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Dressed up Doggies, Mrs. Darlings, and 54 Division

DOGGIE FUN

You know how on Saturday mornings, your dog can sense that you’re not going to work and will therefore give you their best sad eyes that scream “take me with you!”??

Well this Saturday, October 27 from 10:30 a.m. – noon, you get to be doggie parent extraordinaire!  Dress up your pooches and bring them to the Merrill Park Dog Association annual Howl-o-Ween festival! (Because what does a dog love more than dressing up in costume?)

Enjoy the festivities in the park and help raise money for Speaking of Dogs.

* Dog Costume Contest * Mummy Wrap * Poop Toss * Bobbing for Balls * Prizes!!! * Beverages and Snacks * And more…

(Rain Date: Sunday, October 28th)

Click here for more info, or if you might want to volunteer to help out!

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DECA’S 2nd POP UP SHOP: MRS. DARLING’S IMAGINARIUM 

Did you pop in to the pop up over the weekend?  Could you feel the buzz?  Well, next weekend, October 27 & 28, a new business will occupy the space at 1948 Danforth.  Yet again our neighbourhood has a chance to show landlords and businesses how willing we are to show up, shop local, and renew East Danforth. 

Many of you already know Mrs. Darling from the craft tent at the East Lynn Farmers’ Market, but just wait until you see what she can do with a whole store for two full days! See below for more details. Note that some activities require advance registration, so plan ahead to avoid disappointment!

Pop up What??

A one-weekend only, temporary studio where young creatives 4-14 can explore many mediums and material in workshop format. 20 participant to a class and 4 facilitators to help imagination became reality. Jewelry making, paper crafts, edible art, DIY, paper mache, fibre arts, group art, upcycling and re purposing – they will learn that they can create something beautiful from almost anything. There are also two drop in studio times where craft ideas and materials are ready to go, and families could mingle, create and play together.

Saturday, October 27, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m

9am-12pm   Drop in. Animal masks, all ages. Duct tape wallets and flower accessories with Martina Rocks!  Best for ages 8+. ($10 for both activities) Group canvas in honour of Stella Bruner Methven. (Free)

1-2pm     Paper mache taxidermy, Narwhals. Best for ages 6+. (pre-registration required, click here). ($15)

2-3pm     Framed silhouettes (pre-registration required, click here). ($15)

3-4pm     Chanel inspired Peter Pan collar necklace and graffiti bracelets (pre-registration required, click here). Necklace best for ages 8+. ($15)

4-6pm     Wooden spoon puppets. Dramatic story time (pre-registration required, click here). ($15)

Sunday, October 28, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m

9am-12pm  Drop in. Fantasy make overs! Fairies, princesses, pirates and super heroes oh my! Wear your favorite alter ego costume and make, new accessory and get a little hair and “make-up” done. ($10)

1-2pm    Glittered tee shirts (pre-registration required, click here). Best for ages 5+ ($15)

2-3pm    Mini monster and bunny stuffies (pre-registration required, click here).($15)

3-4pm    Candy sushi to eat and candy bracelets to wear (pre-registration required, click here). ($15)

4-6pm    Dress up and dramatic story time. Play and be silly while acting out a favorite children’s story (pre-registration required, click here). ($15)

Mrs. Darlings Imaginarium for Girls and Boys – A place to play with art and discover the art of play. To explore, make believe, and follow where ever their imaginations take them. Mrs. Darling encourages the inspired magic with drop in times, where children and their parents can mingle and create, with facilitators to guide and encourage, as well as classes for more elaborate projects and intimate instruction. 

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54 Gets Friendly on Facebook
As you  may know, there are ongoing discussions about possibly closing 54 Division. To keep updated about news and events, please join the new Friends of 54 Division facebook group.
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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.