This
week’s image: Whiskey Jack, Photo:
Norm Betts
CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD REVIEW
LOCAL NEWS
Duncan
Fremlin & Whiskey Jack
Whiskey
Jack will be singing gospel songs at 4 pm on Sunday November 22 at the chapel
in St Simon Church (525 Bloor E).
They know and enjoy the church’s space and use it for rehearsals. Duncan says that they play a gospel
tune in every concert and over the past summer, they devoted a couple of their
concerts entirely to gospel music.
Kids are, of course, welcome. No sermons and no ticket fees – but the
band will pass the collection plate.
Breakfast
and a movie
The
Regent Park Film Festival and the CRC Regent Park Community Food Centre are teaming
up to provide a free breakfast before the screening of Shana: The Wolf’s
Music. Saturday November 21. Breakfast is served at 9 am and the
movie starts at 9:30 am – both at the Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas E). Reserve your spot here.
Regent Park Film Festival
To Saturday November 21, Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas E). The Festival presents films, workshops,
panels and activities. A school
program runs on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The Festival Lounge features films by Toronto Reel Asian
International Film festival, the National Film Board, Inside Out LGBT Film
festival and ImaginNative Film.
Major films are scattered throughout each day`s program. For full details, go online here.
Neighbourhood
of nations - arts and crafts bazaar
St
James Town Arts and the CRC in Regent Park are hosting an arts and crafts sale
on Sunday November 22 from 4 to 8 pm in the CRC (40 Oak Street). There’ll be arts and crafts, kids’
activities, music and food. It’s
our chance to support local artists and craft makers.
Maureen`s
walking group
Maureen
Roe is organizing weekly hour-long walkabouts through Cabbagetown. It`s a chance to stretch your legs
while you look at the neighbourhood and meet and talk to friends. The walks
start off at the gates of Riverdale Park (Sumach and Winchester) at 9 am on
Monday mornings. Free
CPA Fall meeting
The Cabbagetown Preservation Association’s Fall meeting happens on
Wednesday November 25, 7 pm at the Kiwanis Boys & Girls Club (101
Spruce). Scott Weir from ERA
Architects will talk about “Tear down or restore? What do you do about a wreck
like 24 Sussex Dr?” There’ll also be presentations to the winner of
Streetscapes in Bloom, the winner of the 2015 Peggy Kurtin award, to the CPA’s
volunteer of the year and to youth groups who will benefit from the proceeds of
the 2015 Tour of Homes.
Cabbagetown
South Christmas party
The
annual Christmas party in Cabbagetown South happens at Retsina (209 Gerrard E)
on Wednesday December 2 from 6:30 to 9 pm. It’s always a great time – meet friends and neighbours,
gossip like crazy and even catch a glimpse of the rich and famous! Retsina always sets up a generous
buffet. Prizes and raffles from
our local stores. Cash bar. Advance tickets are $15 to November
25. Regular tickets are $20. Read about the event and get your
tickets here.
Give
the gift that gives back
The
sewing and cooking collectives in Regent Park are holding a Christmas
sale. It’s a relaxed, after-work
drop-in where you can relax, mix, network and make new friends. There’ll be nibblies to sample and
products to buy and local artists will perform. Thursday, December 3, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, TD Learning Centre
(540 Dundas E at Sackville).
Enoch
Turner Schoolhouse
Photo: Ontario Heritage Trust
The
annual Founder’s Dinner celebrates a vintage Christmas at the Schoolhouse (106
Trinity) from 6:15 pm, Thursday December 3. It’s a fundraiser with a traditional Christmas dinner,
carolling and entertainment. R H
Thomson is the emcee. A Charles
Baillie will be honoured as a Heritage Champion. The evening will finish with dancing to a live band. Tickets are $110 and they’re available
at Eventbrite, here.
Riverdale
Farm uproar
Stories
are circulating about an immature Red-Tailed Hawk that’s been chasing the
chickens at the Farm. This is a
very ambitious bird. The chickens
must weigh as much as he does.
Nevertheless, feathers were ruffled, chickens ran around in panic and
eventually the staff chased them into their shelters. The Farm hasn’t seen a
predator as tough as this since the early days of the Rob Ford administration.
Dim
sum in Hong Kong
Helen
Coltrinari enjoyed a dim sum breakfast during her recent trip to Hong
Kong. Naturally, she wore her
spiffy Cabbagetown Tee. Thanks
Helen – great picture.
If
you and your family are travelling to exotic places, anywhere from Etobicoke to
Ethiopia, take your Tee shirt, snap a shot and you’ll be featured. Send your story and images to
cabbagetownreview@gmail.com
ON STAGE
Soulpepper’s cabaret series
Judith
Lander & Ghislain Aucoin, Homesongs. Soulpepper (Distillery, 50 Tank House
Lane). Saturday November 21, 8:30
pm. Tickets are $20 available
here.
http://tickets.youngcentre.ca/single/SelectSeating.aspx?p=9121
Last chance
Three performances at our local theatres are wrapping up this
weekend.
·
Fireworks Festival at Alumnae Theatre (70 Berkeley)
finishes with Radical on Sunday November 22. Click here for more info and tickets.
·
Spoon River at Soulpepper (50 Tank House Lane, Distillery). Final performance on Sunday November
22. Online info and tickets
here.
·
Weesageechak Begins to Dance at the Aki Studio Theatre, Daniels
Spectrum (585 Dundas E). The
festival ends on Saturday November 21.
Tickets and info are here.
Impulse
Presented
by the School of Toronto Dance Theatre.
It’s an ambitious program of main-stage performances showcasing dancers
from all three levels of the School’s professional training program. Works by Marc Boivin, Danny Grossman,
Louis Laberge-Cote, Julia Sasso and Apolonia Velasquez. November 26 to 28 and December 3 to 5,
8 pm, $20 and $15.
Winchester Street Theatre (80 Winchester). Tickets are available online.
Tap
Ex: Metallurgy
Tapestry Opera’s annual Tap:Ex series explores modes
through which opera might assume a 21st-century rebirth. In this third year of
the series, Tapestry collaborates with members of F*cked Up, the Polaris
Prize-winning punk provocateurs, and two of Canada’s most masterful and
versatile opera singers: mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabó and tenor David Pomeroy.
November 19 and November 20 (8 pm) and November 21 (7 pm and 10 pm), 9 Trinity
Street, Distillery, Studio 316.
Tickets are $35 and $25, available online.
THE CHRISTMAS MARKET
This
week at the Christmas market
The
Distillery’s huge Christmas event kicks off on Friday November 20.
- Friday's program includes a tree lighting and opening ceremony at 6 pm, the Next Generation Leahy at 6:15 pm and Christmas jazz by the Ewan Farncombe trio at 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm.
- The Next Generation Leahy will perform again on Saturday at 1, 4 and 6:30 pm. Frost & Ivy are on stage at 7:20 and 8:15 pm.
- The Mill Street Daily Carolling starts at 6 pm on Saturday. For 15 minutes every day, carollers and the audience will sing Christmas favourites.
- Throughout the week, other headliners include the Hart House Chorus (Sunday at 12:30 pm), country singer Rebekah Stevens (Sunday at 5:30 pm), U of T’s trombone choir Jinglebones (Sunday at 6:30 and 7:30 pm), Alana and Leigh Cline on guitar and fiddle (Tuesday at 6:30 and 7:15 pm), soprano Antonella Cavallaro (Wednesday at 6:30 and 7:15 pm), a capella performance by the SING! Singers (Thursday at 6:30 and 7:15 pm), TWISTED SISTER with Dee Snider and Taylor Dayne (Friday at 6:15 pm) and Friday night jazz with the (Un)Forgettable Trio (starting at 6:30 pm).
Our
Lady of Lourdes choir
We
can enjoy our local kids from Our Lady of Lourdes School (Sherbourne and
Wellesley) performing at the Christmas Market. They’ll be onstage from 12:30 pm on Saturday.
IN THE MEDIA
A
new type of family home
Photo: Cole Burston, Toronto Star
The
Toronto Star has an intriguing article about four people – two couples – in the
Bedard family. The parents, their
son and their daughter-in-law bought a house together in Cabbagetown South. The result is interesting. The parents had the money to cover the
down payment and each couple took out a mortgage to carry the balance. As a result, the kids are building
equity towards their future household plans. Read their story here.
Parliament
Street Data Centre
The
new building next to the Distillery on Parliament Street is the subject of a
Torontoist blog article. Several characteristics of its location and function
dictated the final design. Click
here to read the story.
The
Pan Am athletes’ village
The
buildings that housed the Athletes’ Village over the past summer are now being
converted into condominiums. It’s a completely new neighbourhood, soon to be
called the Canary District. 2000
people will live here. There’s
over 40,000 square feet of retail space.
All of this will open up next year, beginning with the retail areas in
January and then the residential units in April. On November 6, the Metro
published a detailed story about this transition and the future for this
community – click here to read it.
SHOPPING NEWS
Cabbagetown’s
holiday kick-off
Save
the date – Saturday November 28 from noon to 2 pm. It’s the Cabbagetown BIA’s kick-off for the holiday
season. Santa will be there. There’ll be wagon rides, Santa selfies,
music and refreshments. Treats for
your dog. Tree trimming. And more. Bring a donation or a non-perishable food item for the Daily
Bread Food Bank and get a free Cabbagetown tote bag in return. At the corner of
Carlton and Parliament.
Shop the Neighbourhood
The
BIA is participating in the Shop the Neighbourhood campaign on Saturday November
28. One day only. So far, twenty shops and restaurants
are offering holiday specials ranging from store-wide discounts, product
discounts, free soup and free beer samples. Christmas is a good time to support the folks who contribute
so much to make our neighbourhood interesting and lively. Shop in their stores and enjoy a
holiday reward. Click here to see
who’s part of this special event.
Twelve
days of Christmas
Kendall
& Co (514 Parliament) has its own interpretation of the Twelve Days of
Christmas, featuring special holiday gift ideas and Christmas ornaments. Over two hundred ornaments available in
limited quantities. Get yours
early. From the drummers drumming
and pipers piping to the partridge in the peartree, go to Kendall’s website to
see it all.
Find what you want at Toronto’s best
store for Christmas gifts and holiday décor. Christmas hours – open daily.
Paintbox
gift baskets
Paintbox
Bistro (535 Dundas E) has a line of seasonal gift baskets. Save 15% on all orders placed before
December 1. The restaurant works
with local farmers to ensure the freshest produce. The baskets can be ordered online and paid through credit
cards and interac. Pickups and
delivery services are available.
For the detailed menu, check out the Paintbox website.
RESTAURANT NEWS
Sumach
Espresso
Photo: Victor Vasquez, blogTO
A
new coffee shop has opened on Sumach at Shuter (118 Sumach), just south of
Regent Park. Christina Cheung has
written an introduction in blogTO.
It’s more good news - the revitalization in Regent Park and the
gentrification of Corktown are generating these interesting new shops and
cafes. Click here to read her
review.
Wild
game tonight
F’Amelia’s
(12 Amelia) special wild game menu will be served tonight at 7 pm. It includes
an option to enjoy a wine pairing with your meal. To see the details, visit F'Amelia's website.
Peartree’s
celebration
Peartree’s
anniversary month specials are still going on through November. The celebration is marking its 22nd
anniversary with a 40% off, three-course prix fix menu. Dinner for two is $50 and if you add a
glass of wine for each person, it’s $60 for two. The menu choices are all listed online here (507 Parliament)
Congrats
420 Smokehouse.
BlogTO
has listed Virginia’s 420 Smokehouse (420 Parliament) on its Top-25 review of Toronto’s best barbeque restaurants, noting “its eclectic menu of low and slow
cooking.” Click on the link in the
story to read a detailed review.
Congrats
Under the Table
Ever
since they opened Under the Table (568 Parliament), Kim and Betty have been
earning rave reviews online. For a
quick rundown on customers’ comments, check out the Yelp site.
Mill
Street and Soulpepper
The
dinner and a show special is still available at the Mill Street Beer Hall (21
Tank House Ln, Distillery). Enjoy
a three-course dinner and get a 15% discount with your theatre ticket stub. Start with soup or salada. Select a Vienna schnitzel, steak and
frites or pn-seared salmon for your entrée. For dessert, there’s apple strudel.
Christmas
decorations are arriving
The
House on Parliament (454 Parliament) has installed its Christmas decorations in
its flower box along the sidewalk.
Great to see!
CLUBS & PUBS – DAILY LISTINGS
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19 TO SUNDAY NOVEMBER 29
Contact
info
Alice’s
Place, 554 Parliament St, (647) 931-9088,
https://www.facebook.com/alicesplacetoronto
Cranberries,
601 Parliament St, (416) 925-6330
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 NOVEMBER 19
The
Irv
7pm,
Geoff Willingham
The
Local GEST
8
pm, Open mic with Porter
Mill
St Brew Pub
7
pm, Tap That Cask- live acoustic music
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
6
pm, opening ceremony, Next Generation Leahy and the Ewan Farncombe jazz trio
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
Stirling
Room
Theatrical
Friday reserve on the guest list.
$20
Under
The Table
9
pm, Karaoke
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
12:30
pm, Our Lady of Lourdes choir. 1, 4 and 6:30 pm, Next Generation Leahy. 7:20
pm, Frost & Ivy, $5 general admission
Mill
Street Beer Hall
8
pm, Vinyl nights with DJ Humble Mike of the Record Collective
Soulpepper
Cabaret Series
8:30
pm, Judith Lander & Ghislain Aucoin, Homesongs. $20
Stirling
Room
Stirling
Saturdays, reserve on the guest list
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 22
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
12:30
pm, Hart House Chorus. 5:30 pm, country singer Rebekah Stevens. 6:30 pm, UofT’s
trombone choir, Jinglebones. $5 general admission
Alice’s
Place
9
pm, Karaoke with Vee
The
Local GEST
4:30
pm, Sunday afternoon jazz with Laura Marks & Ross MacIntyre
MONDAY NOVEMBER 23
Stout
Irish Pub
7:30
pm, Headscratchers trivia
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
6:30
pm, guitar and fiddle with Alana and Leigh Cline
Stout
Irish Pub
7:30
pm, Headscratchers trivia
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 25
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
6:30
pm, soprano Antonella Cavallaro
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 NOVEMBER 26
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
6:30
pm, a cappella by the SING! Singers
The
Irv
7pm,
Geoff Willingham
The
Local GEST
8
pm, Open Mic with Porter
Mill
St Brew Pub
7
pm, Tap That Cask - live acoustic music
Under
the Table
9
pm, Karaoke
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
6:15
pm, Twisted Sister with Dee Snider and Taylor Dayne. 6:30 pm Friday night jazz
with the (Un)Forgettable Trio
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
Stirling
Room
Theatrical
Friday with resident DJ Rod Bravo, reserve on the guest list. $20
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 28
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
6:30
pm, jazz singer-songwriter Barbra Lica, $5 general admission
Soulpepper
Cabaret Series
8:30
pm, Gabi Epstein with Kevin Wong, Brendan Wall and Jenni Burke, “Girl to Funny
Girl, a year-end gabaret.” $20
Stirling
Room
Stirling
Saturday. Reserve on the guest
list. $20
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 29
The
Distillery’s Christmas Market
6:30
pm, Euba tuba quartet, $5 general admission
Alice’s
Place
4
pm, Karaoke with Vee
Local
GEST
4:30
pm, Sunday afternoon jazz with the Chris Gale Trio
