May 30

This week’s image:  It's time to get outside - the House on Parliament’s patio at noon.


CABBAGETOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD 
REVIEW

OPEN HOUSE ANNOUNCEMENTS 
It’s like a Spring-time tour of homes.  Six open houses happen this week on Saturday and Sunday - five in Cabbagetown on Amelia, Metcalfe, Sackville, Sword and Wellesley and another one on Linden at Bloor and Sherbourne.  Click here to read these announcements.  

CABBAGETOWN PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION
Photo: Gilles Huot is the CPA co-Chair and he often leads the various CPA walks.
This remarkable group organizes many of the events and programs that create a unique Cabbagetown community - the Tour of Homes, the garden tour, walking tours through the neighbourhood, periodic talks about local issues, a widely-read Newsletter, a website and a Facebook page.  They give out annual awards for home restoration and renovations, for beautiful gardens and for civic leadership.  
Cabbagetown People is a major project for the Association - the collection of biographies and blue oval plaques that celebrate the lives of outstanding Cabbagetown residents.  It informs residents, tourists and school groups about these people and their contributions.
Check out the CPA’s new website and Facebook page and the Cabbagetown People website.  

Nominate a garden
The deadline for nominations is Friday May 31.  
The CPA runs an annual contest called Streetscapes in Bloom.  Gardens are nominated for the award and over the summer, judges visit them periodically to see how they’re blooming and being tended.  The winner is announced in November and receives a glass medallion and a water colour portrait of the garden by Rosie Shepherd.  
Nominate one of your favourite gardens, including your own.  Contact cpa@cabbagetownpa.ca  

Tour the Necropolis
The CPA together with Heritage Toronto will hold five walks through the Necropolis (one of them in French). These walks will visit the graves of unsung heroes, quiet men and women who haven’t dominated the history books but did have remarkable lives. The meeting place is at the gate to the cemetery at 200 Winchester.  The first walk is Thursday May 30 at 6:30 pm.  The French version is on Sunday June 30 at 1:30 pm.  

2019 Peggy Kurtin awards
2018-2019 was a banner period for restorations and renovations.  Three homes were given the awards at the CPA’s annual meeting.  CPA Board member Steve Yeates made the presentations.

12-14 Sackville Place was honoured for Excellence in Restoration.  Congrats to the owners - Monica Kuhn and David Shepherd.

443 Sackville - facade improvements.  Congrats to Celia Fankhauser.

469 Sackville - facade improvements.  Congrats to Danli Yuan and Kevin Freeman (together with their proud daughter, Kenna.)

Special awards to Toronto Community Housing
TCHC has renovated four homes west of Parliament.  In keeping with the standards of a heritage conservation district, TCHC devoted considerable attention to the facades as well as the homes’ interiors.  39 Rose, 43-45 Rose, 26 Aberdeen and 230-232 Carlton.  Catarina Pires received this special Peggy Kurtin Award on behalf of TCHC. 

Be a CPA volunteer
Your help is always welcome at these CPA events.  Volunteers are needed for the 2019 Tour of Homes - spend the afternoon on Sunday September 15 as a volunteer in one of the homes. 
You can also help with the distribution of the semi-annual Newsletter.  Your route will take about an hour-an-a-half to complete.  
For both volunteer roles, contact cpa@cabbagetownpa.ca 

LOCAL NEWS

Water on Toronto Island
Photo:  John McLeod
John McLeod has sent more pictures taken on Wednesday of water levels on Toronto Island.  He says that he’s never seen so many sandbags.  Lake levels are now at or above historic levels and more is coming from the upper lakes.  Much of the flooding is a result of higher lake water levels which in turn increase the Island’s water table.  Of course, high waves and heavy rains add more to it.

Building permit hassles
The Cabbagetown South Residents Association has noted that a number of its members have difficulty closing building permits following renovations on their homes.  Apparently, building inspectors from the City of Toronto have treated them badly with difficult and unprofessional demands.  If this is your complaint, tell your story to the Association.  info@cabbagetownsouth.ca 

Winchester Park updates
The Winchester Park Residents Association has suggested that a small park area between Fieldstone Co-op and Hugh Garner Co-op be renamed.  It’s been part of the larger Winchester Park even though they’re separate areas.  That’s created difficulties with emergency services who arrive at the big park and are delayed in their responses in the small area.  After circulating a neighbourhood survey and with the help of Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, the Association is recommending Bleecker Parkette. 
The City of Toronto is installing two flashing school zone signs along Rose Avenue following requests by neighbours.  They’re concerned about speeding, heavy traffic and running the stop signs.  

Golf day for the CYC
It happens next week - don’t miss out.  The Irv (195 Carlton) is organizing a golf day fundraiser for the Cabbagetown Youth Centre (2 Lancaster).  Get your friends together and sign up now.  Your donation of $160 will pay for 18-holes, a cart, prizes, contests and an auction plus a tax receipt. 
Local business can help out.  Add your gift for the list of prizes and auction goodies.  Your donation will increase the fundraiser’s impact and add to your store’s profile. 
It’s happening at the Royal Woodbine course on Wednesday June 5.
Email jacklyne@theirvpub.ca or call The Irv at (647) 350-4787.

Annual clothing drive
Liora Tal-Bloch and Daniel Bloch held their 6th annual clothing drive in early May.  They collected over 150 bags of gently used clothing and household goods from Cabbagetown homes for the Oasis Addiction Recovery Service.  The clothing is either given to Oasis’ clients or sold to help fund Oasis’ programs.  
It’s a lot of work and they do it enthusiastically every year.  Many thanks and congrats to Liora and Daniel.  

Local farmers’ markets

The Cabbagetown Farmers’ Market starts on Tuesday June 4 from 3 to 7 pm in Riverdale Park West (Winchester and Sumach).  Open every Tuesday afternoon. This year, the Market is being organized by the Riverdale Farm Stewardship Group.  Profits go to the Farm’s capital projects and its food education programs.
The regular vendors are returning and new ones are signing up.  By the peak of the season, the Market hopes to offer up to 20 vendors.

The Underpass Park Farmers’ Market in Corktown is now open for the season on Thursdays from 3 to 7 pm in Underpass Park, 29 Lower River Street.  There’ll be activities for kids, a free yoga class with the Yoga Sanctuary from 5:30 pm and live music. Every week on Thursday afternoon.

Mill Street Brew Pub - June 8th from 11am to 3 pm for the return of the Organic & All Natural Farmers Market. Located on the Pub’s patio,  there’ll be a variety of local organic and all natural vendors, beer sampling, live music and more. 

Summer intensive programs
Photo:  Cylla von Tiedemann
The School of Toronto Dance offers two summer courses for young dancers. These programs teach unrivalled technical training for motivated dancers.  The modern/contemporary program for aspiring professional dancers (ages 16+) runs for two weeks from July 1 to 12.  The teen intensive program (ages 12 to 16) is one week long from July 22 to 26.  For details and registration, go to the School’s website.  

2019 Dora nominations
Photo:  Rose by Cylla von Tiedemann
Soulpepper has received 25 nominations in the 2019 Dora awards.  Eleven are in the musical theatre category and all of them are for its production Rose.  Fourteen more are in the general theatre category and they’re divided among five productions - Orlando, Royale, The Virgin Trial, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Wedding at Aulis.  The awards will be given out on June 25.

Riverdale Farm at blogTO
Deepa Prashad has produced a very lighthearted look at Riverdale Farm.  It’s a video posted on blogTO.  Fun stuff - click here to see it. 

Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum Historical Tidbit
Photo:  Meyer Michalson & Esther, Queen Street store, 1907, Ontario Jewish Archives
by Sally Gibson    
Old Cabbagetown was largely British but it was also home to other ethnic groups including a Jewish population that moved northward from Queen Street. Small, Jewish-owned businesses dotted Parliament Street. Jewish residents worshipped at the Berkeley Synagogue near Richmond and sent their children to local schools, like Park and Lord Dufferin.  Schools became mini-United Nations where different groups mixed and sometimes mixed it up.
Meyer Michalson had a flourishing dry goods store at 360 Queen Street East near Parliament. This 1907 photograph shows Michalson at the Queen Street store snuggling his young daughter, Esther, surrounded by cups and kettles, pots, pitchers and enamelware that might have been manufactured locally in the Sheet Metal Products plant at Gerrard and River.  By 1914, Michalson had moved his bargain store to the southwest corner of Parliament and Dundas.

COMING EVENTS
Listed by starting dates

Seaton Street Block Party 
Saturday June 1.  Seaton Street will be blocked off from Shuter to Dundas to make way for garage sales starting at 8 am. From 11 am to 2 pm, there’ll be an Art Station, a Giant Jenga Championships and Italian Soccer. Also planned is a historic tour of the neighbourhood.  A giant Potluck happens from 2 pm in the pedestrian laneway between 95 and 97 Seaton Street on the east side. Look for the paper lanterns overhead. Everyone is invited. We'll supply the tables. You supply food, beverages, cutlery and a chair.

Allan Gardens events
Toronto Cactus & Succulents Club annual show and sale. Saturday June 1, 11 am to 4 pm and Sunday June 2, 10 am to 3 pm.  Allan Gardens Conservatory (19 Horticultural Ave, Carlton & Sherbourne).  
Houseplants, Our Constant Garden - with Tena van Andel.  She’ll describe the ways that houseplants add to our lives and ways to select and care for appropriate ones. Wednesday June 5, 7 to 8:30 pm. Allan Gardens Children’s Conservatory (19 Horticultural Ave, Carlton & Sherbourne).

Family Yoga
The Distillery and OMT.O. present a weekly yoga series for the family through the summer.  Two 40-minute outdoor classes will be held every Sunday at 11 am.  Kids 7 to 12 welcome.   Bring your own mat.  Free. 55 Mill Street.

Summer Music Series
The Distillery presents free concerts every Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 6 pm through the summer. On the Trinity stage.

SING!
Sing, Toronto’s vocal arts festival celebrating the best a cappella music,  continues to June 2.  Workshops and free outdoor concerts happen in the Distillery and Little Trinity Church. 
For a complete schedule of all the events and for tickets online, click here

History ride and talk
Toronto Cyclists will ride along the Don River from Corktown Commons (155 Bayview) to Taylor Creek Park and back again.  Gathering after the ride at C’est What Pub (67 Front).  Sunday June 9, 1 pm ride and 3 pm at the pub.  Free.  Register at Eventrite.  

Cabbagetown Residents’ annual meeting
The Cabbagetown Residents Association will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday June 12 at 7 pm in Stout Irish Pub (221 Carlton).  Each member will get a drink ticket.  You’ll have a chance to catch up on the “state of the neighbourhood”, then elect a new Board of Directors and ask questions about the Association’s work.

IN THE MEDIA

Federal grant to Egale
Photo:  Tijana Martin, Globe & Mail
Egale is building a project at Pembroke and Dundas for LGBTQ youth to offer them a shelter and transitional housing. The federal government has given them a $4.3 million grant toward its completion, the largest amount ever given by the federal government to an LGBTQ project. Molly Hayes has written a story about Egale’s work in the Globe & Mail - click here to read it.  

KIDS’ STUFF

Fay and Fluffy at the Children’s Book Bank
Fay and Fluffy are back at the Children’s Book Bank (350 Berkeley) for a story time in honour of Pride Month.  10:45 to 11:30 am, Sunday June 8.  

Summer Arts 2019 at CCDT   
July 29 – August 2.  Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (509 Parliament).  
This week-long program offers full or half day sessions for 5 to 8-year-olds and half-day sessions for 4-year olds. Both groups experience Creative Movement, Music Making and Visual Arts in the morning. Full-day students then enjoy creative story time labs and Musical Theatre in the afternoon. Summer Arts encourages children's natural joy in movement and imaginative play. The youngest are introduced to elementary techniques and the more advanced refine their skills and expressive qualities. For more info, fees and registration, click here.  

BUSINESS NEWS

Watch for it
St James Town Steak & Chops (516 Parliament) is going online soon.  Shop online and enjoy next day delivery.  Watch Mark’s website for details.   

Canadian Furniture Made Your Way
For over twenty years, Kendall & Co (514 Parliament) has been delivering quality Canadian-made upholstered furniture to countless happy customers.  Find their latest designs with custom details on two floors in their Cabbagetown shop. In addition, their extensive resource of fabrics, trims and stainguarding options means you never have to compromise on style. Reupholstery also available - restore your old furniture with a new look.  Store hours: Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 am to 6 pm, Thursday and Friday from 10 am to 7 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm, Sunday from noon to 5 pm. https://www.instagram.com/kendallandco

Cabbagetown BIA passport project
The BIA is pleased with the responses to its recent passport contest.  Over 100 completed forms were submitted.  Prizes worth $1000 were available.  Eight winners were drawn from these entries on May 17.
There are still some winners who haven’t answered the first notifications.  A second reminder is going out tomorrow and you’re asked to double check your emails.

Distillery Sunday Market
Every Sunday until October, noon to 5 pm.  Shop with vendors who offer locally made artisan goods and artwork including specialty foods, flowers and pet supplies.    While this is going on, check out the flower market as well.

RESTAURANT NEWS

Your comments - Maison Selby
Cheryl, Andrew, Richard and Christopher spent an idle afternoon at the new Maison Selby (592 Sherbourne) and then enjoyed dinner there as well. “Amazing” and “excellent”. 

Welcome Super Bargain
Photo:  Hector Vasquez, blogTO
Cabbagetown’s new bar, Super Bargain (441 Parliament), has just received a super write-up in blogTO - “low key”, “sweet little spot”.  Lots of good drinks and fun decor.
Check it out here.   

Bollywood, brunch & beers
Hosted by Bollywood star Sanchit Mathur.  Each week, there’s a 1.5 hour class followed by brunch and classic Mill Street beers. Saturdays, 10 to 11:30 am.  Tickets are $20 - click here.  Mill Street Beer Hall (21 Tank House Lane, Distillery). 

Community camp-out
Dominion (500 Queen E), on the patio from 7 pm, live music, sampling, s’mores.

Cyril’s soup
Saturday’s soup is Nothing But Butternut plus a bit of sage and maple syrup.  $8.
Order deadline is 7 pm on Friday.  He delivers his soups in Cabbagetown. He’s accepting payments by e-transfers and cash. Email him at abeautifulbowl@gmail.com

MAY THEATRE & DANCE PRODUCTIONS
Listed by starting dates.

The Brothers Size
Soulpepper (50 Tank House Lane)
On stage to Saturday June 1
Website and tickets here.  (416) 866-8666

August: Osage County
Soulpepper (50 Tank House Lane)
On stage to Wednesday June 19
Website and tickets here.  (416) 866-8666

Against Nature
Citadel + Compagnie
Ross Centre for Dance (304 Parliament)
On stage to Saturday June 1
Website and tickets here. (416) 364-8011

Marienbad
Toronto Dance Theatre
Winchester Theatre (80 Winchester)
On stage to Saturday June 1
Website and tickets here.  (416) 967-1365

by heart
Canadian Stage Berkeley Street Theatre (26 Berkeley)
On stage to Sunday June 2
Website and tickets here.  (416) 368-3110

CLUBS & PUBS – DAILY LISTINGS

THURSDAY MAY 30 TO SUNDAY JUNE 9

For contact info about these clubs and restaurants, see the list at the bottom of this page.  
If there's a cover charge or tickets are sold, the prices are listed.

THURSDAY MAY 30

Alice’s Place
9 pm, Comedy night with Dave Burke and Danish Anwar
New Town
Oki Doki Karaoke
Social Smiths
7:30 pm, Cabbagetown Comedy night

FRIDAY MAY 31

Alice’s Place
10 pm, Karaoke
New Town
Oki Doki Karaoke 

SATURDAY JUNE 1

Dominion
8:30 pm, Andrew Fetterley
Mill St Brew Pub
10 am - Bollywood, Brunch & Beers

SUNDAY JUNE 2

Alice’s Place
9 pm, Karaoke

MONDAY JUNE 3

Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Headscratchers Trivia

TUESDAY JUNE 4

Stout Irish Pub
7:30 pm, Headscratchers Trivia

WEDNESDAY JUNE 5

Alice’s Place
9 pm, Karaoke
The Tilted Dog
7:30 pm, Smart Ass Trivia with Porter

THURSDAY JUNE 6

Dominion
7 pm, Community camp-out with live music, sampling, s’mores on the patio.
8 pm, Dad the Singer
Mill Street Brew Pub
5 pm, Live music
New Town
Oki Doki Karaoke
Tilted Dog
8 pm, live music with Jeff Barnes and Noah Zacharin.

FRIDAY JUNE 7

Alice’s Place
10 pm, Karaoke 
New Town
Oki Doki Karaoke

SATURDAY JUNE 8

Dominion
8:30 pm, Dad the Singer
Mill St Brew Pub
10 am - Bollywood, Brunch & Beers

SUNDAY JUNE 9

Alice’s Place
9 pm, Karaoke

CONTACT INFO

ALICE'S PLACE
554 Parliament St, (647) 931-9088, 
ARVO
17 Gristmill Lane, Distillery,  (647) 352-2766
CORKTOWN KITCHEN
354 King St E, (46) 901-1188
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, 
HENRIETTA LANE 
394 King E
HOUSE ON PARLIAMENT
454 Parliament St, (416) 925-4074, 
IMPACT KITCHEN
573 King St E, (416) 306-1986, 
THE IRV
95 Carlton Street, (647) 350-4787, 
JOHNNY G’s
478 Parliament St, (416) 928-1358
THE LOCAL GEST
See below - The Tilted Dog
MILL STREET BEER HALL
21 Tank House Ln, Distillery, (416) 681-0338, 
MILL STREET BREW PUB
21 Tank House Ln, Distillery, 
NEW TOWN
413 Parliament Street
ODIN
514 King E, (647) 350-6346,
PAINTBOX BISTRO
555 Dundas St E, (647) 748-0555
PHO PAS
480 Parliament, (416) 922-0769
QUINCY AFROKITCHEN & BAR
326 Parliament, (647) 989-9127, 
SOCIAL SMITHS
574&1/2 Parliament
SOULPEPPER
Young Centre, 50 Tank House Lane, Distillery, (416) 866-8666,
STOUT IRISH PUB
221 Carlton St, (647) 344-7676,
THE TILTED DOG
(Formerly The Local GEST)
424 Parliament. (416) 961-9425