Local Expert
Vanessa Grant
Vanessa has been to New York, London and Paris – and still considers Toronto her world-class city of choice (at least until French Vogue comes calling, of course). A trained journalist, currently…
Vanessa has been to New York, London and Paris – and still considers Toronto her world-class city of choice (at least until French Vogue comes calling, of course). A trained journalist, currently working at HGTV.ca as a web editor and producer, she's also been a researcher, beauty editor and fashion industry insider.
Although she's now covering home decor and lifestyle, the range of topics she write about is quite varied. Want to know how to get a man to buy you a drink at a bar, how beer is brewed or how Omega fatty acids can improve your health? Vanessa has written about it. And now with, Planet Eye, she’ll keep you up-to-date on the best events, restaurants and cultural activities the Toronto has to offer.
Instead of just hitting the gym, Vanessa takes classes at the National Ballet School and is proud of her impeccable posture. She loves Queen Street West and Kensington market for unique fashion finds. And sushi cravings keep her on the lookout for the freshest fish in the city. She’s dabbled in hand modeling and her delicate digits have graced billboards and magazine pages alike.
But Vanessa is most comfortable behind the camera – and can often be found in front of a computer reading about style and art or out on the street, discovering new restaurants, stores and hidden gems in her own city.
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Balzac's Coffee
Called the antithesis of a corporate-run coffee house, Balzac's, located in the Distillery District with another location in Liberty Village and one in Stratford, Ontario, is named after the famed novelist, playwright and coffee fanatic, Honoré de Balzac. He also penned a dissertation called "The Pleasures and Pains of Coffee."
Owner Diana Olsen has a degree in French Literature and studied at the West Coast Specialty Coffee Training Institute in San Fransisco, earning a designation as "Roast Master."
The coffee at Balzac's is fair trade, organically grown and pesticide-free and receives rave reviews from media across the board. The high ceilings in the former industrical pump house is decorated with a giant Vaudeville chandelier that offsets the brick walls and ridiculously high celings.
Bring a book, grab a coffee, sit out on the cobblestone patio and enjoy the Distillery scenery.