October 9

This week’s image: autumn starts in Cabbagetown

CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD REVIEW

LOCAL NEWS

Regent Park mayoral debate
Toronto’s election machine rolled into the Daniels Spectrum in Regent Park on Wednesday night.  The candidates’ debate, sponsored by a group called Downtown East TO Debate, focused on issues involving violence, hunger and child poverty.  Olivia Chow, John Tory and Ari Goldkind appeared and handled the questions.  Doug Ford skipped the event in order to watch the opening Leafs’ hockey game.  (It’s reported that Mr Ford is currently boycotting meetings when Mr Goldkind appears.)  By all accounts, the program was a civilized discussion that contrasted sharply with the shouting matches that have erupted in other debates.  Congrats to the organizers for bringing the contenders to our community. 

Mayoral debate in the media
You can read the Toronto Star’s account of it in this article by Jennifer Pagliaro. 
Shawn Geffords’ story in the Toronto Sun is here. 
The CBC News report is here. 

CRA Facebook page
The Cabbagetown Residents Association has launched a Facebook page.  The Association is reporting its own news and adding lots of lively stuff about other community events.  Check it out regularly.  Here’s the link. 

Thanks to “The Fixer”
The Toronto Star’s Fixer column highlights stubborn problems that need attention from City staff.  On Thursday, The Fixer pointed to the mud coming out of Regent Park onto nearby River Street, carried by trucks leaving the construction site.  This isn’t a new issue.  For years, Shuter Street has also been badly coated.  There’s a City policy requiring developers to clean the streets but it’s been overlooked around Regent Park far too often.  By 10:30 am on the day of the article, a City sweeper was seen on River Street attacking the muck.  That’s a first step.  The next one requires the construction companies to start being more vigilant.  You can read the column here.

Rescuing the Festival parade
The enthusiastic gang at The Local GEST (424 Parliament) has started a petition to the BIA to bring back the parade during the annual Festival.  The parade has long been a celebration of our community and a nifty link bringing neighbours and businesses closer together.  It puts a genuine Cabbagetown stamp on the Festival.
Now they’re taking their plan another step forward. They’re organizing a “town meeting” to get everyone on the same page.  When you sign the petition, your name goes onto the parade email list and you’ll get the info about the meeting.  You can also watch here and keep in touch with the GEST for dates and details.


LIVE PERFORMANCES

Soulpepper cabaret
Soulpepper presents “The Soulpepper Academy Cabaret” with Academy artist Richard Lam and some of Canada’s most exciting emerging theatre artists.  Saturday, 8:30 pm, tickets from $15.  Young Centre, The Distillery (50 Tank House Lane). Click here. 

Coleman Lemieux presents Uplica
Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie presents the world premiere of Uplica – a silhouette of doubt. The dancers are Laurence Lemieux and Erin Poole with an original score by John Gzowski and choreography by Apolonia Velasquez and Gadfly Theatre’s Ofilio Sinbadinho. October 16 to 25 at The Citadel (304 Parliament).  Read more about it online and get tickets ($20) here. 

Finishing this weekend

Soulpepper (50 Tank House Lane, Distillery).  
Why Not Theatre’s production of A Brimful of Asha with Ravi and Asha Jain ends on Saturday.  Tickets and more details are available online.

Alumnae Theatre (70 Berkeley).
George Walker’s Escape from Happiness finishes its run on Saturday.  It’s a dark comedy about a dysfunctional family caught in an incident of police brutality.  For tickets and information, click here.  (416) 364-4170. 70 Berkeley at Adelaide.

New works

Alumnae Theatre (70 Berkeley).
The Fireworks Festival presents two new plays by women.  Burying Toni by Catherine Frid starts on Thursday November 13 and goes to Saturday November 29.   You Have To Earn It by Ramona Bailey and Maria Popoff opens on Friday November 14 and finishes on Saturday November 29. For tickets and information about the plays, click here.  (416) 364-4170. 70 Berkeley at Adelaide.

Berkeley Street Theatre (27 Berkeley).
What Makes a Man by Jennifer Traver opened this week – it’s a highly unusual staging of the music of Charles Aznavour.  For tickets, click here. 

Soulpepper (50 Tank House Lane, The Distillery)
Spoon River by Mike Ross presents Edgar Lee Master’s poetry spoken in epitaphs set a graveyard in small-town Illinois in 1914-1915.  It starts on October 29 and continues to Saturday November 15.  Online info, click here. 

BUSINESS NEWS

Radiant Lotus – QiGong for women
Sundara Yoga (492 Parliament, side door) is hosting this special workshop on Sunday October 26, 2:30 to 4:30 pm with Karusia Wroblewski.  Radiant Lotus QiGong for Women is a Chinese yoga that combines breath, movement and visualization to promote vibrant health and emotional balance.  This workshop is designed for women of all ages and abilities.  Angela has a page on her website with more information and a link for sign-up registration.  Click here. 

Shagreen with envy
Kendall & Co (227 Carlton) spotted Shagreen as a new design trend during a buying trip earlier this year.  You can read about it in a Style Report for online magazine, Mrs Robinson.  This exotic finish is one of the options in Kendall’s brand new line of contemporary furniture.   Decorate with Kendall and be the envy of Toronto.  Monday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm.  www.kendallandco.ca

THANKSGIVING DINNERS

The weekend at Peartree
From Saturday to Monday, Peartree (507 Parliament) is offering a three-course Thanksgiving special dinner - roast butternut squash soup, roast turkey with apple, onion and sage stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables and pumpkin pie.  $22.99 per person.  Reservations at (416) 962-8190.

Cranberries special dinner
When Siva wants to do a big meal, people line up for it.  Thanksgiving dinner at Cranberries (601 Parliament) is one of those occasions.  Two seatings,  5 and 7:30 pm.  The menu features butternut squash soup or salad, roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, mashed potatoes, fresh veggies, cranberry sauce and apple or pumpkin pie for dessert.  $27.  Reservations at (416) 925-6330.

Beef and turkey at the HOP
On Sunday, you have two choices at the House on Parliament (454 Parliament).  You can enjoy the regular prime rib dinner or you can dig into a Thanksgiving turkey.  On Monday, the turkey dinner is back again. As always, the HOP’s turkey will be a delight – served with sage and wild boar sausage stuffing, cranberry sauce with orange and ginger and fresh veggies.  For dessert, there’s pumpkin bread pudding. 

A really big dinner
At Under the Table (568 Parliament), Kim and Betty are serving a big traditional feast on Thanksgiving from 2 to 10 pm.  Vegetable soup or a house salad are the starters.  The main meal includes roast turkey with stuffing, roast beef, garlic mashed potatoes, corn, baked macaroni, cranberry sauce, gravy and a dinner roll.  Your dessert choices are cheesecake with berries or pumpkin pie with ice cream.  A glass of wine is included.  $30 including tax.  For reservations, call (647) 351-1533.

Southern cookin’
Turducken is the Thanksgiving special at Ronnie B’s Southern Kitchen and Taps (243 Carlton).  It comes with brussels sprouts with cranberries and bacon, a waffle with savoury stuffing and bourbon yam gravy, roast potatoes, bread pudding and a glass of wine.  $27.00.  Reservations needed, call (416) 935-1515.

Everything’s homemade at The Local GEST
On Sunday and Monday, dinner includes roast turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, three fresh veggies, homemade cranberry sauce and homemade pumpkin pie at dessert.  $17.95.  424 Parliament

REGULAR RESTAURANT & CLUB NEWS

Wine Wednesdays at F’Amelia
Throughout October, F’Amelia’s Wine Wednesdays are back (12 Amelia).  Save 50% on any bottle of wine priced at $100 or more.  There are three more Wednesdays in the month so don’t miss this popular special! Check the F’Amelia Facebook page for more menu details. 

Live at Paintbox
Throughout October, Paintbox (555 Dundas E) brings live music with outstanding artists.  On Thursday October 9, The Julian Fauth Band performs.  On Thursday October 16, the guest artists are Dylan Wickens & the Grand Naturals.  On Thursday October 23, Robin Banks appears and on Saturday October 25, it’s Soul Stew.  Click here for lots of details and videos by the musicians. Shows start at 8 pm, doors open at 7 pm. Tickets are $10/advance and $15/door.

Oktoberfest at The Irv
From Friday October 10 to Sunday October 18, it’s the IrvToberfest at The Irv (195 Carlton).  There’ll be an Oktoberfest inspired menu, $5 pints of Mill Street Oktoberfest and an Oktoberfest party on Saturday October 11.

Fundraisers at Flying Beaver
The Flying Beaver (488 Parliament) is regularly the home for fundraisers on behalf of deserving causes and needy people.  Two different events are coming up soon and each is worth a visit.  On Saturday at 8 pm, there’s a funder for Momo.  The FB’s favourite singer and karaoke leader was the victim of a massive theft – his car window was smashed and all his karaoke equipment was gone.  Tickets are $10 or pay what you want.  On Saturday October 18, Singing Out will perform two shows at 7 and 9 pm as part of a fundraising campaign to finance the choir’s trip to the GALA Festival in Denver in 2016.  Tickets are $15/advance and $20/door.

CLUBS & PUBS – DAILY LISTINGS

THURSDAY OCTOBER 9 TO SUNDAY OCTOBER 19

Contact info
Alice’s Place, 554 Parliament St, (647) 931-9088
Dominion on Queen, 500 Queen St E, (416) 368-6893, www.dominiononqueen.com
El Catrin, 18 Tank House Lane, Distillery, (416) 203-2121,  www.elcatrin.ca/home
The Flying Beaver, 488 Parliament St, (647) 347-6567, www.pubaret.com
Gilead Café & Wine Bar, 4 Gilead Place, (647) 288-0680, http://www.jamiekennedy.ca/
House on Parliament, 454 Parliament St, (416) 925-4074, www.facebook.com/pages/House-on-Parliament
The Irv, 195 Carlton Street, (647) 350-4787, https://www.facebook.com/theirvpub
The Local GEST, 424 Parliament St, (416) 961-9425, https://www.facebook.com/thelocalgest
Merryberry, 559 Parliament, www.merryberry.ca
Mill Street Beer Hall, 21 Tank House Ln, Distillery, (416) 681-0338, Facebook and http://toronto.millstreetbrewpub.ca/
Murgatroid, 568 Parliament, (416) 323-9381
Paintbox Bistro, 555 Dundas St E, (647) 748-0555, www.paintboxbistro.ca
Ronnie B’s Southern Kitchen & Taps, 243 Carlton, (416) 935-1515, www.ronnieb243.com
Stout Irish Pub, 221 Carlton St, (647) 344-7676, www.stoutirishpub.ca
Tappo Wine Bar & Restaurant, 2 Trinity Street, Distillery, (647) 430-1111, www.tappo.ca
Under the Table, 568 Parliament St, (647) 351-1533

 If there's a cover charge or tickets are sold, we’ve listed the prices. Otherwise, the event is free.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 9

Flying Beaver
7:30 pm, Lobster and trivia, $19.95 for dinner
The Local GEST
8:30 pm, Open Mic with Porter featuring Kayt Lucas Band
Under The Table
9 pm, Karaoke

FRIDAY OCTOBER 10

Flying Beaver
7 pm, Glen Gary “Three for five” & friends, pwyw
Mill Street Beer Hall
8 pm, Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Under The Table
9 pm, Karaoke

SATURDAY OCTOBER 11

Flying Beaver
8 pm, funder for Momo (who got all his equipment ripped off), $10 tix or pwyw
The Irv
9 pm, Frank Ryan’s vocals and acoustics
Mill Street Beer Hall
8 pm, Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Ronnie B’s
8 pm, southern rock

SUNDAY OCTOBER 12

Alice’s Place
4 pm, Karaoke
Flying Beaver
7:30 pm, Cheesy queer movie night, “The Hunger”, no cover
Local GEST
4:30 pm, Sunday jazz with the Shawn Nykwist Trio featuring Shawn Nykwist (sax), George
Kozub (bass), and Steve Cole (guitar)
Mill Street Beer Hall
1 pm, Jazz brunch with Tyler Yarema

MONDAY OCTOBER 13

Murgatroid
5 to 9 pm, Board game nights

TUESDAY OCTOBER 14

Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Nerd Night pub quiz

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15

Alice’s Place
9 pm, Karaoke
Flying Beaver
7:30 pm, Peter LeBuis “Second Time Around”, $15/advance & $20/door
The Local GEST
7:30 pm, Trivia night

THURSDAY OCTOBER 16

Dominion on Queen
7:30 pm, Wee Folk Club with Bob Bernstein and Onion Honey, $10
Flying Beaver
7:30 pm, Belle’s bawdy trivia night
The Local GEST
8 pm, Jeff Barnes & Noah Zacharin
Under The Table
9 pm, Karaoke

FRIDAY OCTOBER 17

Flying Beaver
7 pm, Brent Thiessen sings the Nat King Cole songbook, $10/advance & $15/door
9 pm, The Legendary Bitch Diva returns with Brad Alexander, $10/advance & $15/door
Mill Street Beer Hall
8 pm, Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Under The Table
9 pm, Karaoke

SATURDAY OCTOBER 18

Flying Beaver
7 pm, Storytellers, singing out review - fundraiser, $15/advance & $20/door
9 pm, Storytellers, singing out review - fundraiser, $15/advance & $20/door
The Irv
7 pm, Frank Ryan’s vocals and acoustics
Mill Street Beer Hall
8 pm, Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Ronnie B’s
8 pm, southern rock.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 19

Alice’s Place
4 pm, Karaoke
Flying Beaver
7:30 pm, Patrick Haye “That 90’s show”, $10/advance & $15/door
Local GEST
4:30 pm, Sunday jazz with Allison Young (sax), Henry Heilling (bass), and Stacie McGregor (keyboard)
Mill Street Beer Hall
1 pm, Jazz brunch with Tyler Yarema