Events – Page 79 – Danforth East Community Association

March 13, 2013

All Things Art: DEAF & AOD

Art of the Danforth: Join the Team

Are you interested in participating in some way with the next Art of the Danforth (scheduled for May 2014)? If so, you’re invited to the following get together!

Thursday, April 18, 7:30-9 pm

Art of the Danforth 2014 Brainstorm 7:30 – 8:30 pm

East Danforth Creative Collective Annual General Meeting 8:30 – 9pm

At LucSculpture Studio & Schools

663 Greenwood (just steps north of Danforth)

For more information, or if you can’t make it, email: info@eastdanforthcreative.com

Danforth East Arts Fair: Call for Artists

It’s that time of year again. The Danforth East Arts Fair is accepting applications for the coming season. This years art fair will be held in East Lynn Park on September 14 & 15. Application deadlines are earlier this year in order to help us kick off a more vigorous marketing campaign, so please get your applications in for the early deadline of March 29, 2013 and pay a discounted application fee ($175). The final deadline for applications will be May 31, 2013 ($200).

Please visit us at deca-arts.ca for the 2013 exhibitor package and more about what you can expect this year.

March 8, 2013

Be a better you and support local businesses

Was February really only 28 days long? Holy moly! If you are like me, motivation has been at an all-time low. Just in the nick of time, here are some local options that will get you out and about.

Get Artsy

Julie Glick, who is an extraordinarily talented local artist and all-around wonderful person (who is an invaluable member of our Arts Fair team of volunteers) is teaching oil painting on Tuesdays at Artisans-At-Work, starting THIS Tuesday, March 12 for 8 weeks. There are only a few spots left. Details below!

Get Moving

We blogged in January about fitness options in our neighbourhood, but CareerFit Mom has some new classes coming up that we wanted to tell you about, including a free run club on Sunday mornings along the Taylor Creek Trails!

Get Shopping

This is not a pop-up shop plug. This is a personal story about my best shopping experience ever.

On Monday afternoon, on a day off shopping for sinks and toilets for my new bathroom, I finally made it into Krystle Lee’s pop-up at 1801 Danforth Avenue.

I expected to go in, casually browse through items, make polite conversation, and then leave. That is exactly the opposite of what happened.

Krystle was warm and welcoming, and I explained that I am recently back to work after having twins, which was my second pregnancy, so all of my clothes are either too tight, too old, or both.

Krystle literally took me through almost every garment in her shop. She encouraged me to try things on, even things that I didn’t think would look good. I learned that all of her clothes are Canadian-made – no sweatshops and as much as possible, Toronto-based designers. (What? Designer? Who do I think I am??) So I tried on many, many beautiful clothes. Krystle and I honestly assessed each outfit and she gave me tips and advice about fashion that I had no idea about. (If you know me, you will not be surprised that fashion info was all new to me.)

I was playing it cool and not looking at price tags, but when push came to shove, I had to start caring about the bottom line. Beautiful spring blouse? $35. Gorgeous black button-down dress? $95 Softest and best fitting camisole ever? $20 The prices were totally reasonable. (She has higher end stuff too, which is also steeply discounted, if your budget has a bit more give than mine!)

Krystle is a personal stylist and usually sells privately to clients who know about her almost exclusively through word-of-mouth. She buys her clothes with deep discounts, and her lack of overhead means that she can pass those savings right to her clients.

I left there with a great work dress, a georgeous sweater, and some really beautiful tops. Even more amazing was that for the first time in 15 months, since my twins were born, I am excited to get dressed in the morning and I feel better about myself than I have in a long time. To me, you can’t put a price on that.

You can find Krystle at 1801 Danforth Avenue for the month of March. www.krystle.ca

February 28, 2013

Trees, Night Out with Neighbours & S Sense Closing Sale

DECA Tree Meeting

If talking trees in your thing then you should head to CakeTown (2039 Danforth Ave) this Saturday. The DECA Tree group will be meeting to talk trees at 1o am. You’ll recognize the group – they all have leaves in their hair.

Night Out with Neighbours: Ethiopia Edition

Last Thursday a group of neighbours got together for the first ever Ethiopian Culture & Cuisine night at Rondez Vous Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant (1400 Danforth Ave). Event organizers Susan and Tara provide an overview of the night below. For a look at more photos from the evening check out the DECA Facebook Page. Looks like we can expect more culinary fun in the future!

We arrived at Rendez-vous restaurant, warmly greeted by Banchi in her lovely African dress and were instantly transported from the February cold into the warmth of an Ethiopian evening. Banchi graciously gave everyone a glass of wine to enjoy with our delicious appetizer and then a scrumptious platter. She taught us how to use our hands to eat the Injera bread. That took a bit of getting used to and then there was no stopping us! The mildly spiced plate of curried meats and vegetables warmed our insides and satisfied our souls. This was followed by the wonderful coffee ceremony, an aromatic experience that filled the air. Banchi roasted the coffee beans with cardamon right in front of us. The taste of Ethiopian coffee melted the palette, and finished off the meal perfectly.

The night was capped off with a performance by Ethiopian dancers, Eske and Frey, in their colourful costumes. The African music and smiling faces of the dancers even moved us to join in and learn a few steps. For most of us, it was the first time we experienced Ethiopian cuisine and culture – and we all said, we are definitely returning to the Rendez-vous.

Due to the success of this dinner night out, it was suggested that we do this more often at the other restaurants along the Danny. So stay tuned for possible Italian, Thai, Mexican cuisine and culture nights!

Susan & Tara

Closing Sale at S Sense

S Sense in Design is closing their storefront located at 698 Coxwell Ave to focus on design consultations. Everything in the store is on sale, including lighting, home accents, and the displays. Laura is also offering onetime free home consultations during the month of April – hurry before she gets booked! Her last day is March 23rd so you still have time to say goodbye. Store is open Wednesday to Saturday 12 to 5 pm.

Psst: We hear that a very familiar business might be taking over this beautiful storefront soon. Stay tuned!

February 26, 2013

Tonight’s Coxwell Station Open House & Weekend Art Show

Join Councillor Janet Davis this evening (5:30 – 8:30 p.m.) at the East York Civic Centre to hear about, ask questions and provide feedback on two projects slated for Coxwell Station – a community mural project and a pre-construction open house.

Artisans at Work is Celebrating!

Artisans at Work (2071 Danforth) has officially been opened one month now and the gang’s celebrating this weekend with, what else, an art show! They’re bringing more unique pieces and something that makes every event more lively – a licensed bar.

February 22, 2013

Congratulating Catherine Porter: Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal recipient!

She was instrumental in the formation of the Danforth East Community Association when it started around her dining room table seven years ago. She has dressed up as broccoli outside the subway at 7:00 a.m. to promote the East Lynn Farmer’s Market. She hauled barricades up and down the hill at East Lynn Park on market Thursdays, with a baby strapped to her back. She stalked every landlord along Danforth Avenue between Coxwell and Woodbine in order to get spaces for the pop-up shop project. But what is so special about Catherine Porter is that her energy is contagious; and so is her hope and optimism about how much better our community can be if we all put our hearts into it. And it looks like we are not the only ones who think so!

Catherine Porter will receive a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in honour of her excellence in community building. Her fellow DECA Board members could not be more proud of her!

Please join us tomorrow afternoon when Beaches-East York MP Matthew Kellway will present Catherine with this national award of distinction: Saturday, February 23 at 3:00 p.m. at 1803 Danforth Avenue. This is the location of one of DECA’s February pop-up shops, and since Catherine was instrumental in sprucing up the space, it is very fitting to gather there to celebrate her.

(PS: Catherine would want us to also mention that space is available for rent, so commercial tenants, please come and check it out!)

February 19, 2013

Fiddlehead Farm Food Box

Fiddlehead Farms Food Box

An eastern Ontario farmer has recently begun delivering produce as a part of a “Food Box” program to our neighbourhood. Fiddlehead Farms provides 18 weeks of fresh produce from late June until the end of October with a pick up location at the Mortimer/Woodbine area. The box consists of 8 to 10 different seasonal vegetables or fruits and changes weekly as we move through the growing season, including: kale, swiss chard, green beans, garlic, cucumbers and beets. Cost is $550 ($30 per week) with half-box options available. Check out their website for more information.

Speaking of farms… there are 107 days left until the East Lynn Park Farmers’ Market begins. What are you most excited about seeing at the market this year?