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Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Lifestyle talk, Toronto History, Vacation Travel

Toronto Neighbourhood Guide: Kensington Market

November 20, 2015

Photo Credit: Rina Pitucci

One of Toronto’s most eclectic neighbourhoods, Kensington Market, is within walking distance of our downtown furnished rentals. Settled by Eastern Europeans, the neighbourhood –which spans from College to Dundas, north to south; and Kensington to Denison, east to west– has had fluctuations of different ethnicities from Jewish, Portuguese, and Latin American, which is now an important landmark in Toronto. It has also developed certain trends: homes behind homes and stores on the first floor of homes, which has since been retained today. Here are our favourite places and things to do in the Market.

1. Casa Acoreana. Located at the corner of Augusta and Baldwin, Casa Acoreana has been one of the Market’s longest standing institutions in business for 50 years. Comprised of a cafe and a store that sells coffee, candy, and nuts, it is one of the best people-watching spots in Toronto.

2. Pedestrian Market Sundays. Every last Sunday of the month from May to October, Kensington Market’s streets are closed off

Photo Credit: Joey deVilla

to traffic for their annual Pedestrian Sundays. There’s music, food, and many street performances. It’s a lively event that you can’t miss if you’re visiting or living in Toronto.

3. Produce, Meat, Fish, and Cheese. If you like to do your shopping at local markets, Kensington Market is the best place to do it. It’s the perfect pit stop for your picnic needs if you’re heading over to the park at Denison or further along, at Trinity Bellwoods Park. Some of our favourites: Sanagan’s Meat Locker, Hooked for Fish, Oxford Fruit Market, and Global Cheese. Happy shopping!

4. Seven Lives Tacos. There are plenty of options for lunch and dinner in the Market. Though you’ll always see lines for this taqueria, Seven Lives

Photo Credit: Ian Irving

arguably has some of the best fish tacos in the city. Get the Gorbernador and thank us later!

5. Vintage Shopping. Vintage stores that scatter the market lend to its bohemian vibe and are one of the best ways to explore the market. Check out the long standing Courage My Love for jewellery and great clothing finds and Flashback for jackets. You’ll likely stumble upon racks and racks of clothing on the sidewalks outside of the stores and may unexpectedly find a good garment.

What are your favourite places in Kensington Market?

Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Toronto Family Travel

After School Activities for Kids

September 18, 2015

There is a window of time between when your children return from school and when dinner is served during which your little ones might find themselves a little bored and restless. You could hypnotise them with the television, but why not get them involved in some fun interactive activities instead? They can have some fun and blow off some steam before they start on their homework.

Here are some fun after school activities for your kids:

Recycle Objects
Try taking something from the recycle bin and challenging your child to turn it into something else. For example, a cardboard cereal box can turn into a mask or a paper towel roll can become a musical instrument. It’s a creative challenge that will really get their imagination going.

Drawing with Sidewalk Chalk
Sidewalk chalk is a lot of fun and it’s a great activity to do with your kids after work. You can draw pictures, write your names or even practice homework math problems. Or, draw a hopscotch court and play a few rounds of this simple hopping game.

Playing Board Games
Board games can be a fun activity for the entire family to enjoy together and there are a range of different board games that you can play, from Monopoly to the Game of Life to Snakes and Ladders. Board games are great for kids because they are a way for children to develop their focus and attention. They also teach the value of rules and fair play so that your child can learn to be a good loser or a humble winner.

Do Something Nice for Someone
Why not make a Get Well card for an ill neighbour, bake cookies for a friend, help an elderly relative clean their driveway or volunteer somewhere? You could gather together old clothes or non-perishable foods and make a donation to your local charity shop or homeless shelter. Doing something kind for someone feels great and is a good way to teach your child the value of thinking of others and being nice.

Play Dress Up
Get out all of the costumes, dresses, scarves and hats you can find and play dress up! Let your imaginations run wild and pretend that you are pirates, princesses, kings, queens and witches. You can even make up songs, dances and funny voices for the characters that you create.

Freeze Dance
This is a fun and energetic game that kids of all ages can play. Start by putting on a great song and letting everyone dance around for a while. When your young dancers are getting into it, pause the music. Everyone must stop dancing and freeze instantly – anyone who moves or falls over is out of the game. The winner is the last dancer to be eliminated.

These are just a few fun things that you can do after school with your kids which will not only keep them busy but will also educate, entertain and inspire them. What is your child’s favourite after school activity?

Lifestyle talk

Back to School Tips

September 8, 2015

The long and lazy days of summer are coming to an end and autumn is just around the corner. The time has come for your children to go back to school – are you prepared? Heading back to school can be a big transition for little ones, but you can make things a lot easier by being organized and prepared. Here are some back to school tips that will help:

Re-establish a Bedtime Routine
In the summertime your child’s bedtime routine might have adjusted to family events and sleepovers and now your little one is used to staying up later and sleeping in late. Adjust the routine so that your child will be ready to get up on a school morning. Even if there are a few days before school begins, you can get your child up and put them to bed earlier so that the first school morning isn’t such a shock.

Set Up a Homework Spot
Your child should have a clear spot in a quiet area of the house that they can dedicate to doing homework. This will give them their own space to work in peace so that they don’t have to spread their schoolwork out on the kitchen table and be distracted by what everyone else is doing. A desk in their bedroom or a table somewhere in the house is a great solution. Make sure that the lighting is sufficient and that your child has all of the writing and craft supplies that they will need.

Meet Their Teacher
Take a moment to introduce yourself to your child’s teacher and have a chat with them. Having a good relationship with your child’s teacher is very important, because you can work together to ensure that your little one succeeds as much as possible. You can talk to the teacher about what your child will be learning that year so that you can provide them with supplementary activities at home to improve their learning.

Put Everything on One Calendar
When the school year begins you will be flooded with an abundance of meetings, including orientations, PTA meetings, school functions, extra-curricular lessons and much more. In order to keep these commitments organized you can set up one big calendar that includes everything. You can add everything and you will be able to see everything that you need to do all in one glance. If your child comes home with a note about another event or meeting you can add it to the calendar right away so that you don’t forget.

With these back to school tips in mind, you can make the transition to back to school easier for your child and start the school year off on the right foot.

What are your back to school tips that you can share with all the parents to help ease the transition?

Events, Holiday Events

5 Places to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Toronto

March 13, 2015

One of the biggest parties of the year, St. Party’s Day, er St. Patty’s day is your annual chance to paint the town green. If you’re not having a party in one of our furnished suites in Toronto, here are our top five places to celebrate St. Patrick’s day in Toronto; Ireland’s patron saint.

1. Steamwhistle Brewery. Their annual party, held this Saturday March 14, is one of the liveliest in town but if you miss out on the party opt for the healthier Achilles St. Patrick’s Day in Toronto, 5 kilometre run/walk on Sunday March 15. Bonus: the brewery is a quick stumble back to your furnished apartment.

2. The Ceili Cottage. This packed party is the closest you’ll get to Ireland and its craic in Toronto. The bar–known for its winter yurt and its famous oysters–is hosting a St. Patrick’s Week of events starting March 13 and ending on March 17. On Monday, March 16, the yurt will be host to a dinner of four courses and four Irish whiskies co-hosted by Jameson. (Tickets are $50; call 416.406.1301 for more information.) The big day will include live music from 3pm-7pm. For more information, check out their Facebook page.

3. Stout Irish Pub. Located in the charming area of Cabbagetown, Stout has an impressive variety of taps, and bottles plus cask. Events on Saturday March 14, and on Tuesday March 17 will feature Jameson shots, Lucky Charm Lager, and Devil’s Hurricanes. Live music will be available from 8pm to 1am on both nights. No reservations.

4. The Brazen Head. This two level Irish funhouse in Liberty Village is hosting celebrations every day leading up to St. Patrick’s Day including Irish inspired dishes, $4 brunch Caesars, and the Leprechaun Olympics (don’t ask…we don’t know either!). More information is available on their Facebook Page.

5. Dora Keogh’s. This long-standing sister of Allen’s on the Danforth is a cozy room with copper stools and Guinness on tap. Dora’s is known for its live music, which you can hear in the afternoon and in the evenings this weekend. The bar will be open from noon on Tuesday.

For next year, plan ahead and book St. Patrick’s Day in Toronto at Amsterdam Brewery’s all-day party (already sold out).

Fitness and Health, Lifestyle talk

Top 5 New Workout Trends in Toronto

January 30, 2015

January is the time of detox and new year’s resolutions. Though our furnished apartments in Toronto offer amenities like fitness centers and aqua spas, sometimes it’s a good idea to switch up your routine and try something new. Here are some interesting new workout trends in Toronto .

1. Indoor Surfing. That’s right. Surfing indoors! Since you might not be able to hit the beaches of Hawaii or Costa Rica, Surfset Toronto has brought the surfing trend to you on Yonge, just north of Eglinton (close by to our properties in North York). The surfboard -balanced on stability balls – is used for toning exercises influenced by yoga and pilates. Try out your best hang-ten pose in one of the most exciting workouts in Toronto right now!

2. Archery Tag. The new Archery District in Scarborough combines your secret loves for laser tag and the Hunger Games in one, sweaty and social activity. Take your bow and arrow after a lesson and like the classic game of tag, shoot your opponent with foam-tipped arrows in over 5,000 square feet of astroturf. A perfect location to head on out to from your short term rental in Scarborough – The Forest Vista location.

3. Axe Throwing. As much as it’s a fun bonding experience with friends, it’s also a legitimate league (and one way to exercise those triceps). The Battle Axe Throwing League (BATL) has become so popular, it now has two facilities. Make sure to book in advance.

4. Branded Workouts. Big fitness corporations are aligning with local studios and gyms to capitalize on community. In Parkdale, the popular NTC (Nike Training Workouts) for women , at the Academy of Lions are fitness regimens led by world class trainers designed by Nike. Similarly, Lululemon has a number of community events on a regular basis led by their yoga ambassadors. Check individual stores for local events. Here is one example.

5. Obstacle Courses. As an alternative to the Crossfit craze, obstacle courses are a fun way to get a full body workout without the military atmosphere of drills. Popular ones across the city are Monkey Vault and Alpha Fitness that will prepare you for the Spartan and Tough Mudder races that are gaining momentum in North America.

What is your workout trend? Do you prefer to work out in a group environment – game setting? If you try one of these new workout trends in Toronto, let us know how it goes!

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