be able to afford club sports teams – which can be very expensive when factoring in registration and equipment costs.

There are many families who don’t have the resources to provide their children the opportunity to even play one sport, let alone trying out many different ones, which is a vital part of achieving maximum physical literacy.

It’s imperative that we find a solution to this issue and get back to offering all manners of school sports teams to every kid who wants to play.

Is it offering bonuses to teachers who put in extra time? Bringing in screened volunteers who have police checks done? Enlisting teams of parents to help facilitate these opportunities?

All of the above?

I don’t know how to address the issues in each of the schools that is no longer offering all the sports they used to students, but I do know something needs to be done.

By Chris Occhiuzzi

WEATHER THIS WEEK

TORONTO

MIAMI

PARIS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“You can always tell someone what you think the next day.”

-SFD

CONTRIBUTIONS

If you would like to contribute to the newsletter, please contact us. Our NL goes out to over 10k business owners, friends, and other professionals in my network. We would love to have people from different walks of life, and we won't judge your writing. If you would like us to keep your articles anonymous, we can do so as well. Also, if you enjoy the newsletter and want to contribute $, please donate to www.camh.ca anytime on our behalf AND please have your friends subscribe, it will mean the world to us. 

Thank you

- Frankie

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Super Frankie is lazy. He loves technology because it makes life more simple. Technology is spawned from ideas that make life easier. He is the founder of Busys.ca which is a company that sells/leases and services printers, laptops, document management software, copiers, IT services, and phone systems throughout North America and Europe.

LET’S CONNECT

*These articles, jokes, and stories are written by individuals handpicked by SFD for their unique way of thinking and writing. While SFD appreciates their styles, he does not necessarily endorse their opinions. This newsletter is designed to bring a smile to your face. If you prefer not to receive this weekly newsletter, please feel free to unsubscribe. You will be missed.