Snowflakes in HTO park

You'll have to see it for yourself at the Daily Dose of Imagery, one of the best photo blogs out there, based in our very own city.

More recent harbourfront shots here, here, here and here

Wine tasting on the Quay

Most of us know the wine store on Queens Quay, the Vineyards Estate Wines at 228 Queens Quay West (416.598.8880)

They have a few wine & food tasting seminars in the coming weeks. Here's the schdule for next few Wednesdays. See their website.

Jan. 14, it's "Wine for Life -- wine and healthy food" for $15.

And on Jan 21, it's "Couch potatoes unite! -- wine and comfort food" for $15

Reminder, class is resuming in a few days at Harbourfront Centre

Linda from the Harbourfront Centre kindly contacted us to remind us (as we posted recently) that there are classes about to start next week.

A very interesting mix of classes: glass blowing, website design, sewing and circus!

Here's a list of the courses, plus a pitch from the Centre:

Harbourfront Centre is pleased to offer a diverse and exciting line-up of contemporary culture courses throughout the winter and spring months. Adults can learn to paint; create their own website; explore the world of circus arts; tour the city’s culinary neighbourhoods; go gallery hopping; make delicious candies and chocolates just in time for Valentine’s Day; attend tea socials; join a book club; take a glass blowing course; and much more! Harbourfront Centre’s Courses & Workshops are affordable and provide a perfect environment for adults to learn or improve skills, and expand their social circle with like-minded individuals at Toronto’s leading arts and cultural centre.

Courses & Workshops begin on January 18, 2009 at Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West. Register early as class size is limited. To register or for more information, the public can call 416-973-4093, e-mail learning@harbourfrontcentre.com or visit harbourfrontcentre.com/learn.

Winter/Spring 2009 Courses & Workshops

Visual Arts & Design

* Expressive Arts (Sunday, January 18)
* Drawing for Fashion Design (5 Mondays, January 19 to February 16)
* Introduction to Botanical Drawing (5 Mondays, January 19 to February 16)
* Sewing 101 (5 Mondays, January 19 to February 16)
* Fashion 101 (5 Tuesdays, January 20 to February 17)
* Painting (6 Tuesdays, January 20 to February 24)
* Parent Workshop: Engaging Kids with Contemporary Arts (Saturday, May 9)
* Toronto Island Watercolour Sketchbook (4 Sundays, May 24 to June 14)


Media Studies

* Creating your own Website (6 Mondays, January 19 to February 23)
* Demystifying the Digital Camera (Sunday, January 25)
* Digital Photography Manipulation (Saturday & Sunday, February 21 & 22)

Performing Arts

* Djembe Drumming (4 Thursdays, February 5 to 26)
* Circus (6 Mondays, Session 1: May 25 to June 29; Session 2: 6 Wednesdays, May 27 to July 8)

Seasonal

* Candy-Making Workshop (Sunday, February 1)
* From Beer to There (3 Thursdays, April 16 to 30)

Literary Arts

* Authors at Harbourfront Centre Book Club (Ongoing, 3rd Tuesday of every month)

Urban & Cultural Studies

* Film & Food Club (3 Fridays, February 6 to 20)
* Tea 101 (4 Saturdays, February 21 to March 14)
* Gallery Hopping (6 Wednesdays, April 21 to May 25)
* Urban Portraiture (6 Tuesdays, April 21 to May 25)
* Artistic Architecture in the Public Space (6 Wednesdays, April 22 to May 26)
* Explore Toronto’s Culinary Neighbourhoods (Saturday, April 25: Little India; Saturday, May 2: Kensington; Saturday, May 9: Chinatown; Saturday, May 16: Little Italy)

Craft Studio Courses

* Glass Blowing (Runs through May)
* Ceramics (Runs year-round)
* Introduction to Jewellery (Runs year-round)
* Intermediate Jewellery (Runs year-round)
* Textiles (Runs year-round)

Heard about the Hood: Queens Quay media roundup

Photo: Part of the East Bayfront project

A lot of ink (online pages) being taken up by waxing on about the Queens Quay neighbourhood.

First, we start with a story about Toronto's big tests, pointing to the eastern part of our street [Toronto Sun]:

"And don't forget the East Bayfront -- our last great hope to get the waterfront right. Are the developers bidding for that work going to give us a dream project or a nightmare?"

Next, Christopher Hume, talks about walking the waterfront, saying 'pedestrianism is the new urbanism' [Toronto Star].

John St.: Imagine a walkway extending south from Grange Park and the Art Gallery of Ontario past Queen and King streets to the CN Tower, Rogers Centre and finally the waterfront. John's value as a vehicular route is minimal, so closing it would not jeopardize the convenience of Toronto's long-suffering drivers. Because both ends of John are destinations, the walkway would have a processional quality.

And just north of the Queens Quay neighbourhood is the planned development of the June Callwood Park. The $2-million park is to be built by 2011 south of Fort York northwest of Barthurst and Lakeshore. The winning design has been chosen and goes to committee. [National Post]

Submitted by the firm gh3, it literally articulates a quote Ms. Callwood gave in her last interview before her death. A voice wave of “I believe in kindness,” will be translated into a “sinewy path that runs north to south through clearings” in an urban forest that will be planted with native Canadian trees “that would have inhabited the Lake Ontario shore line at the time the city was settled.”

Picture below from National Post's Posted Toronto


Finally, a life story on a Jamaican in Toronto who learns to skate. The venue, of course, is our very own Natrel Rink. [Toronto Star]

The next time I ventured onto the ice was at Harbourfront with Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson and Dave Hanson, popularly known as the Hanson brothers from the movie Slapshot. They were in Toronto promoting the third instalment of the film and offered to give me some tips.

"What's your first piece of advice?" I asked nervously.

"Try something else," Steve said, bursting into laughter.

Bag it for a nickel at Loblaws

At the Loblaws at Queens Quay and Jarvis, you'll have to pay 5 cents a bag starting Monday.

Says the company

Starting Monday, January 12, 2009, Loblaw corporate and participating franchise stores in the City of Toronto will no longer provide complimentary plastic shopping bags at check-out and charge $0.05 per plastic shopping bag, when they are requested by customers. Toronto is the lead city for the campaign, which will roll out nationally on April 22, 2009, Earth Day.

Research conducted for Loblaw by Leger Marketing in December 2008 revealed that four in five Torontonians (84%) support Loblaw's plan to divert 1 billion plastic shopping bags from landfills in 2009 by implementing a pay for plastic shopping bag program.

snip

To help customers with the transition away from plastic shopping bags, Loblaw is offering a variety of special limited time promotions in its Toronto stores. From January 9th to 18th, our PC G.R.E.E.N. Reusable Shopping Bags (large and regular size) are 50 per cent off. Visit www.loblaws.ca, www.superstore.ca, www.valuemart.ca and www.fortinos.ca for an online coupon for a free G.R.E.E.N. Box with a minimum $25 purchase at participating Toronto stores (see online details for coupons).

The news didn't really go well over some, here's a report from the Toronto Sun

Loblaws will start charging a nickel for plastic bags tomorrow, but some forgetful customers say it’s not enough incentive to bring their own bags.

“I’m not going to be carrying (reusable) bags around day and night,” said Rob Thomson, 73, at the Queens Quay Loblaws while pushing his cartload of plastic-bagged groceries.

“It’s not the solution. I’m not going to be carrying those (reusable) bags with me to the office or in the car because I never know when I’m going to go shopping.

"It’s not always planned,” he adds.

Winterlicious on the waterfront

Get your calendars out and mark Jan 15 right now, if you want to make reservations at Winterlicious participating restaurants in Toronto. You can make reservations from Jan 30 to Feb 12 (two days before Valentine's Day, of course).

Lunches typically range from $15 to $30 and dinners from $25 to $45 and you can choose from a set menus

Toronto.com neatly categorizes the restaurants into neighbourhoods and Harbourfront restaurants, well, there are three. And all three are hotel restaurants. Of course, there are a lot of gems in the full list, like Globe Bistro on Danforth and Lai Toh Heen on Mount Pleasant and tonnes of other options in the Distillery District, Queen West and downtown.

But this is the neighbourhood blog, so here's a list


Arriba Restaurant
Renaissance Toronto Hotel Downtown
1 Blue Jays Way
416-341-5045

$15 Lunch
plus taxes and gratuity

Roasted Corn Chowder (vegetarian)
or
Romaine Hearts
Garlic Dressing, Smoked Bacon, Shaved Asiago
or
Steamed Mussels
Shallot, Saffron, Tomato, White Wine

Arriba Club Sandwich
Herbed Chicken, Smoked Bacon, Arugula, Tomato and Spicy Mayo
or
Green Pea Risotto
Wilted Spinach, Grano Padano, Truffle Oil (vegetarian)
or
Pan Seared Salmon
with Tomato, Olive and Caper Ragout and Garlic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Homemade Bread Pudding
Warm Caramel Bourbon Sauce
or
Chocolate Pecan Flan
or
Banana Crepes
with Whipped Cream

$25 Dinner
plus taxes and gratuity

Roasted Corn Chowder (vegetarian)
or
Romaine Hearts
Garlic Dressing, Smoked Bacon, Shaved Asiago
or
Chorizo Sausage, Peppers and Onions, Red Wine Reduction

Green Pea Risotto
Wilted Spinach, Grano Padano, Truffle Oil (vegetarian)
or
Chicken Confit
with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Organic Carrots, Tarragon Glaze
or
Pan Seared Salmon
with Tomato, Olive and Caper Ragout and Garlic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes



Homemade Bread Pudding
Warm Caramel Bourbon Sauce
or
Chocolate Pecan Flan
or
Banana Crepes
with Whipped Cream

---
Toula Restaurant & Bar (At the Westin Hotel)
1 Harbour Square,
38th Floor
416-777-2002

$20 Lunch
plus taxes and gratuity

Grilled Jumbo Sea Scallops Chowder with diced Celery, roasted Butternut Squash and sliced Mushrooms
or
Venetian Doge Caesar Salad with slices of oven-roasted Pheasant Supreme on aromatic Herbs
or
Steamed White Asparagus in Truffle Sauce and Parmigiano Crostini

Hand-made Butternut Squash Ravioli with Rose Sauce, sautéed Cherry Tomatoes and Parmigiano Reggiano
or
Sautéed Chicken Breast Medallion with White Wine, fresh Pear and shaved Parmigiano
or
Encroute Atlantic Salmon Fillet with Spinach in a delightful Cream of San Giminiano Saffron, on a bed of Red Cabbage, Apples and Calvados Essence
or
Hand-made Pappardelle with fresh Wild Mushrooms, aromatic Herbs and Parmigiano Reggiano

Classic Venetian Tiramisu
or
Classic “Lemoncella” Toula Cheesecake
or
Baba with Rum and Vermouth Sauce filled with Custard, covered with Whipped Cream

$35 Dinner
plus taxes and gratuity

Grilled Jumbo Sea Scallops Chowder with diced Celery, roasted Butternut Squash and sliced Mushrooms
or
P.E.I. Lobster Tale Salad with Potato, Cherry Tomato and Romaine with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar
or
Venetian Doge Caesar Salad with slices of oven-roasted Pheasant Supreme on aromatic Herbs
or
Steamed White Asparagus with Truffle Cream Sauce and Parmigiano Reggiano Shavings
or
Parmigianino “Tricolore Tower” with Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella on Balsamic reduction

Black Angus Rib Eye Steak with Barolo reduction and Parmesan Roast Potatoes
or
Grilled Sea Bass Fillet on a bed of “Peperonata Romana” with Red and Yellow Pepper, Eggplant and Rosemary Potato
or
Washington Rack of Lamb with Sun dried Tomatoes and Olives Encrust with Vinsanto Couli and Vegetable Caponatina
or
Sautéed Chicken Breast Medallion with White Wine, fresh Pear and shaved Parmigiano
or
Hand-made Tagliolini with Lobster Tail on light, spicy roasted Plum Tomato with fresh Herbs
or
Hand-made Butternut Squash Ravioli with rose Sauce, sautéed Cherry Tomatoes and Parmigiano Reggiano


Classic Venetian Tiramisu
or
Classic “Lemoncella” Toula Cheesecake
or
Baba With Rum and Vermouth Sauce filled with Custard, covered with whipped Cream

The Mizzen Restaurant
The Westin Harbour Castle
1 Harbour Square
416-361-7454

$20 Lunch
plus taxes and gratuity

Locally farmed three mushroom Bisque, chive foam
or
Warm vine tomato & baked boconcini bruschetta
or
Mixed baby winter greens, roasted fruits, walnut raisin crostini,
crumbled goat cheese, cabernet vinaigrette

Crispy skinned chicken thigh, roasted squash ratatouille,
seasonal vegetables, natural reductions
or
Pan seared red meat trout, corn, leek & baby spinach fricassee,
crushed fingerlings, smoked pepper gazpacho
or
Pumpkin Gnocchi, roasted winter vegetables, sage cream sauce

Winter fruit cobbler, maple cinnamon ice cream
or
Chai spiced Brule
or
Spy apple crumble tart, warm caramel

$35 Dinner
plus taxes and gratuity

Roasted corn velour, crispy pancetta, tarragon foam
or
Selected greens & sprouts, roasted beets & apples,
cranberry foccacia crisps, roasted fig & white balsamic vinaigrette
or
Molten Brie risotto cake, chunky vine tomato & purple
basil stew, fresh seedlings

Slow Braised Alberta beef, forest mushrooms, double smoked bacon,
herb risotto, seasonal vegetables, shiraz reduction
or
Crisp skin Ontario Pickerel, butter poached
warm vegetable salad, organic carrot vinaigrette
or
Giant Boursin & spinach ricotta tortellini, grilled vegetables,
Vine tomato basil cream

Ontario Spy apple crostada, maple cinnamon ice cream
or
Duo of Flourless Chocolate silk & crème Brule scattered sauces
or
Lemon cello pudding, warm strawberry stew, spun vanilla cream