Bring your pooch, your cat, your sweetie and any other pet you have for a photo with him. He’ll spend the noon hour at Pet Valu and the later afternoon at Menagerie Pet Shop. Our friend Eric Morse will again be the man behind the lens. Don’t miss this chance to create your pet’s personal masterpiece.Saturday, December 18
Pet Valu – 240 Carlton, 11 am to 2 pm
Menagerie Pet Shop – 549 Parliament, 2:30 to 5:30 pm
Your photos: $10/set of three.
Have a sweet with Santa
By a special miracle, Santa can be in two places at one time. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 pm, he’ll be at Sweet Creamery (521 Parliament). Stop by for a sweet, a hot drink and a special visit.Tuba time at the Ben Wicks
This is it – a major landmark on Cabbagetown’s social calendar - the afternoon when the best of the best gather to sip a pint, to sing their favourite carols and to melt in the warmth of the dulcet tones from the Sterling Brass. The Brass will perform at the Ben Wicks (424 Parliament) on Sunday from 3 to 6 pm. No cover charge. Be part of it all.Patty has help
She’s brought in her entire family to handle the Christmas rush. No wonder - how can you say “no” to a cupcake when Vanessa’s offering it to you? She’s escaping the snow in London where she goes to school to join her family here for Christmas. Drop in to The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) and get an introduction. And while you’re there, get a Christmas Gift Basket (tax free), some Summerfresh dips (buy one, get one free) and some La Sauvagine (the #1 cheese in Quebec).Congratulations to JAM’s Av Atikian
In November, Av (chef at JAMCafe, 195 Carlton) was asked to join a team who prepared a VIP luncheon for 90 guests at the new Tibetan Cultural Centre. The Dalai Lama was there to dedicate the centre and teach some classes. Among the other chefs were Art Smith from the Food Network and Tal Ronen, a noted BC vegan chef, and cookbook author. From the photos that Av has sent us, it looks like a yummy day for everyone.Welcome Toni and Elaine
Milk Uncookies is a lovely new coffee shop that’s just opened at 253 Gerrard offering coffee, baked goods and vegan specials. My own taste-testings have proven that the coffee is outstanding and so are the butter tarts. Toni and Elaine have transformed a rundown, tired little corner into this bright, comfortable spot. Finally, there’s a convenient place for all the caffeine addicts living and working near Gerrard and over by Sherbourne.Underdown Pub is open
While you’re on Gerrard, drop in for a drink at Underdown Pub (263 Gerrard at Berkeley). This is a very comfortable room. In the summer, they’ll have a patio outdoors. Reports about the food from people who have already visited are very approving. The room will feature a different musician every night . You can see lots of photos, the menu and the weekly entertainers on the website: http://www.underdownpub.com/
Kendall & Co
It’s the last weekend before Christmas, so Kendall & Co are extending their shop hours to 8 pm for Friday and Saturday. Just in time for last-minute buyers, they have a ceramic “Princess and the Pea” coaster set. Drop in to the store and see what you can find for your holidays – 438 Parliament across from SpruceChristmas Day at Cranberries
Cranberries (601 Parliament) always hosts a special Christmas Day dinner and it’s always well attended. This year’s event happens from 5 to 11 pm. It’s a four-course feast featuring soup, choice of a salad, turkey with mashed potato, fresh veggies, stuffing, cranberry sauce (of course) and gravy, followed by fresh apple pie and ice cream. All of that at $24.99New Year’s Eve
Of course it’s early. Christmas hasn’t happened yet, but even so our local restaurants are already planning New Year’s Eve events to tempt you out of your house. Special menus and holiday extras are all being prepared. So far, we’ve heard from JAM (195 Carlton), Peartree (507 Parliament), Big Mamma’s Boy (554 Parliament), Stonegrill (51B Winchester), Ben Wicks (424 Parliament), House on Parliament (456 Parliament) and Provence Delices (12 Amelia). We know that The Cobourg and Underdown will be having special events as well. Next week, we plan to give you a complete list and we also plan to distribute a brochure to our neighbourhood. If you’re planning an evening out, then call your favourite spot for a reservation now.Win a Fiat 500
Baci is the Italian way to say ‘I love you’. Baci Chocolates are sponsoring a contest to win this lovely little car. Patty Junior from The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) invited the Baci Ambassador to visit Cabbagetown on Friday to draw our attention to the contest. Just figure out how many Baci will fit inside the Fiat and then enter your estimate on-line at http://baciperugina.ca/contest.html The draw takes place on Valentines.
This is the weekend for SOUP’s Christmas craft sale (603-1/2 Parliament). Be sure to drop in and browse through the paintings, jewelry, handmade cards, accessories and crafts. There are plenty of selections across a wide price range for your Christmas gifts and your own pleasures. SOUP is also a fascinating place to visit – the businesses there include computer wizards, design experts, a yoga studio and a gardening non-profit. Be sure to ask about them – the SOUP people love to talk.
Next weekend, Santa has a heavy schedule. Bring your pets for a photo with Santa. From 11 am to 2 pm at Pet Valu (240 Carlton) and from 2:30 to 5:30 pm at Menagerie Pet Shop (549 Parliament).
By magic, Santa will also appear at Sweet Creamery (521 Parliament) on Saturday and on Sunday afternoon next weekend from 2 to 4 pm. It’s also a good time to try special seasonal gelato flavours that Santa has prepared – ginger bread, eggnog, candy cane and pumpkin pie.
Bob Rae and Glen Murray invite you to a neighbourhood drop-in at Winchester School (15 Prospect) on Sunday December 12 from 11 am to 2 pm. Everyone is welcome. There’ll be lots of activity and plenty of opportunity to meet our elected representatives and give them your best seasons’ greetings.
A cozy and very charming new café has just opened at 559 Parliament, just south of the gas station. Cyril and Nimmi have designed a very light, whimsical room and their menu is equally interesting. They’re open daily for breakfast and lunch. I joined John Jay (from The Cobourg) there for lunch today and enjoyed a Mediterranean stew and an egg salad sandwich – delicious. On the weekend they’re emphasizing a brunch menu and they’re open from 9 am to 5 pm. This weekend, they’ll have their regular menu plus a selection of salmon dishes to highlight today’s arrival of fresh Atlantic salmon.
A warm welcome to Semret who’s the new manager at our Starbucks (492 Parliament). She’s been here for a few weeks now. She’s worked for Starbucks for seven years and her last assignment was in the financial district. She’s been fully informed about the heartening progress toward an outdoor patio along Aberdeen which we hope can be opened by the Spring (and many thanks to residents there who voted almost unanimously in favour of the patio location.) Semret has reminded us that Starbucks has a toy and food drive underway on behalf of the Yonge Street Mission – you can drop off your donations at the store.
Meet Roxie – Kendall’s new personal assistant. He’s training her in customer service and she’s very enthusiastic. She’s made friends immediately with everyone else on staff. She keeps her ear to the ground and her nose to the grindstone. For the holiday season, Kendall & Co (438 Parliament across from Spruce) have extended their store hours to 8 pm every Friday and Saturday. Be sure to check out their gift guide at 
JAM is hosting Rosewood Winery for a tasting of their premium Ontario boutique wines. There’ll be seven wines and some surprises and a chance to talk to the winemakers. Av Atikian will prepare a special selection of his hors d’oeuvres to match each wine as it’s presented. Read about all the wines and the menu here: 
Most of the inventory in Barracuda (527 Parliament) is now offered on sale, just in time for your Christmas gift-giving. There are lots of great bargains in glass wares and accessories. These beautiful brass leaves, for example, are only $20 (small), $30 (medium) and $45 (large).
Lennie’s Health Centre (489 Parliament) now carries a natural chemical-free skincare line from Sprout Botanicals. Gentle soaps, salves, natural bug sprays and sunscreens – all for babies and anyone with sensitive skin. Dr Aileen Lim-Trotter is a Naturopathic doctor (and a Cabbagetown homeowner!) and she developed the formula for these products. She’s telling Alex all about their good qualities. You can learn the details at 
The next few weeks get really hectic. Give yourself a break. Let Peter do the cooking and deliver one of his lovely pies right to your door. He’s got New Orleans Cajun, traditional, and gourmet recipes plus a nice selection of pasta, sandwiches, salads, panzerotti and wings. You can see his menu and prices at his web site, 
The folks on Aberdeen Avenue and in Cabbagetown South have designed a tour for a small group of people to view festive trees in three Cabbagetown homes. The theme is Victorian Trees in Cabbagetown. It happens from 7 to 9 pm on Saturday December 18. There’s no charge. Donations are being accepted for the new Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum. For more information, 
Patty has really done her best to make your Christmas meals a great success. She’s got black or white truffle oil, foie gras, 25-year old balsamic vinegar and the best olive oil in the world. To bring you into the store, she's offering all her boxed chocolates at $1.00 off (plus, she’s paying the tax). And, on top of all of this, cheese lovers will really want the Fifth Town lines from Prince Edward County – Cape Vessy, Lighthall Tomme and Quinte Crest. 473 Parliament.
Number 9 Audio has produced a two-disk album that features 23 outstanding artists from around the world. Net proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross to help, its aid efforts in Haiti. The music is awesome and the cause is memorable. Albums can be purchased for $25 at the BIA office (237 Carlton) or at Number 9 (222 Gerrard). So far, over half of the $10,000 target has been raised – many thanks to those who’ve contributed.
Cabbagetown Organics (499 Parliament) has guilt-free cookies – no butter, low sodium, nut free and dairy free. They’re available in several flavours, ginger and spice, lemon and granola. (Even though Fernando is bragging about these cookies, he secretly admits that he really loves butter…) If you drop in on Saturday, try some samples of Eva’s oils and balsamic vinegars and on Sunday, there’ll be some samples of Sarafino oils. And you can still check out their wide selection of good Christmas candy and chocolates.
One of Cabbagetown’s computer hubs, Hi Tech Seven (453 Parliament) now also offers world-wide delivery services. Nurul has become an authorized shipper for both FedEx and DHL. It’s a nice mixture. Some countries won’t allow FedEx to operate, so the DHL link adds to your international shipping options. While you’re there, check out his fine line of computers and accessories.
In fact, there’s plenty to celebrate. Gunnar has gift certificates – a perfect present for wine enthusiasts in your family. Give the gift of winemaking this Christmas.
Kale has been renovating his store (444 Parliament) and he’s holding a super renovation sale to clear away space and get ready for next year. All of his 2010 bikes are available at 20% off and most of his in-stock parts and accessories are offered at 25% discounts. These are great bargains. You can see all of this at his spiffy website, 
InsideToronto has just published a nice story about our new Me to We Store (225 Carlton). If you’re curious about the way that Me to We fits in with Free the Children, you can read it here: 
See tomorrow’s contemporary dancers today! The School of Toronto Dance Theatre is mounting works by Valerie Calam, Allison Cummings, Michael Trent, Danny Grossman and Sharon B Moore. $19 general admission and $15 students, seniors etc. For more information, 
The Sterling Brass concert at the Ben Wicks is one of the big highlights on our annual Christmas calendar. It’s not to be missed. There’ll be a chance to join in the caroling, to bask in the glories of a tuba concerto and to marvel at the splendors of Handel’s Messiah. All of this and the cozy warmth of the Wicks as well. No cover charge, Sunday December 19, 3 to 6 pm, 424 Parliament.
There’s good news about the businesses affected by the fire last month. Of course, House on Parliament (456 Parliament) reopened almost immediately. Next door, Grasshopper has opened as well. Upstairs, Superstein staff aren’t worried – they have more renovations with the drywall and fixtures before they’re ready but progress is satisfying. Graham at Capability Brown continues to work from House of Dumont (200A Carlton) and he’s informed his customers to expect that he’ll be there for a while yet.
The Salvation Army’s Warehouse Mission is moving into new office space above Ginger at Carlton and Parliament. They plan to use the third floor for office space, teaching, counseling and worship. The Warehouse Mission is named after a small coach house located on a laneway at Wellesley and Parliament. The building is owned by Toronto Community Housing and the Salvation Army is one of several community groups using the space. It’s in heavy demand and quite small so this move to new quarters above Ginger gives the congregation a welcome expansion.
George has opened a tiny storefront at Gerrard and Ontario where he’s offering his unique services as a Christmas decorator. Whether you want to use your own decorations, or create a special theme or start right from scratch, he can handle the job. He’s had several years experience and draws his customers from across Toronto. In the last few days, people from Cabbagetown have seen his sign and are already starting to use his services. 
Water colour paintings, chocolates, handcrafted greeting cards, jewelry, personal accessories and lots more at the annual Christmas SOUP sale. This sale is rapidly becoming a Cabbagetown fixture. There’ll be plenty of gifts and lots of stuff that you’ll want to keep for yourself. Saturday December 11, 10 am to 5 pm, 603-1/2 Parliament.
For the 58th year, Gerry and Carl have reappeared with their Christmas trees at Spruce and Parliament. Their family comes back annually and they’re a sign that the holiday season really has arrived. We’re glad to have you with us again, guys.
Drop in to Cabbagetown Organics for a great selection of Christmas candy for your stocking stuffers or special treats. There are milk chocolates and dark chocolates from Lindt, including a reindeer, a snowman and Santa’s sleigh. For locovores, there’s cranberry crunch from New Moon Kitchens and Spirit Tree Apple Cider from Caledon. 499 Parliament.
Sharon has loaded up her shelves with beautiful clothes that you’ll want for yourself and for the lucky people on your gift list. This week, for men she’s featuring a Tommy Hilfiger cotton sweater ($34.99), brown denim trousers ($29.99) and a scarf ($15.99). For women, she has a faux fur evening jacket ($44.99), a sequined black tunic ($44.99) and assorted evening jewelry (from $19.99). Fantastic clothes and fantastic prices. 503 Parliament.
Patty’s Christmas baskets have been a popular gift for many years. She has personalized collections and a supply of ready made baskets. She can design a basket tailored to your budget. She’ll make them for your special person, for business gifts and for families. Visit the store and she’ll find out what you want and create a basket just for you. This weekend, she also has two specials back in stock – rosette charcuterie from $9.99 and four-year-old white cheddar. There are, of course, lots of homemade shortbreads and gingerbread cookies. 473 Parliament.
Kendall and Kevin are holding a customer appreciation day on Sunday December 5 from noon to 5 pm. There’ll be drinks, treats and festive music. Please RSVP at 
Just in time for the Christmas holiday season, JAM is hosting Rosewood Winery for another tasting of premium Ontario boutique wines. There’ll be seven wines and some surprises and a chance to talk to the winemakers. Av Atikian will prepare a special selection of his hors d’oeuvres to match each wine as it’s presented. JAM’s wine tastings are often sold out so reservations are a good idea (especially at this time of the year!) $40 each. Call (416) 921-1255. Wednesday December 15, 6:30 pm, 195 Carlton.
Labour of Love is featuring works by Michael Michaud. He collects fauna wherever he travels and then uses them to cast his creations, capturing each natural detail of the original. Drop by and see his work at 242 Carlton. For lots more information about Regina’s latest offerings, visit 
See tomorrow’s contemporary dancers today! The School of Toronto Dance Theatre is mounting works by Valerie Calam, Allison Cummings, Michael Trent, Danny Grossman and Sharon B Moore. $19 general admission and $15 students, seniors etc. For more information, 
This weekend, Central Neighbourhood House is hosting their Christmas bazaar and craft show. Angela Connors reminds us that your purchases will be a gift that gives twice. Friday, noon to 8 pm and Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm. 349 Ontario St.
The folks on Aberdeen Avenue and in Cabbagetown South have designed a tour for a small group of people to view festive trees in three Cabbagetown homes. The theme is Victorian Trees in Cabbagetown. It happens from 7 to 9 pm on Saturday December 18. There’s no charge. Donations are being accepted for the new Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum. For more information, 
The Sterling Brass concert at the Ben Wicks is one of the big highlights on our annual Christmas calendar. It’s not to be missed. There’ll be a chance to join in the caroling, to bask in the glories of a tuba concerto and to marvel at the splendors of Handel’s Messiah. All of this and the cozy warmth of the Wicks as well. No cover charge, Sunday December 19, 3 to 6 pm, 424 Parliament.
This year, give a gift from TDT that helps to fund their ongoing artistic programs. Beautiful tee shirts by Luis Jacob and a TDT mug are featured items. If you have a dancer on your Christmas list, buy a gift card for six ($55) or eleven ($100) open classes. To order, call (416) 967-1365 or visit the website at 
Bob Rae and Glen Murray invite you to a neighbourhood drop-in at Winchester School (15 Prospect) next Sunday December 12 from 11 am to 2 pm. Everyone is welcome. There’ll be lots of activity and plenty of opportunity to meet our elected representatives and give them your best seasons’ greetings.
We’ve mentioned this idea before and it certainly bears repeating. Randy Brown (he coordinates Art & Crafts in the Park during the Cabbagetown Festival) has organized a fundraising idea to help repair the shabby sidewalks in Riverdale Park. He’s selling bricks to be used in a new walkway through the upper park. You can buy a brick for either $100 or $150, get your name printed on it and then check it out at any time. Randy’s group have donated $5,000 to get the ball rolling. For more information, send an email to 
It’s been a year since the Olympic torch was carried through Cabbagetown on a dark early morning. Lots of life has happened since then – and it’s still a great memory.