Remember Winterlicious?

Well, now that the hazy days of summer have arrived, you won’t want to miss out on the yummy offerings of Toronto’s Summerlicious Festival.

From July 6 to 22, 2007, selected Toronto restaurants will be offering special 3-course prix fixe menus, where patrons can sample each establishment’s delicious fare.

Prices are: $15 or $20 for lunch and $25 or $35 for dinner.

For a complete listing of participating restaurants, along with their prix fixe menus, click here.

Due to the popularity of this event, reservations are recommended at those restaurants that accept them. Be sure to call ahead to find out if you need to book a spot!

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

 

Patio weather is here and Toronto does not disappoint.

Paupers is located at 539 Bloor Street West, just east of Bathurst, in the heart of the Annex.

Before its conversion to a three-story pub, this beautiful century-old building was a bank.

The ground floor, with its old-fashioned street lamps and wrought iron accents, hosts the Main Bar and restaurant, with access to a street-level patio.

Their menu offers a large selection of appetizers, sandwiches, salads, burgers, and yummy entrees such as grilled salmon, ribeye steak, and pork schnitzel.

Paupers Lounge is located one floor up and features live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night. Staff is friendly and the ambience relaxed, warm and welcoming.

But the best part – at least during the summer months – is Pauper’s Caribbean-themed roof-top patio. The view is spectacular, and, if you arrive between 5 and 8, be sure to take advantage of their half-price food specials.

For more information, visit their website at www.pauperspub.com.

On Sunday, June 10, 2007 make a date with fitness and fundraising!

Family, friends, and even pets are invited to participate in Toronto Challenge 2007!

In its fifteenth year, the Toronto Challenge raises money for Toronto’s Homes for the Aged and other organizations serving seniors in our city.

If you’re in great shape, sign up for the 5K run; if you’re in so-so shape, try the 5K walk; if fitness isn’t your forte, the 1K leisure walk should suit you just fine!

The event begins with a low-impact aerobic warm-up from 9 to 9:15 a.m., before you run or walk through Toronto’s Entertainment District.

Participants will receive commemorative t’s, race kit goodies and a free BBQ lunch! Parking at Metro Hall is free to the first 300 cars.

Last year the event attracted almost 2000 people, ranging in age from 1 to 98, including hockey legend Doug Gilmour, who will be present again this year.

For information on registering and collecting pledges, click here.

With the warm weather finally here, you’ll want to spend oodles of time outside.

A super place for a date or a rockin’ night out with friends is The Docks. This enormous waterfront indoor/outdoor entertainment complex has something for everyone:

• Nightclubs
• Drive-in Theatre
• Restaurant
• Driving Range
• Volleyball
• Soccer
• Rock-climbing
• Speed Boat Rides
• 41,000 square foot Patio/Deck, featuring an outdoor dance floor, pool tables and swimming pool
• Flea and Farmer’s Market
• Special Events: such as the Industry Summer Magic Festival, featuring 3 rooms of music on Sunday, May 20, 2007 or The Alexander Keith’s Atlantic Lobster Bash on Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Experience The Docks. You’ll be amazed!

The Docks

11 Polson

Toronto, Ontario

416-469-5655

www.thedocks.com

Tucked away on a tiny side street in the heart of the entertainment district, it’s easy to miss this unpretentious venue.

You’ll find pool and poker tables, good food (appetizers, salads, pizza, sandwiches and desserts), a full bar, including specialty martinis, live entertainment and a street-side patio.

The atmosphere is casual, making it a comfortable place for a date or a sweet spot to party with your friends. The choice is yours.

They host pool leagues for players of all skill levels and a monthly event called The Improv Web, “a truly hilarious show with some of the best improvisers this city has to offer.”

Their game library includes: chess, backgammon, cribbage, dominos, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Boggle, Risk and more.

Eat, drink, listen to music, play games and laugh.

Now that you know it exists, don’t forget to check it out!

The Charlotte Room
19 Charlotte Street
Toronto, Ontario
(one block east of Spadina, north of King)
Phone: 416-598-2882
www.charlotteroom.com
 

 

Sometimes dating’s just a walk in the park! Literally.

Toronto’s beautiful High Park begins its Spring Walking Tours on Sunday, April 29, 2007.

The cost is only $2.00 per walk. Now that’s a cheap, cheap date, not to mention a great way to get some exercise, commune with nature and meet other people.

Here are some of the highlights, as noted on their website:

Sunday, April 29 – “On Grenadier Pond” – 1:15 pm
Discover which fish, reptile and amphibian species are likely residents and where they’ve been all winter. Learn the story of Grenadier Pond as it changed under the stress of urbanization and became the focus of an extensive ecosystem-based rehabilitation effort.

Sunday, May 13, 2007 – “Spring Migration” - 9:00 am
Observe and learn to identify migratory birds returning to or passing through High Park. Bring your binoculars.

Sunday, May 27, 2007 – “Nature Photography” – 1:15 pm
Back by popular demand! Bring your camera and join local photographer, David Allen, for a walk in the park. You’ll learn about light, shutter speeds, f-stops and much, much more!

Tuesday, June 5, 2007 – “Wildflower Names: Meanings, History and Lore” – 6:45 pm
 Get better acquainted with the wildflowers of High Park and the intriguing stories behind their names. You won’t look at flowering plants the same way again!

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 – “Native & Invasive Plants” – 6:45 pm
From blue lupines to garlic mustard, participants will learn to identify many of the native and non-native herbaceous plants in High Park’s black oak savannah and woodland habitats. This is a hands-on workshop. You are asked to bring work gloves, as you will be aiding in the removal of invasive plant species from the park.

High Park is located on the west side of Toronto and easily accessible by TTC, with entrances near the High Park or Keele subway stations.

For more information on Walking Tours and other High Park events, please visit www.highpark.org.

The Hot House Cafe was the 2005 winner of Where Toronto’s Most Memorable Meal Award for Best Breakfast/Brunch, and with good reason.

Their award-winning Sunday buffet features made-to-order omelettes, exquisite salads, decadent entrees, and traditional breakfast fare. If you still have room after your second (or third) helping, you can’t leave without at least one trip to the dessert buffet. I always have the Belgian waffles with whipped cream and strawberries.

And it’s not just their brunch that will have you returning again and again. You’ll love the great atmosphere, friendly servers, and extensive a la carte menu.

Here are some of my lunch and dinner favourites:

Appetizer: Baked Goat Cheese with Nicoise Olive Tapenade, served with warm flat bread

Salad: Grilled Tiger Shrimp and Mango Salad: marinated in Ginger, Soya, Mirin, Sesame Oil, Lime & Cilantro with Fresh Mango on a bed of Tossed Greens and Soba Noodles, with Julienne of Peppers, Cucumber, Carrots and Scallions in Tropical Fruit and Sesame Dressing

Pasta: Wild Boar Papardelle: Wild Boar simmered in a rich Pommodoro Sauce served on bed of Papardelle (Okay, I admit I’ve never actually tried it, but it does sound interesting, doesn’t it?) Plus, all the pasta dishes are served with Freshly Baked Warm Sourdough Bread – yumm!

Main Dish: Grilled New Zealand Rack of Lamb: French cut Rack of Lamb marinated with Olive Oil, Rosemary & Tarragon, grilled perfectly & napped with a Porcini, Pancetta, Plum Tomato & Dijon Sauce

Stir Fry: Jambalaya: with Jumbo Tiger Shrimp, Blackened Chicken Breast, Spicy Italian Sausage, Bell Peppers, Red Onion, Chile Peppers and Herbed Tomato served on a Rice Pilaf

Thin Crust Pizza: Either the Chorizo: with Caramelized Onion, Roasted Red Peppers, Tomato Sauce with Asiago and Mozzarella or the Pizza Funghi: with Wild Mushroom Duxelle, Truffle Oil, Asiago Cheese and Virgin Olive Oil

Located at Front and Church in downtown Toronto, not only is The Hot House Cafe a fabulous restaurant, there’s also so much to do in the neighbourhood!

Check out their website for more information and a virtual tour!

Dating isn’t just about going to restaurants, clubs, parties and shows. It’s about relating to your partner in a multitude of different ways.

Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or testing the waters with someone new, volunteering together is a great way to get close to one another and do some good in the world too!

Not sure where to begin? Check out www.volunteertoronto.on.ca. Volunteer positions are categorized by activity, type of organization, groups served, location/postal code and special events. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at some of the opportunities.

For instance:

Videographer/Producer

The Loyala Arrupe Centre for Seniors, at 1709 Bloor Street West, is looking for someone with creative vision and videography skills who can shoot and produce a short video, to be posted on YouTube and their website.

Cat Feeders

Not a big fan of YouTube? How about cats? The Annex Cat Rescue is looking for people willing to go out, one hour per week, to feed the feral cat colonies along two established routes.

Pet Visitors

Already have a pet or two? How about enhancing their purpose in life while impressing your date at the same time? Bayview Community Services and the West Park Healthcare Centre are looking for friendly people – and their pets – to visit residents in each facility. Bayview provides group housing for people with mental health problems and Westpark provides specialized rehab and long-term health care services.

There are, in fact, hundreds of volunteer positions to choose from. All you have to do is decide which one is right for you!

One of the coolest venues in Toronto is also the oldest, continuously operating hotel in our city: the beautiful, recently restored Gladstone.

This 115-year-old historic landmark provides travellers and Torontonians alike with “a truly authentic experience of the local creative culture.” 

Enjoy breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner in the Ballroom Cafe; check out the Melody Bar for live music, local DJs, open mic nights or Karaoke; attend a CD launch in the Ballroom; enjoy a theatrical performance in the Art Bar; or be awed by the art exhibits on the second floor. 

Here’s an idea: Why not party in the bar with your sweetie, then, after last call, surprise your little love muffin by sneaking upstairs for a wild night of sizzling passion in one of their utterly unique, artist-designed rooms. 

Trust me, you’ll be glad you did! 

The Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario
Phone: 416-531-4635
gladstonehotel.com

MTV is holding a casting call this Saturday, March 17, 2007, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., for a brand new, music-based dating series!

They’re looking for young adults, between the ages of 18 and 24 with exciting personalities and unique musical tastes. You have to be single and open to meeting someone who loves music as much as you do!

According to Media in Canada, MTV teamed up with Maynards (the candy company that makes Gummie Bears) to create the show, scheduled to launch in April. Viewers will be asked to submit playlists of their favorite videos, music and TV content, and the show’s contestants will screen potential dates, based on their music and video choices.

Casting will be held at the Masonic Temple, 888 Yonge Street (at Davenport), in Toronto.

For more info click here.