Ten magnificent gardens are featured on the 2011 Garden Tour. The weather forecast couldn’t be better – a balmy spring day with clear skies. Scattered throughout Cabbagetown, the gardens reflect both modern and classic landscape styles. This is a relaxed event. Although they’ve sold lots of tickets, the crowds disperse and each garden is welcoming for a leisurely visit. Liz Primeau is the special guest gardener. Last minute ticket sales and Paypal redemptions happen at the BIA Office from 9 am to 2 pm on Sunday (237 Carlton).Cash in your discounts
Your Garden Tour ticket includes specials and discounts at several Cabbagetown businesses. Kendall & Co (541 Parliament), Mi Casa (238 Carlton), and Me To We (223 Carlton) all offer discounts on their merchandise. The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament), Sweet Creamery (521 Parliament) and Starbucks (492 Parliament) have snacks, coffee and ice cream at special discounts. Ben Wicks (424 Parliament), Caroline’s (554 Parliament), Cranberries (601 Parliament), Provence Delices (12 Amelia), Winchester Kitchen & Bar (51A Winchester), Stonegrill (51B Winchester) and Peter’s Cajun Pizza (415 Parliament) have special prices for lunch and dinner when you present your Tour tickets.What’s going on here?
Signs have appeared in the windows of the empty store on Winchester Street across from the Tim Hortons. This place has been empty for quite a while so the new activity is really welcome. At the BIA office, we’ve been asked regularly about the future of this location and I have to say (despite my motto, “Tell Doug, tell the world…”) that my lips are sealed. On Sunday, all will be revealed. Drop down to the corner on Sunday afternoon and you’ll see for yourself. Winchester & Parliament.MerryBerry gets another good review
You can read it here - http://www.caterista.com/blog/2011/05/19/torontos-merry-berry-cafe-and-bistro/ Cyril and Nimmi have been busy. Their patio is now open in the back, giving you a nice opportunity to enjoy their fine food comfortably in the open summer air. Don’t forget that their liquor licence approval came through a short time ago. 559 Parliament.Iced drinks and croissants
Toni and Elaine have expanded their menu at Mylk Uncookies (253 Gerrard). Elaine loves iced tea lattes with almond mylk and Elaine is enjoying the new iced lattes. And they’ve added croissants from Jules Patisserie on the weekends. Scrumptious stuff.Ready for barbeques and patios
Patty at The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) has been busy helping the neighbourhood lately. This weekend, she has a special 15% discount on any cheese purchase for people with Garden Tour tickets. Plus you can show your ticket, buy a lunch special and receive a free dessert and drink. For two weeks before this, she offered free trade coffees in partnership with Me To We.This weekend, she’s jumping into the BBQ season with potato salad, coleslaw, bean pasta salad and Greek pasta. Buy any bulk salad and get another one free.
Reception at Me To We
Last week, staff from Me To We and Free The Children met with neighbourhood residents to introduce the two organizations and answer questions. Free The Children is familiar for most of us – it’s the organization that reaches out across Canada and the world to mobilize young people and assist people living in developing countries. Me To We is its social enterprise arm, earning profits that are then plowed back into Free The Children. Last week’s crowd also had a good look at the beautiful Me To We store (223 Carlton).Our flowers are now blooming
Once again, we’re proudly adding flower baskets to our street’s appearance. The first of three waves has now appeared, hanging on about 30 poles throughout our neighbourhood. Within a very short time, another batch will fill in the gaps. In the meantime, the three garden planter boxes beside the TD Bank at Carlton and Parliament will be filled. These decorations add to the existing beds that are already planted at Tim Hortons (Winchester and Parliament) and on Prospect Street beside the Butter Chicken Factory. They’re a BIA project that we now plan for every year.This Tee is now a classic
It’s gone. Off the shelf. Sold out. Our Tee shirt is now history. If you own one, start to save it carefully – no more casual dumps into the laundry basket. It’s irreplaceable. Four years ago, Lindsey Reidt and Chris Kiraly brought it to life. Since then, it’s been seen relaxing at wine tastings in Kelowna, lounging on a Greek patio, wrapped around a pooch in Australia, touring toney villages in France, kicking up heels in Chicago, perched on horseback in Cuba and, of course, everywhere in Cabbagetown. What a success!Watch this space for news about the next edition.
