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Quince Flowers: What makes them unique

 

Rosie

When you walk into Quince Flowers is such an oasis of calm and beauty, that you’re at loath to have to step back out. Quince Flowers is fantastically community oriented, recently Owner Rosie Little, voiced the necessity of promoting Second Harvest’s Hero Campaign, which the Riverside BIA is proud to support.

Quince Flowers love flowers and the possibilities they bring to creating meaning in people’s lives.  From wedding and event floral decor to an individual gift from one friend to another, to a simple purchase to animate one’s day. Flowers do it all, say it all, and it’s all good!

blooms

 We Asked Rosie what makes her love what she does

R: “I love working with flowers! It’s a privilege for me to select our stock at market in the early morning, to prepare a special bouquet for a client, to come into work every day with wonderful staff. Not only does having my own business allow me to work at what I love, it allows me to choose who I work with!  The team at Quince Flowers is phenomenal! I’m so grateful for my excellent florists.”

flowers2

What makes Quince a unique/special business in its industry?

R: “We get involved with our community, fundraising for Second Harvest, Canfar, and Porridge for Parkinson’s for example.  We volunteer time and resources to the Riverside BIA and many events throughout the city. Within our industry we participating in many floral events like Canada Blooms, Spring Awakening at the Gardiner Museum, The Wedding Room show at the Arcadian, to name a few. For a small business with a staff of just 4 full-time and 2 part-time employees we are open 7 days a week, ready to serve, as well as to sell. I think our community engagement sets us apart.”

Why do you love being in Riverside?

R: “Quince Flowers has been in business for 16 years, with locations in Queen West, Corktown, The shops at Don Mills, and at Yonge and Lawrence.  I love Riverside the best because I actually live nearby.  I can walk or bike to work, my City Councillor Paula Fletcher serves me in business as well as a householder.  The business owners of Riverside are a tight, supportive group. Lunch breaks here mean an excellent meal and conversation with many friends and neighbours. I am proud that it is a community that is inclusive.”

For Second Harvest, Quince Flowers has a selection of goodies by their cash register that are free with a five dollar donation to the cause.  This week it is Saxon Chocolates, Next week is boutique seeds!

Hi-Lo: A New Riverside Local

Photo by Jesse Milns from BlogTO

Photo by Jesse Milns from BlogTO

The new Riverside watering hole, Hi-Lo is a fabulous new addition to the hood. Hi-Lo’s owners are an East End powerhouse with Riverside’s Table 17, Leslieville’s Ascari Enoteca and Gavin Holmes being the man behind the bar, who knows when you need a top up.

Paying homage, to the beloved Avro, Hi-Lo provides a low-key “where everyone knows your name” vibe, but mixes in a trendier higher brow polish. With drinks that cater to both a high and low budget and pallet with  drinks range from $5 bottles of Heineken to $13 cocktails using exotic and classic ingredients and top-rail booze.

Photo from Toronto Life

Photo from Toronto Life

Although not a formal eating establishment, Hi-Lo whets the pallet with quality, yet unpretentious tastes which include: chicken liver mousse, fried chickpeas, Superbowl-style chili, ham-and-cheese platter, a daily sandwich, pickled quail eggs, house marinated olive, and homemade pickles.

The décor is an eclectic mix with a stunning reclaimed wood table, re-purposed arcade game tables, a classic pinball machine and a funky wall photo-collage of old-school Rock legends.

So pull up, take a load off and grab a drink at the local.

 

Coming Together For Breakfast + Investing in Community

On Friday Morning, December 13th, An Sibin Pub, Chef Scott from Culinary Adventure Co. and the Riverside BIA are coming together to create a community fundraiser for St. John’s Compassionate Mission – a charity that also has the bakery on Broadview which acts as a social enterprise.

Deborah Baic - Globe & Mail

Picture Taken by: Deborah Baic – Globe & Mail

Since 2001 St. John’s Bakery has been one of Toronto’s finest and unique artisan bakeries that bakes  breads and sweets made with certified organic ingredients using French recipes that are over 200 years old. More than just baking exquisite bread, they also provide important skill building opportunities for those on the margins of society; they work with people on Ontario Works, people with Disabilities, people struggling with addictions, people with emotional and  mental illness, people new to Canada and single parents.

Chef Scot from Culinary Adventure leads wildly popular food tours and adventures throughout Toronto, with one of his most popular being the Riverside/Leslieville Food Tour, which stops at the St John’s Bakery. Moved by the employee stories, and the bakery’s empowering mission of helping some of societies most vulnerable to help themselves, Chef Scott felt he wanted to do more.

Last year Chef Scott, An Sibin Pub and The Riverside BIA teamed up to make this happen with the Riverside Antler Breakfast, to add some extra holiday cheer to those at St. John’s Compassionate Mission. The event was such a success, ad was a great way for the Riverside Community  businesses and residents, as well as folks from outside of the east end, to get together and share some holiday cheer.

This year, on Friday Dec 13 with 2 seatings at 8am & 10am  we will have great music by Stella Panacci, raffle prizes, a visit from Santa, and of course a hearty Irish Breakfast which has plenty of meat lovers and veggie options.

  • Scrambled Eggs,
  • Irish Links,
  • Bacon,
  • Home Fries,
  • Baked Beans (vegetarian),
  • Green salad,
  • Fruit Salad,
  • Mountain View Estates Organic Coffee, and
  • Barry’s Irish Tea complements of Empire by Bullet

We hope you can join us for this Community event.

You can get your tickets here: button-register

Mustard Seed/ Sisters of St. Joseph and Fontbonne Place – Nurturing Community for Riverside’s older generations

For all of our events Riverside businesses feel it is important to support our local charities. For Light up the Riverside on Nov 30th our local Charity is Mustard Seed/ Sisters of St. Joseph and Fontbonne Place. Read on to learn more about these dedicated organizations.

sisters of st. joseph

SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH began in 1651 in southern France to serve the needy. The order has spread throughout the world. 4 Sisters of 4 different nationalities came to Canada in 1851 (via the U.S.) to care for victims of the Irish famine: orphans and the sick in fever sheds They went on to establish hospitals, schools, homes for the needy, addiction treatment in Toronto and across Canada, plus third–world missions.

FONTBONNE PLACE. In1999, St. Michael’s Hospital (then owned & operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph) pulled out of their satellite clinic at 791 Queen St.E. The Sisters sought what needs could be served there. Permanent safe affordable housing for women 40 to 60 was decided upon. As the zoning laws permit only 3 storeys, there are only18 one-bedroom apartments plus a 3- bedroom on the ground floor.

MUSTARD SEED. The space on the ground floor adjacent to the buildings next door and the basement were unsuitable for housing. Sister Gwen Smith, who had worked for 10 years in Parkdale in social justice (including housing, refugees, community gardens, community kitchens and wholesale food store), was invited to explore what needs might be met in this space. With the government reduced resources for social services, Sister was told not to siphon funds or resources from other services, but rely solely on support from the Sisters and their benefactors.

With encouragement from agencies like Ralph Thornton, South Riverdale Community Health Centre, Jimmy Simpson, St. Michael’s Hospital and Woodgreen a community garden, community kitchen and an art group were started. Other Sisters & friends added their talents of sewing, health care, foot care, counselling, spirituality, meditation, computer training, crafts, gentle tai chi, self-expression via writing, baking. East End Drop-in Network asked Mustard Seed to provide a drop-in in the cold weather. Mustard Seed was a founding member of the Riverdale Food Working Group, which promotes affordable nutritious food with workshops, markets and farm field trips. These activities are where the mission of Mustard Seed takes place: to nurture community!

Boulton Avenue Child Care Centre happily providing quality and affordable childcare in #RiversideTO for over 25 years

Riverside is fast becoming one of the destinations for families with young children.  It makes sense that we would be home to some great child care centres.  We are profiling the Boulton Avenue Child Care Centre, who are one of the Community Supporters for the Light up the Riverside Tree Lighting Ceremony, Sponsored by Matt & Ben, on Saturday Nov 30th at Mustard Seed (Queen E & Degrassi)

boulton

 

Located in the Royal Canadian Curling Club building on Broadview Ave., just north of Queen St. E., Boulton Avenue Child Care Centre has been providing affordable, quality child care to the families of Riverside, Leslieville and Riverdale for more than 25 years.

 

The goals of the centre are simple: to operate a safe, nurturing and welcoming daycare, where children have every opportunity to learn and grow. Boulton’s play-driven approach challenges a child’s curiosity and heightens his/her awareness and self-confidence. Our programs (from birth to age 10) allow children to play in situations that facilitate healthy physical, emotional and cognitive growth in a warm and secure environment.

 

We believe that to achieve the maximum benefit from an experience, a child must feel that he/she is loved, valued and cared for.

 

The role of the family is integral to Boulton’s philosophy, and our staff not only encourage parent participation, but also offer support and resources to the families we serve as well as to the community at large.

 

The Staff at Boulton Avenue Child Care, know that healthy eating is always a goal for parents.  Please enjoy this fun, healthy snack for the little ones – and if you want to see more, visit their website and check out this article on 7 healthy snacks for kids http://boultonchildcare.com/7-easy-veggie-recipes-for-kids/

 

Rainbow Pepper Snacks by Boulton Ave Child Care Centre

Rainbow Pepper Snacks by Boulton Ave Child Care Centre

 

Pepper Rainbow

Somewhere over the rainbow, dreams that you dare to dream—like your kids happily eating vegetables—really do come true. Extra parent points if you can get them to sing the song while they snack. Source: Parents

 

 

The staff and board of the Boulton Avenue Child Care Centre will be manning a tasty treat table during the Light up the Riverside – Saturday Nov 30th at 5-7pm at Mustard Seed Gardens (Queen & Degrassi)

Matt and Ben Light up the Riverside

For more information on Boulton’s programs, please contact June Schappert at 416-463-7625 and visit us online at boultonchildcare.com.

 

Like us on Facebook for the latest news from Boulton, kid-friendly local happenings and to connect with fellow east-end parents! facebook.com/BoultonAve

 

Follow us on Twitter (@BoultonAve) to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at Boulton each day as well as parenting news from around the web.

 

 

 

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