Wag On The Danforth window display featuring East Lynn Farmers' Market

Check out the Danforth Mosaic BIA’s holiday festivities this Saturday from 3-6 p.m. at the BIA office on Coxwell just south of Danforth for music, storytelling, crafts and visits with the big guy in the red suit.

 And now, a few seasonal Danforth Gems from Mary Margaret McMahon…

My Neighbourhood Fashionista Ciara Behan had me panicking about my wardrobe for upcoming Holiday Parties.  That is – until I visited 2 Little Danforth Gems …
 
Four Seas Fashion
2193 Danforth Avenue (south side)
416-690-5809
 
You have probably walked right by this dynamite, little custom tailor shop umpteen times without even batting an eye.  I’ll admit – the mannequin in the window has seen better days!  But Joseph with his ear to ear grin and friendly welcome will win your heart.  His shop has been in our hood since 1985.  He has been sewing since he was 13 years old in Hong Kong.
Back then, he says everyone learned the trade from expert tailors.
His work is impeccable, efficient, and affordable.  Pants (unlined) to be hemmed run you about $8.00.  And of course, service with a smile! 

Joe Singer Shoes
2852 Danforth Avenue (north side near Dawes Road)
416-693-6045
 

Here is another place you may have walked by without noticing.
Joe Singer shoes has been on the Danforth in different locations for over 60 years!  Joe unfortunately passed away many years ago but his son Murray works at this location (there are 2 others across the city).  They have beautiful, well crafted shoes from all over the world.  I was eyeing up a pair from France and a pair from Brazil.  Super friendly Jackie has been working there over 26 years and knows her stuff.  You’ll love the prices as they are always discounted.  I got mine for half price!
 
Now if only someone would invite me to a party!

Project representatives and city staff will e on hand to answer your questions and concerns about:

- Esso and Tim Horton’s Redevelopment at Greenwood

- Proposed Reeves Landscape Business moving on the Danforth

- Solar heating for your home – with $4,000 in grants

- Toronto Water’s lead pipe replacement program

- Wood Green Community Services projects and plans

- Danforth Mosaic BIA – Plans for 2010

WHEN: Wednesday December 9th, 4 pm to 8 pm

WHERE: Woodgreen Community Office

1491 Danforth Avenue

Light Refreshments served

What am I doing on Saturday you ask?  Well, I think I’ll wander down the street to the Kimbourne Park United Church Christmas Goodies Sale and Children’s Show.

There’s been some chatter on the comments section of the blog about good places to get gifts.  Take a look at what’s been written so far and then feel free to post your favourite local gift too.

Kind Organics

If you loved the Kind Organics at the farmers’ market this season, then you are in luck.  You can find their delectable greens and herbs close to home all winter long at Better Bulk and Plank Road Market.

More Than Window Dressing

The Danforth Mosaic BIA is decorating shop windows for the holidays.  Stroll along the Danforth and enjoy the window displays.  Then cast your vote for your favourite window and be entered to win some fabulous prizes.

Tyke Threads Pop-Up Store

Tyke Threads is about banishing boring boyswear.  The local online company is holding an in-person sale December 11th and 12th from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. at 1390 Danforth – between Greenwood and Coxwell.

The Yoga of Cooking – with Rhondda Smiley is happening again this Sunday, December 6th from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at 10 King Edward Ave (Woodbine and Danforth).  It’s presented by Clear Light Toronto and is pay-what-you-can with all donations going to Foodshare Toronto.

If you’re new to DECA Diaries, Danforth Gems are the great shops on our stretch of the Danforth that you may not have yet uncovered.  Thanks so much to Gillian Grace for this installment about the The Wool Mill, east of Woodbine on Danforth.

Forget the Leafs—if Toronto wants a pastime at which it can really shine, try knitting. The city is known for its way with wool, even earning a special shout-out from Vogue Knitting for T.O.’s “unusual number of excellent yarn stores.” Danforth East is lucky enough to have one of those shops within walking distance. The oldest wool store in Toronto, the Wool Mill has been on Danforth just east of Woodbine for the past 17 years (current owner Wendy Mortimer used to buy yarn there as a child).

The Wool Mill stocks everything from the classics—Canadian-processed merinos from Mission Falls—and summery cottons to bamboo mixes and super-soft balls made from a mix of possum yarn and wool. As with food, Mortimer says, people are becoming more conscious of how the wool they use is produced; organic yarns with low-impact dyes are increasingly popular, as is fair trade. Buy a skein of Mirasol yarn, and you’ll be helping fund the construction of a centre for the children of alpaca shepherds in the Peruvian Andes.

Mortimer, an expert knitter, can advise on everything from the history of the craft to the best knitting podcasts. Her needlework has appeared in more than 100 movies, including a recreation of Martha Stewart’s get-out-of-jail poncho for Cybill Shepherd; the coat, booties and hat for Nicole Kidman’s dog in To Die For; and Hilary Swank’s high-flying knitwear in Amelia. Her toughest project was a sweater for Simon Birch, which was supposed to look “really bad;” it kept getting returned with instructions to “make it look worse.”

Mortimer—who started knitting for a Brownies badge, and says she’s knit “pretty much everything you can possibly think of” and made “every mistake in the book”—is also a (very) patient teacher. She can quickly decipher patterns that look more like a WWII-era code than a template for a sweater and get even the most tangled, dropped-stitch-laden projects back on track. A beginner’s class, starting in January, will have newbies knitting and purling a hat or an outfit for a baby; other regular week-night classes cater to more experienced knitters.

Most popular, especially around the holidays, are small, quickly completed projects such as socks, mittens, hats and wristers. But it’s not just a way to make impressive gifts—there’s something incredibly soothing about the act of wrapping the yarn, pulling it through, and repeating. “Knitting,” says Mortimer, “is like a meditation. It allows the body to keep itself busy so the mind can become more still.”

The Wool Mill - 2170 Danforth Ave. 416-696-2670

Hours: Mon – Fri 10:30 – 6, Sat 10:30 – 5

Gillian Grace is a freelance writer and editor.

I know how you feel.  You feel a teeny bit guilty for going a teeny bit overboard at Christmas in terms of shopping.  Well you can turn that guilt into self-righteous glee by shopping local and supporting your small business owners right here in your own neighbourhood.  Got a great gift idea from the neighbourhood – why not post it on the blog and share the love.   I’ll start.  I bought a lovely poinsettia centerpiece at City Flowers (Danforth and Woodbine)  last weekend.  I gave it to my wonderful neighbours who donate many many hours to DECA by looking after my kids when I trot off to meetings.

Other notes for your shopping pleasure…

1. LucSculpture School and Studio on Greenwood, just North of Danforth is holding an art and craft show and sale from December 1st to January 3rd.  Sculpture, painting, drawings, photographs, post cards, pottery, jewellery from $1 to $200.  The opening reception and sale is December 5th from 2 – 6 p.m.

2. As far as gifts go, you cannot go wrong with a gift certificate to Sugar Moon Salon or a little gift of pampering to yourself because let’s face it – you deserve it.  Owner, Paola is opening a new Dermalogica Skin Bar and a brow bar next week.  It’s right next door to Sugar Moon at 1509 Danforth, just west of Coxwell.  If you don’t know what a brow bar is, don’t worry, you probably don’t need to know.

3. Daina Liepa has opened up a new shop at Pape and Danforth (I know it’s a bit out of district, but I’m feeling the generosity of the season.)  It’s called Continuum Modern Vintage and it’s all about ‘upcycling’.  She’s taking stuff from estate sales and auctions and  giving them a new lease on life.  It’s open now at 707 Pape on the S.E. corner at Danforth.

4. This season, Toronto Hydro will give you a free string of LED christmas lights in exchange for two strings of incandescent lights.  Here is the where and when.

…so little time.

1. First off – thanks so much to all of you who came out to our first annual DECA cocktail party. It was a full house and we were deeeelighted.  I want to say a special thank you to a few people:

• Melanie 0f Melanie’s Bistro for hosting the evening, preparing some really fantastic food, and serving up the beverages
• City Councillor, Janet Davis for helping us with the flyers, and
• Graphic Designer, Aron Harris, for designing said flyers, but more about him another time.

2. Did you know DECA was in a parade? You would if you had ventured down to the Beaches Santa Clause parade last weekend.  About the experience of dressing up as local fruits and vegetables to promote the East Lynn Market in a parade on a cool November Sunday, DECA vice-chair, Catherine Porter, said it was “quite possibly the best cure for depression. I vow to go in every parade I can from now until…death?”  (That’s her in the pumpkin suit.)

3. UP!  This Friday night, Gledhill Public School is hosting a family movie night. All proceeds from popcorn sales and the $1 admission charge will go to Community Centre 55 to help local families in need.  All children must be accompanied by an adult.  Showtime is 6:30.  Doors open at 6 p.m.

4. G-Spot Bar and Grill – A hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 14th at 9:30 a.m. to review the application for the liquor license of the G Spot Bistro.  If you have any concerns at all about this establishment and it’s liquor license please try to make it to this hearing if you can.  It’s at 90 Sheppard Ave. on the 3rd floor.  Contact 416-326-0366 for more information or let me know if you would like to know more.

5. A note on safety.  A resident on Oakcrest Ave. wrote me a little while ago to let us all know about an incident at her home.  They had gone to get into the car at 8:30 in the morning when their son decided he needed a new diaper (honestly it’s always when you’re walking out the door isn’t it?).  Anyway, they left the car unlocked while they went in to change the diaper and when they came out, the car was ransacked.  Someone had pulled everything out and gone through all the nooks and crannies.  In my own experience, I think someone goes down my street every night checking to see if any car doors are left accidentally unlocked.  Keep your vehicles locked folks.

6. Merrill Bridge Road Park (Is it just me or are there too many geographic identifiers in the name of this park?)  On Monday there was a meeting about making this park an off-leash dog park.  I understand there was discussion about making part of the park off-leash and discussion about making all of the park off-leash and fencing off the ravine.  There would be some on-leash hours during the day in the summer.  Anyway, the City (Parks and Rec) will now go off and consider the input from the meeting.  For more info, check out the Merrill Park Dog Association site.

7. Basement Flooding – Apparently the City is doing an environmental assessment and looking into the issue of basement flooding from the DVP to Vic Park and south from Sammon Ave.  The study will consider solutions and will include some public consultation next fall.  If you would like to know more about this, contact Councillor Sandra Bussin or Josie Franch, the Public Consultation Coordinator for the City at 416-338-2859.

8. Councillor Janet Davis is organizing a meeting to help tenants better understand their rights and responsibilities as tenants.  It will be Dec. 2nd from 7-9 p.m. at the Secord Public School Gym at 101 Barrington Ave.

Don’t forget to stop by the absolutely fabulous Melanie’s Bistro tonight beginning at 7 p.m. for our first annual DECA Cocktail Party.  There will be well-priced beverages and delicious appetizers in addition to meeting the people in the ‘hood.  If you’ve ever wondered about getting involved with DECA or if you just like to hang out in your neighbourhood with cool people, come on out.

Phewey on the Toronto Star! I must admit I ‘know’ the editorial page editor of the Toronto Sun, though I had nothing to do with his column today defending the Danforth…

By Rob Granatstein

The overreacting Torontonians do — especially in the media — sometimes borders on the ridiculous. (I know we’re sometimes part of it at the Sun.)

The latest infuriating article ran in the Toronto Star this past Saturday on the decline of the Danforth. And, yes, I’ll declare my bias. That’s my neighbourhood the Star butchered.

But the story made no sense. A shooting at Pape and Danforth means the stretch of Danforth east of Coxwell has gone in the crapper. Huh?

On the same day, the Globe ran a Saturday special on “Just how sketchy is the Annex?”

Yesterday a meth lab was uncovered in the ritzy Avenue Rd./Lawrence Ave. area.

Guess we all better move to Kalamazoo.

The hysteria is a little rich. Yes, there is crime, prostitution and graffiti in Toronto. Extra police has meant more arrests in my area. No, we don’t like crime. But we live in a big city.

Break-ins and graffiti are a problem where I live. Still, look at my neighbourhood. Semi-detatched houses are fetching $500,000, parents are pushing kiddies in $1,000 strollers, real estate geeks say we’re “hot.”

The fantastic Danforth East Community Association (again, bias alert, I happen to “know” the chair) launched a farmers’ market two years ago that quickly became one of the best in the city and brought neighbours together.

Top chefs like Joanne Clayton at Relish and Arul Chettiar and Melanie Ferreira at Melanie’s Bistro, have opened great restaurants between Coxwell and Main.

The community group, it should be noted, didn’t launch in opposition to anything. It formed to improve the Danforth, and is doing that, helping revitalize four stores already.

There are trouble spots, like anywhere else, but far from being in decline, much of the area the Star attacked is actually on the upswing.

“Yes, it’s transforming — for the better,” said Coun. Janet Davis.

Going at the story without a pre-ordained, dictated angle would have uncovered just that.

ROB.GRANATSTEIN@SUNMEDIA.CA

The Small World Cafe needs our help.  Owner, Tony Da Costa, tells me they are sinking deeper and deeper and need some real help to keep the business afloat.  They’ve reduced their costs where they can, but they still aren’t getting a steady enough flow of customers to pay the bills.  Tony says the story in the Toronto Star last week didn’t help things either.

This Saturday, November 21st from 2-4 p.m. the band “Related” will be playing at Small World.  Related usually plays the Black Swan on the Danforth.  It’s just the beginning of what they hope will be more music as Small World.

If you’re not familiar with Small World, it’s a nice little spot on the south side of the Danforth east of Coxwell (east of McDonalds) where you can have a bite to eat and a cup of coffee with the newspaper or hang out with your little ones at the back play space.  Below is the ‘Danforth Gem’ written by Jessica Schmiedchen about a year ago.

Small World Cafe, By Jessica Schmiedchen

You had me at “hello…we’ve got Dufflet pastries and a children’s play area”.

Let’s be honest, Small World Cafe was a bit of a no-brainer for a woman like me.  Up until Tony and Beth Da Costa opened their cafe this summer, I had little to no local options for a place to sit with my kidlets and enjoy a coffee.

Longtime Danforth East residents, and parents of five children, Tony and Beth felt the void in our community and decided to do something about it.  The result is a vibrant space, filled with delicious treats, fair trade coffee from Mountain View, and a child-friendly attitude I’ve never seen in a Toronto cafe.

In addition to the sumptuous brownies and squares from Dufflet, Small World Cafe offers everything from croissants and muffins, to quiche and made-to-order wraps, and my new favourite thing in the universe: portuguese tarts.  Flaky on the outside, custardy and caramelized on the inside, it’s a little piece of heaven for just $2.  Portuguese tarts…you complete me.

Location: 1775B Danforth Ave (east of Coxwell)

Hours: 8-8 M-F, 9-5 weekends

Highlights: Great coffee, great food.  Children’s play area and change table, Portuguese tarts, Dufflet pastries, Three’s Company food, Friendly, local ownership

Well that Toronto Star story certainly got your attention.  It has created quite a stir on the comments section of the blog and I know many of you have written letters to the editor.  Thanks for passing them along.  If nothing else, it’s got us talking about our neighbourhood and what we love and hate about it.  Thanks to everyone who has posted comments, I think the discussion is really good.

I sent a letter to the editor as well and one thing I said was that we, as residents, are demanding more patrols and more enforcement from the police and they’re responding.  This is boosting the crime statistics, sure, but it’s because there is more police activity in the area.  This is all good.  Let’s take this and really run with it.  Make a commitment to putting these two phone numbers in your cell phone and putting them near your home phone (South of Danforth, 55 Division – 416-808-5500) (North of Danforth, 54 Division – 416-808-5400).  When you see something that isn’t right – report it.  The police may not come right away, but after several phone calls, they will and it will make a difference.  It will improve the safety of our neighbourhood. This is what the police continually ask us to do.  They can’t be everywhere, they’re looking for our help.

On a happier note – remember the DECA Cocktail Party is one week away.  Monday, November 23rd beginning at 7 p.m. at Melanie’s Bistro.  Note – DECA is considering extending it’s official boundary to Monarch Park.  If you have a concern or any questions about this please let me know.