Tag Archive for Toronto

| March 18, 2013
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k-os: Not Your Typical Rap Show

Image from ridethetempo.com

April 5, Danforth Music Hall

By Clark Kingsbury

The first thing to remember about Canadian musician k-os: he’s not a rapper. I mean, he raps, and he has identified himself as a rapper in the past, but rapping is such a small part of his musical arsenal that it would be a disservice to cling to that label. And when he arrives at the Danforth Music Hall April 5th, patrons should expect far more than a typical rap show.

k-os, whose name plays on the acronym K.O.S. (Knowledge Of Self), has been floating around the Canadian music scene for well over a decade now. In the early-to-mid-nineties he released a pair of singles to modest acclaim. “Musical Essence” dropped in 1993; a lilting, sing-songy rap track with a boom-bap beat and a vaguely Souls of Mischief-type quality to it. Three years later, his follow-up single, “Rise Like The Sun,” carried on in the same mould. The sound was very much in sync with a number of high profile hip-hop acts of the day. Hieroglyphics, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, and the Pharcyde, to name a few, all combined introspective lyrics with sunny, jazzy production over crisp drum lines.

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Category: Arts & Entertainment | Tags: , , , , , ,
| March 1, 2013
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Sunset over Downtown, Viewed from Riverdale Park

Photo of the Week

A view of downtown toronto from Riverside Park

Photo by Christina Guidoccio

Category: Photo of the Week | Tags: , ,
| March 29, 2012
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Potted Potter

A review of the best Potter parody in town!

by Sabrina Medora

Whether you’re young or old, fan or not, every one has heard of Potted Potter — the show that promises to condense all seven Harry Potter books into 70 hilarious minutes. I’ll admit, I was very apprehensive about how I would like the show. After watching it I can say that as a die-hard Potter fan, I was shocked. As a person with a sense of humour, I was slipping out of my seat, wiping away tears of laughter.

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Category: Arts & Entertainment | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
| March 29, 2012
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Dates on a Dime (Part 2)

Three weekly budget date ideas in the city

by Michelle Medford
 

Poets take the stage at a Toronto Poetry Slam event last year; photos by Emily Muir

Dinner and a movie are standard in the dating game. It can get old quickly, not to mention it doesn’t come cheap. That’s why each week, we offer creative date ideas on a budget, so you can keep it fresh and save a few dollars along the way. Read more

Category: Arts & Entertainment | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
| March 29, 2012
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Spring Fun in the Sun

Ideas to get you out and enjoying the spring weather

by Ariel Kroon

After a mild winter, spring has come full force to the Danforth and surrounding neighbourhoods. Aside from the perennial itch to clean everything, the need to be outside and enjoy the weather to the fullest is almost overwhelming. Here are some great activities for you and your friends and family to enjoy what the outdoors have to offer this season. Read more

Category: Lifestyle | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
| March 29, 2012
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Why I Love the Danforth

Q&A with Kendal Gerard, social media and marketing manager for Owlkids books and Danforth resident

by Christelle Agboka

Q. What first brought you to the Danforth?

A. In 2007, I was starting the Book and Magazine publishing program at Centennial and, having lived within walking distance of school all through my undergrad, automatically began looking for a place to live close to campus. I literally plunked the school’s Carlaw address into Google Maps and “searched nearby” for apartments. I always assumed it would be a one-year apartment, and that as soon as I graduated and got a job I would move closer to downtown. My boyfriend and I had already been talking about a condo in the Distillery, but we loved the neighbourhood and never left!

Q. How long have you lived here?

A. Just over four years, since the fall of 2007. Read more

Category: Lifestyle | Tags: , , , , , ,
| March 26, 2012
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Danforth Community Centre Roundup

Matthew Bowden, UK

Exercise your mind and body in your own backyard

by Chelsea Phelan-Tran

Shannon Pifko, Canada

Are you looking for a new and exciting way to get active, like Pilates, yoga, or Tai Chi? Have you ever wanted to learn a new skill, like woodworking? What about learning how to play an instrument? Or are you looking for a new hobby, like pottery, painting or drawing? Whether you’re looking to stimulate your mind or body — you can find what you’re looking for in your own neighbourhood, and the Danforth has a lot of interesting and unique classes to enjoy.

Matthew Bowden, UK

For example, the Matty Eckler Community Centre on Gerrard teaches Qigong. What is it? Qigong (pronounced Chee Gung) is sometimes referred to as “moving meditation,” or Chinese yoga. You have to memorize the moves in order to participate. You can simply follow the instructor since it’s not a choreographed sequence of movements. It is usually performed either standing or sitting in one place. Breathing is coordinated with slow, gentle movements and allows the “chi” to flow through the body’s energy channels and can help you calm down after a busy day.

The city of Toronto has created a ton of great activities for everyone in the family to enjoy, no matter what age. If you’re looking for something for the kids to do after school, or are looking at changing up your personal routine, you don’t have to look much further. Below is a compilation of what your local community centres have to offer.

Preschool: ages 3–5
Child: ages 6–11
Youth: ages 12–18
Adult: 18+

Earl Beatty Community Centre – 455 Glebeholme Boulevard. – (416) 392-0572
Near: Danforth Avenue/East of Coxwell
TTC Information: Travel to Coxwell Station. Exit station and walk north on Coxwell and then east on Glebeholme Boulevard to number 455.

· Arts and Crafts (Child)
· Ballet (Preschool)
· Fitness/Cardio (Adult)
· Pilates (Adult)
· Yoga (Adult)
· Ball/Floor Hockey (Child)
· Gymnastics (Child)
· Martial Arts (Child)
· Soccer (Child)
· T-Ball (Preschool)
· Swimming (All ages)

East York Community Centre – 1081 ½ Pape Avenue – (416) 396-2880
Near: Greenwood and Cosburn
TTC Information: Travel to Pape Station. Board the 25 Don Mills and travel to the far side of Torrens. Arrive at 1081 1/2 Pape Avenue.

· Arts & Craft (Preschool)
· Belly Dancing (Adult)
· Ballet (Preschool)
· Private Piano Lessons (Child)
· Pilates (Adult)
· Yoga (Adult & Child)
· Tai Chi (Adult)
· Ball/Floor Hockey (Child)
· Basketball (Child & Youth)
· Girls Only Sports (Youth)
· Soccer (Child & Preschool)

Fairmount Park Community Centre – 88 Bowmore Road – (416) 392-7060
Near: Gerrard, East of Coxwell
TTC Information: Travel to Coxwell Station. Board the 22 Coxwell and travel to Fairford. Walk east to 1757 Gerrard Street East.

· Arts & Crafts (Child)
· Ballet (Child & Preschool)
· Guitar (Child, Youth and Preschool)
· Pilates (Adult)
· Tai Chi (Adult)
· Yoga (Adult)
· Ball/Floor Hockey (Youth)
· Martial Arts (Child)
· Soccer (Child & Preschool)
· Swimming (All ages)

Frankland Community Centre – 816 Logan Ave. – (416) 392-0749
Near: Danforth & Logan
TTC Information: Travel to Chester Station. Exit station and walk south to Danforth Avenue, east to Logan and south to 816 Logan Avenue.

· Arts & Crafts (Preschool)
· Fine Arts (Child)
· Piano Lessons (Child)
· Basketball (Child)
· Gymnastics (Preschool)
· Swimming (All ages)

Sarah Lewis, USA

Main Square Community Centre – 245 Main Street – (416) 392-1070
Near: Main & Danforth
TTC Information: Travel to Main Street Station. Exit the station and walk south to 245 Main Street.

· Arts & Crafts (Preschool)
· Ballet (Child & Preschool)
· Break Dancing (Child & Youth)
· Jazz (Child & Preschool)
· Hip Hop (Child & Youth)
· Drama (Child & Youth)
· Painting (Adult)
· Drawing (Child)
· Cake Decorating (Adult)
· Private Guitar Lessons (Child)
· Private Piano Lessons (all ages)
· Pilates (Adult)
· Tai Chi (Adult)
· Yoga (Adult, Child, Youth)
· Girls’ Club (Child)
· Martial Arts (Child)
· Sports (Preschool)
· Swimming (All ages)

Matty Eckler Community Centre – 953 Gerrard Street East – (416) 392-0750
Near: Pape & Gerrard
TTC Information: Travel to College Station. On the eastbound side of Carlton board the 506 Carlton and travel to Pape. Walk east to 953 Gerrard Street East

· Pottery (Adult & Child)
· Arts & Crafts (Preschool)
· Ballet (Child)
· Break Dancing (Child)
· Ballet (Preschool)
· Hip Hop (Child)
· Woodworking (Adult & Child)
· Magic (Child)
· Drawing (Child)
· Private Guitar Lessons (All ages)
· Private Drumming Lessons (Child)
· Private Piano Lessons (All ages)
· Pilates (Adult)
· Tai Chi (Adult)
· Qigong (Adult)
· Yoga (Adult & Child)
· Computers (Child)
· Ball/Floor Hockey (Child)
· Basketball (Child)
· Gymnastics (Child & Preschool)
· Martial Arts (Child)
· Soccer (Child & Preschool)
· Karate (Preschool)
· Swimming (All ages)

If you are interested in playing tennis close to home, there are two courts open to the public.

1. Riverside Park East – West of Broadview Avenue, South of Moncrest Boulevard
2. Withrow Park – South of McConnell Avenue, between Logan and Carlaw

Category: Health & Wellness | Tags: , , , , , ,
| March 26, 2012
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Crema On Top

Crema Coffee Co.

How Crema Coffee Co. is finding success in a Starbucks-dominated city and industry

by Karen Brochu

There are so many smells, sights and sounds that are associated with coffee. The robust aroma of ground beans, the high-pitched gurgle of steamed milk, and the sight of long lost friends huddled in the corner catching up over a warm mug of their favourite brew. These are the simple pleasures that make up Geoff Polci’s everyday, and they spill into the street with the cool winter air.

After opening his first location of Crema Coffee Co. in the Junction in April 2008, the company has bloomed into four locations around the city of Toronto. Geoff has worked hard to separate his independent cafés from the large chain coffee houses found on every corner.

“We have a strong focus on the coffee, so we only buy premiere specialty grade coffee from reputable roasters,” Geoff says proudly. Though they do make organic and environmental efforts, such as using recyclable cups and fair trade organic cane sugar in their stores, the focus remains on quality. While Geoff supports organic coffee, he will only bring it into his stores if it makes the grade.

This unwavering commitment to high quality coffee may come from the fact that Geoff and his wife previously owned a restaurant in Costa Rica. There, premium coffee and roasters surrounded him. After selling that business, Geoff wasn’t sure exactly what he was going to do, but he knew it would have something to do with coffee.

Eventually Geoff moved to Toronto and launched Crema Coffee Co. The third location of Crema is found on the Danforth. Several aspects drew Geoff to this particular area of the city. Primarily, he found the area to be lacking of any quality coffee establishments between Broadview Avenue and Pape Avenue. Robyn Urback agrees in the review written for BlogTO, “[Crema] is filling the void of independent espresso bars on this stretch of the Danforth.” The area is also overflowing with young people, families, and people with a genuine interest in food and drink that, according to Geoff, have a “more developed palate for coffee… and want something different from Starbucks.”

Being scrupulous about which coffees are available in his cafés is not the only way Geoff separates himself from “brand name” cafés such as Starbucks and Second Cup. Crema features a smaller menu of options as compared to some of his competitors. He emphasizes his preference to do a few things very well, rather than to do a lot of things so-so. Even their baristas undergo rigorous training in order to assure total customer satisfaction. A trainee may spend three to six months behind the register before they are ready to make drinks. All this speaks to Geoff’s commitment to the customer: to provide the best experience, best coffee, and best service to customers each time they enter his café.

So what does Geoff, one of Toronto’s coffee elite, drink?

Espresso.

“Once you start drinking really good espresso, it’s hard to drink much of anything else.”

Category: Food & Drink | Tags: , , , , , , ,
| March 23, 2012
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East Side Story

Ziliotto

Why the Danforth neighbourhood is becoming Toronto’s newest hotspot

by Sarah El-Riffaey

A few businesses have popped up on the Danforth recently that will have you feeling like you took a trip across town without leaving your favourite neighbourhood. Talking with some of the owners and employees, it quickly becomes clear why this east-end stretch is the city’s hidden gem.

Ziliotto, 592 Danforth Avenue

Opened in the spring of 2010 by Jennifer Durand (née Ziliotto), a midtown-Toronto native, the Danforth location has a fan base from the well-established Queen West store. Hosting unique and stylish women’s clothing, Durand opened her first store in the Distillery District in 2001 after moving back from Paris where she had been working as the assistant to the accessory designer at Chanel. The Distillery District location has since closed, but the Queen West location has been in business for four years. When asked about her expectations for the Danforth location, she confidently says, “I knew we would do well.” She had been familiar with the area and now lives nearby, which is one of the reasons she cited when asked why she chose the location. What did surprise her was how welcomed she felt by the community. “We were so well accepted. The people in the neighbourhood are excited by the new developments and are proud of the renaissance that the area is going through. They’re proud of what the Danforth is becoming.”

Pizzeria Libretto, 550 Danforth Avenue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The successful restaurant, which found its niche on the popular Ossington stretch between Queen and Dundas, is prepared to fill the need for new, trendy culinary ideas. “The Danforth is well established, but it’s tired. It needs some fun new concepts to rejuvenate it,” says Max Rimaldi, proprietor of Pizzeria Libretto. The Danforth location recently opened to great reviews, with Toronto Life saying Libretto’s charm lies in “simple food with bold flavours.” While Rimaldi expects a different clientele than the typical adventurous foodie, he says that he wants to cater to those looking for a similar experience to that of his Queen West restaurant without having to travel so far. “They deserve something here too,” he says, referring to the younger crowd who has, until now, had to travel for the type of unique dining experience Pizzeria Libretto offers. While he is eager for his restaurant to offer a trendy spot for diners, he also wants to be known for the laid back, family-style atmosphere that he originally strove for.

Balisi, 439 Danforth Avenue

A popular shoe and accessory boutique known to host one-of-a-kind brands, Balisi has four locations across the city: on the Queen West stretch, in Little Italy, at Yonge and Eglinton, and now on Danforth Avenue. Ariel Kroon, formerly one of the junior stylists from the Danforth store, commented on the friendliness of the people on the Danforth: “It’s welcoming, not intimidating, and the people are amazing… [they’re] happy and their style is so unique.” They are also loyal shoppers. “We get a lot of people who are returning customers, who love the shoes and come specifically to Balisi to buy what they want.”

Category: Community | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
| March 16, 2012
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The History of St. Patrick’s Day in Toronto

TTC entry in the 2009 Toronto St. Patrick’s Day parade Credit: Karen Hayes

How Toronto celebrates its Irish heritage

by Justine Jane Taft

TTC entry in the 2009 Toronto St. Patrick’s Day parade Credit: Karen Hayes

Saint Patrick is an Irish saint shrouded in mythology, and is most famously credited with converting Ireland to Christianity. The saint day, March 17, is a holiday celebrated by the Irish Diaspora worldwide to recognize their Irish culture and heritage.

More than four million Canadians come from an Irish heritage. In Toronto, almost 250,000 people claim to come from Irish origins. Throughout its history, Toronto has maintained strong ties to Ireland and the Irish culture.

Irish Heritage and Appreciation Month

March is annually declared “Irish Heritage and Appreciation Month” by the Toronto mayor. The holiday is marked with the Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Annual Grand Marshall’s Ball (held the night before the parade). This year’s parade on March 11 marked the 25th anniversary of the Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Irish Business in Toronto

Toronto also has its own Irish business bureau: The Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce- Toronto. The Toronto chapter is one of six chapters belonging to the Ireland-Canada Chambers of Commerce. The other five chapters are located in Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal, and Vancouver.

Ireland Park

The Great Famine, which took place in Ireland from 1845 to 1851, caused an influx of Irish immigrants to Canada. In 1847, this influx almost tripled Toronto’s population when the city saw the arrival of 38,000 people to a city with a population of only 20,000. Ireland Park was built to commemorate the famine and Toronto’s Irish heritage. The park officially opened on June 21, 2007 by Mary McAleese, then President of Ireland. The park contains several different pieces, including five bronze sculptures created by Rowan Gillespie. These sculptures are an official continuation of a series of sculptures created by Gillespie in 1997 that reside in Dublin’s Custom House Quay. The park is located at 5 Eireann Quay, at the southeast end of Bathurst St. and Queen’s Quay West. The city named this area “Eireann Quay” in honour of Toronto’s Irish heritage.

Toronto offers a wide range of holiday events, with many pubs hosting live bands on the 17th, and many organizations playing host to a St. Patrick’s Day céilí (definition below). Whether you come from an Irish background or not, Toronto is a great place to celebrate not only Saint Patrick and Ireland, but the Irish-Canadian Diaspora.

Did you know?

A céilí (pronounced kay-lee, also spelled ceilidh) is an evening of Irish dancing and music. The dancing done at a céilí resembles square dancing in that there is a caller and it is easy to learn. Visit www.set-dance.ca to find a céilí near you!

Category: Community | Tags: , , , , ,
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