Blog

Day 24 in our #FebruaryMonth of Love series has our 24th Love Celebration Post recognizing the concept of “Co-Working”, which supports entrepreneurs, small businesses, independents and all the wonderful members of the Riverside BIA and beyond.

On this day in 2015 – Love for Small Business History is Made, and Major John Tory has proclaimed this to be CoWorking Day in Toronto!

Mayor John Tory Proclamation

Coworking has grown in Toronto, gaining attention from media and other cities from around the world, but more importantly as we come together to share best practices and strengthen the local coworking industry, our spaces are better able to support the entrepreneurs, startups, freelancers, independents, consultants, and small businesses of Toronto.

Many Riverside BIA members are proud to be part of a very active group networking Group – Owners of East (OofE)

O of E is  a passionate and driven group of business owners and entrepreneurs from Corktown, the Distillery District, The Film District, Riverside, Riverdale, Leslieville, The Beach, and The Danforth. Owners of East is dedicated to promoting the entrepreneurial spirit, fostering business growth in our community and making a positive contribution to the well being of the neighbourhoods in which we work.

Owners of the East Executive Group

Owners of East is for business owners – Membership is open to entrepreneurs, freelancers, contractors and small business owners who operate within the geographical boundaries of Parliament, O’Connor, Victoria Park, and the Lake.  Their purpose is to foster the entrepreneurial spirit by building meaningful connections among members.

Theyncoordinate monthly events of varying formats that support our goals.  These events include learning events, forums to exchange ideas, and opportunities to advance your business by making connections with other business owners.  For more information please see their Events Page.

Owners of East also promotes and participates in online discussion through the Owners of East Facebook page, and through our blog which features informative business focused contributions from our members.  Visit here for more info.

A CoWorking Hub has recently opened in Riverside – The East Room

The East Room –  is a boutique style co-working membership club located in the growing creative hub of Toronto’s East end. It caters to forward thinking, creative professionals by providing the community, the location and the tools to grow their freelance careers or small business. Whether they are rooted in Toronto, telecommuting across town or across the globe, an East Room membership will allow them to always have a comfortable, productive space they can work and play within.

East Room CoWorking Space in RiversideTO

As a member, you will be part of a curated (read: like-minded) community of technologists, artists, designers and futurists whom you may grow your business with professionally as you share ideas or even merge talents as various project come and go.  Please visit www.Eastroom.ca for more info.

Thanks for Loving Riverside and showing your love with support for all the local small business – entrepreneurs and small business owners that have shaped the greatest hood to work, live, eat, shop and play in – #RiversideTO!

Check tomorrow – for the 25th Blog in our #FebruaryMonthOfLoveBlog

( Gourmet Popcorn with Black Olive from Olive & Olives- perfect for snacking while watching the Oscars:  Recipe is below)

Tonight’s the Night for Glitz and Glamour as the Hollywood “A-listers” make their down the Red Carpet for the 87th Annual Academy Awards Presentation.  On this day we have the 22nd daily Love blog in our Riverside#FebruaryMonthOfLove Series. This is the 2nd Part of our 2-part “Love the Oscars” Blog. Yesterday we covered getting your hair all glammed up.   Today, we look at how to host an elegant and hassle-free Oscar Worthy Dinner that will impress your loved ones!  We will showcase the three Riverside Businesses who have been nominated by the  BIA for the Best Oscar Dinner Awards.

We begin with an overview of the evening menu, followed by the the BIA Best Oscar Dinner Awards and complete the blog with  the easy to follow, gourmet Oscar dinner recipes .

1) The Oscar Party Hassle Free, Gourmet, Impress your Loved One’s Menu:

• Take your popcorn up a notch, and wow your loved ones with Olive & Olives Gourmet Popcorn with Black Olives
• Follow this up with  some Quail Egg Tapas  while watching the pre-show
• Serve up an elegant Orange & Olive salad during the opening monologue
• Feast on a gourmet roasted, BBQ’d or smoked meat entree – pre-pared fromButchers of Distinction at 738 Queen St East
• Finish it off with some gourmet ShortBread from Mary Macleod  639 Queen St E.  These cookies are good enough to be in the Oscar Nominee’s Swag Bags – Mary Macleod’s  is reputed to be where Mick Jagger buys his shortbread.

2) Riverside BIA Best Oscar Dinner Awards

May we have the envelope please:

The Best Producer of Appetizers  Award goes to: Olive & Olives at 779 Queen St East – Olives & Olives work with producers who create truly authentic and exceptional extra virgin olive oils of the finest quality.Olive & Olives,  was the first store in the country devoted to extra virgin olive oils, A tasting kitchen at one end and a large olive tree inside make it one welcoming destination for those with discerning tastes for the best olive oils and olive-base products.  Visit Mia and her team at Olive & Olives in Riverside – ask them for an tasting of their artisan Olive Oils and Fruit Vinegars.  On the shelves are rows upon rows of olive-based products including olives (in jars, not bulk), olive oils and vinegars.

The awards for Best Actor in a leading Main Course Role  AND Best Actor in a  Side Dish Role goes to the team at   Butchers of Distinction at 738 Queen St East.  They offer a range of ready-to-heat and serve foods prepared in their own  kitchens from their own produce. Roasted smoked and bar-b-qued meats; salads and side dishes ready to eat; marinated cuts of our prime meats and poultry are ready to cook and a range of pies, prepared dishes and stock and soups need only heating.  You will find something to please all the stars at your dinner!

The award for Best Actress in a leading role for the Grande Finale   goes to Mary MacLeod Shortbread. There really is a Mary and she founded  Macleod’s Shortbread  in 1981. She began baking her signature Chocolate Crunch shortbread from a small shop under the marquee of the Capital Theatre in Toronto. Her shortbread was an instant hit and after 30 years it’s still a Toronto, and now, international favourite. A true original, hers was the first business in Canada devoted exclusively to making artisanal shortbread.

Riverside’s Award Winning, Easy to follow, Gourmet Oscar Night Recipes:

Popcorn with Black Olive

Popcorn with Black Olive

Ingredients

3 tbs. of filtered extra virgin olive oil
½ cup of popping corn kernels
24 dried black olives without pits
2 tbs. of arbequina extra virgin olive oil fr
Fleur de sel

Preparation

Heat extra virgin olive oil in a deep pot and add kernels.

Pop the kernels and serve with olives. Drizzle with arbequina extra virgin olive oil.

Add fleur de sel and toss together.

Suggestion: season with your favorite spices.

Quail eggs tapas

Ingredients

1 quail egg  (if you can’t find quail eggs, substitute a small chicken egg)
1 slice of piquillo pepper
1 small slice of serrano ham
1 slice of bread
Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Grill the serrano ham under the broiler until slightly crispy and put aside.

In a frying pan, fry the egg in extra virgin olive oil without turning it over.

Put the ham, pepper and egg on a slice of bread.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Orange and Olive Salad

orange & olive salad

Ingredients

5 large oranges
¼ lb black olives, pitted
Radishes (for garnish)

For the sauce
8 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
Pinch of ground cumin
Pinch of salt

Preparation

Peel the oranges, remove the white membrane, and cut into quarters.

Cut the olives into julienne.

Arrange the orange quarters in a salad bowl and sprinkle olives on top.

Beat the extra virgin olive oil with the lemon juice, the cumin and the salt. Pour over the salad and serve at once.

Happy Entertaining – Check back tomorrow for Day 23 of our Riverside #FebruaryMonthOfLove Blog

Welcome to Day 21 in Riverside’s #FebruaryMonthOfLove Blog. During the month of February, we have been posting a daily reason why,  despite the cold and bleak days in February, there are so many reasons to LOVE February.  Hey, we are now  a full week past Valentine’s day, and we are still going strong on this Love theme, so, there must be something to it!!

Today – is part 1 of a 2 part “Getting Ready to Love The Oscars Post!

On this day, we  tap into your love of glam and glitz and give some tips on how to your hair Red Carpet Ready– we’re talking about getting ALL your hair  glamed up.

First, get that Glam Red Carpet HairDo with a visit the team at “Hair Code”, at 743 Queen St East.  The name of the salon, is based on the notion that everyone is unique and thus their hairstyle should suit and enhance their uniqueness. Hair Code dares to suggest and “decode”, in style, one’s true hair code. Services are available to both male and female adults, as well as children, and include cutting, coloring and styling.  They have become a staple of Riverside and surrounding areas for not only providing great haircuts but for providing support to those in need and making a difference.

See for yourself – check out this runway, red carpet looks  from the fall 2014 Love On Queen Runway Show.

We are just getting started with our Manes!  Everything can get coiffed in Riverside.  The next stop is at WAXON WAXBAR  at  766 Queen St E.  They take walk-ins and their grooming services include: facial, body, and below the belt!

Lexi Miles,  Founder,  describes WAXON WAXBAR™  as a “high end, trendy environment with professional Waxologists and great prices, that even accepts walk ins… ”  Of course, you can  book an appointment – visit  here, or walk in!    You can even purchase some of your favourite products online! Click here to get started.

It’s Day 20 in February Month of Love, and bitterly cold arctic air  continues its stay in Southern Ontario. The forecast is for strong and gusty northwest winds to combine with the frigid temperatures to produce extremely cold wind chill values of minus 30 to minus 35 tonight through Friday morning.  This is a perfect reason to get all cozy with your loved one!  The Riverside BIA is continuing our daily Love Blog in February!

For todays Romance Blog,  we are having a Love Fest,  cocooning with an Irish and Scottish Spin as we journey back in time…

Love Happened on February 20, 1979 (and went on and on and on)

Snowed in with her two young sons, Nora Roberts , begins writing. And writing. And writing. With over 209 books published, Nora Roberts is now one of the most popular and prolific romance novelists of all time.Nora Roberts was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. While Nora was born and still lives in Maryland, she is of Irish descent.  Both of her parents have Irish ancestors, and has described herself as “an Irishwoman through and through”.  Yup, all you romance novelist fans out there, thank your lucky starts for thatcold snowy day in February that inspired Romance Novelist Nora Roberts to begin her long career .

Make your own Love History on February 20, 2015

Put on some warm Irish woolies, grab a Scottish  shortbread cookie (or 2)  and open a Nora Roberts romance novel.

Looking for the best  cozy Irish winterwear – then visit Irish Design House  (IDH) at 756 Queen St E in Riverside TO.   IDH is a a unique store stocking a selection of textiles, knitwear, jewelry and ceramics which is all lovingly handmade in Ireland.  Visit their store and and take advantage of their sweater sale.  Or if you want to stay warm and cozy with your loved one – shop-on line here.

Come Inside the Irish Design House for so many Irish Treasures

For Shortbread cookies everyone loves Mary MacLeod ShortBread.    Yes, there really is a Mary!  As a wee lass back home in Glasgow, Scotland, Mary learned to bake from her mother and French grandmother.  Founded in 1981, Mary MacLeod Shortbread is A true original – the first business in Canada devoted exclusively to the creation and sale of hand-made, pure, small-batch shortbread cookies.   Mary built her business by earning the trust of the community, genuinely appreciating every customer, and of course, by making the finest shortbread cookies possible. This sure sounds like a whole lotta Love!!   After over 30 years, Mary continues to bake exceptional shortbread cookies, offer fabulous corporate gift packages, and beautiful seasonal specials.  Too cold to head out to the store…well, then shop on-line here.  Everyone Loves Mary and her shortbread!

Love Mary MacLeod Shortbread

Remember to check back to www.Riverside-to.com for Day 21 in our #FebruaryMonthOfLove Series