November 8 - Serving Cabbagetown & the Downtown East Neighbourhoods

Nishisti Semret’s funeral
Tara Walton/Toronto Star photo.
 
Members of St Michael’s Eritrean Orthodox Church gathered last Sunday afternoon to honour the memory of Nishitri Semret.  The Toronto Star’s Noor Javed wrote about the funeral. 
People in our community may wish to make a contribution to an RBC trust fund set up to cover her funeral costs.  Bob Rae’s office is helping with the fund. Donations can be made directly – the Royal Bank account number is 059521003425.  The final distribution of this money will depend on both the burial arrangements and the Canadian government’s decisions about money flowing to Eritrea.  CP 24 has more details about the fund here.
 
Toronto Police Service community meeting
The police will hold a community meeting next Monday, November 12, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, at the Cabbagetown Youth Centre (2 Lancaster Ave – behind the Parliament Street Beer Store.)  Councillor Pam McConnell will be there along with police from 51 Division.  They’ll be discussing community safety issues and ways that we can personally protect ourselves from violent crime.
 
Glen Murray launches leadership drive
Stan Behal/Toronto Sun photo.
Glen Murray, our representative in the provincial legislature, has thrown his hat into the ring to be the next leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.  This is, in fact, a big deal.  If successful, he’ll become the next premier of the province.
He won a 2010 by-election to become our MPP and shortly after that, he was appointed to the cabinet.  He’s served as a minister in two portfolios – Research & Innovation and Training, Colleges & Universities.  From 1998 to 2004, he was the Mayor of Winnipeg, resigning that post to run as a candidate in the federal election.  Later that year, he moved to Toronto.
He’s been an active local representative and has quickly earned a good profile across Toronto Centre.  He maintains his local office at 514 Parliament Street in the heart of Cabbagetown.
Glen is the first to announce his candidacy and his opening remarks gained a lot of good publicity. The CBC posted a video of his official announcement here.
 
If you want to help a local guy …
You can help Glen as a Liberal Party member and as a volunteer.  The leadership convention happens at Maple Leaf Gardens on the weekend of Friday January 25.  Delegates to the convention will be elected on the weekend of January 12 and 13.  To be a delegate, you must be a member of the Ontario Liberal Party before Friday November 23.  You can join by completing this form.
 
Plant a tree
The Cabbagetown Residents Association has a program to encourage tree planting.  The loss of several trees in recent windstorms underlines this need.  Many of our trees are now about one hundred years old and nearing the end of their lives.  New, younger ones must be planted to ensure that our overhead canopy remains intact.  There’s a City of Toronto program to provide a free tree on the road allowance in front of our homes.  The deadline to register for next year is December 31.  For more information, check the Cabbagetown Residents Association website.
 
Happening now

Corktown Chamber Orchestra
Tonight - Thursday, November 8, 8 pm. The orchestra presents Stravinsky`s Apollo, Bach`s Suite 3 and Turina`s La Oracion del Torero. To find out more about the orchestra, go to their website. The concert happens in Little Trinity Church (425 King at Parliament). Tickets are $10, children free.
 
Regent Park Film Festival
All screenings are at the Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas) and admission is free.  Get more information here.
Under way now.  Here’s the program for this week’s screenings.
Thursday, 6:30 pm -  “Rezoning Harlem” and  “Looking Back, Moving Forward”, three short films, at 8:30 pm.
Friday, 5 pm - “Regent Park Talent”, two short films by RP youth.
6:30 pm -“The Interrupters”, three individuals fight violence in their Chicago community.
9:15 pm, “React & Recover”, five short films about violence, racism, loss and injustice.
Saturday, 9:20 am - breakfast and a movie.
Noon, “Our Voices”, a digital storytelling project by Latino youth.
Saturday afternoon - “Recording Resilience”, four short films on substance abuse, personal anxiety, sex work and murders.
5 pm, “Doin’ It in the Park”, a feature length film about New York’s street sports.
7:30 pm, closing night - “Besouro”.
 
Great buys around town
 
Labour of Love
Now that Halloween is over, the Christmas Season is officially upon us!  We've already begun working around the clock, unpacking, pricing and displaying all our new merchandise! To start, our card wall is bursting with a great selection of holiday cards. We've also got over 40 different styles of wrapping paper and all sorts of Christmas essentials ready for you to pick up!   See you soon! Labour of Love 242 Carlton.
 
A sumptuous blond mink coat
Eclectisaurus has this lovely blond car coat, simply cut and tailored, on sale now.  It’s in very good, previously owned condition.  Wear it with jeans or on a formal night out.  For all the details, go to Leslie’s website.
 
Ornaments at Kendall & Co
Kendall & Co (227 Carlton) has the best Christmas ornaments in the city.  Add to your collection or give to those you love. They’re also ideal for secret Santa at the office, as thank you gifts to your kid's teachers or as stocking stuffers. Limited quantities in each style so shop now for best selection.
 
Welcome Sinate Creations
Sharon and Ilias have just opened their new clothing store at 480 Parliament.  They’re familiar with Cabbagetown – they’ve had a booth regularly in our annual Cabbagetown Festival.  They’re offering handmade women’s clothing, accessories, jewellery, shawls and hats.  Sharon has personally made much of her inventory with fabrics imported from Italy and Africa.  Their other clothing is imported from the Far East.  Sharon will have a booth at the 2012 One Of A Kind show, her sixth appearance there.
 
Restaurant news
 
Norm Betts at Jet Fuel
The walls at our landmark coffee shop, Jet Fuel (519 Parliament), are lined with large prints of Norm’s photographs showing the renovations and reconstruction of Maple Leaf Gardens.  Norm tracked each step of the project as this landmark site was transformed and a new rink appeared.
 
F’Amelia
Caroline Becker/urbanspoon
Good news for people who love good food.  F’Amelia (12 Amelia) is now open on Monday evenings. Seven days a week, 5 to 10 pm. See more about their menus and awards at their website.
 
New themes at Merryberry
Cyril is taking Merryberry (559 Parliament) back to its roots – whimsical, flavourful, unpretentious and memorable.  Otherwise, where’s the fun, the pleasure, the creativity?  So, he’s playing with his dinner.
Starting this weekend, he’s preparing a theme-based prix-fixe dinner.  For $25 choose an appetizer and a main course – or choose a main course and a dessert.  For $30, choose all three.
His November theme is The Mediterranean.
Start with avocado hummus.  Then select an appetizer – Moroccan chickpea and vegetable soup, or tuna and zucchini tartare, or mixed greens with grapes and halloumi.  For your main course, stewed rabbit and polenta, or stuffed red pepper with asparagus, saffron rice and spicy eggplant sauce or tilapia baked in a paper bag with oranges, olives, fennel and white wine, with couscous. Desserts include Mediterranean cheese platter, orange and grapefruit with rose water syrup and pistachio, or chocolate surprise with a lemon and thyme flavoured mousse.
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from 11 am to 3:30 pm.  Wednesday through Saturday for dinner – 11 am to 9 pm.
 
Coming events
 
Weesageechak begins to dance – 25th annual festival
For four days, the Aki Theatre in the Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas) will be home to Native Earth as it begins its 30th season with Weesageechak Begins to Dance  – four days of theatre, storytelling and dance.  Performances happen at 8 pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and at 2:30 and 8 pm on Saturday.  Tickets are $15 each or $30 for a festival pass.
Wednesday, Nov 14, 8 pm - DOMINION (theatre) and the official launch of the Turtlesback web portal
Thursday, Nov 15, 8 pm  - UNRELATED (dance)
Friday, Nov 16, 8 pm - ANIMIKIIG / THUNDERING VOICES PROGRAM (Our emerging playwriting program)
Saturday, Nov 17 at 2:30 pm - WHEN THE FISH MET THE TURTLE (storytelling)
Saturday, Nov 17 at 8 pm - HEAT LIGHTNING (theatre)
 
Historic Hats
Sunday November 18, 2 to 4 pm, Riverdale Farm Meeting House (Sumach & Winchester). Who better to show off Victorian millinery than our Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum? It’s a collaboration with the Millinery Museum. It’ll be an entertaining hour-long fashion parade. To learn more about the Museum, click here. Tickets are $20 and the income supports the Museum.
 
Streetscapes in bloom
Every year, the Cabbagetown Preservation Association honours an outstanding gardener.  Several homes are nominated. The winner is announced at the CPA annual meeting (save the date, November 26 at 7 pm, location to be announced.) There are eight 2012 nominees - 262 Carlton, 270 Carlton, 427 Sackville, 301 Ontario, 315 Wellesley, 28 Geneva, 317 Carlton at Sackville (business frontage) and 386 Sumach.  Congratulations to everyone.  The winner receives a watercolour painting of the garden by Marion Wilson and a glass medallion from Kitras Glass with a wrought iron garden crook. The CPA has a full page on its website about the award.
 
Final notes
 
Prize winning chili
Last Sunday, four intrepid chefs trotted out their chili to a tough, enthusiastic crowd of tasters.  It was a suspenseful afternoon.  In the end, the real winners were the tasters – each these four cooked up chili to die for.  Congrats and thanks to Jenn Walker and the Cabbagetown South Association for their success.  They’re rumoured to be thinking of an annual event – yes!
 
Red tails in Cabbagetown
Greg Cote snapped this picture of a medium-sized red tail hawk sitting on his fence.  He’s one of three hawks frequenting the area between St James cemetery and the Wellesley Cottages.  They’re feeding on pigeons and squirrels and taking advantage of the quiet safety of the cemetery.