Forgive me, but this week’s post is going to be a little girly. It’s just that spring makes me want to… well, shop. A lot. I’m feeling girly and I have a credit card. Here are some of the shops I’ve been drooling in lately…

Little Black Dress Shop, 135 Tecumseth Street, Unit 7, Toronto

Schad, 527 Sussex Drive, Ottawa

Lola and Emily, 3475 Saint-Laurent, Montréal

Anybody else feeling the new-duds desire?

Over the long weekend, I was taking my iPod for a little stroll along Yonge when I accidentally walked into the Cupcake Shoppe. Is it me or does a chorus of angels sing when you walk in the door?

I ate: Frost me. Yonge & eligible. Pretty n’ pink. I can still feel that delicious deliciousness coursing through my veins!

So to continue on at theme, I’ve been doing research about cupcake shops in a town (hopefully) near you. This is what I’ve come up with so far… are these your favourites too?

• Cocoa Locale in Montreal
• Frostings Cupcakes in London
• Buttercream Bake Shoppe in Calgary
• Cupcake Bakeshoppe & Cafe in Edmonton

Are you crazy for cupcakes? Meet some new cupcake friends.

All this talk is making me hungry – must consume cupcakes now…

As of June 1, 2008, there will be major work done on rail networks in central and eastern Canada. To minimize the disruption to your travel, we’ve adjusted our timetables.

This means that if you already have tickets, your departure and arrival times may have changed! But stay chill – the new timetables are online and you’ll be able to modify your tickets by hand.

Keep an eye on this page for updates.

Do you have any idea how much vegetarians get ribbed for “eating what food eats”?

A lot.

To prove a point to you comedians-slash-carnivores, I am presenting you with a challenge! I am going to make a list of my favourite vegetarian/vegan restaurants and I want y’all to try at least one of them.

Then get back to me with your apologies and praise, okay? Super.

My top vegetarian restaurants in Montreal are:

• Aux Vivres, 4631 St-Laurent (*vegan*)
• Chu Chai, 4088 St-Denis
• Spirite Lounge, 1205 Ontario east

Some popular vegetarian restaurants in Toronto are:

• Annapurna, 1085 Bathurst Street
• Cafe 668, 885 Dundas Street West
• Vegetarian Haven, 17 Baldwin Street

What are you favourite vegetarian/vegan restos??

Today, I’m all business, people, so take our your Blackberries (or your sharpened pencils) and take note!

1) The Canada Travel Blog contest started again on May 1. What? You say you don’t want to win a $300 travel voucher for VIA Rail? Don’t argue with me. Just enter before July 31, 200, OK?

2) Saturday savings is back! That means a 50% discount when you book travel worth $80 or less for any Saturday in Comfort class.

This way, you don’t have to miss any Friday night festivities. Think about it. What if while you’re travelling on Friday night, the love of your life is standing at a coffee bar, sipping espresso, and talking to someone that isn’t you? Just travel on Saturday – you’ll save money and perhaps even secure your lasting happiness.

3) How could we ever sufficiently thank the Canadian military for being so brave? There are no words big enough, so until we find those words, VIA is offering the Canadian Forces Family Appreciation Fare. What that means is free and discounted travel for members of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families.

I think I’ve covered everything… for now.

And on a totally separate note, iLike – the Facebook application for music lovers – is offering a free download for the month of May. I don’t know if it’s going to be a permanent offering, like the iTunes free download of the week, but it’s still pretty nice to get something for free.