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 …
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 
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.
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)
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: 
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.
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..jpg)
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. 
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, 
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) 
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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: 
Barry and Terry at a scrumptious lunch at Lac Brassard, Val des Monts, Quebec.