Fun in the St. Clair West Community

On Friday night, as I was leaving one of the many parties I’ve been attending over the week (and into the weekend), the host asked me to stay longer. It was midnight, which was far later than I’d intended on staying. I told her that I had a big day the next day. She asked what I was doing, and I began to explain with excitement my plans.

"Wake up and walk to the Cedarvale bridge for sunrise, go to the Wychwood farmers market and film the heritage PCC vehicles opening the St. Clair streetcar." She said, ‘that’s what you call fun social plans?’. I said, ‘oh yes, it’s a lot of fun.’

She said, "you’re strange.”

As I went home, I thought about what I consider to be fun social plans. Not to say, I don’t enjoy being with new and old friends at gatherings, listening to live music and dancing. But what truly gives me comfort and pleasure is celebrating community. Yesterday was just that and I’m not the only one that had a good time.

There was a lot of people in the community celebrating. We laughed, we listened to the Hillcrest choir (which was on one of the two streetcars), and swapped stories from the early days of the St. Clair streetcar.
I was videotaping the event for Joe TV (http://www.joemihevc.com). I’ll be spending Christmas day editing. Probably a strange way to spend Christmas but I like it.

I took these pictures with my still camera. I'll post the final video from the event after Christmas.

Support Toronto Women's Bookstore in their hour of need

In a recent Torontoist.com article, Suzannah Showler reports that the Toronto Women's Bookstore is on the brink, needing $40,000 in order to stay open for the next three months.

For anyone doing some last minute holiday shopping, please consider getting over to Harbord Street and showing your support, after all...

'If the store closes, it will be a loss of something more than just purveyor of books. "We’re not just a bookstore," Bourgeois says, "Our mandate has always been to fight oppression. Bookselling is what allows us to stay alive as a non-profit organization, but it’s just one part of what we do. We hold events of all kinds: book launches, workshops, readings. We have a great relationship with the academic community, and we also partner with other organizations doing meaningful frontline work with some with of the most disadvantaged members of this city. We’ll be losing a member of a thriving community if the Toronto Women’s Bookstore closes."'

homemade fruit cakes at Java Mama

they will be available at Java Mama 1075 Bathurst Street-at Vermont-from Wed. Dec 15th on

open 1-7 daily-closed on tuesdays

please reserve by email or come in

$20 a pound

cakes are a pound each more or less.-sold by weight

booze free

7 kinds of dried fruits-mango,pineapple,craisins,raisins,prunes,unsulphured apricots,dates,

raw carrots and raw apples

3 kinds of nuts-walnuts,almonds,pecans

honey/butter/eggs

simple packaging

javamama.susan@gmail.com

Bicycling in Toronto, Nov.24th TorontotheBetter movie - QUESTIONS and IDEAS

- What new uses for bikes and biking in Toronto do you recommend?

- How can we make Toronto workplaces more bike-friendly?

AND PLEASE post any other questions/suggestions you have about
biking for a Better Toronto.suggestioo

Buy Nothing Day morphs into a Wildcat General Strike on November 27

We are glad to repost this notice from the Adbusters email list:


There is only one way to avoid the collapse of this human experiment of ours on Planet Earth: we have to consume less. So this November 27 (November 28 in Europe and overseas), we’re calling for a Wildcat General Strike.

We’re asking tens of millions of people around the world to bring the capitalist consumption machine to a grinding – if only momentary – halt. We want you to shut off your lights, televisions and other nonessential appliances. We want you to park your car, turn off your phones and log off of your computer for the day. We’re calling for a Ramadan-like fast. From sunrise to sunset we’ll abstain en masse – not only from holiday shopping, but from all the temptations of our five-planet lifestyles.


...To learn more and to get involved, visit the Buy Nothing Day web page.

Simply Raw kicks off 2009-2010 TorontotheBetter movie series

On Oct. 27th TorontotheBetter kicked off its 2009-2010 movie series with a successful screening of Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days, which showed what happened when 6 diabetics took up the challenge of the Dr. Gabriel Cousens' "Tree of Life Rejuvenation Centre" to go cold turkey onto raw food for 30 days. While the flick is a feelgood vindication of the Tree of Life method - hint: noone's diabetes got worse with less insulin (understatement) - it certainly got the audience thinking about the practical consequences for their body of the type of food they eat. Thanks to Nutritionist Lisa Villary who answered questions from the audience about things like "Are there any obese vegans?" One audience member confirmed that yes, it's possible! Watch how much you eat, not just what.

The next TorontotheBetter movie is Pedal Power [about biking in Toronto] on Tuesday Nov.24th, again at OISE. of course, its not enough just to eat as well as we saw in Simply Raw; we have to exercise. TorontotheBetter movies build relevant life skills, obviously! Movie co-director Chris Sumton will be on hand, with a speaker from Toronto's Community Bicycle network, to answer questions.

Toronto Cyclists Union Fundraiser; 28 October 2009

Everyone's probably already been invited to the Toronto Cyclists Union's Cocktail and Masquerade Fundraiser, but just in case, here are the details:


Toronto Cyclists Union Fundraiser: Cocktail and Masquerade

Oct. 28th, 6pm @ Steamwhistle’s Roundhouse ** 2 part event - Reception & Party**
Please join us for this very special evening. Together we are building a bike-friendly Toronto.

The evening will include:
* Special Intimate Performances by top Canadian entertainers Molly Johnson (http://mollyjohnson.com) & Coco Love Alcorn (http://www.cocolovealcorn.com)
* Silent auction 6-9, raffle 9-12 featuring great bikes, great items from businesses in Southern Ontario, and other bikephenalia
* Open bar 6-9, delectable finger foods and fine Canadian beer, wine and spirits
* Bike expo featuring Toronto’s top bike shops showcasing the latest and greatest in 2010 cycling technology
* Oyster Bar at 7pm with Celebrity Shucker, David Donnelly, of Donnelly LPC

If there was ever a time to get behind our city's most dedicated, and high profile cycling advocates, it's now. Thanks in large part to the Toronto Cyclists Union, our city's first member-based cycling advocacy organisation, cycling issues are now most definitely on the map in Toronto. If you've ever cared about improving conditions for cyclists in this city, and about getting bikes meaningfully incorporated into our transportation system, now is the time to show support for the first group with real traction. Whether or not you have joined yet as a member, we represent your interests as a cyclist. We have some real momentum, but we need your help to keep it going.

Brought to you by:

The Toronto Cyclists Union - the face of the new, and much needed, bike advocacy in Toronto – the voice of optimism and pragmatism, of a common effort to work toward a more harmonious and efficient way to move our city. We are growing but we need you to be a part of that growth. All funds raised will go directly towards maintaining the ongoing operational and project costs of our still nascent, but already well respected organisation - one that has finally filled the gap in cycling advocacy in Toronto.

Oct. 28th @ Steamwhistle’s Roundhouse

* 6 to 9pm - Masquerade Cocktail Reception: Special Guests (musical & political), Open bar, Cocktail Catering & Silent Auction - $100 single, $150 couple
* 9pm to 12am - Masquerade 'Bike Love' Party: Live Music, DJs for dancing, Cash bar and Raffle - $25 single, $40 couple

** Buy tickets here: https://bikeunion.to/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=1

Please consider purchasing tickets, or making a contribution, even if you are unable to attend.

Message from Executive Director, Yvonne Bambrick - http://www.youtube.com/v/bQ513765R8A

Supporters: Bicycle Trade Association of Canada, Sweet Pete’s, Steamwhistle, Opus, Specialized, Donnelly LPC, Spacing, Positive Change, Bikes Without Borders, Urbane, and more...