CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD REVIEW
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
ORDER OF CANADA
Barbara
Hall
Photo: Colin Perkel, Toronto Star
Barbara
Hall’s membership in the Order of Canada was announced on Wednesday December
30. In the citation about her award, the Governor General says that she is
recognized “for her human rights leadership and for her commitment to public
service.” People all across
Cabbagetown will agree with that view – congrats Barbara and thanks for all of
your contributions.
Margaret
MacMillan
Photo: St Antony's College
Dr
MacMillan has just been appointed a Companion in the Order of Canada, a
promotion for her within the Order.
She was first invested as an Officer in 2006. Her academic research and her writings have earned her a
long list of international honours and awards. She’s currently the Warden of St Antony’s College, Oxford
and a Senior Fellow at U of T’s Massey College and Trinity College. Although she doesn’t live in
Cabbagetown any longer, her friends and neighbours on Sackville Street still
proudly watch her distinguished career.
REFUGEES
Cabbagetown
neighbourhood initiative
Sandra
Riches is part of a local effort to sponsor a Syrian family. At this time, the group is looking for
financial support, volunteers and other support. Its target deadline for organizing commitments is January
31. Send an email to indicate your
interest and to get more info – geneva4syria@gmail.com
Support
CNH’s project
Central
Neighbourhood House (349 Ontario) has a list of tasks to be undertaken by
volunteer supporters –
interpreters (Arabic/English), transportation (both personal cars and larger
vehicles), gathering furniture and getting discounts from stores, shopping for clothing, food and other
supplies, settling children in schools and daycares, connecting with cultural
and religious centres and finding family recreational facilities. These are all familiar, practical
jobs. Volunteers may be asked for
a police background check. People
are needed for daytime, evening and night schedules. To contact CNH, call (416) 925-4363.
Toronto
Harbour
Toronto
Harbour is a group of professional people (including Cabbagetown residents)
aiming to raise $35,000 to support a Syrian family, using Jewish Immigrant Aid Services as its Sponsorship
Agreement Holder and Canada Helps as the vehicle for receiving funds. The group’s website spells out who the
members are, how it handles the money and who its refugee family will be. In
addition, the members will pitch in with the settlement tasks when a family
arrives. Click here for more
info.
For
more info
Eric
Morse has written a comprehensive article on The Bulletin’s website about
campaigns to support Syrian refugees at Community Matters Toronto, Central
Neighbourhood House and Metropolitan United Church.
LOCAL NEWS
Bloor
Street Improvements
Photo: City of Toronto
The
stretch of Bloor east from Church to Parliament will be given a facelift in
2017. The City of Toronto is
proposing new sidewalks, more trees, benches, bike parking posts, better
signage and future bike lanes.
This will be the main street for the big new development at
Bloor and Parliament. The
streetscape improvements will pick up from the Bloor-Yorkville work done at its
west end. A public consultation is
scheduled for Monday January 11 from 5:30 pm at the Church Street Community
Centre (519 Church).
Top
five new developments
Photo: George Socka, blogTO
Derek
Flack writing in blogTO has listed five new real estate developments that will
be exciting landmarks in 2016.
Three of them are nearby – the Canary District south of Corktown, the
Broadview Hotel at Queen and Broadview and the Globe & Mail building at 351
King East. Each has maintained a link to its heritage character. Click here to see the
article.
Winter
cycling
Photo: Don Harder, Waterfront Toronto
Waterfront
Toronto has announced that the Martin Goodman Trail will be plowed and salted
during the winter. The plan is to
make bike commuting possible throughout the year. It’ll be cleared to the bare pavement within six to eight
hours of a snowfall. It’s one of
several priority downtown bike lanes that will be plowed.
Step
classes
Brenda
will hold her first 2016 step class at the Cabbagetown Youth Centre (2
Lancaster) on Wednesday January 6
at 9:15 am. Everyone welcome –
this is a drop-in class. Brenda’s
January schedule will be available soon.
For more info, contact her at brenda.brownmcnee@bell.net
Dogs
at play
Ross
Fraser and Richard Summerbell own Fleafus, a companionable Chocolate Lab who
runs happily in Wellesley Park.
Richard has written a song and Andrew Wilson made a fun video, “Thank
you for being my dog”, that introduces us to a bunch of canine characters who
regularly cavort with Fleafus.
Click here to enjoy it.
Congrats
Allan Gardens
Photo: Melissa Boodoo
The
Canadian Garden Council has given Allan Gardens its award for the Garden Event
of the Year. The award
specifically goes for the Christmas Show.
Congrats to the staff at the Conservatory (Sherbourne and Carlton).
The
Christmas Show is underway now and continues to January 10, 10 am to 5 pm
daily. Don’t miss it.
Klara
Ihasz
Klara
was a fixture in Cabbagetown. She
was known for her enjoyment of her friends and neighbours, her enthusiasm for
all kinds of dogs and other animals, her yoga and her dill pickles. In the 1990s. her cabbage rolls won a prize in the annual
Festival cabbage cooking contest.
She suffered a stroke in mid-December and died on Christmas Eve at 87
years old. Our condolences go out
to her daughter, Claire and son-in-law John McLeod. Her obituary can be found at Rosar Morrison’s website.
Working on Christmas Day
These guys never quit!
Working on Christmas Day
These guys never quit!
ON STAGE
Finishing
at Soulpepper
Three
productions are wrapping up this weekend at the Young Centre (50 Tank House
Lane, Distillery). A Christmas
Carol, Alligator Pie and Tricks will end on Sunday January 3. For tickets and production info, go to
Soulpepper’s website here.
RESTAURANTS
Good
food at Stout
Congrats
to the kitchen at Stout Irish Pub (221 Carlton). In mid-December, Stout was included on blogTO’s five best
Mac ‘n Cheese list. This week,
blogTO ranked Stout’s shepherd’s pie #1 in Toronto. Read about it here.
http://www.blogto.com/toronto/the_best_shepherds_pie_in_toronto/
Open
& closed
New
Year’s Eve is, of course, a big deal – check out the list below to see what’s
happening.
On
New Year’s Day, some are open and others closed. It’s a mixed bunch.
Here’s a quick guide:
Closed
on New Year’s Day – 420 Smokehouse, Local GEST, Merryberry, Odin, Paintbox
Bistro and Scullery.
Open
on New Year’s Day – Alice’s Place, Chew Chew, Cranberries, Dominion Kitchen
& Pub, F’Amelia, House on Parliament. The Irv, Peartree, Stout Irish Pub
and Under the Table.
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Cluny
Special
a la carte dishes and wine and champagne.
35 Tank House Ln, Distillery, (416) 203-2632.
Cranberries
The
New Year’s Eve dinner menu is another of Cranberries’ fine offerings. It’s a la carte with individually
priced courses. Appetizers include
tomato and shrimp bisque and a mixed green salad. For your main course, there’s
chicken roulade, seafood pasta or horseradish crusted rib steak and for
dessert, dark chocolate Grand Marnier mousse. 601 Parliament.
Dominion
Pub & Kitchen
Rockyard
will be playing at the Dominion Pub & Kitchen on New Year’s Eve from 10:30
pm. Party favours, special menu, bubbly at midnight. No cover. (416) 366-5555.
500 Queen E.
El
Catrin Destileria
Mexican
eats, spicy beats. The party
starts at 10 pm. Food stations and
DJ dancing. Early bird tickets at
$32.50, general tickets at $43 and tickets at the door, $53.60. (416) 203-2121. 18 Tank House Ln,
Distillery.
F’Amelia
On
New Year’s Eve, ring in the New Year with F’Amelia’s Table D’Hote. It’s a three-course dinner with amazing
choices and you can add on a Salumi board at the start and a cheese board to
finish. $59. Check out the details here. (416) 323-0666. 12 Amelia.
House
on Parliament
Four-course
dinner featuring beef tenderloin, duck confit, pork loin or scallops and prawns
along with soup or salad, second course with escargots, shrimp cocktail or
ravioli and a selection ofm desserts.
$80. From 6 pm. Call for
reservations, (416) 925-4074. 454
Parliament.
The
Irv
The
Irv offers a three-course dinner complete with a glass of Prosecco for
$39.99. The menu includes mushroom
soup or salad, butternut squash ravioli, New York strip or oven-baked halibut
for your entrée and two-chocolate mousse for dessert. From 6 pm.
(647) 350-4787. 195 Carlton.
Local
GEST
Food,
fun and frivolity. Your
three-course menu is $45 and it includes a glass of bubbly. DJ Mike Reid starts
at 10 pm. 424 Parliament. (416) 961-9425
Mill
Street Brew Pub
A
no-hassle New Year’s Eve with a beer paired dinner, dancing, party favours and
sparkling wine at midnight.
Entertainment by The Clearing.
(416) 681-0338. 21 Tank
House Ln, Distillery.
Mill
Street Beer Hall
“Swinging
at The Beer Hall” is a roaring ‘20s themed dinner and dance. The four-course dinner includes beer
pairings, wild mushroom soup or beet salad for starters, braised short ribs,
curried halibut or orecchiette pasta for your main course and cherry and bosc
pear cobbler or a black-and-white for dessert. Tickets are $69.99.
(416) 681-0338. 21 Tank
House Ln, Distillery.
Peartree
On
New Year’s Eve, enjoy Peartree’s three-course dinner. Start with shrimp, mussels, soup or salad, select steak and
lobster, grilled halibut, chicken breast, seafood classic or vegetarian
agnolotti, and your choice of dessert.
$70 for two. 507
Parliament. (416) 962-8190.
Pure
Spirits Oyster House & Grill
Seafood
platter for two and two glasses of prosecco, $140. (416) 361-5859.
17 Tank House Ln, Distillery
Stout
Irish Pub
Ring
in the New Year with your friends and family at Stout (221 Carlton). A $10 ticket buys your champagne, hors
d’oeuvres and party favours. 8 pm
to 2 am. (647) 344-7676.
CLUBS & PUBS – DAILY LISTINGS
THURSDAY DECEMBER 31 TO SUNDAY JANUARY 10
Contact
info
Alice’s
Place, 554 Parliament St, (647) 931-9088,
https://www.facebook.com/alicesplacetoronto
Cranberries,
601 Parliament St, (416) 925-6330
Dominion
Pub & Kitchen, 500 Queen St E, (416) 366-5555
El
Catrin, 18 Tank House Lane, Distillery, (416) 203-2121, www.elcatrin.ca/home
House
on Parliament, 454 Parliament St, (416) 925-4074,
www.facebook.com/pages/House-on-Parliament
The
Irv, 195 Carlton Street, (647) 350-4787, http://www.theirvpub.ca/
The
Local GEST, 424 Parliament St, (416) 961-9425, http://www.thelocalgest.com/
Merryberry,
559 Parliament, www.merryberry.ca
Mill
Street Beer Hall, 21 Tank House Ln, Distillery, (416) 681-0338,
http://toronto.millstreetbrewpub.ca/
Murgatroid,
568 Parliament, (416) 323-9381, https://www.facebook.com/MurgatroidTO
Odin,
514 King W, (647) 350-6346, https://www.facebook.com/odinhus
Paintbox
Bistro, 555 Dundas St E, (647) 748-0555, www.paintboxbistro.ca
Soulpepper,
Young Centre, 50 Tank House Lane, Distillery, (416) 866-8666,
Stirling
Room, 16 Trinity, Distillery District, www.stirlingroom.com
Stout
Irish Pub, 221 Carlton St, (647) 344-7676, www.stoutirishpub.ca
Under
the Table, 568 Parliament St, (647) 351-1533,
If there's a cover charge or tickets are sold, the prices
are listed. Otherwise, the event is free.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 31
NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTIES
Dominion
Pub & Kitchen
10:30
pm, Rockyard – New Year’s Eve Party
El
Catrin Destileria
10
pm, Dinner, DJs, dancing, tickets from $32.60 (early bird).
The
Local GEST
6
pm, New Year’s Eve three-course dinner, DJ Mike Reid, $45
Mill
St Beer Hall
Swinging
at the Beer Hall on New Year’s Eve, dinner and dancing with a live DJ, $69.99
Mill
St Brew Pub
6
pm, No Hassle New Year’s Eve party with The Clearing, dancing and a beer paired
menu, bubbly at midnight.
Stout
Irish Pub
8
pm, New Year’s Eve party with bubbly, hors d’oeuvres and prizes. $10.
FRIDAY JANUARY 1
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8
pm, Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Under
The Table
9
pm, Karaoke
SATURDAY JANUARY 2
Dominion
Pub & Kitchen
9
pm, DJ DXB
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8
pm, Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
SUNDAY JANUARY 3
Alice’s
Place
9
pm, Karaoke with Vee
The
Local GEST
4:30
pm, Sunday afternoon jazz with Boom For Rent
MONDAY JANUARY 4
Stout
Irish Pub
7:30
pm, Headscratchers Trivia
TUESDAY JANUARY 5
Stout
Irish Pub
7:30
pm, Headscratchers Trivia
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 6
Alice’s
Place
9
pm, Karaoke
The
Local GEST
7:30
pm, Smart Ass Trivia with Porter
Paintbox
Bistro
7:30
pm, Corktown Ukelele Jam
THURSDAY JANUARY 7
Dominion
Pub & Kitchen
Peter
James project
Local
GEST
8
pm, Jeff Barnes & Noah Zacharin
Mill
Street Brew Pub
7
pm, Tap That Cask with acoustic music
FRIDAY JANUARY 8
Dominion
Pub & Kitchen
Take
Cover
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8
pm, Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Mill
Street Brew Pub
6:30
pm, Beer school with Dan North, $20
SATURDAY JANUARY 9
Dominion
Pub & Kitchen
Clean
SL8
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8
pm, Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
SUNDAY JANUARY 10
Alice’s
Place
4
pm, Karaoke with Vee
Local
GEST
4:30
pm, Sunday afternoon jazz with Sherie Marshall