What’s Up in the Tree?
What’s that up in the tree? It’s furry and white. Is it a squirrel? An opossum? No, it’s not. It’s one of Toronto’s nocturnal tormentors and summer wise guys.
Latest Entries
VIRTUALLY IGNITE THE LONGEST DARKEST NIGHT
This year the annual Kensington Market Winter Solstice Parade will be live streamed from Red Pepper Spectacle Arts’ studio space. The virtual broadcast will launch on Monday December 21, 2020, from 7:00 pm. to 10:00 pm. Continue reading
Ignite the Longest Darkest Night: 2019 Solstice Festival
Kensington Market Winter Solstice Parade is a unique hand-made, non-profit, commercial-free event that takes place on Saturday December 21, 2019. It’s a great way to kick off the holiday season.
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When Teachers Go the Extra Mile
The Pimicikamak Cree First Nation in Cross Lake, Manitoba declared a state of emergency in March 2016 because of the suicide of six young people within three months, and the 150 students they had on suicide watch. This story is about some Toronto teachers who responded with action, and what came of it. Continue reading
I know why the chicken crossed the road …
Along with a long list of accomplishments as a Toronto City Councillor, Joe Mihevc also introduced the backyard chicken bylaw where residents could keep up to four chickens in their yard. Here’s how it’s working at his home, especially breakfast-wise. Continue reading
Salsa on St. Clair: the city and citizens can do great things together
“Let’s shut down the street,” was John Montesano’s rallying cry, 15 years ago, about St. Clair West – and a great Toronto street festival was born. Continue reading
Bilton Laneway Revisited
We first encountered and wrote about this tiny strip of public space three years ago and we’ve been following its transformation ever since. It is a casual and informal spot conceived and initiated by Suzanne Long, a tenant whose apartment overlooks the laneway. It is now well on its way to becoming a true community garden. Continue reading
On Being a Raptors Fan
A city often divided between the urban centre and the GTA feels cohesive. People in the gym. And outside the gym. The diversity of Toronto reflected in the arena, in the bars, in Jurassic Park. The Raptors bringing Toronto together. Continue reading
Saving Toronto’s Midtown
The Midtown in Focus plan, unanimously passed by Toronto City Council in 2018, has been languishing, ignored, on Minister Steve Clark’s desk for six months. The Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood is bursting at the seams and if the plan is not approved by June 6 the community will be beyond a breaking point. Continue reading
Here today…
The instant ice and snow recede, the wheels and chalk come out and sidewalks in every neighbourhood bloom with the first pastel colours of spring. Continue reading
Emma Nishimura: young artist living the dream
When we first met Emma Nishimura she was a young upcoming artist whose work we described as “wonderfully detailed and meticulously executed.” She told us that she planned “an artistic future full of art-making, exhibiting and teaching.” We are delighted to report that this future has come to pass. Continue reading
Bacchanal: food, film and Fellini
The Joseph D. Carrier Gallery at the Columbus Centre is currently hosting a unique opportunity to view “Food in Federico Fellini’s Drawings”. The exhibit provides a true feast for film, food and Fellini fanciers. Continue reading
How the Mighty Have Fallen: the demise of our tree
It seemed in the end as if the tree itself declined our efforts to save it. During the windstorm on June 13, 2018 the one remaining large top limb of the old Norway maple in front of our house fell. Continue reading
The Mighty Canvasser
When you hear that knock at the door or dig out that piece of political literature from your mailbox, think of the effort the volunteer canvasser makes to engage you in the greatest expression of a democratic state – the vote. Continue reading
Saved!!!
Windstorm-damaged tree gets a reprieve! We are still happily shaded with a view of tree branches from our bed. Continue reading
Negative Windfall
Sometimes, watching the wind whip the limbs around our century-old Norway maple, the thought did occur to me that someday this tree is going to kill me as I lay in bed. That didn’t happen, but the latest windstorm did take down half of the tree. Continue reading
A Horlicks Saga
In search of the iconic malt drink that shaped my childhood taste buds in Wisconsin, I was surprised where my quest led me in Toronto’s multicultural abundance. Continue reading
The Joy of Hags Singing!
Kensington Market’s annual Winter Solstice Festival features a Befana chorus. La Befana, as described by Mary Li is hopelessly in love with the sun and sings time-honoured love songs to it, with the confidence of a lover that knows the sun loves her, and only her. Continue reading
Build It and They Will Come
The renovated building on St. Clair West is bringing new life to a tired corner. A co-working space, a café and the offices of an award-winning architecture firm will create a fresh community hub. Continue reading
Staying Alive: Toronto’s Columbus Centre members fight to save it from its own board of directors
Toronto’s Columbus Centre, considered to be the heart and soul of the Italian community in the city, is besieged by its own board. Forced by the city to hold a public meeting, Villa Charities Inc., finally revealed its highly unpopular plans for the centre.
Tantalizing Possibilities: Expo for Design Innovation & Technology
EDIT is a design and technology exposition with big aspirations to change the world. Installed recently for a week in a huge derelict soap factory the intention was to inspire, connect, demonstrate, and share solutions to global problems. Continue reading
A Ballerina’s Life
Yolande Auger danced with the National Ballet of Canada when it rose to international acclaim in the 70s and 80s. Although she retired from the profession years ago, she’s still dancing. Continue reading
Intimations of Grapeness
Ontario grapes are in season now and once again, as every year, I make my grandma’s jelly with local grapes. It’s a simple recipe. Continue reading
Toronto’s Urban Forest
Our ravines and parks provide wonderful recreation places for city-dwellers while at the same time cleaning our atmosphere and combatting global warming. A historical, geographical and a literary appreciation. Continue reading
On Lake Superior, listening for Rebecca Belmore
Belmore is an award-winning Canadian artist and member of the Lac Seul First Nation who has a new installation at Pukaskwa National Park in northern Ontario. Here, she invites visitors to ‘listen to the land’. Continue reading
On Being and Emptiness or There’s a Recipe in Here Somewhere
Of food photos, bok choy kimchi, the Japanese filmmaker Ozu, Count Basie and, oh yeah, a couple of recipes. Continue reading
Picnic revolution comes to the beach
What to do when you’re enjoying a perfect beach day but hunger pangs threaten to end the idyll? There’s an app for that! Continue reading
United Neighbours: a Toronto community welcomes a Syrian refugee family
Galvanized by the image of a lifeless toddler washed ashore on a Turkish beach, a group organized themselves and sponsored a refugee family of seven. Their story is all about successful community building. Continue reading
York University: from brutalism to beauty
From its origins as a suburban, brutalist response to the need for more universities in Toronto and Canada, York University has transformed into a vibrant, lively campus of beautiful new buildings and world class academic programs. Continue reading
Farm to Table in 12 hours
A first-hand account by a 12-year-old of his initial foray into turkey hunting with a bow and arrow. Then he helps clean the bird, cooks it and enjoys the meal. Not squeamish, he’s a thoughtful pragmatist who doesn’t shy away from the truth about carnivore food sources. Continue reading
Lake swimmers update
Record rainfalls and high water levels have transformed our shoreline. We went beach prospecting to see conditions for ourselves. Will Toronto still be a lake swimmers’ city? Continue reading
