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Behind The Scenes: Greek Community at “Humans of the Danforth”
If you ask anyone, anything before 2020 was unreal, considering all that we have come through as a global community. But now it seems we are watching the sunset of those uncertain and discouraging times. Communities emerged stronger, bonds between people changed drastically, and even our perception of who we are was questioned; we were all wondering how and what can be done for others in need. Last year, when everything was reopening, East End Arts, in partnership with Greektown on the Danforth BIA*, contacted Henry Vanderspek, a local photographer, to develop a project called Humans of the Danforth which aimed to explore the stories, and humans, behind businesses on…
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A Day On The Danforth: Mobility-Accessible Spots in One of Toronto’s Best Neighbourhoods
As a newcomer to the Danforth area who happens to walk with a crutch, I thought long and hard about what I would like to see as a reader of On The Danforth. The Danforth is a lively, vibrant neighourhood with so much culture and experiences, but, accessibility-wise, it’s lacking. The buildings are old and rarely have accessible basements. Nonetheless, it’s an amazing part of the city, and we should all have the chance to explore it. This is how to spend a day on the Danforth without the worry of accessibility barriers. (Note: I wasn’t able to visit all the spots, but rest assured each business was thoroughly researched…
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Green Merchant Cannabis Boutique: Cultivating a Sense of Community Through Cannabis
Ever since the overdue legalization of cannabis in Canada, cannabis dispensaries have become a ubiquitous and unignorable aspect of every neighbourhood in Toronto. Although each area of the city varies in its quirks, a commonality between them is their abundance of dispensaries. Not even the Danforth community—in all its unique and eclectic glory—is exempt from the influx of dispensaries Toronto is experiencing. If you’re walking along the Danforth, it’s almost a guarantee that you’ll come across at least one, if not multiple. With such a plenitude of dispensaries, it’s easy to assume that they’re all monotonous businesses that only sell cannabis. However, Green Merchant Cannabis Boutique, located at 294 Danforth…
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4 Cafés to Visit on the Danforth
The Danforth—primarily known as Greektown—has a lot to offer in terms of restaurants, cute little bookstores, vintage shops and local cafes that people visit every day. What’s better than a cup of coffee to start your day? Here are 4 cafés that are a must visit, the next time you find yourself on the Danforth. Tsaa Tea Shop Located at 412 Danforth Ave is Tsaa Tea shop. Although this café specializes in tea, it also offers a wide variety of café drinks, from coffee to bubble tea. Filipino-owned, they also have a separate menu for just Filipino desserts from Halo Halo to Turron! The interior is small and cozy, decorated…
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7 Great Films to Watch When Jumping Across the Pond
Along with the rise of the non-English film industry, I too will be looking into some of the best non-English films of the last year, because why stay in the monolingual cave when the dawn of multilingual entertainment is upon us? Titane Following the intensity that was Raw, this film from Julia Ducounau once again breathtakingly displays the director’s ability to push buttons and explore limits. Christened “body horror” for a reason, this film focuses on a woman who, after suffering injuries from a car accident, has a titanium plate fitted to her head. Full of gallows humour, questions about sexuality and gender identity, as well as parenthood, this is…
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The Internet Ruined My Love Life
Nothing haunts me more than the idea of online dating. Aside from the fact that dating apps are anything but romantic, internet dating is just a nightmare for someone like me. I am a bibliophile and a romantic who completely loathes the idea of meeting my future husband online because—among other, very valid, reasons—it completely derails the fantasy I have meticulously created for my love life in my head. Despite my pathetic and misguided assumptions that people will eventually revert to dating without apps and websites, I’m afraid I must admit that internet dating is not going anywhere. This leaves me at an impasse, wondering where I can go from…
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Loukoumades on the Danforth: Greece’s Oldest and Most Delicious Dessert
When I was younger, the Danforth was Toronto. As a twelve-year-old growing up in Northern Ontario, I didn’t know anything about the city. All I knew was that my childhood best friend, Hannah, lived in Greektown. Every once in a while, I would take a Greyhound bus to the city to visit her. The trip was very stressful for me—the bus station at Bay and Dundas was always packed and disorienting, and the subway map was anything but straightforward. But when I arrived at the Danforth, everything became familiar and comforting. I loved Hannah’s house, which was a tall and skinny building with lots of windows. As a kid who…
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Pink is Back on the Danforth
In February of 2020, life in Toronto was business as usual. Natalie Borch, founder of The Pink Studio in Toronto, was teaching a variety of classes at her studio: dance, yoga, barre, and pilates. On March 17, 2020, Premier Doug Ford issued a state of emergency, and by April 1, 2020, the Government of Ontario sent the entire province into lockdown, plunging businesses into an indefinite closure that would have profound ramifications for the fitness industry. In what would end up being one of the world’s longest lockdowns, the industry would suffer immensely, and for businesses to survive, they would need to innovate quickly, which is exactly what Natalie and…
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Is Greektown still Greek?
The changing of Greektown through the eyes of its past and present residents. Greektown has always been close to my heart. When I lived in a small town without any other Greek people around me, I yearned for a connection to my culture. Every March break, I would get so excited to visit my cousins for a week and walk the Danforth with them. Reveling in the smell of fresh pastries and the sounds of bouzouki music coming from the shops around me, It was a great place to connect with my culture and talk to interesting individuals. Recently, however, after moving to Toronto this past September, I realized that…
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Discovery and Rediscovery: Books on the Danforth
I have always been a voracious reader, consuming the short stories in grade school textbooks instead of listening in class or staying up into the wee hours of the morning to finish one more chapter. My shelves are full, bowing under the weight of series and single novels, with still more books piling up on the floor as my “to be read” list gets longer. But when I finished my English degree at university, I was burnt out from reading. Working two jobs didn’t help the situation as I had precious little time to do things outside of eating and sleeping. When the pandemic hit Canada and I was laid…