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Things to do for Victoria Day

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Flat canadian victoria day illustration Free Vector

With sunny days ahead, and nicer weather coming up, May is the perfect time to get your daily dose of vitamin D. This Victoria Day take some time off and celebrate safely with friends and family. Here are a few ideas:

Take a hike or bike ride: Get in some exercise while the weather’s nice! Take a hike or a ride around your neighbourhood and enjoy the greenery at a nearby trail or park.

Have a picnic: Pack a lunch and a few snacks, and head to a nice outdoor area to enjoy a meal outside. May is prime time for picnics, as it may still be too cold for many insects to come out. Some nice places to have a picnic around Toronto are Ashbridges Bay, Trinity Bellwoods Park, and Bluffers Beach.

Have a backyard BBQ: It’s BBQ season! Have a personal cookout in your backyard. Depending on where you are, some cities might not be holding fireworks, but you may be able to do your own, depending on your local bylaws and guidelines.

Work on a personal garden: Now is a good time to develop your green thumb! If there are any home projects that you need to finish, consider getting some good work in on Victoria Day.

Help the community: Helping out others in the community is always time well-spent. Whether it’s volunteering at a soup kitchen, helping take care of the homeless, or bringing a meal to someone who is in need, it could be a good idea to devote some time on the weekend to help others.

Go for a drive: Depending on your local guidelines, you could take a leisurely drive out in the country and enjoy the scenery.

Camping for the weekend: I personally am not a big fan of the cold or black flies, so I would wait for warmer weather, but camping can be an option for you (again, if you can do so safely)! And if camping grounds are not open due to the lockdown, try pitching a tent in your backyard.

Virtual concerts: Enjoy some of your favourite artists by attending a virtual concert. Musicians such as Twenty One Pilots and Jason Mraz are hosting concerts near Victoria Day weekend. For more information about upcoming virtual concerts, click here.

Brunch on the patio: If you don’t want to go too far from home, you could always try and set up a nice lunch out on your patio or balcony, while enjoying the sun. If you are allowed to do so, visiting loved ones could also be an idea.

Have a safe and socially distanced Victoria Day!

 

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Things To Do During The Victoria Day Long Weekend

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BBQ: Now that the weather’s warming up slightly, it’s always nice to throw a BBQ with family and friends. Vicentina Meats is a great place to satisfy all of your meat needs, and if you’re in need of a new BBQ, you could always visit Dickson’s Home Hardware on Avenue road.

Bike Rides: It’s the perfect time of the year to get in some extra exercise! At Toronto Island, hop on a bike for a leisurely ride. It’s $9 per hour for a single bike, or $16 per hour if you want to double up.

Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays are in town, up against the Red Sox on Monday, May 20th—grab a pair of tickets if you’re around for the game.

Road Trip: If you’re up to it, take a road trip to Niagara Falls for some wine touring. For the kids, there’s Bird Kingdom, mini golf, and the Niagara Skywheel.

Museums: Visit and support your local museum on the weekend. Victoria Day Weekend at The Royal Ontario Museum includes Animal Explorers scavenger hunts for children 12 and under, and #FNLROM, featuring live music, food, dancing, and DJs.

Patio: Hit up a patio for some good grub and a good time. I particularly like Taylors Landing at Don Mills, because the service and food are excellent. Lavelle is perched on a huge rooftop complex with an excellent view of the CN Tower, and El Catrin is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Toronto.

Canada’s Wonderland: If you’re not afraid of heights, try out the new Yukon Striker aka the tallest dive roller coaster in the world! Be sure to stick around for the evening fireworks show.

Potluck Picnic: Spend this Victoria day weekend with all your friends! Sugar Beach Park is a great place along the Harbor Front to meet up and enjoy a delicious fun-filled afternoon.

Whatever your plans may be, I sincerely hope you and your family have a safe and restful long weekend!

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Who Doesn’t Like Brunch?

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We all have those lazy Sundays when we get up late, and look forward to having a hybrid meal that is not quite breakfast and not quite lunch. Here are some of my recommendations of some great places to go to in the GTA for a nice brunch. After all, you have to take a lazy, personal day, once in a while!

Aunties & Uncles – One of the best brunch places around! The restaurant is near College and Bathurst and serves up a perfect combination of breakfast and lunch items. Choose from your good o’ll’ pancakes to your basic sandwiches. It’s open from 9 am to 3 pm, and the restaurant only takes cash.

The Stockyards – Located on St Clair Avenue West, The Stockyards is a small, restaurant that specializes in smoked foods, but has a number of other awesome items on the menu. When it comes to brunch, they are known for their fried chicken and waffles as well as their smoked trout sandwich, biscuits and sausage. Of course, you shouldn’t rule out their amazing brisket as well.

Starving Artist – If you’re in the mood for something casual, one person at the office recommended Starving Artist. The whole menu is waffles (even the desserts), but you can get different kinds of waffles like benedict waffles or sandwich waffles. They have a great way of presenting the food, and it’s a fun place to go to!

Rose and Sons – Rose and Sons is a delicious deli place that has a tasty brunch menu, with things like the New York cheesecake pancakes, pastrami, and chopped steak and onion grilled cheese. This small restaurant is on Dupont Avenue and while a bit pricier than other delis, it’s well worth it.

Centre Street Deli – For those of you who can’t make it downtown, there’s a local deli in Thornhill that serves a variety of chicken and beef platters and sandwiches. Although they are known for their smoked meat sandwiches, their breakfast menu also includes eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, and omelettes. It’s an easygoing family-friendly location – perfect for something delicious and casual.

Rol San– If you like dim sum, this is the place to go! The restaurant is located on the east side of Spadina Avenue, two blocks north of Dundas, across from Kensington Market. If you swing by on a weekend, be prepared to wait for a little due to its popularity. The dim sum menu is expansive, but you also want to try some of their other dishes from the regular menu. Get a taste of some authentic Chinese food and consider visiting Rol San.

Steve’s Restaurant– Steve’s is a classic restaurant, and while the original location on Bathurst Street closed a couple of years ago, their second restaurant on Yonge Street, in Thornhill, is still very much up and running. Their famous all-day breakfast menu is to die for, with things like back bacon and eggs, New York steak and eggs, and a great club sandwich. They also serve up a mean omelette, with pancakes, crepes, and waffles to choose from.

Easy Restaurant– In Parkdale, on Queen Street West, you’ll find Easy Restaurant. They specialize in Mexican food and have an all-day breakfast menu with amazing omelettes. Choose from breakfast burritos, a breakfast quesadilla, or a guacamole BLT.

Maha’s– If you’re in the mood for something different, look no further than this popular restaurant which serves up Egyptian food. Try the Egyptian falafel, Maha’s award-winning lentil soup, or the Cairo classic. The service is friendly, the menu is unique, and I’d definitely recommend Maha’s if you’re looking for something other than bacon and eggs!

 

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Leela will show you a great night on the town!

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Recently, when my wife was out with a friend, they went to an Indian restaurant in The Junction area. When my wife returned home, she said she had a great meal and that it was a little different from most Indian restaurants she’d been to.

The place is called Leela Indian Food Bar and they describe their restaurant as “a journey of old Indian streets, with dhaba-style food”. The menu covers all regions of India but has some different and authentic Indian dishes.

My wife has been wanting to go back for a repeat visit, so this past weekend, we made a reservation and headed there for dinner.

The restaurant is a small, rustic, but modern place, with approximately 30 seats. It has an open kitchen so you’re able to see the entire cooking process. When we arrived, we were greeted right away warmly and seated at a table that was already set for us. We were quickly approached by the server, who was very pleasant and knowledgeable about the menu items. Unlike most servers who don’t make recommendations until you ask, he told us all of his favourites and recommended items according to our tastes.

Even though they prepare all of the dishes as they are ordered, the food arrived quickly. All of the dishes were hot, fresh and everything was really beautifully presented.

During the course of the meal, the server was extremely attentive and made sure our water glasses were always filled. We received the bill soon after we had asked for it, and the payment was taken promptly. As we were getting ready to leave the restaurant, we were thanked for coming, given multiple coupons for a return visit (good for any night of the week….no restrictions!) and headed out for a walk in the neighbourhood.

Whether it’s just a night on the town, a first date, or a family function, Leela has great food, a great atmosphere and is something a little different.

Leela
416-769-7777
http://www.leelaindian.ca

 

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Things to Do on Victoria Day Weekend

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It’s finally that time of year again! What are you planning to do this Victoria Day weekend? Don’t worry if you don’t have any plans yet, as we have some great ideas for you.

1. The long weekend is a great time to travel up north to take a step back from life’s busy moments. While it’s still too cold to go into the lake, it’s cold enough to avoid black fly season. Hit the road and travel to Sudbury or Sault Ste. Marie to visit national parks and a wonderful view.

2. Drive-In movies are always a magical experience! Places like 5 Drive-in and The Stardust Drive-In Theatre are a blast from the past. Cozy up in your car with some snacks and popcorn. No need to sit uncomfortably close with people you don’t know.

3. Fireworks are always a fantastic display and fun for the whole family. In our area, we always do a block barbecue, complete with a bbq and fireworks. It almost seems like the perfect way to announce the arrival of the warmer weather.

4. The Blue Jays are in town this year! Catch a baseball game on the long weekend. Games are on May 18th, 19th, and 20th. Baseball games are always a pleasure to watch and can be an inspiring and enchanting memory for kids. Baseball is not everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s still much fun and entertainment to be had at games.

5. It’s the perfect weather to take a leisurely bike ride in a park. Dust off your old bike and head to your nearest park to take in all of that vitamin D. If you don’t have your own bike, you can rent a bike downtown, and then ride around the heart of Toronto or along Harbourfront for a fantastic view near the water.

6. The Artfest at the Distillery District is happening throughout the long weekend. Take a look at some paintings, photography, clothes, jewelry, and more to see if anything tickles your fancy. As well, the Distillery District is known for its unique restaurants, so be sure to grab a bite while you’re at it.

7. Junior is Harbourfront’s new international children’s festival. Head on over for some magic tricks, storytelling, and music. It’s a great way to entertain your kids while making the most of the nice weather.

Whatever you decide to do, we hope you have a great long weekend!

 

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Spice Girls Are Not the Headliner Anymore!

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If you’re an avid baker, you may have realized that there is a worldwide shortage of vanilla beans. Not only is the price of supply skyrocketing, but it’s also making it difficult to find good quality beans. Since my wife had a recipe that required several vanilla beans, I went on a search looking for beans at a reasonable price. During my research, I came across a store that I used to be familiar with when I lived downtown. House of Spice located in Kensington Market in Toronto on Augusta Avenue.

I called up to find out if they had the product I was looking for, and much to my surprise, they stocked a few different varieties of the bean. The most popular is the Madagascar vanilla bean and while other places quoted as much as $12.00 a bean, House of Spice was selling them for $6.95. My wife and I decided to go down there to check out the quality. Much to her excitement, the beans were fresh and of high quality!

While we were there, my wife started looking around and found a number of different and unique ingredients that she had been searching for. Items like pickling salt, Ethiopian spices, and several different types of coffee were all right there, tucked into the little store. In addition to the wide selection of products and reasonable prices, perhaps what was just as important, if not more, was that the staff were extremely friendly and very knowledgeable.

When it comes to something like simple salt and pepper (this store had 4 different varieties of specialty sea salt and truffle salt!) you don’t need an expert, but with other products you need someone who understands what they are for, and how they should be stored. The employees at House of Spice were helpful, and clearly know their business! Although it is a small store, they manage to stock a lot of different items, so I would plan on browsing the shelves. In fact, why not make an afternoon of it? There are lots of other food stores in the neighbourhood, as well as great restaurants to grab a bite.

House of Spice is definitely a worthwhile place to check out for anyone interested. Enjoy your cooking and shopping and remember to invite me for dinner!

House of Spice
416-593-9724
http://www.ehouseofspice.com

 

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Games Night—Stay Latte!

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Several weeks ago, as the weather turned colder, my family introduced me to great place for food and fun, located in downtown Toronto.

Snakes and Lattes (S&L) is Toronto’s original board game café where you can dine and play games for as little or as much time as you would like.  With over 1,000 games to choose from, there truly is something for everyone!  S&L now has two downtown locations.  The original location first opened on Bloor Street in 2010, and after much success, they opened their second location on College Street in 2015.

Both locations offer guests a dining experience, however, Bloor Street is more of a cafe, while the College Street location has more food and beverage options.  Of course, the food is almost secondary, to the main reason for going to Snakes and Lattes…..to play games.  In fact, if you enjoy any of the games that you play, they also have an area of the store where you can purchase games (I believe they are the only place in the city to buy the popular game, Cards Against Humanity).

The staff are well educated and can suggest age appropriate games for your group and give you details on how to play each game.  This is pretty impressive given the number of games S&L offers.  The games are divided into zones like card games, strategy, fantasy and more.  Some of the games are ones you have probably never heard of but they do indeed exist!

Snakes and Lattes does not take reservations so it is good to get there early, but if there is a wait, they will take down your number and text you when a table is available.  Even if you have to wait, it is definitely worth it!  S&L provides a fun evening out where you and your friends or family can partake in something a bit different than just going out for dinner or drinks.  It’s an especially enjoyable place to go during the cold winter months.  

Don’t be surprised if you get hit by the bug and end up buying a game you played that night….it’s happened to us more than once.  Alternatively, you can also purchase games from their website.

Now back to Monopoly……

Snakes and Latte’s
647-342-9229
www.snakesandlattes.com

 

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