Category: In the ‘Hood

So Much To Do On Sunday…

Sunday is Father’s Day, so of course, you should be celebrating Dad.  But you don’t have to stay home with Pops… take Dad with you to one of these cool events happening in town:

Leslieville Farmers’ Market: It’s getting bigger and better every week.  Stop by for some fresh local goodness in the morning, and then take it home for an afternoon BBQ with Dad.

The MP3 Experiment: NY-based hipster collective Improv Everywhere is in town for Luminato, and they’re staging one of their MP3 Experiments on Sunday afternoon.  Of course, Improv Everywhere’s “missions” (as they call them) depend on lots of public participation, so get out there and play along.  Full information and instructions are on the Luminato event page.

Deli-Duel 2 at the Wychwood Barns: I went to this last year, and it was amazing.  All Dads like smoked meat and beer, right?  Especially when it’s for a good cause. Sounds like a perfect plan for lunch.

Have a great weekend!

A Lovely Weekend in Leslieville

I had a great time this past weekend.  Nothing super special happened – I just enjoyed being at home and in my neighbourhood.

On Saturday I ran errands in the ‘hood, including picking up some exterior paint at Pro Glow.  Then I popped into The Purple Purl to get supplies for my next knitting project.  Co-owner Jenn spent lots of time with me, helping me choose just the right yarn, and then some of the lovely gals hanging out there helped me to wind the wool.  Every time I go to the Purple Purl, it feels like I’m catching up with friends, even though I technically don’t really know them.

On Sunday morning, Ian, Little C, our friend Hilary and I walked over to the inaugural Leslieville Farmers Market.  We popped in to Red Rocket on the way for coffees, and we weren’t the only ones with that idea.  The place was hopping with Leslievillers picking up some java on their way to the market.  That afternoon I painted the front stairs of my house with the paint I picked up on Saturday.  While outside, I caught up with my neighbours two doors down.  I love knowing who I share the street with.  So many friendly faces.

On Sunday evening we had a BBQ on the back deck with friends and finished the evening off with an apple cinnamon pie from the Canadian Pie Company that I picked up at the Farmers Market that morning.  It was amazing.  I wish I had purchased an extra pie – now I know for next time.

That was it… just a typical weekend in Leslieville.  Like I said, nothing special.  But it’s a perfect example of why I love living here.  I can get just about anything I need within walking distance, I know most of the local shop owners by name, and I get along with the people on my street.  I know it’s corny, but I feel such a great sense of community in this neighbourhood, and I’m really happy to be here.

[photo of Leslieville Farmers Market taken with the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone]

Leslieville Farmers’ Market

The new Leslieville Farmers’ Market starts this Sunday in Jonathan Ashbridge Park.  Vendors include Hooked, Sausage Partners, Merchants of Green Coffee, Beretta Organic Farms, LPK’s Culinary Groove, Bee’s Universe, Chocosol, The Canadian Pie Company, Wild Foods, Le Papillon on the Park restaurant, Monforte Cheese, and a bunch of organic/sustainable farmers.

Sounds amazing, huh?  I’ll be there on Sunday for sure.  Visit the website for more information.

Looking Ahead to Saturday: Yard Sales!

This Saturday, May 28, is “Yard Sale for the Cure” day.  Which means there will probably be a few yard sales happening near you, with proceeds going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.  Some yard sales have registered their location on the CBCF website, so you can check to see what’s in your ‘hood.

I’ll be out in Leslieville on Saturday morning, looking for some good deals.  And it’s not too late to plan your own yard sale for Saturday – just sign up online.

The Jones Library is my Magazine Stand

Public libraries are such a good idea. I know that sounds simplistic and kind of obvious, but think about it. If libraries (and the infrastructure for them) didn’t already exist, it would be nearly impossible to start up today, don’t you think?

Anyway, on to the point of the post. We have some really good public library branches in Toronto (S. Walter Stewart is my personal fave), and some that are just so-so. I used to think the Jones library (my local branch) wasn’t anything special, since it’s so small.

At first I would just go there to pick up my holds, and then leave. But then I noticed the magazine section at the Jones library. It’s as well stocked as a Chapters store. You can get the current issue of many titles, and you can actually check them out. I currently have the latest issue of Style At Home, and Ian has the latest Popular Mechanics. You can get House and Home, Toronto Life, Oprah, Real Simple, National Geographic, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, GQ… The list goes on and on.

The Jones library has become my personal magazine stand. I know I’m spoiling the secret by sharing it. So go have a look, but don’t take out too many issues, or I’ll have to fight you for them.

The Leslieviller

You regular readers will know how much I love my neighbourhood.  So recently I decided to share the love, and post some of my Leslieville-related blog posts from Stuff Avery Likes on the community forum/website “The Leslieviller”.  Any time I write about the ‘hood on this blog, it will also appear over there.

The Leslieviller is great – it’s where I find all the latest news about what’s going on around me.  I particularly enjoy the insider scoop on the Queen Street East retail developments.  Check out this thread detailing all the new businesses opening soon (go all the way to the end for the latest news).

And while you’re on the site, also read this post about a new Farmer’s Market coming to Jonathan Ashbridge Park every Sunday this summer.  Sounds awesome, huh?

Fresh Farm Produce = Yummy

I just renewed our summer share for the CSA program from Kawartha Ecological Growers.  What’s a summer share and a CSA, you ask?

“Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a socio-economic model of agriculture and food distribution; a system that connects people craving farm fresh local produce directly to the farmers growing their food.  A CSA consists of a community of folks who commit to supporting a farm before the growing season begins, in return for a regular dose of seasonal produce throughout.  In this way, the farm becomes the community’s farm and the consumers become co-producers of the food, with the growers and eaters supporting one another while sharing in all the risks and benefits of food production. It’s the ultimate model in local eating!”

Great idea, huh?  We get our share from Kawartha Ecological Growers – a group of about 20 small farms West of the Kawartha Lakes.  They have different pickup locations around the city, and we get ours every Tuesday at the Ceili Cottage (conveniently located at the end of our street). Fresh produce directly from the farm, all summer long = bliss.

Want to know more, or sign yourself up?  Check out Kawartha Ecological Growers’ website.  And yes, full disclosure, I designed the site.  But that’s not why I endorse them – I honestly really love this organization, and the CSA model.

Shinzi Katoh Poster

This past weekend, Jenny and I walked over to one of our favourite neighbourhood shops, Telegramme Prints, to pick out a cool poster for the tadpole’s room.  We picked the Zoo print by Japanese artist Shinzi Katoh. That image up there is really small, and you can’t read the text (which is my favourite part).  I’ll take a better picture of the print in the nursery once I frame and hang it this week.

Telegramme has a few different posters by Katoh – have a look here.

PS – I’m 35.5 weeks pregnant… the baby’s arrival is just a few weeks away!  So excited.

In the ‘Hood: Florabunda

Like most people, I love having fresh flowers around the house.  Makes everything seem brighter and prettier – which is essential on these grey February days.

So I like to treat myself to a walk down Queen Street to Florabunda every once and a while – they have great flowers at amazing prices.  Seriously amazing prices.  Like 5 bucks for a small bouquet.  The owner is almost always behind the till, and he is really friendly and helpful.

I’m gonna head over in the next few days to see if he has some tulips – they’re my favourite flower.  Simple, elegant, and wildly colourful.  Perfect.

[reminder – everything on Stuff Avery Likes is completely unsolicited and editorially neutral.  That means I write about what I want, and I don’t get paid for it.  Even though this blog post reads like an endorsement, it’s not really.  I honestly just really like this flower shop.]

In the ‘Hood: Bobette & Belle

A new cake/treat/coffee shop has opened a few blocks from me – Bobette & Belle.  This is their first retail store, but they’ve been around for a while… turns out the owners (cake decorator Allyson Meredith Bobbitt and former Canoe pastry chef and Soma chocolatier Sarah Bell) are quite celebrated in the wedding industry for their spectacular cakes and beautiful treats and macaroons.

Pop in to their gorgeous shop for a cup of Balzac’s coffee, sit on a comfy sofa, and enjoy a sandwich, tart or scone (with clotted cream – yum).  A perfect way to spend a winter afternoon.

[image from the Eye Weekly writeup of Bobette & Belle]