unsolicited opinions on random things
Yep, I’m still dreaming of travel to San Francisco. Check out this rental I found on AirBnB for Muir Beach, just outside San Fran. That’s the view from the bedroom. (!!!) And yes, you can walk down to the beach.
There are two apartments in the house – a one-bedroom suite downstairs, and a 3-bedroom suite upstairs. Dreamy, huh?
I’m a pretty big fan of the local food movement. It just makes sense. Especially here in southern Ontario, where we have so much fantastic produce, meat and dairy grown and raised nearby. I love chatting with the farmers at our local market, and getting to know more about them and the food they bring.
Last week, when Ian was picking up our share from the CSA program we’re members of, he grabbed a flyer for “Field Trips”. Field Trips are “local food adventures” to a variety of farms just outside Toronto. Round-trip transportation from downtown Toronto is included, as is a local lunch prepared from farm-fresh food. They have a number of adventures planned all season long, including trips to produce farms, dairy farms, organic wineries, apple orchards, meat and poultry farms, and co-operative farms.
This is such a cool idea. Get out of town and meet the people who grow your food!
Visit the website for more information about Field Trips.
Aren’t these photographs by Toronto artist Barbara Cole amazing? They remind me of one of my all-time favourite photos. Seems I have a thing for underwater shots.
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!
Kinnon has been working on a rad series of illustrations titled Toronto’s My Home… And I’ll Be Here All Weekend Long. You can order 11 x 17″ prints from her for $45 each. That’s an insane deal for some great-looking original art. I’d love to frame and hang them gallery-style along my upstairs hallway.
Have you signed up for Groupon Getaways yet? The service hasn’t launched, but you can join, so you’ll get the deals when they do launch. Groupon Getaways is a partnership between Groupon and Expedia, and will feature special travel deals, often at 50% off or more. For more info, read an article about Groupon Getaways on Budget Travel’s blog.
Last week, Little C and I were hanging at my sister’s apartment near Bloor and Spadina. We all went for a walk to Greg’s Ice Cream for a scoop. I ordered something chocolatey, playing it safe like I usually do. My sister ordered cinnamon-flavoured ice cream. I thought she was nuts, until I had a bite. Yummmmmmmy. So rich and creamy and cinnamon-y.
I’ve heard that Ed’s Real Scoop in Leslieville also does a mean cinnamon ice cream. I think I’m going to have to walk over and try it.
Have you had an unusual ice cream flavour that turned out to be delicious?
[photo from SimplyRecipes.com, where you can find a recipe to make your own cinnamon ice cream]
I’m sure you’ve heard of The Highline in New York (a public park built on a 1.45-mile-long elevated rail structure on Manhattan’s West Side). Phase 2 has recently opened, and the artists FriendsWithYou have provided an art installation called Rainbow City underneath the new section of The Highline.
“This happy city is made up of intensely colored balloon pieces, encouraging visitors to be active and explore the giant 16,000 square foot playground. Built for adults and children alike, the installation allows for interaction with each art object, making the experience unforgettable.”
If it looks a little familiar, that’s because the piece was originally commissioned for Luminato in Toronto – proof that we’re just as cool as New York. Sometimes.
[images via CoolHunting]
Hasn’t the weather been so dramatic in the last few days? I love summer storms.
[photos from the blogTO flickr group: top image by eddiejdf, middle image by funkaoshi, bottom image by Phil Babcock]
