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Books & Bikes at the Market this week

BOOKS!

Two amazing local children’s book authors will be at the East Lynn Farmer’s Market this week (Thursday, July 5) showcasing their work.

The first is Tak Bui (also a DECA Board Member!). We’ve discussed Tak’s book, Spot the Difference, here before. It’s an amazing collection of bright search-and-find illustrations that challenge readers to compare pictures and find the difference. Each illustration is a rich mixture of compare-it images, wordplay (there’s a school of fish, complete with blackboard) and hilarious scenes that invite storytelling – an unlikely group of animals form a wild street corner jazz band – to keep young readers intrigued. With great expectations of all kinds, this book will keep children amused for hours on end. In his spare time, Tak’s been donating his talents around the neighbourhood, including creating murals and community gardens around Main and Stephenson, painting whales in the wading pool in Stephenson Park, and designing posters for DECA activities.

The second book is Robin Green‘s The Day After Yesterday.

When three sixth graders discover strange marbles in a weedy yard near their school, they get more than they bargained for. The marbles grant them visions of a lost century and a farmhouse where a teenage girl has just died. When one of the friends goes missing, the others decide the marbles are for more than visions. They have a friend to rescue, and not one but many lives depend on them.

At about 4:30 p.m. a representative from the Toronto Public Library will be on hand for story time in the park.

BIKES!

If you have yet to dust off your spokes for the summer or perhaps have rode so much that you’re in need of a tune-up, bring your bike to the market this week. The friendly riders from 32 Spokes will be there providing bike tune-ups.

Reminder: Don’t forget your picnic blanket and bathing suits! It should be a hot one on Thursday and the wading pool is open for business.

The East Lynn Farmer’s Market runs every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. between June-October at East Lynn Park, located on the south side of Danforth Ave, just west of Woodbine Ave.

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Spot the Difference

O.k. we’re going to play a game here.  If you’re reading this on some teeny mobile device, you might want to check it out on something bigger. Ready?

1. Spot the difference in these two photos.

If you said anything about flowers, trees, greenery of any kind, give yourself one point.

2. Spot the difference in these two photos.

If you said, one is a much-vandalized wall at Main St. and Stephenson and one is a brand new beautiful mural depicting that corner from years gone by, give yourself 5 points.

3. Last one.  Spot the difference.

If you said the picture on the left is Ashbridge’s Bay beach and the picture on the right is the fabulous East Lynn Farmers’ Market, give yourself 10 points and go buy DECA board member, Tak Bui’s, new book, Spot The Difference, in which these two puzzle pictures appear along with many others.

Tak is actually responsible for all of the above achievements. With some help from DECA, he successfully lobbied the City to improve the landscaping at Main and Stephenson. Working with a few young artists, Tak painted the fantastic new mural at the same spot to try and deter vandals (it was tagged the first day, but Tak has since fixed it). He’s also been creating three community gardens in the same area that have fostered community involvement and made that space less inviting for criminals and more inviting for other community members. In his free time, he lead a team of DECA board members to create some fabulous DECA t-shirts (available at the farmers’ market) and paint an incredible whale mural on the wading pool at Stephenson Park playground.

Now count up your points.  You win!

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Go Green Go Local

If you’re looking to go local for St. Paddy’s Day, look no further than Wise Guys Bar at 2130 Danforth (east of Woodbine). March 17, 2011, starting at 7:30 p.m.  Irish music will be provided by The Blues Butcher and Kanuckistan.  For more info contact  Tak at artattack(at)total.net.

Your Mission, should you choose to accept it….put forward a retail store that is for rent or will be soon.  Ideally it would be on Danforth between Woodbine and Jones.  700-1000 square feet for a perfectly delightful local business.  You can contact the would-be tenant at jelias30@hotmail.com or if that’s a little too James Bond for you, send your virtual brown envelope to me and I’ll pass along the information.  And remember – I have vays of making you talk.

With all this talk of spies and intrigue, I ask you to save the date for DECA’s Self Defence Class, courtesy of DECA’s safety committee and DragonZ Martial Arts Centre. Sir Marvin Prashad will provide this two hour class on April 3rd from 1-3 p.m.  It will include a warm up, situation enactment, proper technique and a fitness component.  DragonZ is at 1998 Danforth.  Those interested can RSVP to rachel.jolicoeur(at)yahoo.ca.  The cost of the workshop is yet to be finalized, but will be in the neighbourhood of $5.

Also, if you’re interested in being part of our new safety committee (it took a short hiatus for a while), also send a note to Rachel.

Ten Feet Tall Jazz – Join jazz band – Steve Cole Quartet 0n Sunday night (March 20th) at Ten Feet Tall (1414 Danforth) from 3:30 – 6.

Relish – In celebration of Earth Hour, Relish (2152 Danforth – just east of Woodbine) is featuring a 4 piece jazz band – The Laura Hubert Band – from 8 – 11 p.m.  Lights go out from 8-9 p.m.  Mill St. Brewery will be providing candle light and prizes to illuminate the restaurant.  Mill St. pints of Organic Lager and Tankhouse just $5.75.  Relish is popular so be sure to make a reservation if you want to eat dinner.
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What To Get For Your Favourite Community Blogger?

It can be difficult.  What is the right gift for the woman who sends you news you can use in your own neighbourhood?  A woman who toils away in front of her computer night after night just so you can be the first to know what’s happening and where?  Wink wink.

Tak Bui decided to send me this fabulous electronic christmas card.  And I thought I would share it with you….gracious gal that I am.

Of course, you can never go wrong with jewellery.  Fine Silver Girl is hosting another open house from 3 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at 48 Woodington this Saturday.  Fine Silver Girl, aka Heather, also offers various classes including a adult and child classes.  Check out her calendar.

You may also want to check out Karen Franzen and friends.  They’re selling artwork, jewellery, quilts, functional ceramics and tiles, home-baked cookies at 3 Wembley Drive, 2 blocks east of Coxwell and upper Gerrard St.  Karen will also be offering 7 week pottery classes and tile painting workshops in her studio beginning in January.

(Note for people buying presents for women – especially men who aren’t always that adept at choosing the pefect gift – a pottery class is a really really good present.) Why?  Because not only do many of us ladies harbour secret fantasies about making pottery, it is also a little bit of that glorious ‘me time’ that we so crave but have trouble carving out for ourselves.  Take it from me and put this one in the stocking.

Speaking of pottery, on January 1st, 2011, LucScultpure will celebrate four years at its location at 663 Greenwood.  Luc is committed to this community and to the arts, locally and beyond and if you’ve never wandered into the building just steps north of the Danforth on Greenwood, now is the perfect time.  There are arts items for sale from $2 – $200 available until Jan. 2nd.  Gift certificates (for pottery classes and other things) are available.  But Luc also throws some pretty cool parties there.  From Jam sessions (Friday, Dec. 17th $5) to the ‘Lost Soul Party’ on New Year’s Eve ($10!).  It’s a warm, welcoming environment to wander into.

Other local gifts that might tempt you? I’ve just bought a lovely gift bag of delectable foodie goodies at Royal Beef.  I’d like to keep it for myself, but I won’t.  Also, Cozy Cafe has the most delightful meringue cream chocolate ‘trees’ and I will certainly be giving those as a gift in the near future.  If you have other ideas, post them here.

Carmelina Condominiums

Perhaps you feel that any of the things I’ve mentioned just aren’t significant enough to fully convey to your favourite blogger how much you appreciate her?  You would like to get her something really special…something big?  Maybe a condo would be what you’re looking for?  The big hole at Danforth and  Coxwell now boasts a big blue fence and a big sign advertising Carmelina Condominiums.  But really, you shouldn’t have.

Danforth Mosaic Business Improvement Association

On December 8th, the BIA held its Annual General Meeting and elected it’s new board members.  They are ‘nominees’ until approved by community council in January.

Aurelio Acquaviva
Maria Acquaviva
Tanveer Arif
Peter Dekoulos
Jordan Ison
Banchi Kindie
Mehmet Korkmaz
Carmelo Lorefice
Enza Lorefice
Litsa Kostouros
Jason Manos
Pat Silver
Victor Singh
Nick Sissakis
Yared Tibebu
Asres Yirga