Home / Andrea Yu – Toronto Freelance Writer

Toronto Star • 4th December 2018

How to keep you kids happy and your budget in line over the holidays

Though holiday spending is a rite of the season, there are ways to minimize the statement shock when credit card bills roll in early next year.

Local Love | United Way • 22nd November 2018

How to fight off the bystander effect

Here’s why the bystander effect happens and how to safely and effectively defuse public harassment.

Toronto Star • 20th May 2017

Hard-to-find brews delivered to your doorstep

When Highlander Brew Co. founder Dwayne Wanner offered tastings of Pipers Loch at beer festivals in Toronto, smitten drinkers often asked where they could buy the mildly hopped yet full-bodied ale. “How do you get it? You drive four hours to the brewery."

Toronto Star • 6th November 2018

You either love or hate mooncake

The highlight of the Mid-Autumn Festival comes when the meal is over. Heavy pucks of dense mooncake, resembling small rounds of brie only square-shaped, are cut into wedges and served from a decorative metal tin.

MENU Magazine • 3rd September 2018

Tequila Takeover

Like many of us, Eric Brass at one time treated tequila as a “close your eyes, plug your nose and hope for the best” experience. But that all changed after he went to Mexico on an exchange.

Toronto Star • 2nd November 2018

Puppies and yoga. What could possibly go wrong?

There’s another animal making its way into Charmaine Pang's cat-cow yoga pose — a six-week-old Australian shepherd puppy is crawling under Pang to seek shelter under her arched back.

Local Love | United Way • 15th August 2018

The surprising ways city parks create barriers

GTA parks have a problem when it comes to being accessible to people of all abilities. Here’s how they can change for the better.

Toronto Star • 19th October 2018

Mascots created at custom costume shop on Geary St.

Halloween is the only time of the year when most of us dress up in character. But at Sugars Mascot Costumes, whimsical characters are a way of life.

Toronto Star • 12th September 2018

Malls lure suburban hipsters with foodie fare

Suburbanites are increasingly seeking the same unique, artisanal offerings available downtown and retail shopping centres are taking note.

The Taster • 12th September 2018

Skyview Fusion Cuisine’s porky dim sum

Like the pork in God of Cookery, Skyview’s cha siu is tender and juicy and—at least in the right circumstances—absolutely barrel roll-worthy.

Foodism Toronto • 29th August 2018

Land of Fire and Ice: A culinary tour of Iceland

The baking tradition of geyser bread is just one of many Icelandic culinary techniques that take advantage of the country’s unique natural resources.

Toronto Star • 24th August 2018

From vintage vehicles to classic food trucks

New food businesses seeking to stand out from the competition are refurbishing retro vehicles into mobile food operations. But the process isn’t without its pitfalls.

Local Love • 18th July 2018

Hydro lines help connect Toronto communities

Power lines aren’t what usually comes to mind when you think of community-building infrastructure. But along a five-kilometre stretch north of Dupont Street, a vibrant network of families, industries and artist hubs has emerged next to a hydro corridor.

Toronto Star • 27th July 2018

Modern brides are using henna art to tell their stories

Joshi sits patiently at the table of her uncle’s dining room, forearms upturned on a stiff leather pillow while henna artist Divya Patel executes an intricate design in the palm of Joshi’s right hand.

Foodism Toronto • 21st March 2018

Food For All? Making Toronto a more food secure city

Charitable campaigns and office food drives have concluded until the jingle bells ring again. But the needs of Toronto’s hungry persist year-round and the data shows that the level of food insecurity in the city is reaching unprecedented levels.

Toronto Star • 10th April 2015

Mirvish Village artisans face uncertain future

In a basement unit on Markham St. in Mirvish Village, ceramicist Catherine Carroll lays out a selection of subway tiles. Glazed with an uneven texture in shades of grey, they have a slightly imperfect quality — proof they are made by her hands.

enRoute • 8th January 2016

Jordan Rainhard's 6 Favourite Spots in Toronto

Jordan Rainhard started home-brewing beer in his parents’ house six years ago. These days, he’s crafting IPAs, porters and stouts at his eponymous west-end Toronto microbrewery. He raises a glass to his favourite spots in the city.

Toronto Star • 8th April 2017

Craft beer taps into Prince Edward County

After a decade-long boom, the growth of wineries in Prince Edward County has hit a plateau so county businesses are focusing on another boozy beverage — beer. Since 2016, five breweries have opened in Prince Edward County and five more are under construction.

Post City • 22nd June 2017

How the Food Dudes put their stamp on Toronto’s dining scene

It’s a sunny Wednesday afternoon and 50-odd members of the Food Dudes catering staff are gathered in the offices of their east end facility for a team meeting. Among the crowd are event planners and administration staff, plus chefs and cooks in logo-embroidered jackets.

Escapism Toronto • 24th April 2018

The Fertile Desert

We venture along the fringes of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert and discover arid landscapes, farms and orchards bearing an unexpected array of crops.