By the Corktown Critic, Writer of Anonymously Honest Reviews
I have never had my fortune told. When I think of fortunetellers I picture longhaired gypsies hidden in the back of circus tents cradling crystal balls. To me, the idea of paying money to have a wild-looking person guess my future seems a waste. And while I’m skeptical of psychics, I fear the chance of an ugly premonition getting stuck in my head. But then again, I expect a review from a virgin of tarot card readings will be entertaining.
Nancy is a Corktown legend. Located at 501 Queen East, she’s been reading palms, tarot cards and offering crystal and chakra cleansing for the last twenty plus years. In her words, she’s an energy reader and her readings are by appointment only.
I arrived with a plan. Share nothing unless I was asked a direct question. I was ready for a 30-minute tarot card reading, priced at $65 (somewhat negotiable, I discovered).
She fits every bit the physical stereotype: mid-fifties, short with black long hair and so did the room she sat me down in. Picture incense and lit candles and all of the religious memorabilia you can possibly imagine (statues, figurines, etc.) and line them along every inch of wall space in a ten by ten foot dark room. In the center of the room stood a table with two chairs; on top, a stack of cards and at least 5 crystal balls mounted on creepy old-woman-hand-stands. I struggled to take it all in.
What transpired in my half-hour read was equal parts entertainment mixed with the feeling of WTF-am-I-doing-here? She told me I would write a book one day; that my upset stomach from the previous week won’t bother me anymore; that my partner should go get a physical because she saw blood pressure warnings; that someone in my life (not in my immediate family) will die and that I have been here before and have lived several lives before this one. I enjoyed being told that my business is going to thrive, but I wasn’t too thrilled by her judgment that my kid be baptized and that if we don’t go to St Paul’s Cathedral soon, the demons will get him.
It was hard for me to give this one a rating since I have nothing to compare it to. But since Nancy gave me a tarot card reading experience that I will not soon forget, I give her an 8. I recommend it as the perfect place to go before getting a drink at The Dominion with friends. Nothing says conversation material like a tarot card or palm reading.
CURIOSITY: A couple of feisty felines explore their new digs on the rooftop of the Toronto Humane Society, located in Corktown at Queen Street East & River Street. Photo by Terri Coles/Torontoist.
Community News
The Toronto Humane Society, located in the heart of Corktown at Queen Street East & River Street, can now offer their cats a new place to play. Last week, Purina and Evergreen helped the Humane Society open a new rooftop sanctuary, complete with plants native to the area. Torontoist’s Terri Coles has the whole story.
Meanwhile, Urban Toronto looks at the excavation work going on at Parliament & Front Street East, for what will ultimately be a new data centre. The building itself, they write, will be “clad in a black and tan porcelaine facade designed to recall the earlier days of ‘punch card’ computer technology.” Pretty cool.
And for news nearby, BlogTO’s Bianca Venerayan takes a look at one of the newest additions to the Distillery District, fashion retailer Jessica Rose. “Jessica Rose’s timeless fashions and outsourced brands make up quite the elegant (and useful) package,” says Bianca. Give it a look.
Corktown Events for the Week of June 17, 2013
Tonight (Monday, June 17), the City of Toronto will be hosting its first public consultation regarding possible expansion of the Island Airport. The consultation will take place in Committee Room 2 at Toronto City Hall (100 Queen Street West), kicking off at 6:30 p.m. Councillor Pam McConnell has posted the details.
On Thursday, June 20, 360 Health Care is hosting a Meet & Greet Night, an opportunity to meet their new Doulas. Taking place at 360 Health Care’s storefront location at 360 King Street East, the evening will also include an information session detailing a Doula’s role in birth and postpartum care, a Q&A, and tasty vegan treats and tea. The session is set for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. View the flyer for details.
Kicking off on Thursday, June 20 with a reception, then running through to June 23, Gristmill Lane in the Distillery District will play host to STONE DIARIES 3, an exhibit of hand-carved Zimbabwean stone sculpture. Admission is free, with the reception taking place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday. The exhibit will be on display from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through to June 23. View the website for details.
On Friday, June 21, celebrate the summer solstice in style with OmT.O in the Distillery District, a “full day of continuous outdoor yoga classes led by the most dynamic and popular instructors from the top studios in Toronto.” There will be 11 free outdoor Yoga classes offered, and for a small donation to Colon Cancer Canada, participants can use specially provided thick yoga mats. The first class is set for 10 a.m. — view the complete schedule online.
After all that Yoga, you’ll probably want a burger. So good news: Jamie Kennedy’s Gilead Bistro is once again offering $5 back door burgers from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m on Friday, June 21. Ridiculously good, ridiculously cheap — don’t miss it. View the Gilead Event Calendar for details.
On Saturday, June 22, the Extension Room is the place to show your pride as they present Pride Prana 2: The White Edition, an event designed to help you kick off Pride Week 2013 in a sexy, healthy way. “Wear your whitest whites (tight or otherwise) and sweat a little, drink a little, dance a little…all while helping to support the Human Rights Campaign.” The event starts with a 7:30 p.m. Yoga Flow workshop with Tyler Gledhill, followed by cocktails, an art exhibit and dancing. Tickets or $25 at the door, or $20 if you buy in advance via the Extension Room’s website.
Lastly, this weekend also marks the beginning of the TD Toronto Jazz Festival. In Corktown, jazz aficionados are lucky enough to have several venues close by. Check out the great line-ups planned for the Paintbox Bistro in Regent Park, the Pure Spirits Patio in the Distillery District, Trinity Stage in the Distillery District and, of course, our own Dominion on Queen, right in the heart of Corktown. The festival runs through Canada Day.
Know of something going on in Corktown? Email website@corktown.ca.
Café Haiku Challenge!
Recognize this dish? On which Corktown restaurant’s menu will you find it? The poem and photo are clues. Identify the restaurant and the dish and win a gift certificate to the restaurant for the value of the dish.
an informal James
eats a toasted perfection,
yells for more napkins
Enter by emailing the name of the dish and the Corktown restaurant that offers it to editor@corktown.ca. Don’t forget to include your name and email address, or phone so we can track you down if you win!
The winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries. See the previous Café Haiku contest.
Start your summer off right, Corktowners, with $5 fitness at the Extension Room this Saturday, June 15. It’s all part of their Kick Off to Summer Open House. Drop by between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for the $5 drop-in classes, plus class card and membership summer blitz sales, Juice Barre treats and more…
The Extension Room is located at 30 Eastern Avenue.
The Good, and the Bad, of Corktown this month.
GOOD! Restaurants pop up all over the place, but supper clubs for meat-lovers? Yes, Corktown! The rumors are true! Toronto’s first-ever barbecue-centric supper club, Que Supper Club, will be opening soon in our hood! Portuguese-style barbecued chicken, tacos, kebabs and their signature dish, “redneck sushi”, which consists of jambalaya-style rice wrapped around a piece of barbecue, all enclosed by a strip of bacon. Are you drooling yet?
BAD! Gotta dog? If so then you’re probably asking the same question we are! Why on earth isn’t there a crosswalk and light at the corner of Power and Richmond (Power Street in 1936 is pictured above)? It takes a sprint at marathon speed to get across to the dog park on Richmond, without getting hit by the cars that fly down the ramp onto Richmond St, way over the speed limit! It’s ridiculous! We need a crosswalk there!
GOOD! Not only do we have the only pool in Toronto with a waterslide AND Tarzan rope, but now entry to it is free. Earlier this spring, staffers at the Regent Park Aquatic Centre made the pool a “priority” facility, meaning drop-in swims are totally free for everyone.
BAD! Have you driven on Lower River Street recently? During rush hour? Then you’ll agree it’s a total disaster with construction crew’s vehicles parked on both sides of the road and a steady stream of Bayview Extension traffic squeezing through two tight lanes in between. The city better have a plan for managing this road, otherwise we are in real trouble when the residents of River City move in!
For strolling around Corktown on warm summer days, one of the best places to head for has to be the Distillery!
Starting in the first year of this millennium, these thirteen acres of what had been, in the 19th and 20th centuries, home to Gooderham & Worts, the world’s largest distillery, have now become a centre for arts, culture, entertainment and all round good-living. It’s one of the must-see attractions for tourists around the world. Corktowners are suddenly waking up to find the best of everything is in our neighbourhood!
One of the top attractions at the Distillery is the theatre complex created in the old Tank House area. The Young Centre for the Performing Arts, as it is now called, is home to its resident company Soulpepper, which, at ten years of age, is regarded as one of the best classic repertory theatres in the world.
Under Artistic Director, Albert Schultz, Soulpepper presents a year-round season of the best in Canadian and world theatre. There are four theatre spaces of varying sizes in the Old Tank House area. The building and its facilities are shared with the Theatre Faculty of the George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology, so there are constant opportunities for students to observe and share in all aspects of the work of a first-class theatre company. It also opens its doors to outside companies for special presentations, such as Video Cabaret‚ The War of 1812, one of Michael Hollingsworth‚ seriously humorous satires of Canadian history. The War of 1812 was featured at the Stratford Festival last summer and this year is at the Tank House Theatre for the entire month of May.
In June, Soulpepper is presenting The Barber of Seville, a modern adaptation of the singing barber and his philandering master, Count Almaviva. You‚Äôll also be able to take in the return engagement of Kim‚ Convenience (pictured), the smash hit of the 2012 season, set in a Regent Park Korean convenience store.
In July, Soulpepper presents Entertaining Mr. Sloane by Joe Orton, a black comedy from the 1960, angry young men, a movement in England. In addition, in contrast to Orton play, Soulpepper will stage the Dickens’ classic, Great Expectations.
For tickets and additional information: call the Young Centre Box Office at 416-866-8666, or check on-line at soulpepper.ca.
And while you’re wandering around the Distillery, take time to explore some of the museums, artists‚ and studios ‚there are 15 of them! Craft exhibitions, and lots of wonderful restaurants, often with patios and live music. There is something for every taste at the Distillery!
HOLY SNAP: A summer-time shot of St. Paul’s Basilica at the corner of Queen Street East & Power Street. The historic church is the oldest Catholic congregation in Toronto. Photo by Dan Philips.
A busy week in and around Corktown. Here’s some things to do!
Monday, June 10 – Regent Park Community Consultation: Head up to the Daniels Spectrum for a community consultation by Toronto Planning relating to phase three of the Regent Park revitalization. The session runs from 7 to 9 p.m. TCHC is offering childcare for those with kids. We’ve posted more details at corktown.ca here.
Tuesday, June 11 - Party of Five art exhibit at Gallery 402: Corktown’s favourite boutique art gallery and cafe opens a new a fine art exhibit featuring five great local talents. The exhibit runs through to June 27, but stop by on Tuesday between 5:30 and 9 p.m. for a special wine and cheese event to celebrate the opening. Details have been posted here.
Tuesday, June 11 – Gooderham & Worts Special History Lecture at Enoch Turner: Our friends at Enoch Turner Schoolhouse are hosting a special lecture on Gooderham & Worts: The Family, the Business & the Community following their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, June 11. Kicking off with a reception at 6:30 p.m., admission is free. Download the flyer for details.
Wednesday, June 12 – Regent Park Farmers’ Market: Running every Wednesday all summer long, our friends at Regent Park are hosting a farmers’ market just south of Dundas Street East on Regent Park Boulevard. The market is open from 3 to 8 p.m. They’ve got a fancy new website with location details but info on vendors. Check it out.
Thursday, June 13 - Wild Dream Theatre presents ‘Crave’ at Alumnae Theatre: At the Alumnae for a limited time through to June 22, CRAVE opens on June 13 and is described as a “a love story caught in a whirlwind of miscommunication.” Visit the Wild Dream Theatre website for more details on the show and ticket info.
Thursday, June 13 – Gardiner Expressway East Consultation: Have some thoughts on the future of the Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis Street and the Don Valley Parkway? Head down to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre between 6 and 8 p.m. for the first public consultation on the Gardiner Expressway EA. They’ll be considering several options as part of the EA. RSVP to confirm your spot at this link.
Friday, June 14 – Gilead Wine Bar: Jamie Kennedy’s Gilead Cafe opens up their special wine bar once again this Friday, with special drink deals from 6 to 10 p.m. at the cafe located at Gilead and King Street East. No reservations required. Check Gilead’s event calendar for details.
Saturday, June 15 - Ward 27/28 Cycle the Community: As part of Toronto Bike Month, meet at Allan Gardens starting at noon for an afternoon of bike-based merriment plus guided tours of local bike infrastructure run by the Ward 27 and Ward 28 Cycle Toronto Advocacy Groups. We’ve posted more detail here.
Saturday, June 15 – Extension Room Open House with $5 classes: All day on Saturday, June 15, our friends at the Extension Room are offering $5 classes all day as an incentive to leap into summer. There will also be special class card and membership sales, JUICE BARRE treats, mini massages and more. Open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for drop-in classes. View the newsletter for details.
Weekend – Luminato: Future Tastes of Toronto: at the Kids’ Table: A fun and tasty event hits the Distillery District this weekend, as local Toronto chefs have teamed up with six classes of grade 4-6 students to craft culinary delights that will be available for just $5. Open for grazing on both Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 7 p.m. Find the details on Luminato’s website.
Got some info about a local Corktown news item or coming event? Email website@corktown.ca.
COMMON COMIN’: a look at the pavilion in Corktown Common. Residents will get a preview of the park on June 27 when Councillor Pam McConnell holds her annual neighbourhood walkabout. Photo Courtesy Waterfront Toronto.
As longtime residents are no doubt aware, Ward 28 Councillor Pam McConnell holds an annual neighbourhood walkabout with City Planners. This year, Pam will be walking the new West Don Lands neighbourhood on June 27. For many of us, it’ll be the first opportunity to see the new Corktown Common park in advance of its official opening.
From Pam’s website:
Each year, Councillor McConnell hosts a walkabout with City Planning staff to explore our community. Previous walkabouts have featured tours of our promenades to the waterfront, Corktown, Regent Park, and St. Lawrence. The tours include frequent stops at notable buildings and landmarks, with an explanation of the history and the future of the location and an opportunity to ask questions.
The West Don Lands walkabout will highlight the new developments around River City, the acclaimed Underpass Park, the Pan Am Athletes’ Village and Don River Park, and the waterfront.
Please remember to wear comfortable shoes!
The walk will take place on June 27, 2013 at 6 p.m. Walkers will meet at the southwest corner of Queen Street East and River Street.
As part of Bike Month taking place across Toronto, the Ward 27 and Ward 28 advocacy groups for Cycle Toronto have organized guided bike tours for June 15. The tours will look at planned bike infrastructure for Toronto Centre – Rosedale.
From the organizers:
Guided bike tours of planned bike infrastructure projects in Ward 27 and 28. Meet in Allan Gardens at Noon (corner of Sherbourne/Carlton), socialize with cyclists, hear from local Councillors at 12:30pm, with Cyclops Bike Theatre Troupe and free bike checks from Bike Pirates and Bike Sauce.
At 1pm guided bike tours through Ward 27 and 28 begin leaving from Allan Gardens, in groups of ten until 3pm. The tour will cover almost 10km with 7 stops, lasting just over 1 hour and ending at Sugar Beach (Queens Quay).
Joining us in the park will be PUSH the Envelope (Toronto-made bags and gear), and Alberto Bomba’s amazing bike sculptures. Cyclops musical performances are scheduled 12:15pm and 1:15pm.
Don’t have a bike? We have a few free BIXI day passes and a special BIXI tour will be offered – email us (contact info below) to reserve a spot. Credit card required to use the free day pass.
All riders are encouraged to bring water, and wear a helmet on the ride for safety. Also please check the weather and dress weather appropriate (this event is rain or shine).
The tour stops on streets in Toronto Centre where new or improved bike infrastructure is achievable in the next 2 years, ending at beautiful Sugar Beach on the Waterfront (Sherbourne/Queens Quay). You will learn how to get involved in Toronto cycling projects.
The tours will include:
- Sherbourne Cycle Track
- Wellesley / Hoskins Cycle Tracks
- Bay / Davenport Intersection Improvments
- Richmond / Adelaide Cycle Tracks
- What you can do about illegal parking in bike lanes…and more!To pre-register your group for a specific tour time, please email us. You can also register at the event (first come, first served).
Contact ward27@cycleto.ca or ward28@cycleto.ca for more information.
To learn more, check out the Bike Month event calendar or view the event on Facebook.
RED BARN IN WINTER: A painting by artist Mike McGowan, who will be part of the Party of Five exhibition at Gallery 402 starting June 11, 2013.
Starting June 11 and running through to June 27, Gallery 402 will host Party of Five, an exhibition featuring the work of five great Canadian artists.
The line-up includes:
- Kim Johnson
- Bonnie Lusty
- Mike McGowan
- Betty McGowan
- Margaret Brackley
Gallery 402 is open Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m.
On Tuesday, June 11, the Gallery is hosting a Wine and Cheese Opening to mark the exhibit’s debut. Stop by between 5:30 and 9 p.m.
In addition, an Artists’ Social will run on Saturday, June 15 from 12:30 to 5 p.m.
Gallery 402 is located at 402 King Street East, just north of the Distillery District. Call 416-366-8714 for more details.
Latest from the Mailing List- Corktown News & Events for the week of June 17 June 17, 2013
- Corktown News & Events for the week of June 10 June 10, 2013
- June public meeting follow-up items June 7, 2013
- Reminder: CRBA Monthly Public Meeting is TONIGHT! June 4, 2013
- CRBA June Meeting is tomorrow night! Plus more stuff to do! June 3, 2013
