Festival of Lights: Pictures & Thank You!

A HUGE thank you to Angela Matich and her crew of volunteers for putting together Nov. 29th’s wonderful Festival of Lights. Thanks too to the approximately 1000 (!) of you who came out to East Lynn Park to help celebrate the season and light up the park Danforth East-style! The amazing turnout blew our estimates out of the water, so the hundreds of loots bags (courtesty of Art CaveKids Fun TownOaks & AcornsPegasus Studio & Silly Goose Kids–be sure to check out Silly Goose’s author event with Helaine Becker this Sunday at 10:30. Free cider!) went mighty quickly. So did the 300 cups of delicious hot chocolate donated  by Melanie’s Bistro and the yummy treats provided by Celena’s Bakery. Next year we’ll have more supplies on hand so no one goes empty-handed.

Thank you to the Pegasus Studio Dancers, the East End Music Project Choir for entertaining us, and to Show Pro for the sound equipment. The Zero Gravity Circus Fire Artist and LED Hula Hooper lit up the night spectacularly.

A big special thanks to our key sponsors who made this event happen: Sugarmoon (Catch their open house tomorrow, Dec. 10, 11-8pm!) and Corinne McCabe – Bosley Real Estate Broker.

Here are some beautiful shots of the festivities courtesy of local shutterbug Bruce Reeve and DECA’s Sheri Hebdon so you can relive the fun or see what you missed (and mark your calendars for next year!).

Zero Gravity Circus Fire Artist wowing the crowds.
Zero Gravity Circus Fire Artist wowing the crowds.
Pegasus Dancers kick the party off.
Pegasus Dancers kick things off.
Crowds gather to sing along with the East End Music Project.
Crowds gather to sing along with the East End Music Project.
Organizer Angela Matich handing out free treats.
Organizer Angela Matich handing out free treats.
Zero Gravity Circus' LED Hula Hooper lit up the night.
Zero Gravity Circus’ LED Hula Hooper lit up the night.
Fire artistry at its finest.
Fire artistry at its finest.
Hooray for Hula Hoops!
Hooray for Hula Hoops!

 

Upcoming events!

First and foremost, did you hear about the awesome things going on at this week’s Farmers’ Market on Thursday, including a chance to appear on a new Jamie Oliver cooking show?  Here’s the post just in case you missed it.

A few exciting events happening over the next couple of weeks, in no particular order.

New Biz! Origin Wellness Registered Massage Therapy Open House on Saturday, June 21, 12-4pm

Thanks to owner Erin for reaching out to us and inviting us to their grand opening! We like massages in Danforth East, right?

Origin Wellness is a Registered Massage Therapy clinic is located at 2017 Danforth Avenue, just west of Woodbine.

Our space has come together beautifully! To show it off, we would like to invite you to our OPEN HOUSE on Saturday June 21 from 12-4pm. Come see our cozy little escape and imagine yourself unwinding and healing those aches! Visit our website to book online:www.originwellness.ca

origin-wellness-open-house

Colour Creative End-of-Year Art Show

Come and see the students’ art at Celina’s Bakery (2036 Danforth Ave) and Circus Coffee House (7 Woodmount) from June 21 – July 2.

Opening Reception Saturday, June 21st from 2-4pm
For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/ColourCreative

Last Day Music Festival at St. Brigid’s, June 26, 7-9pm

Come and rock with your neighbours and end the school year right.

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Sugarmoon Salon Pride Special

So the upcoming World Pride celebrations are not coming this far east (not officially anyhow, the awesome Silly Goose Kids window notwithstanding), but our friends at Sugar Moon have a great discount his month on products to get everyone to get rainbow ready to head downtown to celebrate!

Pride_promo05_final_copy

For more information, visit: http://sugarmoonsalon.com/

DECA’s Doings

The Danforth East Arts Fair is accepting applications for the fourth annual event. Our popular, juried arts and crafts fair will host up to 60 artists this year along with food vendors, musicians, children’s crafts and much more. For more information and to get your application form, visit the website or contact deca.arts@gmail.com

Thank you!

DECA would like to thank Paola Girotti, owner of Sugar Moon for her very generous donation to DECA. We charge $10/family/year and frankly not that many of you cough up the cash. We don’t need much money to do what we do. We mostly run on good wishes and happy thoughts, but it does take a little bit of money for permits etc. We are extraordinarily grateful to Paola for her kind donation to the cause.

What do you want to see on the Danforth?

We have this nasty little habit at DECA of stealing great ideas from other communities and making them our own. The latest is one we’ve stolen from a community in New Orleans. They put signs up on empty storefronts and wrote “I wish I was a….”. We’re doing something similar. We’re trying to get feedback from you about what you want to see on the Danforth. You can write your suggestions on the boards around the neighbourhood or post them here on the blog.

Maybe you think this area needs a new Thai restaurant?  If so, it looks like you’re in luck.  This is an application for a liquor license at the former Western Country Restaurant on the southwest corner of Woodbine and Danforth.

The next DECA board meeting is Tuesday, May 29th. E-mail natasha.granatstein(at)gmail.com for the details if you would like to attend.

What You Need To Know TODAY

Opportunities to be an engaged community citizen AND shop locally for fabulousness. All the info you need to be a well-rounded individual!

Sugar Moon Salon is hosting an open house tonight (Thursday, Dec 8th) with sweets and cocktails along with great prizes and one-night-only discounts on gift certificates and many other products throughout the shop. 1509 Danforth 7-10 p.m.

Earl Beatty – Community members fighting the closure the Earl Beatty Community Centre will be at Nathan Phillips Square tomorrow morning (Friday)  at 11 a.m. to let City Hall know how much it means to them. All kids and adults are welcome to bring their sticks for the big ball hockey game or show up in your karate gear or ballet tights. If you can’t make it down, you can write to the Mayor and let him know how you feel. To read more about what others are saying (and there are lots of people saying lots of things, check out the website, here.)

The Earl Beatty Ball Ban has turned into a playground reconfiguration project. If you’re interested in learning more, the school’s superintendent will be at the parent council meeting tonight (Thursday) at 6 p.m. to discuss it further.

Thanks to Diana for this bit of news…

St. Brigid Parish along with St Brigid Catholic School, TCDSB and Special Olympics Ontario will be holding a program for kids with intellectual disabilities on Monday nights from 7 p.m. -8:30 p.m.  Childrens from 4-12 years old with intellectual disabilities are invited to participate. This program is open to all members of the community (not just those who attend the church). Monday nights  7:30 – 8:30.  12 week session $50  All fees used to purchase materials). Registration happens at the school on the night of the program. Please enter via doors beside the NORTH parking lot.

Karen Franzen and Friends 12th Annual Holiday Show

Another opportunity to shop and support local (like down-the-street local) artists. This collection of artists will feature hand-made chocolates, quilts and felted ornaments, ceramics, traditional German cookies, jewellery and baskets and weaving. Refreshments and admission is free. Friday – 6-9 p.m. Saturday/Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 3 Wembley Drive, Coxwell and Upper Gerrard.

Feel The Love Baby

Well, thanks to all of you who joined us at the Community Cocktail Party last night. Melanie of  Melanie’s Bistro was a wonderfully gracious hostess, as always and it was a treat to meet some new people in the neighbourhood.

Sugar Moon

We were extremely pleased to announce a very generous donation from one of our local businesses. Sugar Moon Body Sugaring and Esthetics Boutique has donated $1000 to DECA this year. Owner, Paola Girotti, is incredibly community-minded and an ardent supporter of the work our community association is doing to make our neighbourhood more vibrant, walkable and safe.  Paola was a bit of a pioneer in this neighbourhood by opening her gorgeous little salon first just east of Coxwell and now just west of Coxwell. She’s a big believer in shopping local and supporting local businesses and just as a big a believer in community. Thank you Sugar Moon.

Woodgreen Child Care Centres 

Woodgreen Community Services is one of the largest social service agencies in Toronto -operating almost exclusively out of the east end. It provides service to 37,000 people every year. It runs 10 child care programs in east Toronto serving 820 children and their families. Why am I telling you all this? Because Woodgreen provides a lot of services in our neighbourhood and as the Christmas season starts sneaking up on us, there is a toy drive to support the Woodgreen child care centres.

The fabulous new toy store – Silly Goose Kids – is helping out this year by:

  • selling donation gift cards in $10 denominations
  • giving customers the opportunity to donate their ‘golden egg’ points to the toy drive
  • charging $1 for gift wrapping with all profits going to the toy drive

The event is being sponsored by realtors Duncan Fremlin and Karen Laing.  Local residents supporting local toy store and local real estate agents and all helping local social services agency.  Love it.

Art & Craft Show At LucSculpture

T’is the season to really show your support for your local businesses by shop shop shopping local. It’s getting easier and easier to do it every year. First stop? the LucSculpture sale featuring sculpture, paintings, drawings, photography, post cards, pottery, jewellery and crafts from local artisans. The sale is on now, but the official opening reception day is Saturday, December 3rd from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more info visit www.lucsculpture.com.

And – hey – I want to know what how you are shopping local.  What are you buying and where?  Post it on the blog or e-mail me and I’ll post it! natasha.granatstein(at)gmail.com

Local Arts Services Organization

There is a move afoot to look at the feasibility of starting a local arts service organization in East York. There is a public meeting to discuss it on Tuesday, December 6th from 3 – 5 p.m. at 3079 Danforth (near Victoria Park subway). To find out more, contact Liz Swan at eswan(at)toronto.ca.

Danforth Gems – Summer Sugar

News on the street to brighten your Monday.  If you’re at work this week instead of being on holiday, then you deserve some lovin’…be it a fantastic outdoor massage or a yummy bakery treat.  And if you’re having a staycation like me, then these things are an absolute must.

Above is a picture of Sugar Moon’s new outdoor massage table.  Enjoy a massage with Michelle inside or out!

And speaking of a wonderful way to treat yourself, the new Patisserie la Cigogne at Monarch Park and Danforth is delightful (photo below right) and a great addition to that stretch of the Danforth along with Three’s Company Two!   Further east, there is Cake Town, Celena’s, True Brew and Cozy Cafe and Bakery. (P.S. The sisters at Cozy Cafe are switching their menu up a bit, after closing for a few days, they will re-open in mid-August with more lunch type foods including sandwiches, crepes etc.  The ingredients will be almost all organic including a lot of gluten-free options.  The flour is local and organic as well.)

And then, of course, there are the ice cream options.  From Carter’s (She’s now making lovely ice cream cakes, photo left – and selling hot dogs too) to Seb’s and Quattro, there are a lot of good places to stroll to for a cool bit of scream.

Finally – pssssssssst….Where else do you get the scoop before anybody else so you can totally sound like you are in the know about what’s happening in your ‘hood?  Right here, my friend, right here.

Watch 2054 Danforth (beside DeSerres at Woodbine and Danforth) for Silly Goose Kids – a baby, toys and kids store.  The new owners have a combined 30 years experience in the toy business.  We look forward to welcoming those silly gooses with open arms and open wallets.