lucky penny might be little… but boy, she can eat.

a former resident from across the pond, she sometimes craves a good english supper. thankfully, boy bestie introduced her to his local, house on parliament… nicknamed aitch-oh-pee… and a few of their twitter buddies, collectively known as the butter tart crew slash #hopto: @climbguy, @issarged, @mommydoings, @jylui, @karmacakedotca, @miss_content, and @reado.

the intimate pub (always packed, so come early or after the rush!) serves up a generous and mouth-watering prime rib, complete with all the fixings… horseradish, buttery roasted garlic mash, grilled veggies, and a fluffy yorkshire pudding every sunday.

once the deliciousness arrives (medium-rare for this girl), the table falls silent… and just when she is about to unbutton her trousers, out comes a slice of caramelized apple bread pudding. warning: wear loose clothing.

any other day of the week, she will order their chicken wings (hot sauce on the side) and french fries (best in the city, bar none) with gravy.

***psst… hop is moving next door in a few months!

lucky penny has a confession to make… she is about to commit a *cardinal* sin against her credit card.  

let us style toronto (lust) is a holiday pop-up founded by the fashion collective and lovefresh… all will be unveiled tomorrow at the gladstone hotel. *cartwheels*

friday, december 10th
10am – 10pm
the gladstone hotel
1214 queen street west

lucky penny will be christmas shopping for all her lovelies… with the likes of jessica jensen, fortnight lingerie, moovboots, happy socks, and of course, chasse gardée. the ten spot and blo dry bar will pamper her all-day.

inaugural invitation-only media gala is tonight. follow @luckypennydaily and her boy bestie on twitter for live updates!

lucky penny‘s favourite comfort food of all time… the grilled cheese sandwich.

anything with ooey gooey goodness for that matter. macaroni and cheese is a close second. om nom nom nom!

now that autumn is *officially* here to stay, nothing is better… most especially on a rainy day.

back in august at the ex, lucky penny was invited to the grate canadian grilled cheese competition… 4 chefs, 3 judges and cheeeeeeese. what better way to spend a tuesday morning? *all in a day’s work*

did you know? cooking with bread and cheese originated during the roman empire. croque monsieur, an open-faced fromage et jambon grilled sandwich, debuted in parisian cafés in the 1910s.

the cheese dream, during the great depression in the 1930s, was a single slice of white bread with processed cheese. a second slice was added in the 1960s.

history lesson over.

***psst… read who won the competition on her boy bestie’s *newly* designed site, it all starts with butter.

lucky penny always orders a margherita… ask anyone, it’s her usual.

three weeks ago, one of her best girls returned from a whirlwind holiday (italy, switzerland and brazil)… and “when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore”, they agreed to meet for an overdue grenade-filled gossip sesh at queen margherita pizza in leslieville.

this charming rustic pizzeria, directly across the street from coxwell subway station, opened only 6 months ago.

in the late 1800s, queen margherita of savoy visited naples (birthplace of pizza), and was served a thin-crust pie topped with cheese, tomatoes and basil (colours of the italian flag) made specially for her… and the rest is history.

the besties ordered the $25 prix fixe… appetizer, pizza and dessert… and a few glasses of prosecco. after the caesar salad, prosciutto with orange slices and parmesan, but just before the caramelized bananas and vanilla ice cream, was the most deeeeeeeeeelicious margherita pizza.

cooked in an oven (800f/450c) for about 90 seconds, the resident pizza chef has mastered the age-old art down to an exact science… a slice should be perfectly doughy and crispy, not cardboard stiff.

mental note: ideal for date night, or a party of 10… with family-style tables and benches.

lucky penny is the girl who fainted… more on that later.

one delightful afternoon two weeks ago… 10 fellow journalists, including boy bestie and yours truly, were invited by the lcbo for a wine and cheese tour of prince edward county.

key words: wine and cheese. yup. she has… the best job ever.

first stop: norman hardie winery and vineyard. surrounded by rolling hills, and rows on rows of french vines lives a space-age barn (as charmingly illustrated on his bottle labels)… and a *new* limestone pizza oven, courtesy of pizzeria libretto… pizza parties to come in a few weeks!

just inside the starship enterprise are wine barrels stacked three high and many across… something about fermentation, blah, blah, blah… *seeing stars* then everything went dark.

she fainted.

now don’t judge her… lucky penny had a blueberry muffin for breakfast, and only two sips of hardie’s riesling… plus our hero can put back jägerbombs like a rock star… the culprit: sulfur fumes from the barrels.

the show must go on… it is lunch o’clock! imagine pinot noir with steak grilled to perfection, and organic vegetables grown right in his backyard. another helping of heirloom tomatoes, svp.

second stop: fifth town artisan cheese co. an eco-friendly and socially responsible establishment where cheese lovers meet. their products are handmade from locally produced goat and sheep’s milk.

mmmmm, good… especially when paired with *more* wine. what bump on the head? her favourites included lighthall tomme, and goat cheddar.

last stop: sandbanks estate winery. right off loyalist parkway sits a vibrantly inviting cottage with muskoka chairs on deck, and a lush front garden to be envied by all. the perfect setting for a glass of rosé… and something sweet, spicy and savoury from buddha dog.

home sweet home… wheels on the bus go ’round and ’round.

***psst… lcbo’s go local campaign, in partnership with wine council of ontario, runs from september 12 to october 9, 2010… nearly 150 products from 38 ontario wineries will be showcased… cheers!