Reminder: Pop-Up Sunday

People are loving Day 1 of the DECA Pop-Up Shop.  Here are a few pictures. If you missed it or if you have some funky people on your Christmas list, it’s open Sunday from 12-6.  Thanks to everyone who showed up today.  Just walking in the door is showing your support for a more vibrant, walkable and safe community.

10 Years for Local Sweet Spot – SUGARMOON

Congratulations on 10 Years on the Danforth

We have love for SUGARMOON.  We noted the local body sugaring salon as a Danforth Gem in previous posts.  Which is why we are so happy to wish them a Happy 10th Birthday.

The SUGARMOON story is one that aspiring business owners can learn from.  They started as a small in home business in the east end and over the years have moved twice, opened a second downtown location, launched their own line of organic skincare products and most recently, launched their Sugaring Take-Home Kit. Where will they go next?

Besides helping to improve our community by making us smooth and hairless, owner Paola Girotti has helped our community by partnering with DECA on a number of projects.   She’s donated to the DECA Arts Fair, donated to have the wading pool at East Lynn Park painted and most recently the helped co-host the Harvest Moon Festival at the East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market.  “SUGARMOON wouldn’t be where we are today without the community…” notes Paola, “and we’re so excited about all the positive changes that have been happening in the neighbourhood.”

Congratulations Paola and the SUGARMOON team on 10 fabulous years! Thank you for your commitment to our neighbourhood.

The SUGARMOON gang will be downtown at the National Women’s Show this weekend. Every other day of the week, except Sunday’s, you can find them at 1509 Danforth Avenue.

TONIGHT: Pub crawlin’ good times with DECA

Don’t forget about the DECA Pub Crawl tonight.  The fun starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Sidewalk Café then continues on to Sarah’s Cafe and Bar, El Sol, TKO’s and Relish Bar & Grill.  There promises to be tappas, margaritas, karaoke, martinis, mexican beer and great conversations with your neighbours.  For more info or to RSVP contact Tara.

Last Two Weeks for East Lynn Farmers’ Market

It takes a village to raise a child.  And it takes a community to put on a farmers’ market.

While our farmers’ market is always first and foremost about the farmers, there are also countless volunteers, every single week, who help to make the farmers’ market the magical place that it is for our community all season long.

We had students who helped paint little faces; entertainers who entertained at the five festivals; local bakeries and bistros that fed us while we shopped and played; local organizations, businesses and professionals who brought their information to our community; and, musicians who always created a festive mood.  To all of you – thank you!

Another group of neighbours volunteered to be the friendly face of DECA each week, answering questions, helping deliver dinner to the farmers, setting up children’s board games and helping clean it all up each evening.  Lia Munro, Kendal Gerard, Gala Arh, Kim Dolan, Susan Bates, Heather Bean, Nana Jokura, Amy Illingworth, Sarah Kiriliuk, Marianne Sheshko, Laura Walters, Sarah Hutchinson, Shannon Connors, Mary Vallis, Justine Saccomanno, Catherine Dorton, and Sheri Hebdon, Steve Wickens, Paul Haines and any others who jumped in at the last minute to help – thank you too.

Don’t forget, there are still two more Thursdays left to shop at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market!  Make sure to stop by the park to fill up your tote bags with the freshest of Ontario’s autumn bounty while you can!

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Just for fun, here’s a slideshow of the Harvest Moon Festival that DECA put on a few weeks ago with the generous help of SUGARMOON and Alterna Savings:

[slideshow]

p.s. there are more thank yous to come next week!

Pop-Up Shop: Birthia

Hey DECA. It’s me, Natasha.  Remember me?  Well, I’ve hauled my sorry keester out of DECA Diaries retirement for one reason and one reason only.  Because I’m asking you to get off your keester for the first ever, premier,  never-see-before, pioneering DECA pop-up shop.  When? This weekend!

Walk your keester over to 1948 Danforth, conveniently located across from East Lynn Park, and close to a number of local cafes and eateries. If you do that between 12 and 6 this Saturday and Sunday you will find our first fabulous shop: Birthia.

[slideshow]

When we put out the call for artists, entrepreneurs and community groups to submit proposals for one of two weekends, we were overwhelmed and absolutely delighted with the more-than-50 applications that came in. Most of them were fantastic. We interviewed four of those who submitted. Osvaldo, who runs the shop, Birthia, was the first person we interviewed. We really loved him and the local products that he sources for his shop.

This pop-up shop is the first of what we expect will be many neighbourhood storefronts that are temporarily occupied by creative enterprises of many kinds. It is our hope that by working with landlords who provide the space, we can provide the vitality that can make these storefronts more attractive to paying tenants and therefore help build the kind of vibrant, walkable neighbourhood that we all want to see. It’s win-win-win.

How can you help?  It’s easy.  All you gotta do is show up. We’ve already done the hard part – and by hard part I mean getting down on hands and knees and scrubbing the floor of this shop until our hands were calloused and sweat was pouring down our foreheads.  So really, showing up, this Saturday and Sunday between 12 and 6 is the very least you could do.

As for next weekend, you can already start signing up to bring your wee ones to Mrs. Darling’s Imaginarium for Girls and Boys. You know Mrs. Darling (a.k.a. Melissa). She’s the one who does the crafts at the Farmers’ Market every week.  She has two full days planned including pre-registered and drop-in programs.

Danforth news

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Farewell True Brew

A keen observer noticed a sign in the window of True Brew saying that they will be closing for good tomorrow, October 13.  DECA worked with owner Sylvia to update this space earlier this year, and we are very sad to see it go.

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An even better Better Bulk?

It’s official!  Better Bulk is moving across the street to a bigger location at the end of the month.  If you haven’t yet “liked” them on Facebook, click here to like them and you will be among the lucky insiders who receive their updates about sales and stock, including fresh organic produce.  Congratulations Better Bulk!

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Hallowe’en Outlet

It’s My Party has once again opened a Hallowe’en Outlet at 2208 Danforth Ave, at  the western edge of the Honda dealership (where a new KIA dealership is now being built). The hours are Mon-Fri from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Scary stuff for grown-ups (costumes and decor) is at the front, kids stuff is in the back room, and the really scary stuff (props) is in the back back room!  Boo!

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Groundbreaking News

There was some heavy machinery heard from behind the boards around the ‘big hole’, where the condo is supposed to be going up near Danforth & Woodbine.  Could it be that the ground has been broken at last???

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DECA Pub Crawl

Oops!  We asked you to RSVP to the wrong e-mail address for the DECA Pub Crawl. The exciting event details were given in our last post. The e-mail has been corrected on the page, or you can click here to let us know that you’ll be coming!