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On our 19th Day of February Month Of Love – we celebrate the Love of New Beginnings – recognizing Chinese New Year!  Here at the Riverside BIA we have been  blogging every day about Love in the Month of February.  We have been celebrating the great Love Happening things in 2015, or we have paid tribute to a historical Love event in February.  Today, February 18th  is Kung Hei Fat Choi! Chinese New Year –   the Year of the Goat (or sheep – see below).  We Love New Beginnings!

Chinese New Year is the most important and  longest national holiday in China, spanning a total of fifteen days with  New Year’s Day the most important date in the Chinese calendar and it falls on the second new moon after winter solstice – somewhere between 21 January and 19 February, meaning it changes from year to year.  In 2015, New Years Day falls on February 19th (Ya gotta just love February!)

2015 is the year of the goat, but you may see it referred to as the “Year of the Sheep” too.

The confusion stems from the Chinese character “yang”, which can translate in colloquial Chinese as either sheep or goat.

Those born in 1919, 1931, 1943, 1967, 1979, 1991 or 2003 are goats, who can count their lucky colours as brown, red and purple.

Their characters are supposedly kind and peaceable, while their best months are supposedly August and November and their lucky flowers are primroses and carnations.  I think we can extend Kind and Peaceable to be in our Love theme – I know you agree!

There are even more days to Love Chinese New Years in February – with each day having  its own celebration: On Day 2 it is traditional to visit friends and relatives, on Day 3 people tend to stay at home as it is not seen as auspicious to socialise.

The final day, Day 15, sees the Lantern Festival, where red Chinese lanterns are released into the sky.(this takes us to March…so, odds are, you won’t see a Riverside BIA Blog on the Lantern Festival!)

Love Chinese New Year on February 19  – celebrate Kung Hei Fat Choy in Riverside Toronto….

– with a visit to Lucky Star Restaurant at 745 Queen St East and pick up some Chinese Food for a meal with your family, friends – all your loved ones.  Don’t worry, they deliver too!  Or, if you don’t want to clean-up, you can dine in!  Lucky Star is  a neighbourhood staple -Serving up fresh, hot Chinese food.   Lucky Star is an ideal spot for classic Szechuan and Cantonese dishes. Eat in, take out and delivery are available, all at a very reasonable price. Some of their Yelp Reviews claim the “best chinese food in Toronto! spicy peanut chicken will forever be my favourite food! this place is like home to me! the people are kind and always happy! wonderful place to eat and fast and reliable.”

Just another day to Celebrate Love in #FebruaryMonthOfLove!

Stay Tuned for Day 19 Tomorrow!

February 18th is  Drink Wine Day! Pop the cork and enjoy a refreshing glass of Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot, Shiraz, or Zinfandel in honor of the occasion!   This day is also the 18th day in our February Month of Love Series…and we pay tribute to the almighty grape, in the liquid form – Wine.

People have been producing wine since at least 6000 B.C. There are dozens of ancient legends about humans who accidentally consumed fermented grapes and became intoxicated, which is probably how wine was first conceived. Eventually, people began experimenting with the fermentation process. The methods for making wine spread from the region of Mesopotamia to Egypt, Greece, Rome, France, Spain, and eventually the New World. Today, over 20 million acres of the earth’s surface are dedicated to growing grapes for wine.

Studies have shown that drinking a glass of wine a day improves heart health, reduces forgetfulness, boosts immunity, and increases bone density. Riverside has plenty of ways to help you celebrate Drink Wine Day,

Looking back in time – some Wine inspired history takes us to New York in February 18, 1925

Prohibition-era lovers make eyes for each other at an estimated 30,000 speakeasies in New York City. Any date that requires you to knock three times and whisper a password has got to be pretty intriguing.  Prohibition never came to Canada and in the US, the law was repealed in 1933.

Make some Wine Love History on February 18th

If you are in the mood to entertain at home – pop into Riverside’s Wine Rack  at 731 Queen St E.  They are open until 11pm every day, and have in-store sampling and expert staff to help you select the perfect bottle.  For #FebruaryMonthOfLove – Barb and her team at the Riverside Location are raising funds for Habitat for Humanity.  For a $5 donation, you can put you or your loved one’s name on a heart to be displayed in store.  All the proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity!  Thanks everyone for giving back!

There are many local watering holes you can take a loved one to in Riverside on February 18th – With the historical nod to Prohibition – why not visit Riverside’s own Prohibition Gastro House  at 696 Queen St E – No need to say the secret word in 2015.  Prohibition has Hooch Hour every day from 4 – 7pm; and 10pm – midnight – and are open until 2am every day (the Kitchen is open late if you are feeling hungry)

If you are looking for something a bit more romantic – then 747 Wine Bar (at 747 Queen E) is for you and your loved one.   With a broad selection of wines, there will be something to please everyone’s palate. Indulge in a bottle, enjoy a 5 oz. glass, sample many wines with 3 oz. glasses or enjoy a wine flight with three 2 oz. pours. Choose from over 25 wines offered by the glass.

Well known for their charcuterie platters, choose from our wide selection of cheeses – local and far and wide, meats – all made in-house, and seasonal garnishes. Their  main menu is diversified featuring small plates to share, and pair with our many wines available by the glass. They are featuring the food and wine from Spain right now! Check out the menu below.

Happy Wine Day everyone – this certainly is another  day to love  in #FebruaryMonthOfLove.

Check this Blog tomorrow for Day 19

Happy Pancake Day!  Pancake Day, also called Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras (which is French for “Fat Tuesday”), is the last day of feasting before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. It’s called so due to the tradition of eating pancakes on the day. This tradition comes from a time where any rich foods were eaten on the day before Lent, and fasting begins.

Whatever your religion – today is the day to Love Eating Pancakes and Love of Pancakes is our inspiration for our 17th blog during #FebruaryMonthOfLove.

For this Pancake Love blog in our continuing series – we are gonna shake things up a bit.  If you look to our previous 16 #FebruaryMonthOfLove posts you will see that our usual blog format is to look for some significant Love event  in History on this dayand then build to a present day celebration.  But, not today.  On this day,  bursting with Pancake Love – we created a Top  10 Why I love Pancakes list …drum roll please….

Top 10 Why I love Pancake List

• #10 – they are easy to make! – whether you make them from a mix, or whip up a batch of your own, they use simple ingredients that you have on hand – flour, eggs, milk, baking powder, sugar, oil.  It doesn’t get much simpler than that
• #9 – they cook up fast! – After you have combined the ingredients together just pour them on a heated pan, and they cook up in about a minute.  I don’t know of anything (unless it’s deep fried) that cooks as fast as that!
• #8 – You can eat them at any meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) – There are a few foods that you can make as a meal any time of day.  Pancakes are good at any time of the day – they can be a main course, or a
• #7 – You can make them in almost any flavour you can think of! – Whether it’s chocolate chip, cheese or savory or just about anything – there are virtually no limits to a Pancake Flavour.  And, you can top them with anything – think beyond the traditional syrup – go for whipped cream, peanut butter – make a sandwich out of them.  The possibilities are endless.
• #6 – You can make them in just about any shape!.  Put the mix in a squeeze bottle and create a shape via PanCake Art – or, take a cookie cutter, and press out your shape.  Anything you can imagine
• #5 – They are synonymous on a weekend breakfast with Family Fun!  Everyone has memories of a big pancake breakkie hanging out on the weekend!
• #4 – They be manipulated. You can roll, them, fold them, stack them and of course you can cut them with a knife and fork.
• #3 They are inexpensive to make, and have raised tons of money for many causes – how many fund-raising pancake breakfasts have you been to!  Everyone loves to eat them, and to make them – they are a crowd pleaser – and give us a great reason to gather friends who support a meaningful cause to raise money and eat a hearty breakkie
• #2 They last a long time.  Make a big batch of pancakes, and you have leftovers.  No worries, they will be yummy the next day.  You can freeze them and just pop them in the toaster.
• #1 – They have a Holiday Named after them!  How great is that – do you know of any other food that has a Holiday named after them?  I don’t think so!

There you go!  That’s my top 10 Pancake Love List – h0w does it compare to yours?  I bet you have more reasons!

So, let’s make some Pancake Love Happen on February 17, 2015 -Please come to the Free Pancake Dinner on Feb 17th , 6:30 – 8:00pm at the St Matthews Anglican Church  with Nell Bradshaw  & Natasha Varjacic of Homeward Reality.  Nell and Natasha is our Mother/Daughter Real Estate dynamic duo with more than 25 years experience serving buyers and sellers of Toronto Real Estate. Living and working in the heart of the Riverside district  Nell and Natasha are active contributors to the community.  They support many local charities, and host Annual neighbourhood events like a Spring BBQ , Halloween Pumpkin Patch and Easter Egg Hunt from their office at 807A Queen Street East (conveniently located across from Jimmie Simpson Park).  Today, they also hosting their  annual Free  Pancake Dinner 6:30 – 8:00pm at the St Matthews Anglican Church.  Please show your pancake love and come on down.

Stay tuned for Day 18 of #FebruaryMonthOfLove.

Happy Family Day to everyone!  Family Day – at least that’s what those who live in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and B.C.  call it.  And, on the third Monday in February – we celebrate our 16th of #FebruaryMonthOfLove with a provincial shout out to Love of Long Weekends and Family Love.

Family Day Love in History

Family Day Is a fairly recent holiday.  In Ontario, we first celebrated in 2008 , lagging Saskatchewan by a year, Albertans started it all,  creating  this Family Long Week-end Love-in 1990.  British Columbia joined in 2013 (but they celebrate 1 week earlier).  It’s called   Louis Riel Day in Manitoba, and Islander Day in Prince Edward Island.   Whatever you call it, it’s just another reason for us to continue with our #FebruaryMonthOfLove – as we LOVE Long Weekends and our family.

The shout out is a provincial one because Family Day is not a federal holiday.  We are so glad our provincial government loves February so much they gave us a long weekend.

Make your own Family Love History on February 16 2015.

Why not start a family tradition of your own – with an healthy indoor activity – a Family Spin Class!

Visit Quad East in #RiversideTO. They  have a few classes today…8am, 9:45 am and 1215pm.

At Quad East they provide the best spinning experience which includes a positive and welcoming atmosphere, excellent instructors and clean and well maintained bikes.  Get your family together and come on down to Quad Spinning 672 Queen St E.

Don’t forget to visit us at www.Riverside-to.com for our blog on  Day 17 of #FebruaryMonthOfLove

Valentine’s day has come and gone, and there is still so much love happening in #FebruaryMonthofLove.  Today, our Love blog is about Love, History of the  Maple Leaf,  and 50 year celebrations.      February 15th is  the 50th  Birthday of the Maple Leaf –  our beloved Canadian Flag  .  On Parliament Hill, at noon on February 15, 1965, The Maple Leaf flag made its first official appearance.  Since then, February 15 has been recognized  annually as National Flag of Canada Day  .

The East End has deep roots (parden the pun) with the Maple Leaf.  In 1867, local resident Alexander Muir composed the patriotic song “The Maple Leaf Forever“, which became an unofficial anthem in English-speaking Canada.  The tree that inspired this song stood strong and proud for well over 140 years on Laing St near Queen E and Leslie (in the BIA of our Easterly Neighbours of Leslieville).  The tree fell in a storm in 2013.  However, over 48 logs of various sizes were salvaged.  The City of Toronto has engaged  local designers and artists to create over 400 items to preserve the tree’s legacy.

Make Love Happen on February 15, 2015 – I challenge you to “Share your Moment with the Flag”

Coinciding with National Flag Day,  from February 15 through  to the 18, a selection of the 410 items produced from the tree will be on display in the City Hall Rotunda. The items include pieces commissioned by the Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Heritage Trust and the Toronto Public Library.  Additionally, many of the items produced from the tree will be on display in museums and historical societies across Canada.

If you can’t get out to City Hall – you can celebrate  the 50^th anniversary of the Maple Leaf  anywhere, by taking part in the “Share your Moment with the Flag” Challenge.

This challenge gives us an opportunity, as Canadians, to show our love for, and to honour the National Flag of Canada, a symbol that is recognized and respected around the world and an enormous source of pride.

Express yourself! Fifty years is worth celebrating in style!  And..as East Enders – we can be Especially Proud that we are home to the Maple Leaf Forever Inspiration!

But Wait a minute…….we couldn’t do a blog about the East End and 50 years without giving a shout out to  George ‘the chess playing barber’ Iliadis .  While quite a few years after Alexander Muir’s time; George has watched the Riverside neighbourhood evolve from a former working class area to one of the most coveted communities east of the Don River, all from the front window of his Broadview Beauty Parlour and Barber Shop  at 741 Queen St E

During that time, he’s cut the hair of generations of area residents, many of whom he views as family and friends.

George is als0 is a  card-carrying ACTRA member, he’s appeared in several commercials and films in recent years including Cinderella Man, Nikita and Soul Patrol to name a few.

George recently celebrated  50 years of business and  50 years of marriage. In honour of George’s  50 years of business, he received a scroll from the City of Toronto, a plaque from the Riverside BIA, as well as certificates from Mayor Rob Ford, Premier Kathleen Wynne and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, among others.

Do pop in to 741 for a hair cut, shave…and a game of chess!  George will treat you like a king!

Happy National Flag Day!

Don’t forget to come back and read tomorrow’s Blog on the 16th Day of #FebruaryMonthOfLove!