Cabbagetown News

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:41:00 +0000

Last minute goodies
We’ve got lots of stocking stuffers available this week. No doubt, some of you have been super-efficient and your work is all done and your packages are all wrapped. For the other 99% of us, here are a few hints.

Sharon (503 Parliament)...

...has a lot of new stock for your last minute shopping frenzy. On Sunday from noon to 4 pm, she’s holding her pre-Christmas sale featuring fun jewelry, sweaters, animal hats and leather gloves.

Mi Casa (238 Carlton) ......is full of beautiful goodies. It’s hard to know which ones to mention. There are, for example, beautiful Vent du Sud tablecloths and napkins on sale.

Unistar (517 Parliament) ......is heaven for the computer whiz. This little gem, a Microsoft mini-cam, is yours for only $49.
More tips further down the page.

The Big News
The Olympic Torch came to Cabbagetown this morning and it was quite a show. In fact, three different shows.
The main event was the torch relay itself. Parliament Street was part of the early morning route stretching from Front Street north to Bloor. People lined the street including some near us who had come from all across Toronto to cheer one of the runners, one of their co-workers.
When the relay arrived, the road was chaotic. There were police cars, buses and big trucks ahead of the flame. Police on bikes kept the crowd on the sidewalk. Coca-Cola (a major sponsor) had spectacularly decorated trucks. They gave away free bottles of Coke including one with a glow-in-the-dark design. Another sponsor, RBC, had flags for the spectators and a cheering section on their truck. Small buses ferried runners who had done their route and others waiting for their assignments.
Out of all this mayhem came one distinct figure in a white costume carrying the flame. It was a very moving moment. And then, whoosh, they were past and gone.
The Cabbagetown Youth Centre staged two more torch events. On Thursday night, they celebrated the relay. The highlight of the evening was the appearance of the actual torch, coming to the CYC right after festivities at City Hall.
On Friday morning, the CYC held a special breakfast to extend best wishes to their team of relay runners. After the breakfast, twenty kids from the CYC went by bus to Newmarket where they each carried the torch. They were chosen as part of a special program sponsored by Coca-Cola. Each relay runner represented part of the CYC’s activities (dance, martial arts, boxing, sports) and each one was chosen because she or he had shown a dedication to fitness, to volunteer work and to the community.

Plum presents…
One of our newest restaurants, Plum (226 Carlton) has started jazz evenings. The Dave & Levi Trio present “le jazz hot”. Two time Juno winner David Fowler (piano) joins Urban Music Award winner Levi Collins (vocalist) and stand-up bassist Alfred Gertler. The final performance happens on Friday December 18 from 8 to 11pm. By the way, early reviews about Plum are very enthusiastic – great Italian food at reasonable prices in a beautifully decorated room.

Epicure Shop Specials
Patty keeps selling lots of her Gift Baskets for the Christmas season. They come in all sizes and each and every one is Tax Free. Her store is full of other seasonal specials – mincemeat tarts and pies, homemade shortbreads and gingerbread.. She’s got Summerfresh Dips on special sale: buy one and get one free. Candy-filled mugs are $4 each or two for $7.50. 473 Parliament

More tips for your last minute shopping…
Both Menagerie Pet Shop (549 Parliament) and Pet Valu (240 Carlton) have big displays of treats and tricks for the pet in your life. Take them with you (they won’t know what you’re up to!) Maybe even give them a chance to have a preview sniff or a taste test. Nobody freaks out in these stores.

Christmas presents from the City
New garbage bins are now arriving along our streets. They’re tubby and silver with a special foot pedal that opens the slots where your litter is deposited. Opinions about their beauty and svelte shape vary across a range of reactions.
There is one intriguing question being discussed widely. How long will that foot pedal survive? Will it just wear out? Will the snowplows wing it off? Perhaps it may even endure the full twenty year lifespan of the container. Wags are said to be setting up betting pools.

Sweet Creamery has Santa
On Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 6 pm, Santa will be relaxing beside the gelato and chocolate mocha. He’ll probably enjoy a traditional Christmas lunch - soup and a panini. Boys and girls of all ages are invited to drop by and sit on his lap while discussing Christmas lists. 521 Parliament.

The Sterling Brass at Ben Wicks
After seeing Santa on Sunday, get down to the Ben Wicks (424 Parliament) for the 8th Annual Christmas sing-a-long. You’ll enjoy wetting your whistle and then belting out a few favourite carols as the Sterling Brass provide their inimitable accompaniment. This is always a fun event and somehow, Robert and David make this comfortable pub even more welcoming and Christmas-y. Sunday, December 20th, 3 to 6 pm.

Flowers for the holidays
Cabbagetown is blessed with lots of stores selling beautiful seasonal flowers.

Simmons (540 Parliament)... ...is one of our most established shops. Merion will prepare a magnificent decoration just for your home.

At Parliament Smoke Shop (609 Parliament)... ...miniature Christmas trees are available at $7.99.

Across the street, Jamestown Milk (592 Parliament)...

...has poinsettas at $6.99

Fairway Market (520 Parliament)......has a beautiful display of assorted Christmas blooms inside their front window.

Soup’s on – again
The Soup sale at 603 1/2 Parliament (just north of Cranberries) proved to be a great success last week and so they’re keeping their space open until New Years to present works by their in-house artists and crafts people. Greeting cards, handmade ornaments, Allie Oop bags, jewelry, knitted wares, silk screened clothes and bags, paintings, fun buttons and much more. Call for an appointment and enjoy a private viewing away from the rude bustle of anxious shoppers. (416) 534-4567, bling@blinkblink.to

Christmas donations needed

The Yonge Street Mission (Gerrard) does remarkable work in our community and across downtown Toronto. They provide hot meals and hope to thousands of people each year and in this tight economy, the need is even greater. That’s why they’re asking for your help. A gift of $20 or more will provide that hope to people trying to turn their lives around. For more information, https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?EventID=42063

Organic clothing Holiday sale
Me to We (224 Carlton ) is an agency of Free the Children. They specialize in sweatshop-free manufacturing and eco-friendly materials. 50% of the profits from their operations are donated to Free the Children.
On Saturday, December 19 from noon to 3 pm, their shop is open and their clothing is available at great holiday prices.

It’s turkey time…
And Christmas sales are rolling in at St Jamestown Steak & Chops (516 Parliament). Mark wants to remind you that he has lots of other choices in stock for delicious, slightly non-traditional meals: hams, prime rib roasts, beef tenderloin and rack of lamb.

2009 Annual General Meeting
Last Tuesday, the BIA held its AGM in the Dr Joseph Rizal Hall at the Filipino Centre (597 Parliament). This is a very well-equipped facility and the staff worked hard to ensure that our event went along smoothly. Cranberries (601 Parliament) provided our finger food – they’re right next door and everything arrived on schedule and was presented in appetizing displays. If you’re looking for a place for a meeting or a party, call (416) 928-9355. We recommend it highly. Happily, the meeting went like clockwork. The business and the 2010 budget (complete with a reduction in our membership fee) were approved by the membership. Marsha and Lucy from justbecuz made a presentation about marketing and focusing the Cabbagetown Festival.
Of course, a highlight was a presentation by Cabbagetown’s own George Smitherman. We are non-partisan but George is a member of our BIA and as such, he holds a warm spot in our hearts. We appreciated this chance to wish him well on the long trail toward next year’s election.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:00:00 +0000

The Olympic Torch

Twenty kids from the Cabbagetown Youth Centre will carry the Torch when it travels through the Toronto area next week. Their route covers a portion of the Newmarket area next Friday.
Of course, Newmarket isn’t really part of Cabbagetown.
So, to launch the kids on their exciting journey, the CYC is hosting an Olympic Relay Team Breakfast on Friday December 18 from 8 to 9:30 am (2 Lancaster Ave, behind the Parliament Beer Store.) This is our chance to wish them well for their great day. The youth who will represent the CYC were selected because of their commitments to active lives and Olympic values. It’s a real honour for all of us to have these young people carrying the Torch for part of its journey across Canada.
By the way, the CYC is in the middle of serious renovations. They need some support from all of us at this time. So when you come to the breakfast, bring your wallet and make a nice donation to the Centre so they can continue their outstanding work on our behalf.

Speaking of carrying the torch …
Do you believe this picture? Gerry Gold from Barracuda says he had the special thrill of being a torch bearer last summer during a visit to Harbourfront. He said it was a once in a lifetime experience.
Or was it?
Sometimes, when he’s not racing with a torch, Gerry has great bargains in his beautiful shop. At the moment, he has bronze bookmarks on sale - perfect stock stuffers for a reader in your family. Barracuda (527 Parliament)

Simmons Flowers
Ginny, Merion and Tina are very busy this week preparing the floral presentations for the latest dinner party at the Lieutenant-Governor’s. Simmons Flowers (540 Parliament) have long been suppliers for him and they’re making sure now that all his Christmas and seasonal events are beautifully decorated. They can give you just as much care and attention for your home and for your gifts to friends far away.

Soup has a sale
Saturday it's happening - the annual Christmas craft sale at Soup (6031/2 Parliament, just north of Cranberries). There are lots of goodies for everyone – Branch Out! greeting cards, handmade ornaments, Allie Oop bags, jewelry, knitted wares, silk screened clothes and bags, paintings, fun buttons, Green Thumb salve and much much more. This year’s sale takes place on Saturday, December 12 from 10 am to 4 pm. Don’t miss it.

Our pets love us at Christmas

Matt is right at home among the waves in the new Fish Department at Menagerie.
At Menagerie Pet Shop (549 Parliament), there’s a whole new row of freshwater tanks in the Fish Department. After twenty-five years, those guppies finally have new homes. Apparently, when they removed the old tanks, there weren’t any surprises. No hidden money or old newspapers. In this store, it’s a surprise when there are no surprises! While you’re there admiring these finny wonders, wander into the Cat & Dog Department and pick up some Orijen or Acana food - it’s on sale until December 15.
Dorothy has the treats, so Bosley and Boston are paying close attention.

Meanwhile, at Pet Valu (240 Carlton), there’s a whole wall of cat and dog toys that your pals will love to find in their stockings on Christmas morning.

At Hair Lift Group (503B Parliament), Sophie and Randy stand back while Romeo greets the customers

And just next door at Sharon’s (503 Parliament), Jessie gets a well-deserved hug from Sharon

Rick McCarthy at Jet Fuel
Rick is right at home at his Jet Fuel spot beneath his own paintings.
Rick is a Cabbagetown’s artist whose work now spans over fifty years. You can see samples of his art hanging on the walls at Jet Fuel (519 Parliament). His show, entitled “Flowers”, began with a highly successful party on December 3 and continues there until December 30. For more info, click here and go to his attractive and easy-to-use website: http://www.rickmccarthytheartist.com/

Maggie Cassella & Lea DeLaria at Big Mamma’s Boy
For a two-week stretch, Maggie and Lea will appear at Big Mamma’s Boy (554 Parliament) presenting their latest variety show collaboration, You Better Watch Out. It’s on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (December 10, 11 & 12 and December 17, 18 & 19) with showtime at 9 pm and then on Sundays (December 13 and December 20) for a matinee at 5 pm. $50 includes the show and a three-course organic dinner; $25 for the show.

Cranberries Christmas
Once again, Cranberries (601 Parliament) has unveiled its Christmas dinner menu and as always, it’s a wonderful meal. This year’s three-course dinner is a prix fixe at $24.99. You can enjoy butternut squash soup or a salad, then go on to roast turkey with all the trimmings served up with seasonal veggies, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce (of course) and finish your meal with apple pie and ice cream. There will be two seatings (5 and 8 pm). It’s always a crowded event so book now: (416) 925-6330.

This week at The Epicure Shop
Patty is pleased to have Cendrillon, The World’s Best Cheese, back in stock and to continue her great offer on Summerfresh Dip (buy one, get one free). Her sales of Christmas gift baskets are now in full swing and she’s offering all of them with “No tax”. This week’s specials include balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oils in decorative bottles – usually $12.99 each, on sale at $8.99. 473 Parliament.

Additions and subtractions
We’ve got new postal boxes. Thanks to Canada Post – these look interesting, they fight graffiti and posters and they add considerable charm.
But we’ve subtracted the garbage disposal bins. Remember those dingy square things covered by lots of advertising and little holes at the top with doorways that snapped down on your knuckles? They’re toast. In the normal scheme of things, something new would arrive in their place. But not yet. Maybe soon. It’s gratifying to see that we’ve still got clean sidewalks. Thanks everyone for resisting the temptation to toss your stuff into the ghostly remains of the old cans.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Mayor Miller’s proclamation
The contributions of small local businesses are being highlighted by the Mayor’s proclamation that this is “Shop Local” week. He’s drawn our attention to the millions of dollars that will be spent during the coming Christmas season and the value that this spending will have for our local neighbourhood shops. Our stores are key players in the recovery of Toronto’s economic health and in our economic growth into the future.
Over the years, Cabbagetown residents have supported our local shops with enthusiastic loyalty. We enjoy close ties between residents and businesses in our community. We believe that this is one of the main reasons that Cabbagetown has become a vibrant village in the heart of the city.

Contest winners
Congratulations to the successful players in last week’s contest. You may recall that we invited everyone to send us an email immediately after our 100th Newsletter was launched. The first eleven emails received here were winners. It took Bruce, our overall winner, about ninety seconds to respond.
Among the happy replies that we received when the winners learned about their unexpected windfalls, Paulette’s stands out. “How exciting. I don’t believe I’ve ever won anything before – except the hand of my husband.”

Soup has a Christmas sale

It’s time again for the annual Christmas craft sale at Soup (6031/2 Parliament, just north of Cranberries). There are lots of goodies for everyone – Branch Out! greeting cards, handmade ornaments, Allie Oop bags, jewelry, knitted wares, silk screened clothes and bags, paintings, fun buttons, Green Thumb salve and much much more. This year’s sale takes place on Saturday, December 12 from 10 am to 4 pm. Don’t miss it.

Pop-up retail at Fair Trade Jewellry
You’re invited to the reception to open Bijouxbead Holiday at Fair Trade Jewellery Company (523 Parliament). Darlene Martin's beadwork is the first featured display. These intriguing mannequins have been visible through the front window for the past week. Saturday December 5 from 3 to 6 pm.
As renovations continue at FTJC, there’s space available at the front of the store. Ryan plans to use this area to feature a new Canadian fashion designer or artist every few weeks. Clothes, toys, jewellery – all will be included. As it progresses, FTJC will become a very contemporary centre for modern retailing design.

PearTree’s Christmas MenuPearTree’s comfortable room has long been a Cabbagetown favourite and now their Christmas menu has returned (507 Parliament). It’s a prix fixe, three course dinner at $23.99 featuring main courses with beef tenderloin, a New York sirloin, lamb chops, sea bass, grilled salmon, Cajun jump fry, chicken breast chasseur and spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli. There are soup choices along with salads, bruschetta and seafood appetizers plus half a dozen cakes and pies for dessert.

Gift baskets at Epicure

All through the weekend, Epicure (473 Parliament) has gift baskets on sale “tax free”. You can combine a gift basket with a pound of Reunion Island coffee for a real gourmet highlight. While you’re there, buy a box of Baci chocolates for $4.99 and save $3 – Baci translates as “kisses” and each chocolate has a special message of love. For cheese lovers, Patty has Black Burn non-pasteurized cheese from Quebec at $3.99/100g and she’s offering a free Summerfresh dip with any purchase of her humus dips.

Sharon’s Christmas
The season has started for Sharon as well (503 Parliament). She wants to remind us that she carries men’s fashions as well as women’s. She has, for example, men’s shirts from Arrow, Calvin Klein and Geoffery Beene from $34.95. For women, she has party dresses starting at $39.99. Her store is full of wonderful gift items including silver jewelry, scarves and animal hats.

Christmas at The Stonegrill The beautiful room at The Stonegrill (51B Winchester) makes a wonderful location for your Christmas events and parties. They’re offering custom designed prix fixe menus, cocktail receptions, a well-rounded, affordable wine list and the services of their experienced, friendly staff. For large corporate gatherings or intimate dinners for two, this is a festive success that won’t be forgotten. If you’re interested, call Mukul or Dobby at (416) 967-6565.

Carlton & Parliament
The new bank building at Carlton is making great progress. Friday is the day when the last big batch of concrete is being poured. After that, scaffolding will go up for the first steps in laying the exterior brickwork. The building’s owner, George Foulides, reports that the proposed “white roof” will increase its cooling efficiency by up to 40% over conventional roofing techniques, creating very big energy savings for the building’s future operations. For more information on this kind of roof, please visit http://www.garlandco.com/

Oops - great show this weekend
The holiday craft and studio show takes place on Friday and Saturday over this weekend. (Last week, we listed the wrong dates – so if you think you missed it, rest assured that there’s still a chance to attend.) Five outstanding artists – Victoria Hadden, Tessa Ort, Gerri Orwin, Ray Prince and Irina Rapoport – will have their paintings, ceramics, woodworking and jewelry available for your Christmas shopping. Friday from 3 to 9 pm and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm at 130 Seaton Street.

Signs of the Season
Whenever you see these faithful, hardworking BIA workers with their ladder and wreathes, then you know that Christmas is just around the corner.
The Christmas tree guys, Gerry and Carl, are also at work at the No Frills sidewalk on Spruce Street. They’ve been selling their trees here and making Cabbagetown families happy for over fifty years. Welcome back for another successful year.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:11:00 +0000

Win! Win! Win!
Our thank-you to our loyal readers.
Today’s Newsletter marks a nice milestone – our 100th edition.
To celebrate, we’ve put together our Reader Loyalty Reward contest.
The rules are simple. When you get our covering email about this week’s Newsletter, send a reply to our address at doug@oldcabbagetown.com. Say anything. Tell us you’re feeling lucky. Or greedy. Or whatever. The first eleven people who reply will win (we were going to do ten but we got a bonus prize from our generous merchants). We’ll be using the clock on our computer’s email list to see who answers first.
If you’re a winner, we’ll email you a Gift Certificate. Just take it into the store to redeem your prize.

Sharon's prize is a fabulous pair of knee socks!

Nish at Ambal Trading shows off their best bag of basmati rice - the one that you can win!

Here's the list of goodies:
4.5 kg bag of Tilda basmati rice from Ambal Trading (583 Parliament)
$10 gift certificate from The Beer Store (534 Parliament)
A man’s hair cut from Cabbagetown Barber Shop (525 Parliament)
Neal Brothers tortillas and salsa from Cabbagetown Organics (499 Parliament)
A hand painted bicycle bell from Cycle Solutions (444 Parliament)
One dozen Eco Friendly light bulbs from The Deal Zone (480 Parliament)
A pound of Reunion Coffee from The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament)
$10 gift certificate from the LCBO (512 Parliament)
A manicure from Star Nails (442 Parliament)
A fabulous pair of knee socks from Sharon’s (503 Parliament)
A plain or stuffed chicken breast from St Jamestown Steak & Chops (516 Parliament)
Hit that reply button if you want to win. Good luck everybody!

Prizes from Cabbagetown Organics include tortillas and salsa.
Mark at St Jamestown is offering a stuffed or plain chicken breast.

Another Eclectisaurus bonanza

Don’t miss this – the November sale at Eclectisaurus (249 Gerrard St E) brings art, antiques and brocante at 25% discounts. The sale runs until Sunday at 7 pm. You’ll certainly find beautiful stuff for yourself here - if the whim strikes you and you can bear to part with it, you may even find something to give away. The store’s hours are noon to 7 pm. For a preview of their offerings, visit http://www.eclectisaurus.com/

JAMcafe presents...

A wine “Tour de France” featuring a seven-course all-Ontario tasting dinner accompanied by eight regional wines from France – champagne, Alsace, Provence, Burgundy, Bordeaux. Sunday, November 29. The wine selections are from Merchant Vintner and the food is expertly prepared by JAM’s chef Av Atikian. The evening begins with a champagne reception. $155/per person. Space is,limited so call for reservations: (416) 921-1255, 195 Carlton Street.

Epicure is ready for Christmas
The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) is beautifully decorated for the season and offering you all kinds of gift baskets and Christmas baking. There’s homemade shortbread and gingerbread. If you order a gift basket before December 10, you’ll get a 15% discount. Order any three party trays and receive a pastry tray free. There are lots more specials listed on Epicure’s Christmas flyer so be sure to pick one up next time you’re in the store. As an added bonus, “The Best Cheese in the World” is now in stock – Cendrillon’s prizewinning goat cheese log is available at $5.99.

Cabbagetown Press book launch
The Ben Wicks (424 Parliament) is host for the launch party for the first title from the new Cabbagetown Press. The Press is a project of the Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum and this book is a significant event in the Museum’s growth. Congratulations to all involved. The party, featuring “Polly of Bridgewater Farm” by Catherine McKenty, takes place on Saturday December 5 from 3 to 6 pm. Dates to remember The Holiday Craft Show & Studio Sale happens this weekend in Cabbagetown South – Friday to 9 pm and Saturday from 11 to 5 pm. 130 Seaton Street. Featured artists include Victoria Hadden, Gerri Orwin, Tessa Ort, Ray Prince and Irina Rapoport.

Cabbagetown South families are invited to join a Victorian Holiday Decorating party at Ontario Parkette (south of Dundas between Milan & Ontario). Wednesday December 9 between 6 and 7 pm. Hot apple cider and Christmas caroling. The Ben Wicks 8th annual Christmas sing-a-long with the Sterling Brass. This event is always more fun than a tub full of tubas – save the date on your calendar. Sunday December 20 from 3 to 6 pm, 424 Parliament.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:55:00 +0000

Thanks, Carl!
Carl always enjoyed himself thoroughly during the Festival Parade. For the first parade, he just gathered together a group of children and a band and marched through the neighbourhood. When a police officer stopped them and asked for their official permit, Carl pulled out a parking ticket, waved it in the air and the procession continued along. We're still doing it now, 35 years later.

Carl Orbach died suddenly after a brief illness last Wednesday. He was a wonderful neighbour, friend and community member. We’ll really miss his crazy energy, his warmth and enthusiasm for other people and his constant enjoyment of Cabbagetown.
Carl was a founding member of the BIA, one of the group who started the annual Festival and a lifelong member of our business community. He supported the Cabbagetown Youth Centre regularly and generously. He really loved the annual Festival parade - he came dressed as a leprechaun and lead the parade while throwing out candies to children at the curb. He did things for fun and ended up helping to turn Cabbagetown into the successful community that we now enjoy.

This is #99
Stay tuned next week when our Newsletter reaches #100! We’re holding our Reader Loyalty Reward contest.

The rules are very simple. At 5:30 pm next Friday November 27, my emails will blast out to all of you announcing that the Newsletter is online. The first ten people who email back will win one of our special prizes. All the prizes and the system for collecting them will be explained next week.
Just remember – when you get my email, don’t wait a moment – fire back your reply “I want to win”. That’ll do it.

Wine, wine and more wine at JAMcafe

November sees two outstanding wine events happening at JAM (195 Carlton), both filled with exciting possibilities:
On Saturday, November 21, there’s a diversified tasting of Ontario and international wines – all of them fine wines from The Vine Portfolio. Seven wines will be offered along with Av’s specially prepared hors d’oeuvres. This series of tastings is very popular (often selling out) so you’re advised to call ahead and make reservations. (416) 921-1255. $35/each.
On Sunday November 29, JAM hosts a Wine Tour de France. The evening starts with a champagne reception followed by a seven-course dinner matched with wines from eight regions in France. Space is definitely limited, so book now for reservations. $155/each.

On The Road
Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers with support from the Toronto Dance Theatre present two performances in support of the Dancer Transition Resource Centre. Choreography by Rachel Browne, Brent Lott and Lesandra Dobson. Friday November 20 and Saturday November 21, 8 pm, $25, 80 Winchester Street, (416) 967-1365.

Cabbagetown South Holiday Craft Show
They’re at it again in Cabbagetown South. This is a very lively neighbourhood and they're proving that they know how to host a fascinating event.
This time, it’s an amazing pre-Christmas craft sale featuring work from five artists: Victoria Hadden, Ray Prince, Gerri Orwin, Tessa Ort and Irina Rapaport. Many of us will recognize these artists and their work and we know that this show will feature some outstanding pieces. Friday December 4 (3 to 9 pm) and Saturday December 5 (11 am to 5 pm), 130 Seaton Street.

The Christmas season is coming quickly
The Daniel et Daniel gift card can be purchased at the Food Shop. It’s a wonderful gift for the foodies in your life.
Daniel et Daniel (248 Carlton) have two special treats for your enjoyment over the Christmas season.
As always, they’re offering their Yule logs in three delicious flavours: chocolate, mocha and hazelnut. Great for parties and for your family occasions. Contact the Food Shop for more information and for orders (416-968-9275).
And they can cater your holiday dinner right in your home. The menu includes roasted onion soup, fresh bread with whipped butter rosettes, arugula, mint and orange salad, roast turkey with traditional stuffing, mashed Yukon gold potatoes, Brussels sprouts, baby carrots, peppers, cauliflower and broccoli – all followed up by individual English toffee puddings. $39.95 per person. Please place your orders before Tuesday December 22 and pick-up before 3 pm on Thursday December 24.

The future of Riverdale Park
Councillor Pam McConnell and the staff at the city parks department are about to start a review of the facilities at Riverdale Park. Local residents at Friends of the Farm have organized a meeting and a survey so that we can express our views about the park’s future before the officials get started with their work. The official deadline for survey answers has passed but I’m sure that comments from latecomers will be welcome. Click here and give the group your views:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=p3B5P80nWanfb42xspz3mA_3d_3d

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:59:00 +0000

Daniel et Daniel serves the Prince of Wales

Photo courtesy Tom Sandler/Government of Ontario
During the royal visit to Toronto last week, Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, were the guests of honour at an official reception hosted by the Ontario government at the Carlu. 400 people from the arts, science, academia, business and government attended. Since everyone wanted to enjoy the very best that Toronto has to offer, our own Daniel et Daniel catered the event.
Guests started off their meals with roasted tomato on crostini, blue cheese and caramelized pear tartlet with toasted walnuts, and carrot bread squares with peppercorn mousse pate and candied bacon. Main dishes included pork loin medallions on a warm Brussels sprout salad and braised lamb shank with root vegetable rosti and a Niagara Pinot reduction. Desserts featured pumpkin crème brulee with Niagara Stone fruit compote and mini pear tarts tatin with Ontario goats’ milk ice cream.
We didn’t want to startle the Prince so no one told him that Cabbagetowners eat like that every day. 248 Carlton.

Gourmet Burger is one year old

And to celebrate, they held a special lunch on Thursday – free burgers for everyone. The line of appreciative and hungry people stretched down the block from opening time at 11:30 am to the close at 2:30 pm. Over 400 people enjoyed their burgers … an inspired birthday party. 482 Parliament

The Epicure Shop
Patty is bringing back a sell-out favourite, six-year-old balsamic vinegar at the incredible price of only $3.99/each. As Christmas approaches, get one for your favourite chef – it’s a great gift. She also has specials this week on Quebec-made wild boar and apricot pates and she’s featuring homemade pies, cookies and cake squares for lunches, snacks and special desserts.

Sweet Creamery has a winter menu
Obviously, if you sell ice cream, then you need plan B for the winter. Emilio at Sweet Creamery (521 Parliament) has joined forces with Jose to develop a lunch, new pastries, cakes and specialty desserts. Every day, they’re opening at 8 am for breakfast: grab-and-go with a coffee and pastries. If you’re hungry at lunch, they have seven different panini and daily soups. For dessert, there are waffles with your favourite combo – whipped cream, gelato, ice cream, fruit salads and yogurt. Coming very soon – a special pastry service for parties, weddings and special dinners featuring cakes with decorative and seasonal icings. If you want a mouth-watering peek at their pastries, cakes and waffles, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEHXr8iGfXc&feature=player_embedded

Renaissance Yoga
Renaissance Yoga (391 Ontario) has made some changes to their Fall program schedule. The series, “Magic of the Moon, Part One: Menstrual Mayhem”, will now be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 27-29. The Winter and Spring programs for budding Ayurvedists are now posted at http://www.renaissanceyoga.ca/Ayurvedic-Lifestyle-Course.html Click there to learn more and to register.

The Shop at Riverdale Farm is now open for Christmas.
Come for the annual Christmas Preview Party, Sunday November 15 from 2 to 4 pm. The Shop offers fine gifts, books, decorations, handcrafts, toys, cards, preserves, soaps, fine arts and much more. Operated by the Friends of Riverdale Farm, the Shop is located in Simpson House at Riverdale Farm (Winchester and Sumach) and is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.

A couple of quick Cabbagetown “Classifieds”
For sale – three Sunar Uniwall 5-drawer filing cabinets. One cabinet has a lock and a set of keys. $100/ea. Call Carly at (416) 964-0021, ext 10.
For rent – 170 sq ft of professional office space. Furnished with parking, air conditioning, DSL, kitchen facility available. Gerrard and Ontario. $750/mo. Call (416) 962-7540.

Sharon’s
Sharon (503 Parliament) is currently featuring a beautiful brocade jacket at $49.99 along with handmade jewelry from Montreal’s Christophe Poly (from $29.99 to 39.99). She also has a sale happening with silver and gold plated Israeli rings at $44.99.

JAMCafe
Av and Joe Atikian are hosting another in their highly popular comparison tastings featuring wines from two different regions. On Saturday November 21, they’ll be pouring Ontario’s VQA region along with a diversified international offering, all from the Vine Agency’s Portfolio. The wines will be complemented by Av’s own hors d’oeuvres. Saturday, November 21, 6 pm, 7 wines, hors d’oeuvres, $35. This is now a sell-out event so reservations are recommended: (416) 921-1255

The CYC Anthem
The kids at the Cabbagetown Youth Centre have created their own anthem. We’ve heard them sing it at this year’s Cabbagetown Festival. Last Spring, they performed it as a special welcome to Premier Dalton McGuinty when he visited the CYC. It’s a great piece of music and an enthusiastic tribute to a wonderful organization. The kids were filmed singing it a few days ago at Number 9 Audio Group (222 Gerrard East) – click here to watch and enjoy it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_z-v0YJZHc

The deals at The Deal Zone
Kyle wants to remind you that good bargains can be found right here in Cabbagetown. No need for you to run across the city to some big box store when he has better pricing at The Deal Zone (480 Parliament). His packages of eight rolls of Christmas paper are only $5.99 – that’s 40 to 50% cheaper than the big guys are offering.

CNH euchre tournament
On Saturday, November 14, Central Neighbourhood House (349 Ontario) is holding its second Euchre Tournament Fundraiser. If you’re a euchre player, you have a chance to win $80, $60, $40, or $20 in prizes and a chance to win in the 50/50 draw. The registration fee is $20 and proceeds from the day help to support CNH clients who receive assistance in order to live independently in their own homes. Call Rob Butler at (416) 925-4363 ext 119 to register.

This is our Newsletter #98.
Watch for #100 – we’re planning a contest full of handy, desirable, greed-inducing goodies. Many thanks for your patience while we've struggled through October - our holidays, a switch from Bell to Rogers and a few other distractions have meant that our schedule was unreliable. Now we're back in full swing.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:38:00 +0000

The Ghost Tour is back again
Friday, October 30, 7 pm, Winchester & Parliament. Hosted by the Cabbagetown Preservation Association, the Tour will again take you through the haunted and haunting nooks and crannies in Cabbagetown. It was a popular success last year and organizers are expecting a good turnout again this year. Tickets are $10 and the Tour happens rain or shine

Last minute supplies
Our local pumpkin suppliers still have plenty of choices on hand for you. We make this announcement as a public service for all those (like me) who wait until the very last minute …

Our handy pumpkin and flower shops - Jamestown Milk at 592 Parliament, Parliament Smoke & Gift at 609 Parliament. Fairway Market at Parliament and Winchester.

Party time
Both Big Mamma’s Boy (554 Parliament) and The Cobourg (533 Parliament) are hosting costume parties on Hallowe’en.

The parties at Big Mamma's Boy are always a good time. For Hallowe'en bring a costume. Be outrageous.

Heather at Big Mamma’s Boy reports that her upstairs room is devoted entirely to the party. Costumed creatures will be especially welcome. The action starts at 10 pm. The person with the best costume will win a prize (brunch for two?). There’ll be music and assorted other entertainments.
On Friday morning, Laila and Sam stocked up on the basic necessities for the Cobourg's Hallowe'en night. Willie, the golden retriever, supervised the deliveries.

At The Cobourg, DJ Urban Steve is handling the night’s program. He’s calling it a “Night of Mayhem” starting at 10 pm and running through to 3 am. At midnight, there’ll be prizes for the best costume. All night long, there’s a special spooky cocktail.

Help wanted

Paul Dineen at Chapnick & Associates is hiring a real estate assistant. This is an ideal job for qualified applicants who live in Cabbagetown and who want to work in a busy local law firm – it’s close to home and in the middle of our BIA area. Send your resume to Paul at Chapnick & Associates, 228 Carlton St, M5A 2L1.

Hallowe’en goodies from Epicure Shop
Patty at The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) has chosen cookies and tarts to highlight your Hallowe’en dinners. She’s got Dufflets pumpkin tarts and sugar cookies plus her homemade Hallowe’en gingerbread cookies as well. As an extra treat for your goody bag, she’s offering her old fashioned brownies on sale: buy one and get another at half price.

Watch for the spiders
Rama Caritey’s spiders will be going up on the steel framework on the new bank (Carlton and Parliament) for the Hallowe’en weekend. This promises to be a spooky display – worth a quick trip to check them out.
The building’s owner, George Foulides, reports that construction at the site is moving along nicely. He anticipates that the building’s exterior will be completed by January. At that time, the TD Bank will take over their ground floor area and will handle their interior work. The current target for the official opening is March or April.

Hallowe’en specials at Number 9 Studios
We told you in our last Newsletter about the success Number 9 (222 Gerrard St E) had with Van Morrison’s recent Toronto concert. Now they’re throwing their studio doors open for you as well – at special rates. You can record on a beautiful concert grand piano, or lay down some of your own vocal tracks. They’re also offering Hallowe’en deals for CD and DVD duplication services. Check them out at http://www.number9.ca/halloween-specials-at-number-9/

Last day for great savings
Kyle at The Deal Zone (480 Parliament) reports that his special discounts on CFL Eco Bulbs will end on Saturday, October 31. These energy savers will last up to seven years and they’re coated for extra protection. The OPA has sponsored this initiative as an incentive for you to make your home more energy efficient.
The facade improvements at The Deal Zone are finished. The new storefront perks up this part of Parliament.

Barracuda’s clearance Emily at Barracuda will show you the handmade wares from Colombia that they're offering on sale.

It’s the end of the season and Barracuda (527 Parliament) has selected wooden, ceramic and glass wares on sale. Savings go up to 30%. These beautiful items are all handmade in Colombia.

Start watching this space …
The people who have already built a beautiful community garden on the wall at the Pizza Pizza on Prospect Street are back at it again. This is the space that Timothy’s Tikka House (556 Parliament) once used as a patio area at Prospect and Parliament. It’s now been returned to the City of Toronto and the gardeners are poised to add their magic here. As soon as equipment can be allocated, the asphalt will be taken up and the basic parts of the garden will be built. By next year, it’ll be a corner full of blooms. The BIA is very happy to be a contributor and supporter of this fine project.

We’re turning 100
Yes, your favourite Cabbagetown Newsletter will soon be 100 – a geezer in the blogosphere. Our 100th issue should pop out later in November. This is #97. We want to celebrate in an appropriately dignified fashion - stay tuned for the announcements.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:44:00 +0000

Thanksgiving weekend in Cabbagetown

It’s a tough weekend for turkeys in Cabbagetown! But it’s a great time for the rest of us. Pick your favourite restaurant and enjoy the comfort of a Thanksgiving meal with all the work done for you. Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, fall veggies and pumpkin pies are being featured on menus everywhere.
So far, we’ve heard from Brass Taps (221 Carlton), House on Parliament (456 Parliament), Ben Wicks (424 Parliament), Peartree (507 Parliament), Cranberries (601 Parliament) and Big Mamma’s Boy (554 Parliament). Each has Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings. Pick your favourite.

Take your turkey home…
St Jamestown Steak & Chops (516 Parliament) is a beehive of activity every year on Thanksgiving and this year, they’re ready to roll again – the freezer is full of turkey, hams, and a raft of other Thanksgiving goodies to make your meal a feast. Mark is open on Saturday from 8 am to 7 pm and on Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. Closed on Monday.

Thanksgiving at Epicure Shop
Thanksgiving weekend is full of pleasant offerings from the Epicure Shop (473 Parliament). For your desserts, Patty has homemade pumpkin pies, tarts and fruit pies. Cheese fans will love her three new Quebec brands – the famous 1608, non-pasteurized Le Buxton and Chenal de Moin. Ontario is well represented by Niagara Gold and Comfort Cream, both from Niagara’s Upper Canada Cheese company. Epicure will be open from 9 am to 6 pm on Sunday and will close on Monday.

Number 9 Studio films Van Morrison
When Van Morrison visited Massey Hall on October 2 for the “Astral Weeks & Classic Songs” tour, the band needed someone to film the concert. Number 9 Studios did the job – recording the concert and creating DVDs for Van’s personal use, all within a one-day deadline. Number 9 has both outstanding audio facilities and now, also, a client list for their video work that includes legendary performer Van Morrison. (222 Gerrard St East)

Back again at The Deal Zone
CFL Eco Bulbs were a big hit last year during Deal Zone’s (480 Parliament) special promotions. They’re back again. They’re on sale until October 31 starting at only $1 (after the coupon). CFL bulbs are energy savers that last for up to seven years. They’re coated to add extra protection and to make them even more attractive in your lamp. The OPA has sponsored this initiative to encourage you to convert your home to environmentally friendly lighting.

Want a spider for Hallowe’en?
Rama Carity has a great idea – to place big, scary illuminated spiders on your outside wall for Hallowe’en. Rama wants to do this on Parliament. Several spiders are already assembled and available for inspection at the Fair Trade Jewellery Company (523 Parliament). They were built during Nuit Blanche. He has a permit from the City of Toronto and he knows skilled people who can put them up. Anyone who has a suitable wall and a great sense of humour should call Doug at the BIA (416-921-0857) and we’ll make the introductions.

JAMCafe’s second wine tasting
We told you last week that JAM (195 Carlton) has a tasting scheduled for October 24 – well, it’s already sold out. We warned you then that these events are growing in popularity. To make sure that nobody goes away heartbroken and frustrated, Av has scheduled another date, October 26, for a second tasting with the same wines.
Six wines from two boutique California wineries will be the centre of attention: Trefethen Family Vineyards and Terra Valentine. Av will be preparing his hors d’oeuvres to match the wines and emphasize their special character.
Tickets are $35 and advance reservations are obviously needed. Call (416) 921-1255.
Two more quick notes – Sundays are still a free corkage day. Bring your own bottle to match your meal and the staff will open and serve it without charge. While you’re there, try the elk burgers. Av says they rock.

Johnny G’s new hours
Winter hours have arrived at Johnny G’s (478 Parliament), one of our most popular brunch and lunch locations. They’ll be open from 7:30 am to 7 pm daily after Tuesday. On Thanksgiving Monday, they’re open from 8:30 am to 5 pm to satisfy your brunch cravings.

Google Streets
Have you heard about it? The views are amazing. Google has assembled a photo montage of Toronto (among other cities) that gives us a street-level view of our neighbourhood that we’ve never before seen on the internet. Try it out – click here:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=603+Parliament+St,+Toronto,+ON&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=20.355045,52.470703&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=43.664204,-79.36831&panoid=OCzHOXmtlYfhV5sfwx-oSw&cbp=12,214.92,,0,12.78&hq=&hnear=603+Parliament+St,+Toronto,+Toronto+Division,+Ontario&ll=43.664177,-79.368426&spn=0.001733,0.003412&z=19&iwloc=r1
Thanks to James Woollatt at Blink Blink (603 Parliament) for guiding us to this site.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:45:00 +0000

Nuit Blanche is back again
Book the night on your schedule -
Saturday October 3 to Sunday October 4, 7 pm to 7 am.
The Cabbagetown volunteers lining up our Nuit Blanche event have done a great job. This year, there are over a dozen installations – eight on Parliament and four in Riverdale Park. Once again, Parliament is closed from Carlton north to Winchester. On Rose Avenue just south of Wellesley, there’s a final multimedia event.
Parliament is the scene for a magic lantern show, bike art, an attack of illuminated spiders and several sculptures.
George Smitherman’s office at 514 Parliament will host a live concert by CYC kids, art from Regent Park’s Art Heart and a collection of George’s own photographs entitled Images of the North.
In the park, the Cabbagetown Monster is back plus there are public displays of affection and 3-D awareness project. On Rose, an antique letterpress prints limited editions through the night and they’ll be distributed free to visitors.
Your first stop should be the Information tent on Parliament north of Carlton. You can get a program, look at the map and plan your tour.
For advance information on artists and locations in Cabbagetown, check http://www.cabbagetownnuitblanche.ca/

It’s above ground

The shell for the new bank building at Carlton and Parliament has risen above the earth to the satisfaction of the builder and everyone else’s fascination. The extensive footings and basement areas are poured. Now it’s the steel structure to be followed in October by the pre-cast concrete flooring and the major utilities and services. By year end, the brickwork and windows will be in place and the interior work by the bank will begin.

It’s hoped that the bank will open in April.
George Foulides, the builder, has started to work closely with the BIA on exterior landscaping plans. This partnership allows both parties to benefit from the other’s work. Trees, a special concrete plaza, bike racks and gardens are among the elements under study.

Congratulations Double Take
The large second-hand store at 310 Gerrard Street (east of Parliament) is a familiar fixture for Cabbagetowners. Few of us also know that it’s an arm of the nearby Yonge Street Mission and that it offers not only a useful retail service but also a training ground for community residents who need a job or a chance to upgrade their skills.
The store’s manager, Kathy Webster, says that Double Take provides a big step toward a real career for many people.
The store was the feature of a good article in Metro News and you can read the full account here: http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/work/article/310543--double-take-used-clothing-new-lives
Stop by, have a look and find a bargain.

Epicure’s Thanksgiving
Patty’s taking your orders for homemade pumpkin pies – a real seasonal treat. While you’re there, pick up a litre of extra virgin olive oil for $9.99 (and save $3). If you’re hungry, check out Patty’s new grilled panini which she’s offering for $6.99 and $7.99. (473 Parliament)

We Day
Free the Children annually holds a day to celebrate our service to each other and the pleasures that we find in that work. This year, a massive rally featuring the Governor General along with a full slate of popular celebrities took place in Vancouver. Toronto’s event is scheduled for Monday from 9 to 2 pm at the Air Canada Centre. You can read about it and watch the video clips courtesy of CTV, one of the major sponsors: http://watch.ctv.ca/we-day-2009/free-the-children/we-day-2009-tuesday-september-29th-2009/#clip219112
Cabbagetown benefits greatly from Free The Children and Me To We, the sister agencies located at 233 Carlton.

You can watch the CTV special on the two We Day celebrations on Saturday October 10 at 7 pm. The website link and the CTV specials will give you insights into their world-wide programs and explain how the many young people who pass through our neighbourhood are helping to shape a new and better world around us.

Russ McLeod is a familiar face in the neighbourhood. Despite working unceasingly on the We Days, he's been caught here taking a minute for a Tim Horton's. Russ is a member of the BIA board and is constantly looking for ways to tie Free The Children into our community.

Turkey time
Speaking of Thanksgiving, Mark at St Jamestown Steak & Chops (516 Parliament) is taking your orders now for turkeys, hams and fresh fish for your holiday feasts. He’ll have them ready for you next weekend. We always get a smaller bird – around ten pounds – and we find that it’s a perfect size for two people. Mark sells a lot of turkeys simply because the ones that he offers are so good.

It’s early – book now
Yes, it’s early to be telling you about JAMCafe’s next wine tasting: Saturday October 24 at 6 pm. It’s a good idea to book ahead because this popular tasting series sells out.
On October 24, JAM will feature six wines from two California estate wineries – the Trefethen Family Vineyards and Spring Mountain Vineyards. Joe Atikian is preparing hors d’oeuvres to match the wines. Tickets are $35 each and reservations can be made at (416) 921-1255. For more info, visit http://www.jamcafe.ca/

Looking good …
Continuing onward in our series of Tee-shirt profiles, this week we present Michael and Cassie from Melbourne Australia. The Tee shirt looks especially good on Cassie who is, by all reports, a delightful Labradoodle. We have no doubt that she’d fit right in at the doggie area in Allan Gardens or the playground in Riverdale Park. Michael is the human. Thanks to Jo on Aberdeen for sharing the pic.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:08:00 +0000

More free food…
Cabbagetown Organics (499 Parliament) is again hosting samplings of their new product lines this weekend. Drop by on Saturday for a taste.

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Hec Clouthier who is fresh from victories in Blair's Run and the Boston Marathon will be a Champion in the marathon for Cabbagetown and the CYC. George Smitherman (who may have his running shoes ready for another event) is rumoured to be running here as well.

This year marks the 20th anniversary for the marathon. Cabbagetown and the Distillery District have formed a joint Cheering Section. They’re pursuing the overall prize of $6000 for the most enthusiastic crowd of supporters. Be sure to join them on Sunday September 27 from 9 am to 1 pm at Parliament and Front Streets. There’ll be coffee from Balzac, bacon sandwiches from St Jamestown Deli and lots of musical entertainment to fill the gaps between runners. Proceeds from the cheering victory go to the Cabbagetown Youth Centre.

Congratulations to our two Tours

The 2009 Tour of Homes was another smashing success. Beautiful weather, a sparkling selection of interesting homes and solid organization made sure that it went off without a hitch. The Tour takes the efforts of scores of volunteers – not just for the obvious chores but also for the quieter essential tasks to make the homes safe for visitors and for the owners as well. Well done everyone.
Congratulations as well to Victoria, Patricia and Susan for putting together this weekend’s Art Tour. The tickets were sold out in advance. It promises to be a lovely evening. Those who want to catch the tail end of the Tour’s events can get to the Ben Wicks (424 Parliament) for jazz and good cheer.

Watch for Nuit Blanche
Once again, the Cabbagetown Nuit Blanche group have assembled a powerful installation for Parliament Street and Riverdale Park. On Thursday, they wrapped up another successful fundraising art auction at The Cobourg (533 Parliament). Now they’re ready to go for the main event from 7 pm Saturday to 7 am Sunday (October 3 to 4). Visit http://www.cabbagetownnuitblancghe.ca/ for the latest details about the program (over 5700 people visited the site last year.)

The Deal Zone
Kyle reports that his store at 480 Parliament has now finished its transformation and is officially open and operating as The Deal Zone. Congratulations for the fine façade improvement. We’ll have more announcements from him next week about his Fall specials, especially with his energy efficient lighting deals.

Epicure has panini and pumpkin pie
Patty Junior has launched her new grilled panini on either foccacia bread or Ace buns. Regular offerings are $7.99/each and the daily specials are $6.99. She’s also started to take orders for her Thanksgiving pumpkin pies.

Welcome Grace
Grace McNee is a grade twelve student at Inglenook Community School and she’s devoting a half-day every week for the next few months to the BIA. It’s part of her pre-graduation program. We’re pleased to have her help.
In her first week, we started sorting out boxes of photos and files in our storeroom with an eye to donating some of them to the Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum. We discovered documents that go back to our BIA’s first meetings in the 1970s. As Toronto’s second-oldest BIA, our group has been a pioneer in a very successful movement that’s subsequently spread across North America.

Morris Dancers at the Ben Wicks
A few weeks ago, we were confronted by lively, friendly people dancing their way down Parliament Street to the Wicks (424 Parliament). Robert reports that this group - Morris Dancers - gathers there regularly. If you’re lucky enough to join them, you’ll hear great voices and watch them perform their traditional English folk dances.

Fair Trade Jewellery
Ryan Taylor’s official launch for his startling and beautiful new store (523 Parliament) is currently scheduled for October 23 but he’s open now and ready for business. At this time, he’s taking orders for bridal and engagement jewellery which he’ll then handle as a custom-made order. Japanese pearls will soon be added to his list. He uses only ethically mined metals for his work – gold and platinum that’s been certified by FLO, the fair trade labeling organization. You can get a glimpse of the beautiful objects that he’s making at his web site, http://www.ftjco.com/.

Looking Good
Jael wouldn’t wear a Tee shirt but Greg and Nancy happily posed with their Cabbagetown insignia behind their home in Canmore Alberta. The mountains are enticing (no doubt about it) but somehow you just can’t take Cabbagetown out of the people. Just a reminder – you can still get your souvenir Tee shirts at Sharon’s (503 Parliament) and a flag at the BIA (237 Carlton)

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:41:00 +0000

Tour of Homes
This is the weekend when the Tour takes place. It’s a major event on our Fall calendar.
This year’s selection of homes features an exciting range of new choices. There are three amazing homes on Wellesley (including the one that’s covered in today’s Globe & Mail). Another home overlooks Wellesley Park. The Winchester home just west of Parliament showcases fascinating art objects. And the one on the eastern side along Winchester will be filled with music and will offer you a fascinating look at a green roof garden. Those who have seen the Carlton home previously know that it’s always worth the visit. The Tour takes a lot of effort to be properly organized - congratulations to Bruce Prouty and his team for their imaginative successes for this year.
Tickets are $30. In Cabbagetown on Saturday, visit Mi Casa (238 Carlton) or St Jamestown Steak & Chops (518 Parliament). On Sunday, come to the BIA office (237 Carlton) from 11 am onward.

The Festival was a great success
Glorious weather, big crowds, melodious musicians, colourful street vendors and talented Cabbagetown artists – all combined to make our Festival a lovely weekend. The Parade as usual was part of this exuberant activity. As you can see, Carl Orbach provoked his car driver, Norm Betts, into a frenzy of Festival excitement.

Thanks Latoya

Every year, we hire a student from Ryerson’s hospitality program to help with the planning and supervision of our Festival weekend. Latoya Dickenson joined us in early May and she worked at the BIA office until last weekend. She did an outstanding job lining up street vendors (we had a record number this year), planning the Parade and getting through the red tape with health certificates and liquor licenses for our outdoor patios and restaurants. She had a quiet and steady way of working through her projects and when finished, her work was always exactly what we needed. It’s been fun having her in the office and we wish her well with her studies for the next year.

JAMCafe’s Next Wine Event

On Thursday September 24 at 6:30 pm, JAM will host a tasting of wines from two unique Ontario vineyards: The Foreign Affair (Niagara) and Norman Hardie (Prince Edward County). Fresh hand-made hors d’oeuvres will accompany the six tastings. Wine makers will be present to discuss their vintages. Tickets are $35.
JAM’s tasting evenings are increasingly popular. This one is already over half-sold. Reservations are highly recommended (416-921-1255). For more info, http://www.jamcafe.ca/
On a separate topic – JAM’s chef Av Atikian is fresh back from his Cabbagetown Festival foray onto Parliament Street. JAM joined forces with No Frills to offer spareribs to the happy throng. These weren’t ordinary ribs: they were flavoured with a dry rosemary rub and accompanied by a slice of pineapple with a toasty little garlicky bun. This guy can cook!

Cabbagetown Art Salon
A very different Tour happens on Saturday September 26 from 6:30 pm to midnight. The Art Salon combines great art, good food and three beautiful homes. Tickets are $40 (to cover your food, cocktails and jazz). Sales are limited to fifty people. You’ll move as a group to each home, enjoying a dinner course at each one and viewing each unique art collection. At the end of the evening, the group will go to The Ben Wicks for a jazz finale with Tiki Mercury-Clarke. For tickets, visit the BIA office (237 Carlton) or call Susan at 416-972-0943.

Introducing Stonegrill
Stonegrill (51B Winchester) is one of Cabbagetown’s new restaurants. It is, of course, also a familiar room for many of us. Its beautiful décor, striking bar and comfortably roomy seating have all been preserved by its new owners.
On Friday September 18, hear live neosoul and R&B with the Dion Duporte Trio, hosted by Tammy Fitzgerald. The band starts at 9:30 pm and the dress code is “sexy”. This is a great way to get an introduction to Dobby and Mckool who are the new team in this favourite room.

The Union now has yoga for kids
Saturday morning sessions start tomorrow, September 19 from 9 to 9:45 am at The Union (242 Carlton). Six sessions are $45 (or $10 for a drop-in). Through stories, games and creative activities, Shawnda Chambers will teach your kids about different spiritual principles.
After-school yoga classes will be lead by Gill Wortley and will introduce postures in six playful and exciting lessons. Six weeks, $75 (or $14 for a drop-in). Classes for ages 5 to 7 start on Monday September 21. For ages 8 to 12, classes start on Thursday September 24. Monday and Thursday classes all run from 4:30 to 5:30 pm.
For full information about all of The Union’s programs, visit http://www.theunionyogacenter.ca/

The Samovar Room
Here’s another new venue for discriminating Cabbagetowners (51A Winchester). Samovar Room has a vodka bar theme and predictably, it’s loaded with lots of memorabilia from the glory days of the Russian revolution. They also feature a fire-breather and when we get more info about her, we’ll pass it along. Even staunch anti-Communists are hot to take in her show. They’re open from Thursday through Sunday, 7pm to 2am. 51A Winchester beside Broadcast Lane.

Coffee week at The Epicure
On Saturday, The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) is featuring special deals on their fine coffee beans. Epicure’s own house blend beans are fresh roasted every week and they’re on sale this weekend for $8.99/lb (save $4). You can also enjoy a free sample cup of their coffee throughout the weekend.
Patty, Joe, Franca and the other staff are starting to recover now after a truly hectic Festival weekend. Every year, they spend hours preparing marinaded steaks and other tender goodies for their Festival bbq. This year, they sold their entire weekend supply by Saturday afternoon. Congratulations for their success – it’s well-deserved. Check out one happy customer’s reactions from a previous year to their fine fare: http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2006/09/cabbagetown_festival_finding_the_beef/

Art Auction for Nuit Blanche
At 7 pm on Thursday September 24, the Cabbagetown Nuit Blanche committee is again holding a fundraising art auction to help to defray costs for this all-night event. It’s a fabulous night of art and nibblies being held at The Cobourg (533 Parliament) – bring your wallet and your cheque book. You can learn more at http://www.cabbagetownnuitblanche.ca/.

Looking good…
Continuing our series about people who’ve chosen our Tee’s for their superior style and sophistication, here’s a sampling from Gatineau in Quebec. Tee’s are still on sale at Sharon’s (503 Parliament) and at the BIA office (237 Carlton). $10.
Barry and Terry at a scrumptious lunch at Lac Brassard, Val des Monts, Quebec.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:54:00 +0000

Festival Previews
2009 promises to be a great year for the Festival. We’ve got one of our best Festival lineups coming for you.

Ben Wicks hosts a book launch

On Thursday, September 10 at 7 pm, Joseph Kearney’s book Corned Beef & Cabbagetown will be launched at The Wicks (424 Parliament).
Mr Kearney writes:
“Cabbagetowners are a special lot. Those of us who were lucky enough to grow up here in the 30's and 40's find ourselves often, as adults, walking the same old streets, remembering the same escapades, sharing the same memories…
I've never been sure whether it was just the place that was so special or the time and place. There was an innocence about our lives.
I've been writing for many years now. Many of the short stories I have published have been about Cabbagetown. Corned Beef and Cabbagetown is a compilation of stories from my childhood in what I think was probably the best place in Toronto to grow up.”
Join us at the Ben Wicks for the launch and get a copy for yourself. For more information, http://www.ofknotsandquills.com/

Tour of Homes

But first, a reminder. The 2009 Tour of Homes happens on Sunday afternoon, September 20. The ticket sales program has been launched and you can buy your ticket at Mi Casa (238 Carlton), St Jamestown Steak & Chops (516 Parliament) and the BIA Office (237 Carlton). $30.
There are seven homes on this year’s tour plus another seven places along Parliament where you can enjoy special Tour hospitality.

Cabbagetown Short Film & Video Festival
Friday night brings Cabbagetown’s major cultural event back to our neighbourhood (80 Winchester – 7 pm box office, 8 pm screenings). Tickets ($15) are always in demand. You can buy them at the door or at the BIA office (237 Carlton). Check out the details at http://www.cabbagetownshortfilmandvideofestival.com/

Festival calendar of events
Don’t forget to do your shopping during the Festival. A lot of stores will have specials that they’re offering for the weekend.

Blair’s Run starts the day at Carlton and Parliament (from 8:30 am)

The Festival Parade – 10 am to noon. This year’s route has expanded: Parliament (Wellesley to Gerrard and Gerrard west to Ontario.)

NEW - Cabbagetown Artists Show on Carlton Street (west of Parliament), 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. See art and crafts from your neighbours, enjoy a bite to eat and listen to jazz, ballads and rock ‘n roll while you sit in a casual sidewalk patio.

NEW - One Cole Stage. Saturday afternoon at Winchester featuring Marinda+Solari, Miles Jones, Kae Sun and Alanna Brown.

On Saturday afternoon, the street will be bouncing. ROTC will twirl in the parade and then afterward for the crowds at Winchester and Parliament.
St Jamestown Youth Centre Steel Orchestra will be at Prospect Street.

NEW - Michael Brennan appears at Sweet Creamery (521 Parliament), Nunca Antes drum corps at Carlton & Parliament, Trish & the Divas at Carlton & Parliament, Jim Heineman Jazz Trio plus Louise Kent, both on Carlton Street and Cabbagetown Steve with Code Green at Spruce and Parliament

On Sunday morning at 10:30 am, the roar of their engines will introduce The Winged Wheels, the precision motorcycle team from the Toronto Police Service. (Parliament from Prospect to Winchester).

Sunday afternoon: the Cabbagetown Stage at Winchester will be hosted by Danny Marks with guests from Second City, the Cabbagetown Youth Centre and the Scottish Dance ensemble.

Almost one hundred different craft vendors and agencies have booked space with us for both Saturday and Sunday.

Breakfast on Parliament
Start your day with bacon on a bun at St Jamestown Deli (516 Parliament). Or drop in at Epicure Shop for a steak sandwich, homemade Italian sausage and peameal bacon on a bun (473 Parliament). If you’re near Gerrard Street, try Mamma’s Deli for your breakfast (415 Parliament).
If you want a sit-down brunch, then no one’s better than Johnny G’s (Parliament) or Chew Chew (186 Carlton)

Snacks and finger foods
NEW- JAMCafe and No Frills are joining forces to cook up scrumptious barbeque spare ribs at Spruce and Parliament.
Once again, Parliament south of Wellesley will be full of small booths selling lots of south Asian food, barbeque corn and other delicacies.
Near Carlton, Cabbagetown Organics will have a barbeque, samosas and corn. HomeLife Realty will have free hot dogs. Both Epicure and St Jamestown will still be barbequing bacon, burgers, steak sandwiches and more.
NEW - On Carlton, Healthy Whey is cooking up biryani for you.
NEW - At Gerrard, Mamma’s Deli will be selling giros, souflaki and falafel.

Sit down and enjoy yourself
Over a dozen restaurants and pubs will have street patios, music and cold drinks. Pick your favourite for good food and people-watching. Many of our regular spots from Ben Wicks, Omi, Margaritas and Cranberries will have quieter places indoors for lunch and a drink and a chance to relax away from the rush.

When darkness falls
Patios and vendors will close for the night at 8:30. But we don’t roll up the sidewalks. We just slip inside for good dinners and friendly pubs.
On Saturday night, Ben Wicks has The Wild Irish Rogues and Cobourg has Danny Marks. More next week.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:09:00 +0000

In memory of a good friend
Those of us who knew the late Winston Sargeant miss him, especially at this time of year. “Sarge” always organized his table tennis matches during the Cabbagetown Festival and he brought crowds of players into our neighbourhood to participate. A skilled player himself, he had started his Cabbagetown Table Tennis Club for kids from Regent Park but that effort sadly was cut short when he died. His wife Joan and his sons Terence and Winston have generously donated $200 in his memory for this year’s Festival events. It’s a thoughtful gift to honour a good friend and a committed member of our community.

A tough week…
Last week ended badly for many Cabbagetown merchants. On Saturday, a 24-hour hydro blackout crippled businesses and residents south of Carlton. Our No Frills store brought in a generator to save its food. Others ended up tossing out their perishables. All of this came on top of a day’s lost income.
During the blackout and after it, we’ve suffered a spate of break-and-enters. The usual approach was a broken front window, a quick entry and then away. One dimwit tried this at The Ben Wicks, couldn’t succeed in the first try, came back again and was nabbed by the police. For the businesses victimized by this harassment, the mess and costs for the damage are as bad as the actual thefts.
Finally, the Winchester suffered a roof fire that was widely publicized in Toronto’s media. Building owner John Bernardo reports that the actual impact was limited. The blaze was started by a short-circuit in roofing equipment left on the roof. Alert people nearby called 9-1-1 and the fire was extinguished without spreading indoors or onto the building’s heritage features. Residents and businesses are enjoying life as usual.
It’s often said that trouble comes in “three’s”. Let’s hope that’s the end of it all for now.

JAMCafe wine tasting
All of this bad news makes us ready for a good wine tasting and JAM (195 Carlton) is ready to go. On Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 pm, they’re hosting Ecluse Winery and serving selected hors d’oeuvres to match the wines. Ecluse is a small California vineyard that produces award-winning Rhone and Bordeaux style wines. They’re sending a winemaker to comment on each wine and answer your questions. Reservations are recommended: (416) 921-1255.

A Festival preview … Events on Carlton Street
Saturday, September 12 – 9:00 am to 8:30 pm
This year, we have an amazing program lined up for Carlton Street throughout Saturday’s events.
8:30 to 10:30 pm – Blair’s Run.
One of the Festival’s premier events – this 3 km mini-marathon draws hundreds of runners in a massive fundraiser for the Cabbagetown Youth Centre.
10:30 to 5:30 pm – Cabbagetown Artists Event.
The main event in our Carlton calendar features Cabbagetown artists who will display their work in a special block-long area down the middle of the street.
Noon – Nunca Antes drum concert
Following the Parade, Nunca Antes will play for an hour at Parliament & Carlton
1 to 5 pm – Jim Heineman’s Trio
Celebrated jazz musician and Cabbagetown resident, Jim Heineman, brings his trio for the afternoon’s festivities.
1 pm onward? Rumours and suspicions from Pet Valu
We think, but aren’t certain, that Pet Valu will bring back their amazing pet psychic. If that person reads my dog’s thoughts, it’s guaranteed he’ll be dreaming of kibble.
2 pm – Louise Kent Performance
From Free the Children and Me To We, Louise Kent brings her socially conscious music documenting the struggles and victories involved in making a difference in our world.
11 am to 8:30 pm – Brass Taps
This big outdoor patio will serve cold drinks, pizza and other goodies from their kitchen.
11 am to closing – Daniel et Daniel
The Food Shop has a special Festival takeout menu. There will be tables and chairs outdoors so you can watch all the action on the street.
11 am to closing time…
Margarita’s Mexican Fiesta
Escape the hustle and bustle in Margarita’s back patio - a favourite destination for people who want to enjoy great food without the noise and excitement of the nearby streets.
Experience Plum 226
Our newest restaurant has an intriguing Italian-influenced menu. Completely renovated. Their patio is the last stop along the Festival roadway and one of our prettiest places.
OMI
One of Toronto's top ten restaurants. This gem offers a great view of Festival life on Carlton from a beautifully designed dining area.
China Gourmet
From egg rolls onward, this is the place for great takeout Chinese food. Get some to enjoy while you watch the performances or check out the artwork.
Healthy Whey
New this year – Healthy Whey will offer biryanis and soft drinks at tables in front of the store.
Mi Casa
Irresistible furniture. Every year, they have sales and specials during the Festival. Don’t miss it.

Welcome to three new restaurants
The Samovar Room at 51A Winchester is in the landmark upper floor of the Winchester. It’s a vodka themed bar. Their food menu ranges from caviar to charcuterie and cheeses. For all the details, visit their website at http://www.samovarroom.com/

Downstairs, The Stonegrill has returned and is a welcome spot in our restaurant scene. They offer dishes waiting for your final touch cooking on the stone at your table or selections from the menu prepared in the kitchen. Sunday brunch includes live jazz from 11 am. http://www.dine.to/stonegrill
Plum 226 (226 Carlton) is newly opened and offers an intriguing Italian-influenced menu. The site has been completely renovated. The patio still has its pretty setting with historical Carlton Street in the background. More on each of these newcomers when the Festival finishes.

The Epicure Shop
This week, Patty continues her promotions for buffalo mozzarella. She also has 6-year old balsamic vinegar for $3.99 (regularly $6.99). 473 Parliament.

Cabbagetown Art Salon Here’s a sneak preview of a very charming idea that’s being worked up by three people from different parts of Cabbagetown for Saturday evening, September 26 at 6:30 pm. It’s the 2nd Annual Cabbagetown Art Salon. Held in three different homes, you’ll view their art collections and enjoy cocktails, appetizers, a buffet table and desserts during one evening. Following dinner at these homes, the group will travel on to the Ben Wicks for live jazz with composer/pianist Stacie McGregor. The sponsors are residents’ groups from Aberdeen Avenue, Cabbagetown South and Don Vale. So what’s the catch – there’ll only be fifty tickets sold. You can purchase your tickets at the BIA (doug@oldcabbagetown.com) or through Cabbagetown South (http://www.cabbagetownsouth.ca/). $40 for the Art Salon and $10 for jazz at the Ben Wicks.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:16:00 +0000

It’s That Time Again…
Advance Festival Information
Here’s a quick rundown of times and events with links to more information:

Friday, September 11

Art & Crafts in the Park, Riverdale Park, from 3 pm
http://www.cabbagetownartandcrafts.org/location.html
This is the great art & crafts event held annually in Riverdale Park. It attracts thousands of visitors who wander comfortably through the tents and enjoy the exhibits from 200 artists. It runs from Friday afternoon (1 to 6pm) through Saturday and Sunday (10 am to 6 pm.)

Cabbagetown Short Film & Video Festival, 7 pm
http://www.cabbagetownshortfilmandvideofestival.com/

There may be media coverage of that other film festival, but the real glamour happens here.
16 short films from around the world and around the corner. This is always a marvelous evening. It’s funny, exciting, challenging, romantic – wherever the films take us. Space is limited and the tickets are cheap ($15).

Saturday September 12 & Sunday, September 13

Blair’s Run, Cabbagetown Parade & Street Festival
http://cabbagetownfestival.blogspot.com/

Blair's Run is always happy mayhem. It's the first big event of our program on Saturday morning.

After the Parade, the Sandhill Pipers like to retire and enjoy some adult beverages at The Ben Wicks (424 Parliament.) The crowd gathered there always enjoys their arrival.

Cutting the cabbage officially launches the Festival. Each year a different person does the job. In 2007, Daniel Claret (Daniel et Daniel, 248 Carlton) showed the rest of the world how this job is really done.

This year, our theme is Celebrating Cabbagetown. We’ve got souvenirs, artists and musicians and we’re highlighting Cabbagetown’s personalities. Our weekend is jammed full of stuff – something for everyone’s taste. Outdoor patios and barbeques will be set up on Parliament Street. Long-time Cabbagetown favourites like Go Freddy Go and Danny Marks are joined by newcomers Marinda + Solari. You can get temporary henna tattoos, a personal portrait, balloons for your kids and lots of crafts and goodies from our street vendors.

Go Freddy Go always pack in the crowds at House on Parliament on Saturday afternoon. It's also a lovely patio for people watching and good friendships.

On Sunday, Danny Marks is our feature entertainer at the Cabbagetown Stage at Winchester & Parliament.

And in other news...

JAMCafe has a new wine tasting

These events are always worth the wait. It’s happening on Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 pm at 195 Carlton.
Six wines from Ecluse are being sampled and paired with JAM’s hors d’oeuvres. Ecluse is a small boutique winery from Paso Robles California that uses classic vinifera grapes for its award-winning Rhone and Bordeaux style wines. The winemaker will be present to explain each wine and answer your questions.
Reservations are suggested: (416) 921-1255.

The Epicure Shop
Patty wants us to remind you about her new website: http://www.theepicureshop.ca/ It's very attractive and easy to use.
This week, she has more buffalo mozzarella from Italy and her bestselling white cheddar from Quebec (on special at $4.59/100 g). She also has her shipment of new jams from Greaves and they’re on special at 3 for $9.99. 473 Parliament.

Weekly catalogues
This is just a reminder. Click on the link on the sidebar Cabbagetown Online Flyers and you’ll find the weekly catalogues from Luciano’s No Frills, Home Hardware and Shopper’s Drug Mart. You may have to add the local store name (eg Luciano's No Frills) to get the appropriate catalogue. These are often big websites and may take a second to download.

The Mad Mexicans are coming back

Cabbagetown Organics (499 Parliament) tell me that their free sampling this week will again highlight Mad Mexican chips and salsas. They were a big hit last week and so they’ll be featured on Saturday for another visit. When you’re passing the stores, grab a chip and go crazy.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:38:00 +0000

Hanging flower baskets
At long last, we’ve got our flowers to brag about. They’re hanging on thirty poles across the area – test cases to see how they look and to learn what’s involved caring for them. It’s been a long road getting here. We first applied in April, waded through various agency approvals in May and June, endured a strike in July and then in August (when hope had really dimmed), flowers suddenly bloomed on poles throughout our area. Although it’s now late in the season, we persevered. And the result is well worth the effort.
Next year, we’ll add another 30 pots and fill in the gaps. These flower baskets are one of the first achievements that we’ve had arising from our new Revitalization Plan. The installations happened overnight - each basket weighs about 75 pounds.

Free food
I bet that headline gets your attention.
Every weekend, Cabbagetown Organics (499 Parliament) is offering samplings of the fine products on sale in their store. This week, you can try out Mad Mexican salsas and chips – both big favourites at our house. On Saturday, if you’re hungry or curious, drop by, say hello to Sam and try a chip.

Festival Tees
David & Sharon showing off her new Tee-shirt displays

Our retail empire is expanding. Sharon’s (503 Parliament) has agreed to sell our Tee’s for the next month during the frenzied build-up to the Cabbagetown Festival. She has four sizes available: small, medium, large and XL, all at our regular bargain price of $10. Drop in and pick up a few for your family.

Speaking of Tees
These athletic Cabbagetowners took our Tee and our flag to Prince Edward County for a bike trip.

Whenever we get photographic evidence, we’re showing how our Tees have traveled the face of the Earth. Last year’s edition reached into the distant corners of southern Australia and spanned the globe back to Leeds England, journeyed to the Okanagan and of course, blanketed Toronto. So, if you’re on holiday wearing your sophisticated Tee, grab a photo and send it to us.

NOW Magazine ranks Toronto’s best ice cream stores …
Congratulations to Sweet Creamery (521 Parliament). They’ve only been open for a few weeks and they’re already ranked among Toronto’s top ten ice cream stores by NOW Magazine. You can read all about it here: http://www.nowtoronto.com/food/story.cfm?content=170841

Mug time
Daniel et Daniel (248 Carlton) have added a sexy line of travel mugs to the Food Shop’s shelves. If you buy one at $9.95, you’ll get a free coffee to fill it and then you’ll get your future coffees for only 95 cents.

Martha Baillie
Martha Baillie's self-portrait

If you visit the Parliament Street Library (269 Gerrard), Martha Baillie will be a familiar face for you. You may not know it but she writes books as well as tending carefully to them in the library. Her latest combines both careers. Her enjoyment of library life has given her the raw material for The Incident Report, a collection of stories about the mad and marvelous patrons at her library. At http://marthabaillie.ca/, you can find out more about her novels and her bio. Get a copy of her book – who knows, you might be in it.

Picnic time
George Smitherman and Bob Rae, our two elected representatives, occupy a spiffy office located between the LCBO and St Jamestown Steak & Chops at 514 Parliament. We’re pleased to have them as members of our BIA. In low-keyed but important ways, they deliver needed help to both businesses and residents in Cabbagetown. On Sunday August 16 from noon to 3 pm, they’re hosting their annual Toronto Centre Community Picnic in Allan Gardens (Sherbourne and Carlton).

Nettleship is on television
For several hours this week, Nettleship’s became a movie set as carpenters, painters, actors and cameras transformed it into “Coopers Hardware” for the television series Flashpoint. Showing on CTV and CBS, Flashpoint is a drama that depicts “the tough, risk-filled lives of a group of cops.” Frankly, when we think about “tough and risky”, Nettleship’s doesn’t usually spring to mind. Instead, we think about Dudley (the household dog) or Don’s expertise with paints or Marg’s lifelong affection for Cabbagetown. This is the real Nettleships - Dudley is the guy on the left.

If show biz is your ambition Number 9 Audio Group (222 Gerrard East) are offering you a chance to learn audio engineering in a professional recording studio. It’s a one-on-one, hands-on curriculum with Bernie Cisternas as your instructor and topics range from drum processing to sequencing and sampling. Get lots more information and contacts at http://www.number9.ca/school/

Lightning strikes
Cabbagetown businessman James Woollatt from Blink Blink (603 ½ Parliament) captured last Sunday’s thunderstorm in a video taken from the twenty-first floor of an apartment that overlooks Cabbagetown and downtown Toronto. His 24-second video dramatically shows the power of a single lightning bolt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nSorFqlRHk

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:17:00 +0000

Whew - it's history

JAM goes organic …
Av Atikian from JAMCafe (195 Carlton) has just announced that he’s now featuring organically raised quail and squab from CRO Quail Farms in Niagara. High quality, locally raised and organic – a very nice presentation. JAM continues to offer “No Corkage Sundays” – bring your own bottle of wine and JAM will open and pour it for you at no charge.
JAM has one of Cabbagetown’s prettiest patios so plan your visit when it’s a dry, clear summery day.

By the way, Ontario regulations forbid us from bringing our own homemade wines into restaurants for these programs – a real shame for those of us who love our $2 bottles of 2009 Chateau Wellesley.

Diggity Dog
Every month, Marilyn visits Pet Valu (240 Carlton) and gives your favourite pet a pawdicure (nail trimming). She'll be there on Saturday. Just $10 gets this treat for your friends.

Epicure brings in more Niagara cheese
The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) once again has Niagara Gold Comfort Cream artisan cheese in stock. It’s from the Upper Canada Cheese Company and it’s made with milk from Guernsey cows. Patty also has a new shipment of her seven-year-old white cheddar from Quebec (she had to restock after our purchase!) She’s selling it at $4.99/100 grams - a great price for a great cheese. Epicure is open all weekend so you can handle last minute items even on Monday.

Cabbagetown’s own street food
Elsewhere in Toronto, food carts selling more than just hot dogs and greasy sausages have been popping up here and there on street corners and public squares. No need for them here.
For the past few weeks, we’ve been conducting a personal survey of quick lunches and finger food from our own local establishments. These lunches are outdoor stand-up and bench specials.
With summer’s nice hot weather at hand, here’s a list of our fun lunchtime spots where you can grab a cheap-and-cheery meal, take it outside, find a perch and enjoy yourself thoroughly.
Up at Wellesley and Parliament, Krishna (585 Parliament) has a delicious mixed curry meal – usually four vegetable curries combined with chicken, fish or lamb - plus a crispy pappadom. All sitting on a big bed of rice. Good for two people if you like to share. $6.
Next door at 589 Parliament, Absolute Bakery has sandwiches, soups, curried meat rolls, samosas and baked goods. Various prices, all inexpensive.
In the middle of our area, St Jamestown Deli (516 Parliament) usually has two or three soup choices (very garlicky gazpacho – yummy), a huge range of sandwiches, buns, breads and garnishes. They also have chilled, chopped melon and other fruit in small lunch-size containers. Your appetite is the only barrier against escaping for well under $10. They have a nice outdoor patio.
At 248 Carlton, Daniel et Daniel bring a decidedly sophisticated style to lunch. As a big plus, they also have outdoor benches where you can sit and munch while you watch across the street as the slaves at the BIA work their fingers to the bone. Sandwiches in chewy rolls, soups in three sizes and desserts to die for. About $10.

The Epicure Shop at 473 Parliament has daily lunch specials (soup or tossed salad with your choice of sandwiches in breads or Kaisers) at $5.99. Get a lunch card – for every eight lunch specials, you’ll get one free. And Tuesday is homemade pizza day - $1.99 for a slice.
2-4-1 Pizza (451 Parliament) always has delicious slices ready to go. Lunch business is very brisk so the slices are always fresh. These are big pieces of pizza – about $3. We’re hidebound traditionalists so pepperoni is always the choice. They have lots of others as well.

Falafel is a headliner at Mamma’s Deli (415 Parliament – just north of Gerrard). You can have it as a sandwich or for a bit extra, as a full falafel dinner (about $7.50). We always take the full dinner complete with hot sauce.

Don’t forget Tim Horton’s, Subway, Mr Sub and Pizza Pizza. They’re topics for another day when we’ll work our way through our favourite franchises. We’ll also be doing a detailed study of restaurants and pubs – but they’ll be a winter project.

Congratulations to Jet Fuel
In blogTO, Dar Mustafa describes our landmark coffee shop as “…rock ‘n roll. Not folky or indie or garagey but like, the old fashioned kind. The kind that drives a Harley.” (519 Parliament) It’s a great review and you can read it here: http://www.blogto.com/cafes/jetfuel

This week at Barracuda
Barracuda’s manager, Graham, has a nice line of hand-blown Mexican glassware available in a variety of shapes and colours. Prices range from mugs at $9/each (4 for $32) to fruit bowls at $35. In between, there are juice glasses, shot glasses, wine glasses, martini glasses and various pitchers at moderate prices. Drop in for a quick browse. (527 Parliament)

Toronto Kiwanis Boys & Girls Club
Program staff are now being hired for the After School & Evening Teen Program. Applicants must be over 16 years old, have some experience with children and youth aged 6 to 18, show good supervision and planning skills, and possess current first-aid and CPR qualifications and High Five PHCD. There are a variety of positions open at three of the downtown Clubs for the 2009-2010 school year. The Cabbagetown Club is located at 101 Spruce Street. For more information, contact Jessica Lawlor at jlawlor@believeinkids.ca Send a resume and covering letter by August 7.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:29:00 +0000

Peggy Kurtin

Last week, sadly, we went to Peggy’s funeral. Her passing is a major loss for our community. Many others have already told us their memories and praised her contributions to the protection and enhancement of Cabbagetown’s architectural treasures. A few years ago, she worked with the BIA to protect the heritage qualities of the buildings along Carlton Street. This was no easy task since commercial interests can often run counter to preservation efforts. Despite such potential problems, Carlton became one of the first commercial districts in Toronto to receive a heritage district designation and this designation passed without a complaint from the area’s owners and businesses. It’s fitting that we now have a beautiful street full of Victorian buildings standing as a memento to Peggy’s leadership and hard work.

Both sides now…
Cabbagetown’s “benches” controversy attracted the attention of the CBC this week. As a result, there’s a balanced presentation from both sides in the debate in this audio clip courtesy of Metro Morning. Check it out and make up your own mind: click here and scroll down the page to “Cabbagetown Benches or Not”: www.cbc.ca/metromorning/2009/07/21/

Sweet Creamery
Our Cabbagetown summer sure is in full swing on Parliament, especially here. Emilio and Tom have made their shop (521 Parliament) an inviting place to visit with comfortable seats and a table outside. We’re hearing high praise for their gelato and for the Kawartha Dairy ice cream.
As promised, baked goods are now also available – including a tiramisu cake and a gelato cake. The BIA staff did a taste test on the macadamia caramel chocolate mousse tart – it was terrific. Each flavour stood out without a heavy or cloying sweetness. One tart was just fine for the three of us.

Sofia and Sachi ordered a hazelnut, raspberry caramel ice cream dish and got extra toppings to finish it off. Since they’re sharing, they got a triple. Dancers (they’re students at the CCDT) need the energy.

Save the Jarvis Pool
Young people from across our neighbourhood have used the Jarvis Collegiate swimming pool for years. Now, because of budget restraints at both the City and the school board, the pool faces closure in December. In fact, even now, it’s unused.
You can help to save the pool. It’s possible. Pledges and gifts totaling over $20,000 have already been received to defray the costs of the pool’s operation.
To learn more about this vital effort and to find out how you can help, click here:
http://communitymatterstoronto.org/CMT/Jarvis%20Collegiate%20Pool.html

Riverdale Farm Calendar
We’ve just added the 2010 Riverdale Farm Calendar to our list of Cabbagetown souvenirs. Published annually, the calendar is a fundraising project organized by the Riverdale Farm Advisory Council and proceeds from its sale are used to enhance the Farm. Twelve striking photographs illustrate life throughout the year at the Farm. You can buy your copy for $10 from our office at 237 Carlton and from the Riverdale Farm office at 201 Winchester.

Farmers’ Market
Fans of organic and locally grown foods have long enjoyed the summer market at Riverdale Farm. During the municipal employees’ strike, the location has moved to the nearby north boulevard along Winchester, right beside the Park. The hours, as always are 3 to 7 pm, every Tuesday afternoon. The market, by the way, continues to operate with the blessing of both the city’s Parks Administration and the Union representing striking workers.

The Epicure Shop
Patty Junior continues her enjoyable feast of Quebec specialties. This week, she has a seven-year-old white cheddar on special at $4.89/100 grams along with wild boar, peppercorn and cognac pates. From closer to home, she has a new shipment from Niagara on the Lake - Greaves jams and jellies on special at 3 for $9.99. Be sure to visit http://www.theepicureshop.ca/ to see more of her goodies. (473 Parliament)

Eclectisaurus summer sale
On Gerrard Street, Leslie is hosting her annual summer sale of art, antiques and brocante, everything from the ridiculous to the sublime. Her sale (30% off) runs on Saturday from noon to 7 pm and on Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Her website at http://www.eclectisaurus.ca/ gives you a great overview of her offerings. Eclectisaurus is located at 249 Gerrard Street East.

Hairlift Group
Kiki is searching for an experienced hair stylist to join her salon. You can contact her at
503B Parliament, (416) 924-7891.

Keeping our street clean
We owe a huge thanks to Richard Silver, John Englar from Jet Fuel (519 Parliament) and a crowd of volunteers who have been cleaning litter and debris from Parliament Street every Sunday for the past three weeks. This isn’t an easy job but they’ve kept at it and the street looks so much better because of their efforts.
Week 4 in the clean-up campaign happens on Sunday July 26 at 10 am. Come to Jet Fuel at 519 Parliament and bring a broom, a dustpan and gloves. Your one-hour effort will polish our streets and keep them livable through these difficulties.
Thanks as well to Matt McAllister who has been attacking the mid-week litter on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Yoga Festival Toronto
Dennison from Renaissance Yoga (391 Ontario) wants us to remind you that the Yoga Festival is taking place on August 21, 22 and 23 and that events and classes are starting to fill. You’re urged to register as soon as you can.
This grassroots yoga event brings all of Toronto’s major studios together. You can learn more about the Festival and its participants at http://www.yogafestivaltoronto.org/.
Cabbagetown is well represented this year. Much of the work organizing the Festival is being handled by Dennison and Matthew at Renaissance Yoga. Maggie O’Connor at The Union (242 Carlton) is the Arts Coordinator.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:30:00 +0000

AN OPEN LETTER ABOUT “THE BENCHES” CONTROVERSY

Many people have heard about a recent controversy about public seating at three street corners in Cabbagetown. We’re writing to tell you our side of this story.

We’re planning three new park areas on the northeast corners of Parliament at Winchester, Carlton and Spruce. These places are currently rundown and shabby. They have great potential for gardens and trees because they receive constant sunshine all year round. They’re also big enough to accommodate seats and tables. Because our sidewalks are very narrow, we can’t put public seating there and our restaurants can’t add the charm of street-level patios. We do have room on these boulevards.

Some residents are worried because they see these seats as an incentive to people who want to loiter, panhandle or conduct criminal acts. This is especially true at Winchester.

The development of the bench areas on the north side (of Winchester) needs to be discussed widely with residents in order to reach a community consensus before this plan is started. - Excerpt from the Board's Minutes, May 13.

We’ve taken those worries into account. Here’s our plan:

1) We suggest a “test case” at Carlton and Parliament. This boulevard is currently being torn up by construction for the new commercial building. When the landscaping starts, we’ll help with trees, seats, interlocking brick and a place to put public art. The seating will be designed so that people can’t sleep on it.
This is a pilot project. If it works, we’ll all enjoy these facilities. If a problem develops, we’ll try to fix it. If we can’t fix the problem, we’ll remove the seats.

When the sidewalk areas are repaired after the construction finishes, Carlton will be a good place for our first test case. We can try out our ideas here and if nearby residents or businesses find problems, we can fix them or remove the furniture.

2) We’re going to phase in our new plans. Nothing will happen overnight. In fact, the project at Winchester won’t happen for several years. Before we start there, we’ll want to know what happens at Carlton. Then we’ll need detailed plans, public consultations, a budget and possible partners to share the costs. All of this will take quite a while.
At Winchester we’ll again be testing everything. If something goes wrong, we’ll remove it.
The same will be true at Spruce.

3) We’ll be talking to you, our neighbours, before each phase starts. We made this commitment at our May 13 Board of Management meeting. It’s a commitment that Councillor Pam McConnell expects us to meet. It will be a requirement from the City of Toronto before we get permits.

The crumbling infrastructure at Winchester - with new bricks, gardens and the existing trees, this area can be a lovely place to sit and a great gateway into the nearby residential streets.

We’re going to be practical and flexible. We’re going to take our time and go ahead step-by-step, learning as we go. We want the final results to benefit everyone.

The ideas for these boulevard parks come from our new Streetscape Revitalization Plan. Seating is one small element in a series of big improvements for our shopping areas on Parliament, Gerrard and Carlton. Other changes include hanging flower baskets, special bike racks, bumpouts into the street at strategic locations, more trees and greenery, uniform logos to identify Cabbagetown and interlocking brickwork on the sidewalk.

At Spruce Street, we can see the basic elements that will make some of these changes work - good sunshine for plants and a wider boulevard for gardens, trees and furniture. The other corners also have these benefits. This corner presently experiences unpleasant social issues and so anything that we try here must be done carefully. Changes here will happen many years in the future. Local residents have a good track record cleaning up the problems and their opinions will be very important parts of any decision-making.

We think that Cabbagetown is changing. Many of the disruptive and criminal activities that occurred here have disappeared. For example, look at the success of the Carlton and Parliament corner where criminal activity used to happen virtually every night. Or look at Winchester where the beautiful building and the Tim Hortons have replaced a tired old tavern that caused constant problems. As Regent Park is rebuilt, similar benefits will come at Spruce. In addition, the police at 51 Division are now more visible with street patrols and bike patrols and we’re getting regular help with street people from the highly effective Streets-to-Homes Program. All of this is good news.

We can take advantage of these benefits by making our neighbourhood more liveable for you. Wouldn’t it be great if you had a place to meet your friends? A place to sit while you’re shopping. A place to eat your lunch or simply to watch other people. Our goal is to improve our neighbourhood and to make it friendlier for everyone.

We don’t have to run away from opportunities because we’re afraid. We can, instead, create and embrace opportunities and then deal with problems if and when they happen.

This plan is our vision for the future. It includes you: consultation is a basic ingredient in our approach. It’s flexible: it can be changed as we decide to change it. It’s long-range: there are no pressing deadlines.

The Board of Management
Cabbagetown Business Improvement Area

For more information, please go to http://www.sunarts.ca/ and click on the Cabbage image. The plan can be seen there.
For weekly updates about Cabbagetown events, visit http://www.cabbagetownnews.blogspot.com/
For specific names and links, visit http://www.oldcabbagetown.com/

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:10:00 +0000

Friends and neighbours are pitching in …

Many thanks for everyone’s help during the current civic strike. People really seem to understand how hard it is to keep our area clean and they're ready to pitch in with their help when it's needed. George Smitherman and his staff have offered, for example, to put together a volunteer team and attack garbage pile-ups in the neighbourhood.

Richard Silver is organizing a Sunday morning clean-up along Parliament Street. Bring your own brooms and other equipment and he’ll supply biodegradeable bags. Join Richard at Jet Fuel (519 Parliament) at 10 am on Sunday. When you’re finished, John Englar will use his truck to cart the bags to the dump.

In the meantime, the BIA has hired Matt “Sweeps” McAllister to clean our streets twice a week for the duration of the strike. Sweeps started on Friday and he’s been attacking the big problem areas first. He’ll soon be on top of the worst and then he’ll be able to do smaller litter on the walks and near the curb.

Thanks as well to Don Taggart at Nettleships Paint & Hardware (576 Parliament). He helped us find some equipment that’s making Sweeps' work a lot easier.

When Sweeps has filled his bags, they’ll be taken to the dump by Ryan Taylor from Fair Trade Jewellers, the new store that’s currently under construction at 523 Parliament. Ryan is doing this as a contribution to the international charity, War Child. All of the fees that he’s collecting will be used to help child soldiers who have been rescued from armies and warlords around the world.
Ryan’s project has caught the attention of The Star. They profiled his project at http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/658609

Photo: Steve Russell/Toronto Star

And please, don’t do this.

Nettleship’s new mural
And speaking of Nettleship’s, they’ve just finished a new mural on their small southern wall. If you want more information about the artist, Justin Wilson, you can contact him at tokyonighttrain@yahoo.ca

Johnny G’s gets a facelift A spiffy new coat of paint is just the first step in Johnny G’s renovations. Betty tells us that they’ll soon be sporting a new awning and that new furniture and a paint job will be added to the interior. Their windows and seating arrangements give the restaurant a patio feel that’s very welcome throughout the summer. 478 Parliament.

Welcome to A+ Academy
A+ Academy has just opened its doors at 566 Parliament. They’re offering tutoring services in a wide range of academic subjects from kindergarten through high school and they have a variety of music specialties. For more information, call Jeyarajah at (416) 432-7405 or Bridget Susi Antony at (416) 579-3696

Trim those nails
Marilyn from Diggity Dog is back again this Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm at Pet Valu (240 Carlton). She’ll give your pooch a pawdicure (trimming nails) for only $10.

T Shirt time
Once again, we’ve got our signature black and green Tee’s waiting for you. Last year, we sold them to a world-wide audience and our cabbages sprouted up from southern Australia to northern England. Of course, most of them were sold and worn right here and we’re ready to fill your needs again.
Shirley, Chris and James found that wine in the Okanagan Valley goes down a lot better in a Cabbagetown Tee. Chris is the proud designer of our unique wardrobe item.

Krishna’s curry
Anyone (like me) who loves curry will welcome the little outlet at Krishna (585 Parliament). For only $6, you can buy a takeout lunch featuring several vegetarian curries and a topping of either chicken or lamb curry, all on a generous bed of rice. $1 gets you three delicious samosas.

Music on Parliament

Our annual springtime series of mini-concerts on Parliament has ended. We had an extra run with six weeks instead of our usual four and that seems like a good idea for the future.

Last Saturday afternoon, we featured jazz favourites from Ian Hamilton (right) and his group at our Winchester area.

At Spruce and Parliament, Snooky Tynes and his family played a special tribute to Michael Jackson.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Pride Weekend
You’ll notice the Xtra logo that's permanently displayed in the right hand column of our newsletter. For two years running, Cabbagetown has been selected by readers of Xtra as “The Best Neighbourhood for a Home” – and we certainly agree. And as Heather Mackenzie at Big Mamma’s Boy (554 Parliament) likes to point out, we’re “an oasis away from the madness of Church Street”, especially this weekend. Whether you’re a resident or an occasional visitor, welcome and Happy Pride Weekend.

Enjoy yourself…

On Pride weekend, it’s time for brunch and dinner. So here’s a quick rundown.
Brunch?
Chew Chew (186 Carlton Street) has everything from traditional bacon ‘n eggs to eggs benny and even steak and eggs. Johnny G (478 Parliament) is our flagship brunch locale. Brass Taps (221 Carlton) will be hopping on Pride Sunday and their back patio will be jammed. Peartree (507 Parliament) offers a full brunch menu and has its secluded, charming patio at the back. Cranberries (601 Parliament), as usual, never disappoints. At Big Mamma’s Boy (554 Parliament), you can peer deep into your soul and far into your future at their monthly Psychic Brunch while you wolf down their organic brunch. Best Breakfast (432 Parliament) serves up regular bacon and eggs in a traditional diner setting. Provence Delices (12 Amelia) has one of our prettiest patios and a wide range of pastries, quiche, sandwiches, build-your-own omelettes and egg dishes. House on Parliament (456 Parliament) opens from 11:30 am and their brunch is another popular stop for knowledgeable locals.
Dinner?
At Big Mamma’s Boy (554 Parliament) and at Brass Taps (221 Carlton), the party goes on all weekend and dinner from their regular menu is part of the fun. JAMCafe has a three-course prix fixe at $19.95 and free corkage for the bottle that you bring from home. People line up at House on Parliament (456 Parliament) for their roast beef dinners. As usual, the Ben Wicks (424 Parliament) has anything your heart desires – it’s one of Cabbagetown’s favourite destinations. Provence Delices (12 Amelia) has a three-course prix fixe at $29.

The Stonegrill on Winchester is back
Good news for everyone who loves fine food in a beautiful setting. Your hosts are Dobby and McKool. They’ll be emphasizing a smaller menu with the regular features from the stone along with daily selections from the kitchen. The new management wants to create a neighbourhood friendly restaurant that features food and wine at affordable prices and lots of live music. Dinners start at 5 pm and weekend brunch at 10:30 am.
The music program kicks off this week with The Kiwis, a jazz group that will play on Saturday at 7:30 pm and at brunch on Sunday at 10:30 am. 51B Winchester. (416) 967-6565.

Pride Weekend at The Epicure Shop

Patty Junior is welcoming Pride revelers with Summerfresh Dip (buy one, get one free), with her potato coleslaw (buy one and get the next at half-price) and with her brownies (buy one, get another at half price.)
She also has big news for her online fans: her website is up and running. You can learn about her specials and order there as well. (Gee Patty, and I remember when you didn’t even have e-mail - it seems like yesterday!- and now I can get your salamis on the world wide web.) It’s a really nice site: http://www.theepicureshop.ca/ 473 Parliament.

Façade improvements at The Winchester
You may already have noticed that The Winchester has just added awnings to its lower front windows and adjusted the paint colours around the windows and doors. These changes bring the building even closer to its original features. In the BIA office, we have an 1891 image of the hotel (known then as the Lakeview) that shows it with awnings across the lower front and even along the second storey windows. Along with the decorative plants on the north boulevard, the building now has a softer and gracious appearance on the street. Congratulations to the building’s owner, John Bernardo, for his ongoing care for this Cabbagetown milestone.

A new guy at the LCBO
Anne and Steve are waiting to check my ID.
A warm welcome to Steve Petsinis, the new manager at our local LCBO branch (512 Parliament). He certainly chose a hectic week to start his new job. The big rush last Tuesday that was felt across LCBO outlets everywhere also happened at our Parliament Street store where they enjoyed record-breaking sales levels. It happened, of course, because we were all petrified about a double whammy strike – too much garbage and no booze. The thought was too much to bear. Both management and the union deserve the credit for settling rather than forcing all of us to go dry. Back to Steve – our best wishes to you for a great stay in your post. You’ll find the Cabbagetown store to be colourful and interesting.

Spring rituals on Aberdeen

They do it every year at this time – Aberdeen Ave residents gather together, stroll happily through each other’s backyards, and then cap off the day with a few snacks, a drink, some more snacks, some more drinks and on it goes. A great place to live.

Garden candles from Barracuda
Gerry loves these torches.
Gerry has just received the season’s first shipment of decorative garden torches. As you can tell by the picture, he really likes them. By the way, there are candles and then there are torches. These are torches: tall and elegantly designed, they have a 14” flame and can burn for seven to fourteen hours. You can pick up the candle, the stand and the base separately or as a complete set. (527 Parliament)

Trek makes travel easier

We’ve been asked by the folks at Trek Escapes (Carlton) to remind you of their special offer which is coming to an end on June 30. They’ll save you $100 on the summer escapes that you book through their office . When you see the incredible adventures that they arrange, you’ll want to go. www.trekescapes.com/ebrochure/

International News You can take the kids out of Cabbagetown but you can’t take the Cabbages out of the kids.
We told you last week about the Cabbagetowners who’ve flocked to the south of France to see how the other half lives. Here they are - well, some of them, the interesting ones.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:26:00 +0000

Party time last week – work time this week
Our Chairman’s Award party at Provence Delices (12 Amelia) was a great success last week but work is starting to catch up to us.

Our musicians are back

Michael Brennan returns to Cabbagetown with his special brand of country music. A regular in clubs around town, he appeared here in our 2005 Festival and again on Parliament Street in 2006. He’ll be at Winchester and Parliament from 12:30 to 5 pm.
While you’re there, check out the fresh Ontario strawberries now available at St Jamestown Steak & Chops (516 Parliament).
Down on Gerrard Street, Cabbagetown favourite Jim Heineman will be playing jazz outside Eclectisaurus and Foxy Boutique (249 and 251 Gerrard) from 1 to 5 pm.

Bench controversy - our side of the story
Those of us who know and love Cabbagetown also know that there’s always a nice controversy boiling under our easy-going and placid surface. This week, it’s a neighbourhood uproar over benches in the shopping area.
In our proposals for future development of our area, the BIA suggests that mini-parkettes should be built on the boulevards at Spruce, Carlton and Winchester. Our sidewalks are too narrow to allow us to open outdoor patios or sidewalk cafes everywhere. So we want to use the bigger places at these side streets.
This suggestion has stirred up some disagreement. People worry that ne’er-do-wells of all sorts will plunk down there and cause trouble.
So what’s up? Is this just a normal proposal to make Cabbagetown more pleasant or is it really a dumb idea?
Here are a few points to think about:
Benches are a civilized feature in modern cities. They make life more comfortable for everyone - seniors, moms with kids in strollers, shoppers, people eating ice cream cones, people coming here to eat their lunch. We know there are problem people. We just don’t think that we should deny everyone else the pleasures of sitting down just because of them.
Some folks visiting from Vancouver suddenly got the urge to cuddle.
When people sit on a street corner, they figure out all kinds of ideas. We expect to hear about new ways to create public art, new possibilities to improve our businesses, new enthusiasm for our heritage buildings. We also expect lots of new friendships, romantic encounters and even renewed battles.
Lindsey and Angie really were working. Sure, that's what they say.
Our street is changing. When Daniel et Daniel built benches in front of their store at 248 Carlton, that strip on Carlton was a dangerous place with a lot of criminal activity going on, especially at night. Today, it’s one of our most beautiful areas and the benches there are constantly used. Danny has regular "office" hours at D&D.
Benches make our street more personal. When Danny Marks (a long-time Cabbagetowner and an entertainer with a national reputation) wants to talk to his friends, he goes to his “office” at the Daniel et Daniel bench. He knows that he’ll meet all kinds of people while he’s sitting there. When Doug Fisher (that’s me) wants to cook up another story for this Newsletter, he snaps a picture at the bench.
Ron Parker plays his guitar here regularly. Ron has a PhD in physics and he’s setting up a tutoring service with special emphasis on high school physics. You can contact him at ron.parker47@gmail.com - or drop by the bench.
People who sit on the street add life and safety to our environment. There will be people who abuse the bench areas, but they’re out in the open and doing so under every else’s eyes. When a car accident happened recently at Carlton and Parliament within sight of the Daniel et Daniel benches, the 911 number probably had half-a-dozen calls right away.
The BIA’s plans are still general guidelines. They’ve been put together to give all of us a starting point. If you think these ideas are worth further consideration, check out the plan. It’s available at http://www.sunarts.ca/ and you just scroll down the page to the cabbage and click away. (It’s a very big file, so it’ll take a while to open.)
Megz and her friend have a great gossip
Please send your opinion along. Even if it’s a one-liner, we’d like to know what you’re thinking. You can email us at doug@oldcabbagetown.com
What happens when you put up a bench and Doug starts to monkey around?

Pride Week at the Deal Zone Savings Centre
Cheryl at Deal Zone celebrates proudly with her flag. Kyle is launching Pride Week celebrations with special offers on Pride flags (large at $10, medium $3 and small handheld flags at $1.) He’s also got bandanas at $2 and rainbow leis at $1. Kyle has renamed his store from Loonie or Less to the Deal Zone to emphasize his great bargains and amazing prices. (480 Parliament.) He also has name-brand sunglasses at $4.99 or 3 for $10.

Thanks to Helen and to the CPA
The 2009 edition of the Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces tour was a smash success – over 650 people bought tickets and had a wonderful afternoon. It takes a lot of effort to make this event such a success. All of us are grateful to Helen Coltrinari and her committee for their willingness to organize it. She’s also involved in the autumn Ghost Tour, the Tour of Homes and the other ongoing work at the Cabbagetown Preservation Association. Thanks, Helen – it was a great event.

Father’s Day at Epicure
Dad deserves the best and Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) has some of the best shortbread, cupcakes and Father’s Day mug cake just for him. On Sunday June 21, every Dad who comes to the store gets a free coffee. Dad will also want Epicure’s buffalo mozzarella – a fresh shipment has just arrived from Italy and it’s now back in stock.

Welcome to our new officer

Constable Peter Cullingford is our new 51 Division Community Relations Officer. He’s a twenty-one year veteran and his service has included six years in the Mounted Division. He’s been in 51 Division for three years. He’s a downtown resident who knows and understands our communities. We’re looking forward to a good relationship with him. You can reach him at 416-808-5108.

Sharon is having a summer sale
Sharon’s lovely clothes and accessories are now being offered at great prices during her Summer’s Here Sale. She has tops from $12.99, a new shipment of summer dresses from $24.99, men’s tees at $12.99 and recycled bags at $24.99. Plus, her hats and jewelry are all reduced.

Whenever your purchase is more than $40, Sharon will give you a free pair of hot sox – you can flash your sox at a nearby bench!

Attention container gardeners
Cabbagetown South Association is holding a container garden competition to celebrate the beauty and creativity that container gardens bring to our neighbourhood. You can enter for yourself or nominate a friend. Entry is free and you will be eligible to win garden-inspired prizes. For more information, http://www.cabbagetownsouth.ca/

Barracuda
Container gardeners will want to visit Barracuda (527 Parliament) to browse through their outstanding line of garden accessories. Barracuda also has a new line of ceramic serving dishes, plates, bowls and other tablewares. They’re offering several items throughout the store at deep discounts. By the way, our Chairman’s Awards certificates were mounted on special plaques by Barracuda’s framing services.

Brenda is showing off a tagine, a traditional cooking vessel from the ancient Moroccan desert. Its conical shape captures moisture during cooking which falls back into the dish and creates meltingly tender meat, no matter the cut.

A new summer menu at Big Mamma’s Boy
Among the new items are garlic cheese toast (with sourdough and mozzarella), spaghetti primavera with local organic veggies finished with organic olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs, plus a daily fish plate. On Mondays, it’s all-you-can-eat mussels Monday for $14.95. On Mondays as well, it’s pad thai time in addition to the regular menu. 554 Parliament, (416) 927-1593.

International News
A group of Cabbagetowners has recently flooded into France to see how the under-developed world manages its daily trials. So a quick hello to all of you. All’s well here – your homes, your cats and your friends are just fine but the beer’s a bit lonely.

This guy just wants to sit on a bench.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:36:00 +0000

2009 Chairman’s Awards

On Wednesday evening, the members of the BIA held their annual Chairman’s Awards evening at Provence Delices (12 Amelia). It was a great party with good food in a lovely setting. Nine awards were given out for business accomplishments in the past year - in the middle of tough economic times, the awards alone would have been a refreshing reason to get together.
There’s more information about the awards and the people who won them further in this week’s Newsletter. But first, some other news.

To “bench’ or not to “bench” A controversy is now brewing in parts of Cabbagetown about benches and loiterers. When I jump into the debate, some wags regularly tell me to get a life. But I pay them no mind.
So, my question for you today is whether Danny Marks and his pals should loiter so freely on the “benches” of Cabbagetown.

International News
Russ Mcleod, Robin Wiszowaty and Craig Kielburger from Free the Children.

Welcome to Robin Wiszowaty who’s the Kenyan director for Free the Children (233 Carlton). Robin has been visiting Toronto for the past couple of weeks and is today heading home. One of her projects during her visit has been the launch of her new book, My Maasai Life, documenting her work and experiences in Kenya.

The “Me to We” movie

You may have seen a group of people running across Cabbagetown’s streets last Saturday. They were waving their arms around, carrying someone up in the air and shouting out a loud cheer. The staff and volunteers at Me To We (225 Carlton) were making a promotional film. They started at 6 am and kept it up to 4 pm – all without the big cranes, transport trucks, johnny-on-the-spot and heavy duty cameras that usually take over our streets.
Me to We is a partner with Free the Children. It’s a new kind of social enterprise for people who want to change the world through their personal choices. You can find out more at http://www.metowe.com/aboutus/

Cabbagetown South fights graffiti
Congratulations to the people in the Cabbagetown South Association for their efforts to clean up graffiti through their neighbourhood. Susan Dineen reports that they’ve made a full inventory of walls where graffiti has appeared. Together with Detective Constable Euan McDermott from 51 Division who organized a group of student volunteers, they’ve been giving these walls a fresh coat of paint and making their streets and laneways shine.

Now to the awards
Congratulations to the nine businesses who have received this year’s honours. Generally, the awards fell into three groups: building and renovations, good business practices and service to our community.
David Weenen (left) presented Spiros Maniatis an award for his “Outstanding New Building” at Aberdeen and Parliament.

John Lee from Omi (241 Carlton) was unable to attend because his restaurant was so busy that night. He received his award for Omi’s “Innovative Interior Renovation”

George Rondina (left) gave the award to Beverly Donn and Richard Bannerman from Green’s Antiques (529 Parliament) for their “Enhanced Window Arrangement

Maggie O’Connor awarded the “Business Success Story” to Nagesan who was there on behalf of his parents, Nages and Raj of Absolute Bakery (589 Parliament).

Doug Chow from Shoppers Drug Mart (467 Parliament) was away on business and missed our event. Shoppers won our award for “Good Customer Service”.

Daniel Megly made the presentation to Dean Lee of Lampcage (557 Parliament) for “Attracting People to Cabbagetown”.

John Ward (centre) from Gourmet Burger Co (482 Parliament) was busy expanding his business and couldn’t attend to get his award for “Successful New Business”.

Farhan Basharat of Tim Hortons (537 & 581 Parliament) was honoured for his “Support for our BIA” by Paul Dineen (left) and Doug Fisher (right)

The Children’s Book Bank (350 Berkeley) has made significant contributions to children in Cabbagetown. Paul Dineen presented Kim Beatty with our 2009 award for “Outstanding Community Service”.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 20:19:00 +0000

Music on Parliament Street
On Saturday, we’re welcoming Donna Green and the Moo’d Swings to our June music extravaganza. Donna plays favourites with a country flavour. Moo’d Swings have always been well received in their previous appearances on Parliament Street and we’re sure they’ll be just as popular again this year. Beside St Jamestown Deli at Winchester and Parliament.

Making a movie…
On Saturday, a promotional movie about Me To We (225 Carlton) will be made on Parliament and Carlton from 6 am to 4:30 pm. Me To We is a new kind of social enterprise for people who want to bring change to the world through their personal choices. It’s partner in the Free The Children organization (233 Carlton). The movie gives us a chance to remind Cabbagetowners about these two dynamic groups that reach out across the world from the heart of our community. You can learn more about Me To We at http://www.metowe.ca/

CPA Garden Tour
Every year, hundreds of people tour gardens and hidden spaces throughout Cabbagetown.
CBC’s gardening guru, Ed Lawrence, will be giving out advice and autographs at one of the destinations. This year’s tour takes place (rain or shine) on Sunday June 7 from 10 am to 3 pm. Tickets are available in Cabbagetown at Mi Casa (238 Carlton) and Fairway Variety (520 Parliament.) Limited numbers of tickets are also available at the individual gardens. For more information, click on: http://www.cabbagetownpa.ca/Pages/08NewsEvents.html

Catherine wants YOU
Catherine Tammaro is busy recruiting co-op residents who want to take an active part in this year’s Cabbagetown Festival. She’s organizing floats for the parade and other activities that to celebrate co-op life and tell the world about it. By the way, every day in Cabbagetown, we have a chance to enjoy Catherine’s contributions to our community – she designed the “C” lights that mark Cabbagetown’s main streets. If you want to be a part of the co-op Festival team, call Doug or Latoya at (416) 921-0857 or call Catherine at (416) 922-0031.

Centre Shift continues through this weekend
Presented by the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre, this year’s edition features premieres by choreographers Colin Connor and Deborah Lundmark along with remounts by Danny Grossman and Louis Laberge-Cote. Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 at 8 pm and Sunday, June 7 at 2 pm. The show happens at the Winchester Dance Theatre, 80 Winchester St. Tickets are $18 and $25. Call (416) 924-5657.

Trek’s Escape Routes
Trek Escapes (223 Carlton) has a special sale underway, offering you $100 savings on trips organized by five of their suppliers. This is a great time for adventure traveling with a strong Canadian dollar and competitive airfares and tour prices. Talk to Trek now and travel before September 30 to enjoy your savings.

Cabbagetown South gardening events
On June 21st, judges in the “container garden competition” in Cabbagetown South will announce their list of winners. Entries to the contest are open from June 8 to June 19. Fun prizes are available for the winners.
On June 21st as well, the 4th annual Garden Tour takes you through half a dozen of the neighbourhood’s finest gardens and includes a glass of wine to finish off your day. 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Start the tour at 182 Seaton Street.
For extra information on both events, click on http://www.cabbagetownsouth.ca/ or send an email to susan.dineen@arius3d.ca

Containers from Barracuda
If you’re planning an entry into Cabbagetown South’s gardening competition, then visit Barracuda first to get your container. The store is full of beautiful new spring lines that will turn your garden into a winner. (527 Parliament)

Brunch at Provence Delices
The menu for the new Saturday and Sunday brunch at Provence (12 Amelia) is now available. This is one of Cabbagetown’s prettiest patios and a leisurely brunch there is always time well spent. They’re offering light pastries (as the French do), sandwiches, quiches, eggs benedict, omelettes, steak-and-eggs plus the real temptations at dessert – crème brulee, fruit tarts, sorbets and more. Wine by the glass and bottle. Brunch happens on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 am to 3 pm.

Thanks Al
Al Berger is leaving his post as manager at our Parliament Street LCBO (512 Parliament). He’ll be managing another store in the system. He leaves us as our store undergoes renovations and a facelift along its side wall and frontage. We want to thank him for his support for our events over the years and wish him well with his future assignments.
Al (right) and two of his staff appeared at our 2007 Chairman’s Awards evening where the store won a customer service award.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:23:00 +0000

Jim Heineman is back
At Parliament and Winchester on Saturday afternoon. It’s week two in our Music on Parliament series and Jim will be appearing with his trio in the space beside St Jamestown Deli from 1 to 5 pm. When you’re passing by, stop for a minute to enjoy his great jazz.

St Jamestown has lobsters
While you’re checking out Jim Heineman, drop in for some live lobsters at St Jamestown Steak & Chops. Mark has a shipment of these delights and he’s stocked up for the weekend. At $9.99/pound, they’re a guaranteed success.

Centre Shift
Presented by the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre, this year’s edition features premieres by choreographers Colin Connor and Deborah Lundmark along with remounts by Danny Grossman and Louis Laberge-Cote. June 4, 5 and 6 at 8 pm and June 7 at 2 pm. The show happens at the Winchester Dance Theatre, 80 Winchester St. Tickets are $18 and $25. Call (416) 924-5657.

Attention Cabbagetown artists…
A quick reminder. Cabbagetown artists are invited to join us at our annual Festival. We’re providing booth space (so you can display and sell your works) to everyone who is based here in Cabbagetown. Fifteen people have signed up already. To get on the list and to learn more about our project, call Doug or Latoya at (416) 921-0857 or send us an email at cabbagetownbia@gmail.com.

Lookin’ good
Cara and Vicky (right) visited us for a few days from Carrboro, North Carolina and took home souvenir T-shirts.

Thanks Patrick Patrick Lightheart lives on Carlton Street above the former INZ shop (231 Carlton). When the space became vacant, he decided to make it more attractive and so he brought out his own art work. He’s right – his display really improves the storefront. Let's hope that other landlords take note.

Quit eating for a week... Save up your appetite. Provence Delices (12 Amelia St) is about to launch Saturday and Sunday brunches. Their patio is one of the few street level open areas in Cabbagetown and it’s a delightful spot. Details on the brunch menu will be coming out next week – for now, we know that there will be huge café au lait bowls, croissants, danish and other pastries baked in their kitchen plus their variations on egg dishes, steak and other brunch goodies.

Go ahead - eat lots of good stuff
Over the weekend, you can get any Summerfresh Dip on sale at Epicure. Patty is offering one dip at regular prices and the second at half-price. And you can buy her homemade pasta sauce (she says it's fantastic) and get a box of DeCecco Pasta free. (473 Parliament)

Launch yourself on the world-wide web
Kidist Designs has special new offers for businesses and individuals for June. Kidist has written a very useful blog about website designs and how they can achieve your goals. It has lots of worthwhile, practical insights for people planning their web presence. Check it out here: http://www.kidistdesigns.blogspot.com/ For June, she’s giving a 15% discount on all website design packages and if you buy one design service, then you can get a second service at half-price.

Spring time at Barracuda
In Cabbagetown’s small gardens, containers often save the day. They can add extra space and turn a tough spot into a pleasant corner. Barracuda (527 Parliament) is full of beautiful new pots with designs that are textured and sculpted.

Sweet Creamery is just open
Emilio's past the construction stage and now he's doing what he loves best.
They’re open and, of course, we’ve given their ice cream a special test run. Gotta tell ya – the butterscotch ripple is a definite A+ That report is based on my personal field trip with a “large”. Do your own testing on Saturday when Quincy Lapalm will be playing his acoustic guitar out front. (521 Parliament)

For the birds
Dave and Robert will help you with your bird calls.
On Monday June 1, Project Chirp gets underway at 7 pm at the Ben Wicks (424 Parliament). Sponsored by the Cabbagetown South Association. Christina Sharma is a certified habitat steward with the Canadian Nature Foundation and she’ll be talking about backyard birding. Tickets are $10.

noreply@blogger.com (Old Cabbagetown BIA) — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Music, music, music…

Ian Hamilton's Trio (above) and Michael Brennan (below) are both scheduled to come back this year. Jazz, country, latin, favourites and bebop are all on the menu.

For the past four years, the Cabbagetown BIA has organized Music on Parliament Street. We really enjoy this project. This year, our musicians will perform on the street every Saturday afternoon from 1 to 5 pm until June 30. They'll be at Winchester and Parliament, Spruce Street near No Frills and Gerrard Street near Ontario. This year as well, our schedule is better than ever. Donna Green and the Moo'd Swings do country favourites. They're back for the third time - and each visit has been a popular appearance.
Starting tomorrow, May 23, we’re offering Cabbagetown’s own Diego Solis who’ll be bringing his Latin rhythms to Winchester Street. We’ll give you announcements each week throughout the Spring. Oh, by the way, we enourage the performers to bring their CDs for sale and to busk – your generosity will be greatly appreciated.

Gossip and unsubstantiated rumours …
There’s news from The Stonegrill – it appears possible that the restaurant has changed hands and will soon reopen. That’s great. It’s an important feature on our restaurant scene. (51B Winchester)

While we’re at it – many thanks to Frank Bernardo. He served as the Stonegrill’s manager from its opening. Frank always opened his doors to community groups. His neighbours knew from the beginning that they were welcome. His programs at the restaurant were innovative and drew people into our area, including his Sunday Jazz series, his special evening menus and his efforts upstairs at Lounge 51.

You’ll also want to keep an eye on 521 Parliament (next to Jet Fuel) for the grand opening of our latest addition – a brand new ice cream store called Sweet Creamery. Rumour has it that this place will open during the next week, just in time for the hot weather.

Emilio's whipping up hard ice cream, soft ice cream and gelato. People at the BIA are gonna get fat!

Pick up a free book
The Yonge Street Mission (270 Gerrard) and Double Take (306 Gerrard) are again hosting their annual Community Book Fair on Thursday May 28 and Friday May 29. It’s an Extravaganza – a chance to find and enjoy free books. The Fair is open both days at 10 am and in the afternoon; it closes briefly each day at lunchtime.
Starbucks (Parliament & Aberdeen) are providing free coffee and they’ve got a collection basket for anyone who wants to donate a book for the Fair.

Reno’s at the LCBO

Alan Berger, our local manager, tells us that repairs on the LCBO building (512 Parliament) are going well. The first step is happening now on the roof and then fix-ups on the mural wall and the front will take place. A new mural and fresh paint on the front are part of the program.

Customer Appreciation Week at Epicure, May 25 to 30

For the next week, Patty is offering daily specials to thank each of her customers. On Monday, it’s beans – buy one pound of coffee beans and get another pound for half price. Tuesday is pizza – get a slice and your bottle of water is free. Wednesday, wake up to a breakfast bagel with a free cup of coffee. On Thursday, dessert treats are free with every lunch special. On Friday, buy any Summerfresh Dip and get a second one at half price. And on Saturday, it’s a biggie – buy Epicure’s Homemade Pasta Sauce and receive a free box of De Cecco Pasta. (473 Parliament)

Toronto Dance Theatre
The Berlin/Toronto Project features new works by two Berlin choreographers and TDT dancers. It’s part of an effort by TDT artistic director Christopher House to infuse renewed international experience into Toronto’s dance milieu. Performances take place May 21 and 22 at 8pm, May 23 at 2 pm and May 27 to 30 at 8pm. 80 Winchester. For tickets, online at http://www.tdt.org/ and by phone at (416) 967-1365.

News from Renaissance Yoga & Ayurveda
Matthew and Dennison are traveling west for six weeks and while they’re gone, Scott Petrie will conduct a drop-in class from 6 to 9 pm starting on Thursday May 21. The latest newsletter from RYA gives details about summer activities, as well as the Yoga Festival (that happens from August 21 to 23) and a preliminary schedule for the RYA Fall program – to get more info, contact info@renaissanceyoga.ca (391 Ontario St)