Photo by Cindy Cui / Photo Editor

Floating in the window of an Ottawa Street storefront is a crocheted pool float in the shape of a pink flamingo. The sign at the top of the store reads “The City & The City Books”(181 Ottawa St. North). Owned by Janet Hoy and Tim Hanna, this independent bookstore opened last spring.

The store is located right next to Cannon Coffee Co., so if you like to study in coffee shops, then just a quick trip from Cannon will let you pick up a book and support this local business. 

The City & The City Books gets its name from the 2009 book by author China Miéville. 

“[Miéville] writes what’s called the new weird. He defies genre. If you go into a bookshop all of his books could be in a different section. They could be in literature, they could be in science fiction, they could even be in mystery,” said Hanna, “Something we’re interested in is books that defy genre, or not having genre. I always say to people: in an ideal bookshop there wouldn’t be a literature or science fiction section, there would just be stories.

This is clearly evident in the store. The book sections intermingle together. Philosophy and literature rub elbows with science fiction and mystery. New books are located on white shelves at the front and used books on black shelves at the back, making it easy to navigate between the two. Hoy points out that one of the benefits of offering used books is the affordability. 

“It’s great seeing someone get excited because they just found War and Peace for $5,” said Hoy.

Hoy jokes that she does have one regret about the name of the store. 

“Writing an ampersand is hard,” she said. 

Hoy and Hanna are hoping that the store can help make buying school books easier for students. 

“When you get your syllabus for the beginning of the year and the list of books that you need, if we know what people are looking for we’ll be out looking for it,” said Hoy.

Come the winter semester, if you’re struggling to afford textbooks, it’s definitely worth a look to see if The City & The City Books has what you’re looking for. Hanna emphasized that, for students, they were going to try and have everything possible from spirituality to philosophy and political science. 

The store isn’t limited to just books. There are eclectic socks, cards and most importantly, cat tarot decks. That alone is worth the trip down to Ottawa Street. Not to mention, Ottawa Street has art galleries, a board game cafe, thrift stores and restaurants. If you’re planning a day trip out with your friends, it’s a must-try hotspot. While you’re there, stop by The City & The City Books to have a look around to see where the words can take you.

 

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What it is

Now that you have gotten through the first month of a school, you have probably found more than a fair share of delicious breakfast/brunch places on James Street North and Locke Street South.

If you’re in the city during reading week, it may be time to expand your breakfast horizons.

What better way to do that then with some damn good waffles? The Cannon is the only place in the city that excels in both waffles and specialty coffee.

Sweet waffles drenched in your choice of chocolate, fruit and whipped cream are served alongside savoury brunch combos of poached eggs, bacon, avocado, grilled veggies and more on top of a waffle the size of your plate.

How to get there from Westdale/Ainslie Wood

Hop on the 1 bus route heading towards downtown.

You will be heading straight down Main Street for a while until your stop on Main and Ottawa.

After getting off, walk north down Ottawa Street until you reach Cannon Street East. The Cannon Coffee will be right on the corner.

How much

A classic, no-nonsense waffle with maple syrup costs $4.50, while the more substantial menu items average at around $7 to $12.

What to get

Good brunch friends don’t let each other choose between sweet or savoury. Sharing is caring here so I would recommend splitting an order.

First order one of the brunch plates. My go-to is the California Brunch plate with two poached eggs, avocado salsa, bacon and goat cheese on a jalapeño Havarti waffle. Alongside your savoury waffle plate, go ahead and deck out your sweet waffles with all the syrup, chocolate and fruit that you want (if you are extra hungry maybe order two).

Splitting food will keep both of your cravings satisfied, while also providing a lot of food for just under $10 a head.

I always recommend getting coffee while you wait for your food. The espresso bar is always busy on a weekend morning, but the awesome baristas on staff make it worth it.

Why it's great

While I was learning about all the popular coffee shops in the city, the Cannon was one of the most recommended places by other café owners. The Cannon has gotten the specialty café formula down pat: good coffee and a focused menu that pairs perfectly with it. Their  savoury waffle options are unlike anything else in the city, while still executing a classic waffle really well.  Beyond breakfast, the place provides comfortable, bright atmosphere to just relax in.

The Cannon could have easily won over many with that alone, but they really take time to make sure that their coffee is worth the trip too. I don’t think the combination of good brunch and good company ever needs more justification but if you were waiting for the perfect spot to pull you away from campus, you need to make time to go to Ottawa Street this reading week.

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