This
week’s image: Snow has finally arrived.
CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD REVIEW
A quick note. There won't be a blog next week. The call of the wild takes us away for a holiday.
OPEN HOUSES
There’s
a beautiful condo at 25 Cole for sale and its open house happens this
weekend. To read about it, click
here.
SHOPPING
Wow – what a prize
Fair
Trade Jewellery Co (523 Parliament) has teamed up with NOW Magazine. Readers are invited to submit their personal
romance stories. The winner will get one
of FTJC’s $5000 Canadian pink diamond pendants.
The deadline is Monday February 9.
To see the rules and to send along your story, click here.
Claudia’s Valentine
gift
Claudia
Salzmann suggests a special Valentine’s gift certificate for a therapeutic
massage to go along with your special dinner, flowers and chocolates. To book your gift, call her at (416) 923-0494
or email info@salzmann.com
Bookbinding, backyard
chickens & Ukrainian Easter eggs
Carla’s
really on a roll at Little House in the City (555 Parliament). She’s developing
a series of workshops on unique topics.
This week on Sunday February 8 from 1 to 4 pm, her workshop program is a
demo on bookbinding. It’s a hands-on
class by Carolyn Eady of Sprouts Press with tools and materials provided. You’ll go home with your own personal
journal. $65.
On
Sunday February 15, Dan Pryce from Spade & Feather will demonstrate the
ins-and-outs of backyard chicken keeping including how-to-do-it plus the benefits,
realities and legalities involved. A great intro for those who want to start
their own homegrown flock. No word yet whether you go home with your own
personal chicken. $20. Future topics include boozy preserves, making Ukrainian
Easter eggs, sauerkraut and jewellery making.
Cats and nail
trimming
Pet
Valu (240 Carlton) is holding its monthly nail trimming clinic for your
pet. Marilyn will be there on Saturday
from 9 am to 4 pm. $10. As part of Pet Valu’s National Adoption Week,
Cat Busters will also be at the store on Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. If your home needs a warm, cuddly ball of
fur, drop by and pick out a needy kitten.
Let’s improve our
LCBO selections
Elise
Stanley shops at our local LCBO (512 Parliament), deals with the staff there
regularly and tries diligently to improve its Vintages offerings. She’s concerned that recent selections in the
Vintages releases have suddenly sharply deteriorated and she attributes this to
a move away from store-based decisions into centrally controlled
selections. She’s set up a Facebook page
where we can compare notes and exert pressure on the LCBO.
LOCAL NEWS
Meet Chrystia
Freeland
Our
Member of Parliament is hosting a drop-in event on Sunday February 8 from noon
to 1:30 pm in the community room at the Aquatic Centre in Regent Park (640
Dundas E). It’s a chance to say hello
and talk about the issues that interest you.
There’ll be refreshments and snacks.
Bring your bathing suit – there’ll be a free swim available from 1:30
pm.
Poster artist for the
2015 Forsythia Festival
Planning
and preliminary work for this year’s event are now underway. The organizers are holding a competition to
select the artist for the 2015 poster.
Send in your work. If you win,
you’ll get a $50 gift certificate from one of the Festival’s sponsors plus the
pleasure from seeing your work plastered all over the neighbourhood. The contest deadline is March 23. Click here to read the contest rules and to
see what the committee wants to include on your poster.
Volunteers needed for
the Museum
Photo: Carol Moore Ede
The
Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum is looking for volunteers for its 2015 season.
Located in the Simpson House in Riverdale Farm, the Museum’s volunteers
welcome visitors and help them enjoy their tour. If you’re interested, please email
crpmuseum.volunteer@gmail.com.
Tour of Homes
Early
planning has started for the 2015 Tour.
The committee at the Cabbagetown Preservation Association is looking for
suitable homes to include. If you have a
suggestion or want to volunteer your own home, email cpa@cabbagetownpa.ca.
Re:Leaf’s community meeting
Re:Leaf
presents its Cabbagetown urban forest management plan, developed in cooperation
with students from U of T’s Faculty of Forestry . Thursday February 26, 7 to 9 pm, Toronto Kiwanis
Boys & Girls Club (101 Spruce). Don’t forget that re:Leaf is looking for
people to care for newly planted trees in our parks. The trees need mulch and watering. The project includes Riverdale, Wellesley,
Winchester and Regent Park parks. To
volunteer, call (416) 875-0725 or email david@cabbagetownreleaf.org
Workshop on heritage
grants
The
City of Toronto heritage grant program offers up to $10,000 for conservation
work on designated heritage properties. There
will be a workshop to help you with the application process – 6:30 pm, Tuesday
February 10, committee room 2, City Hall (100 Queen W). The City has a page on
its website with details about the program and eligibility for the grant.
Bird alerts
Photo: Greg Cote
Cabbagetown
has always offered plenty of birdwatching treats. In the winter, it’s easy to see the special
guys – cardinals, blue jays, juncos, nut hatches, chickadees and
woodpeckers. This year, we’ve also had
an abundance of larger predators. In the
Wellesley and Sackville area, Cooper’s hawks, sharp shinned hawks and redtail
hawks have regularly been spotted. Near
Wellesley Park, Max saw an Eastern Screech Owl in his backyard. Within a few
minutes, it then flew into the park. He
sent along a nifty video that shows why they’re normally so hard to see. A
month ago, a great horned owl was seen near Parkview and Wellesley. It’s nesting time for a lot of these birds so
they’re calling and their colours are becoming much more vivid.
Super memories
All
over town, people gathered for their annual Superbowl rituals. This crowd from Amelia, Wellesley Cottages
and Wellesley Street got together at the party organized by Christopher and
Andrew. You can see Andrew sitting prominently in the front row displaying his
Cabbagetown Tee. In fact, that
particular shirt is now a well-travelled treasure. It’s been to Costa Rica (with Richard, far
right front) and to Japan (with Andrew) and Mount Everest (with Christopher, far left middle). No doubt, its final destination will eventually
be in the archives at the Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum.
VALENTINES
Some
restaurants are not listed here. Their
menus are not yet available. To learn
more about them call or visit their websites.
House on Parliament at (416) 925-4074.
Paintbox Bistro at (647) 748-0555.
Stout Irish Pub at (647) 344-7676.
Under The Table at (647) 351-1533.
Cranberries
There’ll
be two seatings for dinner – 5 and 7:30 pm.
It’s a three-course prix fixe meal.
Starters include potato soup or organic greens salad. For your main course, there’s beef
tenderloin, roasted Atlantic salmon or chicken supreme. Dessert is a grand marnier dark chocolate
truffle. $40. For reservations, call (416) 925-6330. 601 Parliament.
F’Amelia
F’Amelia
(12 Amelia) has a five course dinner for $75 with additional wine pairings at
$49. Start with scallops ceviche. For the antipasti, crispy pork belly, pan
seared arctic char, roasted Brussel sprouts salad or ribollita. The choices for prima piatti are potato
gnocchi, butter poached lobster, pan seared flank steak or farfalle. The cheese plates include three cheeses and
homemade crackers. For dessert, there’s
tiramisu, lemon brulee tart and flourless chocolate cake. Reservations
at (416) 323-0666 and at www.famelia.com
The Flying Beaver
On
Valentine’s Day, Dina Martina is performing at 7 and 9 pm. Tickets are $20/advance and $25/door. Dinner is available before, during and after
the show. For reservations, call (647)
347-6567. 488 Parliament.
The Irv
The
Irv (195 Carlton) has a three-course dinner for two for $60. The regular menu is also available. For a reservation, call (647) 350-4787.
Local GEST
The
Local GEST (424 Parliament) has an a la carte menu with individually priced
items. French onion soup, warm kale
salad, crepes, tiger shrimp, artisan board with cured meat, preserves and
cheeses, beef tenderloin risotto, chicken cordon bleu, langoustine ravioli and
chocolate raspberry mousse. Reservations
at (416) 961-9425.
Merryberry
Cyril
will be showing off his skills with “Modernist Cuisine”. There’ll be plenty of seafood, for example,
done up “sous vide”. There’ll even be
some molecular gastronomy. Sounds like
fun. Reservations at (647) 348-0411, 559
Parliament.
Mill Street
In
the Brew Pub, there’s a night of craft beer, acoustic music and a three-course
menu. When you make your reservation,
you might win a private dining event in the brewery. In the Beer Hall, there’s
live music, burlesque, craft beers and a four-course dinner, $59.99. Reservations at (416) 681-0338. 21 Tank House Lane, Distillery.
Murgatroid
Caleb
has a special Valentine’s Day brunch.
Call him at (416) 323-9381. 568 Parliament.
Peartree
Peartree
(507 Parliament) is offering a three-course dinner for two for $65. There will be two seatings – at 6 and 8
pm. Choose an appetizer – organic green
salad, Caesar salad, shrimp salad, mushroom and brie soup or mussels
provencal. For your main course, there’s
grilled New York steak and lobster tails, beef tenderloin, Cajun creole seafood
platter, baked arctic char, chicken supreme or sweet potato stuffed
agnolotti. Dessert choices include chocolate
mousse cake, raspberry chocolate truffle cake, cherry cheese cake, red velvet
cake, carrot cake and pecan pie. Reservations
at (416) 962-8190.
FAMILY DAY
Family Story Day
Dinny
Biggs is a coordinator at the Toronto Storytelling Festival. She’s announced that a Family Story Day will
take place on Family Day from 1:30 to 3:30 pm in the Artscape Lounge at the Daniels
Spectrum (585 Dundas E). There’ll be
plenty of stories and art activities for the whole family plus a photo op with
a dragon. The annual Storytelling Festival
is a very big deal. Started in 1978, it
continues to bring together professional storytellers, newcomers and
artists. The full program will happen in
late March. Click here to see the
website.
Cabbagetown Family
Day Festival
The
BIA presents its first winter festival.
All along Parliament Street from Gerrard to Wellesley, there’ll be music
with the Toronto All Star Big Band, ice skating demos with Glisse on Ice and
free pancakes. Check out the ice
sculptures. Take a ride in a horse and
carriage and enjoy the buskers performing along the street. Free admission. Monday February 16 from 11 am to 5 pm.
Heat Fest in the
Distillery
Some
of Toronto’s finest food trucks will be lined up in the Distillery’s Trinity
Square to offer the best comfort foods on a cold Family Day. There’ll be soups, stews, curries, sauces,
jerks, gravy and more. Plus funnel
cakes, lobster rolls and falafels. Enjoy
workshops in hula hooping, jazz funk and “cold yoga”. It’s a fun-filled event for the whole family.
11 am to 6 pm, Monday February 16,
Distillery District
ONSTAGE
Adrienne Clarkson
sings Stompin Tom’s songs
Photo: Richard Lautens, Torstar
She’s
joining Duncan Fremlin and Whiskey Jack onstage on Saturday February 7 at the Cadillac
Lounge, 1296 Queen W. (Sorry – the show
is sold out. Congrats, Duncan.) She’ll
be singing Sudbury Saturday Night. The
Toronto Star has a nice article about the event and her performance. Click here to read it.
Peter is back
Peter
Donato and his friends David Gluck (bass) and Michael Skinner (drums) will be
back at The Flying Beaver (488 Parliament) on Sunday February 8 at 7:30
pm. Valentine themes seem to fit in to
this week`s performance. Tickets are $10
advance and $15 at the door.
Corktown Chamber
Orchestra
The
Orchestra’s Valentine concert, Heart & Soul, takes place on February 12 at
8 pm in Little Trinity Church (425 King E).
$10
Lynn Harrison at
Winterfolk
Lynn
is performing in three events at Winterfolk III and she’s also part of a
celebration of Sam Larkin’s CD release. From
1 to 2:30 pm on Saturday February 14, she’s in “Lilith comes to Winterfolk” at
the Black Swan (154 Danforth). From 6 to
7 pm on Sunday February 15, she’s in a panel discussion on “Songs of protest
and social change” at Terry O’s (185 Danforth).
At 8 pm Sunday February 15, she has a one-hour solo show at the Globe
Bistro (124 Danforth). Finally, on
Monday February 15 at 7 pm, she’s one of several performers singing Sam Larkin’s
songs during the posthumous release of his CD, Tranzac Club (292 Brunswick).
Soulpepper Concerts
Young
Centre for the Performing Arts (50 Tank House Lane, Distillery).
A movable musical
Maritimes feast, Sunday February 15, 2:30 pm.
PEI`s
Mike Ross and his guests explore the extraordinary musical life of eastern Canada. Tickets and more info available online here.
The Nina Project,
Monday February 16, 7:30 pm.
As part
of Black History month, Jackie Richardson, Shakura S’Aida and Kellylee Evans
celebrate the life and music of Nina Simone. For tickets and more info, click
here.
ReelWorld Film
Festival
The
ReelWorld Film Festival will be screened this year from Monday March 2 to
Sunday March 8 at Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre, Cineplex Odeon First Markham
Place and the Barbara Frum Atrium at the CBC.
The 2015 program will be launched at a reception in the Barbara Frum
Atrium (25 John St) on Thursday February 19 at 5:30 pm. The Festival brings together independent film
makers from racially diverse backgrounds. An early bird pass is available
online at $55.
RESTAURANT NEWS
Dina Martina at
Flying Beaver
Next
weekend, Dina Marina takes over the stage for two full days at The Flying
Beaver (488 Parliament). She’s
performing at 7 and 9 pm on both Friday and Saturday. She’s drawn huge crowds at her international
performances and reviewers have called her a “comic genius”, “the most original
drag performer” and “unfortunate”. This is just one of many hot acts showing up
there – congrats to Maggie and Heather. Click
here for more stuff about the FB’s schedule.
Order of Good Cheer
400
years ago, Samuel de Champlain landed on the shores of Prince Edward
County. Jamie Kennedy at Gilead Café
along with the folks from By Chadseys Cairns are celebrating. The restaurant and the winery have teamed up
to produce a feast. Hors d’oeuvres and a
4-course dinner, $75 and the wine tasting, $25.
6:30 pm reception, 7:30 pm dinner, Wednesday February 11. Reservations at (647) 288-0680. Gilead Wine Bar (4 Gilead Place).
More cooking classes at
Merryberry
Cyril
is demonstrating his “sous vide” menu at his next class at 6 pm on Tuesday February
17. His last classes have been full so book your spot early at (647) 348-0411.
559 Parliament.
The final week for
Winterlicious
Winterlicious
runs to Thursday February 12. In our
neighbourhood, the participating restaurants are all in The Distillery. Three have $18 lunch and $25 dinner menus -
Archeo (21 Trinity St), The Mill Street Beer Hall and the Mill Street Brew Pub
(21 Tank House Lane). Pure Spirits
Oyster House & Grill (17 Tank House Lane) and Cluny (35 Tank House Lane)
offer a $23 lunch and $35 dinner. There
are a lot of choices nearby in the Church Street, Leslieville, Danforth and
Yorkville areas. See the list on the
official website.
CLUBS & PUBS – DAILY LISTINGS
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5 TO SUNDAY FEBRUARY 15
Contact info
Alice’s
Place, 554 Parliament St, (647) 931-9088,
https://www.facebook.com/alicesplacetoronto
Cranberries,
601 Parliament St, (416) 925-6330
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, 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
Paintbox
Bistro, 555 Dundas St E, (647) 748-0555, www.paintboxbistro.ca
Stirling
Room, 16 Trinity, Distillery District, www.stirlingroom.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,
https://www.facebook.com/underthetabletoronto
White
Elephant, 366 Queen E. (416) 364-9999, www.whiteelephant366.com
If there's a cover charge or tickets are sold, the prices are
listed. Otherwise, the event is free.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5
Dominion
on Queen
7:30 pm,
Wee Folk Club – Pressgang Mutiny & David Woodhead, $10
Flying
Beaver
7:30
pm, Lukas Stark’s pro-am variety show,
no cover
The
Local GEST
8 pm,
Jeff Barnes & Noah Zacharin
Mill St
Brew Pub
7 pm,
Live acoustic music with Don Campbell
Under
The Table
9 pm,
Karaoke
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6
Flying
Beaver
7 pm, Not
so newly wed game hosted by Savoie Howe, no cover, pwyw
Retro
dance party following the show.
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8 pm,
Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Stirling
Room
Theatrical
Friday with resident DJ Rod Bravo, reserve on the guest list. $20
Under
The Table
9 pm,
Karaoke
White
Elephant
7 pm,
Arthur Renwick
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7
Flying
Beaver
7 pm,
Natalie Kulesza, “Boys, booze & Buddha – a cabaret”, $10/advance & $15/door
9 pm,
Marilla Wex, “This much I know”, $20/advance, $25/door
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8 pm,
Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Stirling
Room
Stirling
Saturday. Reserve on the guest
list. $20
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 8
Alice’s
Place
4 pm,
Karaoke with Vee
Flying
Beaver
7:30 pm,
Peter Donato, “Cantataure valentino”
$10/advance & $15/door
Local
GEST
4:30 pm,
Sunday jazz featuring Sherie Marshall
Mill
Street Beer Hall
1 pm,
Jazz brunch with Tyler Yarema
MONDAY FEBRUARY 9
Stout
Irish Pub
7:30 pm,
Headscratchers trivia
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 10
Stout
Irish Pub
7:30 pm,
Headscratchers trivia
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY
11
Alice’s
Place
9 pm,
Karaoke
Flying
Beaver
7:30 pm,
Alyssa Minichillo, Andrea Page & Emilie O’Brien, “Down with love – a
valentine’s cabaret”, $10/advance, $15/door
Gilead
6:30 pm,
Order of Good Cheer Dinner, dinner $75, wine $25
The
Local GEST
7:30 pm,
Trivia night
Paintbox
7:30 pm,
Corktown Ukulele Jam $6
THURSDAY FEBRUARY
12
Flying
Beaver
8 pm,
Tim Boyle, “Heartstrings 2.0”, $15/advance, $20/door
The
Local GEST
8:30 pm,
Open Mic with Porter
Mill St
Brew Pub
7 pm,
Live acoustic music
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13
Flying
Beaver
7 pm, Dina
Martina, $20/advance, $25/door
7 pm, Dina
Martina, $20/advance, $25/door
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8 pm,
Vinyl nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Stirling
Room
Theatrical
Friday with resident DJ Rod Bravo, reserve on the guest list. $20
White
Elephant
7 pm, Conor
Gains
SATURDAY FEBRUARY
14
Flying
Beaver
7 pm, Dina
Martina, $20/advance, $25/door
9 pm, Dina
Martina, $20/advance, $25/door
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8 pm,
Vinyl Nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Stirling
Room
Resident
DJ Rod Bravo, reserve on the guest list.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 15
Alice’s
Place
9 pm,
Karaoke with Vee
Flying
Beaver
7 pm, That
Choir “Valentine edition”, $10/advance, $15/door
Local
GEST
4:30 pm,
Sunday jazz featuring Laura Marks & Friends
Mill
Street Beer Hall
1 pm,
Jazz brunch with Tyler Yarema
