Archive for Past Issues

The Word On the Street, According to Kelley

 

Queen’s Park is filled with smiling faces of the crowd that Toronto’s annual Word on the Street has drawn. White reading tents are scattered throughout the lawn and streets, as local authors and readers come together to celebrate their passion for books. Joining in this celebration is author Kelley Armstrong whom takes a few minutes out of her busy schedule to enjoy the sights and answer a few questions on her work and Toronto.

Kelley Armstrong is a Canadian success story in the publishing industry. Over the past decade she has become aNational, New York Times and Globe and Mail best selling author- a record that’s sure to have captured the attention of her favourite author Stephen King. Raised in Southern Ontario, Kelley is familiar with the popular tourist sites of Toronto, including the Royal Ontario Museum and Queen’s Park. “I love, love, love Queen’s Park,” Armstrong claims, “Queen’s Park is a great place to write and the museum is a great place to hang out.”

It comes as no surprise that she uses Toronto as the setting for many of her novels, including her first release, Bitten, the first in the Women of the Otherworld series. While there were those who didn’t feel that this was a wise decision according to Armstrong, “I was told ‘please change all that to the U.S. or you will never sell it,’” Toronto’s downtown circuit truly comes to life in Bitten, through Kelley’s detailed descriptions of infrastructure and her consistency in name dropping known landmarks, including the University of Toronto.

Since her first release in 2002, Armstrong has written a total of 16 novels, two of which are mysteries set in rural Ontario. Armstrong’s novels work as roadmaps for those who are unfamiliar with Canada and its landmarks, “For me, not knowing Canada all that well, I felt as though Kelley showed me places I should visit and get to know,” writes Ms. Nailor, a local Chapters employee who was born in the U.S. and casual acquaintance of Armstrong’s.

According to Armstrong the young adult genre is a great emergence in popular fiction. “Young adult is really strong right now,” she states after winning the Best Canadian Read award at the first Teen Read Awards the previous evening. The event was held at Six Degrees in Toronto’s downtown and presented by Indigo Books and Music Inc., whom state in their October issue of Insight that the young adult genre has grown by 150%, making it the second largest category after adult fiction.

With these numbers it’s safe to claim that Toronto teens and adults are no stranger to the genre and Armstrong’s work. Her most recent release, The Gathering, the first in a new young adult trilogy, is set on Vancouver Island and is now on shelves.
When asked to describe Kelley’s personality Nailor writes, “down to earth… with a sincere sort of interest in people and her world,” a sentiment that many fans who meet Kelley would agree with. Considering the love she’s shown our great city it’s no wonder we love her back.

Check out the interview that started it all.

 


Winner of the Signed Daryl Sittler Leafs Jersey

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Sign up for our newsletter and be entered for a chance to win a Leafs jersey signed by Daryl Sittler!

Check back April 1st to see if you’ve won!

Click above on the Newsletter link to join.

Prize must be claimed by April 15th

Update April 7th: Our raffle winner has been announced! Congratulations Sophie Zivku. You’ve won a Maple Leafs jersey, autographed by Darryl Sittler! Thank you everyone who entered and please look for the spring issue of On The Danforth in local businesses!

5 Tips to Get in Your Best Shape this Summer

Picture by Velvettangerine, flickr (CC)

So you want to get into shape? Drop that spare tire? Tone those glutes? Here’s the good news: you can make it happen in time for that July wedding. If you’re new to fitness, it’s going to take dedication and hard work. But don’t fret: with a solid workout regimen and a healthy diet plan you can shed 1-2 pounds a week while improving your strength and balance.

Here’s how to get started:

1) Know your body.

Understand how your body moves, how flexible you are, and work around any areas that are sensitive due to past or recurring injury before you start down a new fitness path. Whether you get a professional fitness assessment or you’ve learned your limitations from past experience, knowing your body will help you set realistic fitness goals.

2) Try these 4 essential exercises.

Phil Ortwein, a certified personal trainer with Extreme Fitness, says that the body is designed to do certain movements such as lunges, squats, push-ups, and pull-ups.  The squat, for example, is key to toning your butt, legs, and thighs, because it targets the largest lower body muscles simultaneously. If you’re unfamiliar with any of these movements ask a trainer for help and make sure you learn proper technique to avoid injuries.

3) Don’t overlook strength training.

Think strength training is for muscle-bound meatheads only? Think again. Strength training not only complements a cardiovascular routine, it also accelerates weight loss. Exercises using weights can help speed up your metabolism by building stronger, denser muscle mass. This muscle mass requires more caloric intake, allowing you to burn calories more efficiently.

4) Cut the crap from your diet.

Avoid processed foods, white bread, pop, and foods that are high in sodium and trans fats —keeping these items in your diet will cancel out any progress you’ve made in the gym. Try to replace pre-packaged food with whole foods.  Sarah Dobec, a certified holistic nutritionist at The Big Carrot, recommends a diet that includes fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grain bread, nuts, and lean meats like chicken or fish.

5) Plan ahead.

To avoid a diet relapse, you need to be proactive. Packing your lunch the night before work will help you avoid the allure of potentially unhealthy take-out. If you’re going out with friends, eat something healthy ahead of time so you won’t be tempted by beer and chicken wings.

Getting fit is no picnic; it’s a lifestyle change that takes willpower. Ultimately, your results depend on you, and you alone. So stop making excuses. Get out there, get active, and enjoy this summer looking your best and feeling your healthiest!

Movies in the Park: The Green Screen

“There’s something about watching a film and being outside,” says Movies in the Park coordinator, Nicole Crozier, “just the idea of a movie under the stars.”  What’s more romantic, more refreshing, or more fun?

When Crozier and her husband went on a trip to New York City and saw that HBO put on movies in Bryant Park they said, “Let’s bring this back home.”  As a previous member of the fundraising committee for the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club (TKBGC), she thought it would be a great fundraiser: “The plan was for it to be free so we approach[ed] businesses, large and small to come on board as event sponsor[s].”

Lesley Hawley, Administration and Special Projects Coordinator of the TKBGC, works with Crozier to organize free movie screenings in Riverdale Park East in the summer.  Each movie night is directed at a charity, the majority going to the TKBGC, but last summer they expanded to include Art City in St James Town.

What’s better than a free movie? “All you need is a blanket,” says Hawley, “[you] can bring everybody.  My friend brought her kid and she passed out on a pillow.”

Crozier promises all the movies are PG but not specifically for children, though they are planning a children’s movie night this summer.  So far it’s been movies that Crozier and her husband really like. “They’re also not the typical ones you’ll see everyday,” says Hawley.

There are also concessions sold on site and at the Rooster Coffeehouse just across the street.  In the past Rooster has helped them advertise, donated money to the event, and “even let [them] plug in [their] popcorn machine!”  Other sponsors include Moksha Yoga and The Auld Spot Pub, part-owned by Crozier’s husband, Nathan Hynes: “They’ve all been very helpful getting it together.”

Everyone in the community is welcome to attend; Crozier and Hawley and chose Riverdale Park East for that exact reason. “It’s free movies that are accessible to surrounding communities of [the park].  We just thought the location was really cool, physically and because it bridges communities.  You can walk across the bridge from Cabbagetown and Regent Park into Riverdale, which is a different kind of neighbourhood all together.”

It is easily accessible by Toronto transit, has parking on the street, and attendees have been known to make a day of it bringing picnics and organizing baseball games beforehand.  They also make calls to the local police for security purposes and are sure to be done by 11pm so as not to disrupt the neighbours.

Crozier and Hawley also promise that no fundraising happens at the event: “There is no hat being passed around, there is no request for money,” explains Crozier. “I think supporting charities and non-profits is a very personal decision so you have to do what makes you feel good and what you think is right.  I look at Movies in the Park not as much as a fundraiser but as more of a free community event.”  Often, people who have questions make donations after the movie.

With their third summer approaching, they hope to meet new sponsors who are willing to participate so they can add more charities to their list: “We’re attempting to increase the number of screenings [this summer]; it would be amazing to have the resources to put on a film every weekend in the summer,” says Crozier.  The numbers have still been pretty impressive with up to 300 people attending and raising $3,000 for TKBGC and $10,000 for Art City.

And if you’re not interested in the charity aspect, how could you resist a night like this?  “The sun sets right behind the movie screen.  The city skyline comes up as it gets dark so you have the sun sinking, the moon rising, the city glittering and the movie,” says Crozier.

100 Years of Faith, Hope and Charity

DMC Photo: Bill Bryson

The Danforth is an old, albeit busy street lined with shops and restaurants. It’s rich with culture and little gems of history that to the naked eye might not even be noticeable. On Danforth Avenue just east of Woodbine subway station is a small white building sandwiched between the legendary “John’s Hobby Shop” and a used car dealership. It’s the home of the Danforth Mennonite Church.

With a congregation of fewer than 100 members, this small place of worship has survived all of the changes along Danforth Avenue that have made Toronto’s Greektown the community it is today. After 100 years of service, the Danforth Mennonite Church is commemorating its centennial on April 17, 2011 –a big celebration for a little congregation.

Getting Started

Established in 1911, the Danforth Mennonite Church began when a group of Mennonites from Kitchener moved to Toronto. They established a “Faith, Hope and Charity Mission” in a small church on Danforth Avenue, that at the time was in the middle of a field.

 

DMC Photo: Bill Bryson

“This is where a lot of poor people were living,” says Tim Reimer, pastor at the Danforth Mennonite Church for the past eleven years. “There were churches and a lot of children, but there were no programs for children. They wanted to minister to poor people and children and they found both of them here.”

Today, the church has been renovated and expanded, just as the busy street of Danforth Avenue has expanded. Over the last century, many local businesses in the community have come and gone, as have the members of the Danforth Mennonite Church. “The church still has a large number of the same people it had when I was old enough to remember them,” says Rowan DeHaal, a member of the congregation since his birth. “People come and go, and might show up years later, but it’s like you’ve never missed the beat.”

Giving Back to the Community

For the Danforth Mennonite Church, a passion for helping the community has fuelled much of their success in the neighbourhood. As a proclamation of their faith, Mennonites participate in a Voluntary Service Mission, where young volunteers dedicate their time to helping different organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity.

In 1983 the Danforth Mennonite Church partnered with The United Mennonite Church (TUMC) to establish the St. Clair O’Connor Community –a village for retired seniors. Mennonite volunteers from both churches sponsor the community and provide services for the senior residents.

“Mennonites feel very obligated to help anyone that is in need,” says Tim, referring to the Mennonites’ passivist mentality. “We have to respond to them and help them –wherever they are.”

The church has also benefited from their convenient location, since they are so close to the Woodbine subway station. They rent the basement out to a lot of different groups, like the Danforth East Community Association (DECA). “We want to be engaged with the people in our community, not exclusive or distant from them,” says Tim.

Commemorating a Century

As the church prepares to celebrate its 100th birthday, engaging with their community is exactly how they plan to commemorate the date.

“We have been celebrating it for five years,” says Tim. “Someone had the idea of planting 100 trees this year and next year. We planted in different places. Some did it in conjunction with the City of Toronto; some people planted trees up north at an organic farm.”

Tim also plans to unite the Mennonite churches in the Greater Toronto Area. “We wanted to get a sense of our history and our connectedness to the churches in our area,” he says, “so another thing we did was cycle 100 kilometers. We cycled a century. Next year we will invite different churches to join in.”

Visit the Danforth Mennonite Church’s website for more information on their centennial celebration: http://danforthmennonitechurch.ca/

Vegan & Vegetarian Options At Taste of the Danforth?

Originally focused on traditional Greek food, the Taste of the Danforth festival has become a mixture of the wide variety of cuisines that the neighbourhood offers. On my first visit to the festival this summer, I was unsure about whether I would be able to find something vegetarian for myself to eat. There were many Greek restaurants set up on the street selling spanikopita, and an Indian restaurant offering samosas.

I knew that most of the Greek restaurants in the area serve vegetarian dishes on their menus, but I didn’t see that being offered to the street crowd. I ended up going into a Greek takeout place to get a veggie pita and Greek fries. It was good, but not really worth waiting in line for.

Marissa, a recent vegan and long-time vegetarian, had a similar experience when she attended the festival this summer: “I only really got to see what was available on the Friday evening, but there was very little choice that I found. Everybody has souvlaki and spanikopita, which I’m sure are great, but I’m also sure that they’re not vegan. I wound up getting a table at The Friendly Greek. They had a vegetarian meal on their menu – it was rice, roasted potatoes, and salad. Decent, but I felt like I was missing out on the “Greek” part of the meal.”

When asked if she would go back, she said that she would because she enjoyed the atmosphere and it was still something fun to do on the weekend.

Something that both Marissa and I wondered was why the vegetarian restaurants on the street weren’t participating, or if they were, where were they? To answer these questions, I spoke to three vegetarian-friendly businesses: The Big Carrot, Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant, and Tea Tree Cafe & Eatery. All of these businesses are listed with the Toronto Vegetarian Association.

The Big Carrot

According to The Big Carrot, their business has always participated in the festival. In the beginning they tried to offer their own unique vegetarian street fare but they found that, although popular, mini pizzas and shrimp kebabs took more effort than they were worth. More recently they have been selling organic smoothies and ice cream cones. “We find that while our store sales suffer over that weekend due to no parking and crowding issues, it is still important to participate and take advantage of the street presence and let the masses know that we exist, otherwise your business gets lost in the crowds.  We just don’t do the labour intensive stuff anymore. It’s not worth it.”

Tea Tree Cafe

Erin Pim, the proprietor of Tea Tree Cafe, had a slightly different experience with the festival. Because her restaurant is located east of Jones Avenue it is not within the festival limits, but this did not prevent her from benefitting from the increased traffic. She used this to her advantage by offering discounts and free vegan cupcakes with purchases to get people to try her fare.

Outside of the festival, people come to her cafe because they are looking for a healthy alternative on the Danforth. When I asked why she chose to start her business in the area, she explained that it was a good space in a good neighbourhood. The Danforth community was the place that best fit her criteria.

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant

Despite its strong Greek roots, the neighbourhood supports new businesses that find their niche and participate in the festival. Such was the case with Dukem Ethiopian restaurant. After opening six years ago, Dukem has made the Danforth their home. Dukem invites festival-goers to their open house where they can experience authentic Ethiopian cuisine and the famous coffee ceremony. They find that people at the festival are often looking for a variety of cuisines and are open to more than just Greek food.

As in many cultures, Greek celebrations are heavy on the meat, so it isn’t exactly realistic to expect Greek restaurants to cater to vegans and vegetarians at the festival. But for those who still wish to participate without eating meat or animal by-products, options are there, though you may have to look beyond Greek food to find them. Next summer, I plan to try out the full range of what the Danforth has to offer, and won’t limit myself by seeing the area as exclusively Greek.

6 Things to do at a Farmers’ Market

Berries

When the sun is shining on a bright Saturday morning and you have a need for fresh fruits and veggies, a quaint outdoor market like the one at Withrow Park can be your go-to place.

And while wandering the stalls in this beautiful park is great, why not do something different during your conventional outing? We talked with the organizers of the Withrow Park Farmers’ Market for a fresh take on this old-fashioned bazaar.

1. Discover Your Taste

Though you know a particular stall has the best carrots in the city, why not try something that you’ve yet to have the pleasure of tasting? As Constance Dykun of Monforte Dairy, a market vendor, says, “Quite often if I see something on someone’s table that I don’t recognize, I’ll wander over and ask, ‘What is that?’” Even if you discover that white carrots aren’t likely to be on next week’s grocery list, you had the courage to set out on a new food adventure.

2. Won’t you be my neighbour?

Because the Withrow market is an initiative created by local residents who wanted to provide their neighbours with healthy foodstuffs, the sense of community here is strong. So, why not intensify this neighbourliness and meet someone new? Laurel Fortin, owner of Small Potatoes, one of the many vendors at Withrow, explains that “it’s just a great place to meet people.” She adds, “It’s a real community-builder.”

3. Feast Like a King

After perusing the many stalls at this market, lay down a checkered blanket, plant yourself in the grass, and chomp on your recent purchases. The Withrow Park Farmers’ Market has it all –from fruits to breads to cheeses to sweets– everything you’ll need to indulge in a delectable feast. Another thing to make you feel good: In line with emergent green movements, all of the fare is locally-produced and locally-owned.

4. Make a Date

Whether you rendezvous with your beau or meet up with an old friend, Withrow is the perfect location for a gathering. As Roberta Stimac, one of the founding members of the market says, “People meet with friends and neighbours. People from all over the neighbourhood come to feel welcome.” After wandering the grounds, sit yourself on a charming bench and chat, gush, or gossip to your heart’s content!

5. Swap Recipes

“I’ve cooked all kinds of wonderful food at home after hearing about recipes from market attendees,” says Laurel. “I feel like I’ve got my own test kitchen!” And you can too. Just talk to vendors and other market-goers and you’ll go home with delicious fares, as well as the know-how to make them into a yummy masterpiece.

6. Make it Last

The gorgeous park setting is not only great for a wonderful bazaar, but there are many other events to take part in. “It’s nice to go out and really make a day of the market,” says Roberta. Bring a soccer ball, your bathing suit, and even your pup, and get involved in the other amazing activities that Withrow has to offer! But don’t forget the SPF if you’re going to spend a day in the sun!

The market is tentatively set to reopen May 21, 2011.

An Interview with Liz West

LizWestPhoto

The well-known television personality and long-time Danforth-area resident took a break from her demanding duties as a media maven, professor, wife, and mom to talk with us about why she loves the Danforth right now, what she anticipates it will become in the future, and what she hopes will never change.

Liz West has been a staple on the Danforth for years – 15 to be exact – and like countless other residents of our proudly cultural neighbourhood, now that she’s lived here, she wouldn’t dream of having it any other way. As she says, “As long as I’m living in the Greater Toronto Area, I’ll be living here.”

A nationally-recognized news and entertainment reporter, Liz loves the Danforth for many reasons, as she explains: “Apart from the wonderful retail, this area has a real sense of community, and is a haven for young families and dog-lovers. Withrow Park is the most famous dog park in the GTA! There’s also a large artistic community here, which I love being around.”

There are so many things that draw Liz to the area – no matter the season or the day of the week. When asked about what she loves about summertime in the neighbourhood, she says, “Walking the Danforth on a summer night is like being in no other part of the city. Passing patio after patio filled with the laughter of friends and families, smelling the aroma of souvlaki, and hearing the chant of “Opa!” is second to none. Did I mention I love saganaki?” And while the Danforth is the best place to be on a warm summer evening, winter holds a special place in her heart as well. “I love the vibrancy of the store windows lit up at night, and the throngs of people that come out even in the dead of winter.”

And though mornings can be a time of the day that many an individual dreads, with the help of the wonderful cafes in the neighbourhood, Liz looks forward to them too. “I’m a coffee-a-holic, so I hit my favourite spot every morning. Sometimes I bring my 3- and 5-year-olds. They are now hooked on lattes – with extra foam.”

It seems that the lure of the Danforth can’t just be classified by a time of year or a point in the day, however. As Liz explains, “The beauty of the Danforth, for me, is that I can leave the car at home and walk to grab just about anything I need. From groceries, to a mani-pedi, to my kids’ paediatrician, or even to find a great outfit, everything is on the Danforth. I love to shop locally!” She adds, “This is a place where you can actually work, play, and shop, and that you can call your home.” It’s this all-inclusive, one-stop shopping character of the neighbourhood that boosts the sense of community as well. “I now know many of the owners and their staff,” says Liz.

When asked about where she sees the Danforth in ten years, she answers, “My fingers are crossed that it is still filled with successful small businesses that keep the chains away. I see it prospering! I see the Danforth Music Hall open and thriving!” Something she hopes never changes? “I hope it never loses its patio licenses.”

It’s all of these amazing aspects of the Danforth that make it so unique and so dear to Liz. But if she had to pick only one thing to tell a visitor or someone new to the area to do? “Eat!” She doesn’t even hesitate.

Danforth Schools Coming Up Short – Part Three

In the last instalment of this series, we examined the diverse programming of Danforth Collegiate and noted how important tailored programming was to producing accomplished students. While not all schools are able to implement such a variety of courses, the philosophy of being cognizant of students’ interests is one shared by at least one other school on the Danforth.

Need To Succeed

Principal Cynthia Abernathy of Monarch Park Collegiate agrees that addressing the specific needs of students is essential to a school’s success.

“I think that in any school you’re going to have a broad spectrum of learners and our role is to understand one learner’s needs and make sure what they need is what we’re giving them,” she says. However, this concern for the well-being and success of her students has not been rewarded —at least not in the Report Card.

The Fraser Institute study gave Monarch Park an overall score of 5 out of 10, with an Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test pass rate of 71.8 per cent and an academic EQAO score of 3.2 (which meets provincial standards). Abernathy doesn’t think this score should be given any weight.

“You have to look at the individual needs of the student before you pass judgment,” she suggests. And the students at Monarch Park certainly have a variety of needs. In addition to regular programming, the school is known for its International Baccalaureate (IB) program, which caters to advanced students by offering a more rigorous curriculum based on international standards. It also has an extensive special education program and a large number (41 per cent) of English as a Second Language students.

A Home Away From Home

Principal Abernathy notes that the wide spectrum of students does not deter the staff from trying to reach out to each student individually.

“Teachers here go above and beyond the call of duty,” she claims.  This year the staff came together to buy a student —a refugee who has been living in a rooming house— a bed.

“It is very important to me that when you walk through those doors that you feel the love,” she says, “that you feel a sense of belonging here, like this is your second home.”

Redefining Education

How should we define a “good” school? The Fraser Institute says it is one which produces favourable academic results. Yet that definition fails to account for unconventional programming offered by schools to directly address, and thereby improve, issues within the student body.

Should a comfortable and encouraging environment be valued above intellectual achievement, or should academic success retain its status as a school’s main focus?

Looking for a single answer to this question is where the problem lies. Not all of our children are meant to succeed in a traditional academic environment, because not all of them are meant for careers that rely on an academic foundation. Our children all have different interests and capabilities, so the education they receive should encourage and aid the development of these qualities.

Perhaps the real question is:  If our children are all unique, why do we expect our schools to all be the same?

Ecofinery: Local one-of-a-kind Jewellery

She’s a scavenger. Garage sales, second-hand stores, antique shops, or granny’s box of brooches—local designer Breeze Romain isn’t buying anything new. Her materials are the castoffs; she says, “Instead of buying new products that are made in China, things that are pumped out zillions and zillions by the minute, it’s all discarded jewellery. Things that would have gone to a landfill.”

Ecofinery began in 2005, when the fresh-faced University of Guelph grad had some time on her hands in between restaurant jobs. “I had a lot of jewellery that had just been hanging around forever and I wanted to do something with it.”

Where jeweller meets sculptor, Romain began crafting earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings out of these leftovers. Through her self-taught technique, she creates whimsical layers of vintage trinkets. By intermingling several pieces, each from a different time and place, she brings a feeling of decadence out of the discarded. “I might start with a vintage brooch and create a shape out of it with wire,” she says. “I just sculpt it into the shape I’m envisioning and build off of it.”

The obvious upside is that her pieces are recycled. However, Romain is reluctant to have her work tossed under the eco-chic umbrella. Instead, she keeps it simple: “I just like making beautiful things that people will enjoy.”

As for her eco-philosophy, we just have too much stuff.  “It hasn’t been a challenge finding material,” she explains. “There is so much out there, there’s no need to buy new stuff. I really do feel strongly about industrially produced jewellery and factory-made things.”

Although Romain may not know how her scrapped materials were produced, she’s discontinuing the cycle, reclaiming the junk and imagining it in a different form.  “That’s what I’m trying to get across, the idea of stopping the cycle of buying new things.”

Look for Ecofinery at the upcoming Spring Speakeasy Arts & Crafts Show, April 7, 7-11pm at the Gladstone (1214 Queen W).  If you happen to miss it,  you can find Romain’s sculptured accessories at Sweetings (1920 Queen East, 416-686-6031) and Nathalie-Roze & Co. (1015 Queen East, 416-792-1699).  Also, keep an eye out for Ecofinery in our upcoming Spring Issue of On The Danforth.